HGUniversal Century

Conan Edogawa (MS-06S Zaku II color) & MS-06S Zaku II (Shuichi Akai color)

A crossover gag box that actually gives you two real kits to build, not just a paint swap.

MechaGrade Score

3.4/5

Zaku II · 1/144 · 2020

GradeHG

Scale1/144

Released2020

Runnersn/a

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The verdict

I went into this expecting a novelty shelf-warmer and came out respecting it more than I expected to.

The joke is genuinely clever (a Zaku painted in the color of the man voiced by Char Aznable's own actor), and Bandai backed the bit with an Entry Grade figure and an HGUC Zaku shell that both actually build well. It is not a kit you buy for engineering thrills, it is a kit you buy because the pun made you laugh and the parts turned out to be worth clipping.

Best for: Detective Conan and Gundam fans who want the joke on their shelf and don't mind a P-Bandai hunt to get it

The full review

What it is

This is a two-figure crossover box from the Detective Conan: The Scarlet Bullet x Mobile Suit Gundam: Hathaway theatrical tie-in. One side is the Entry Grade Conan Edogawa figure recolored into Char's signature red Zaku II scheme. The other is the HGUC MS-06S Zaku II shell recolored and marked for Shuichi Akai, whose Japanese voice actor Shuichi Ikeda also voices Char, which is the whole reason this pairing exists. Building it felt less like assembling one kit and more like unwrapping two small, tidy little in-jokes back to back, and I found myself grinning at the sniper marking callout on the Zaku's shoulder.

The catch

This was a Premium Bandai exclusive, so outside Japan you are hunting secondary market listings and paying import markup, sometimes well past the original 3,300 yen. The Conan figure is built for display charm, not deep articulation, so do not expect the pose range of a proper action figure. And if you already own a standard HGUC or HG Origin Zaku II, the mecha half of this set is the same core engineering under a new paint job and sticker sheet, so the novelty is entirely in the crossover, not in new mechanical ground.

Who it's for

Buy this if you are a Detective Conan fan who also likes Gundam, or a Gundam collector who wants a genuinely funny piece of crossover merch rather than another straight Zaku build. Skip it if you are chasing pure build complexity or articulation, since the Conan figure won't scratch that itch and the Zaku shell is a known mold in new colors. It also is not a great first kit for someone who wants a serious first Gunpla project, it is better as a bonus pickup for someone who already has a few builds under their belt and wants something to smile at.

What works

The Ikeda/Char voice-actor joke is executed with real care, right down to the sniper marking on the Zaku's shoulder
The HGUC Zaku shell brings genuine mecha engineering (double-jointed elbows and knees, a working mono-eye switch on later tooling) rather than a token gimmick
Both figures use touch-gate technology and molded color, so there is close to zero panel-line or paint work needed to look finished

Worth knowing

P-Bandai exclusivity means real hunting and import markup outside Japan
The Entry Grade Conan figure is a display piece first, its articulation is nowhere near what a dedicated action figure or full HG mecha offers
If you already own a standard-colored Zaku II, the mecha half is the same kit under new decals, so the appeal is entirely the crossover concept

Sold? Grab it.

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The build story

What the build is actually like, and the engineering worth knowing about.

The Conan half goes together in minutes, snap-fit with touch-gate parts so there is barely a nub to clean up, and the color separation on the jacket, bow tie, and glasses comes straight out of the runners with no painting needed. The Zaku half is a heavier lift by comparison but still a straightforward HGUC-style build, gates are placed sensibly and the fit is snug without being a fight to close up.

The real engineering is in the Zaku shell. If this uses the 2020 Revive-era HGUC tooling as its base, you get double-jointed elbows and knees for a wider pose range than the classic 2002 mold, plus a mono-eye that switches side to side. The torso still can't twist independently of the waist, which is the long-running Zaku limitation Bandai didn't fully solve until later Master Grade revisions, so front-facing poses are where this kit looks its best. The included marking stickers for the Akai homage are crisp and go on cleanly.

Lore & trivia

01The kit was released to tie in with the joint 2020 theatrical double bill of Detective Conan: The Scarlet Bullet and Mobile Suit Gundam: Hathaway.
02The Zaku II's Shuichi Akai color scheme is a deliberate pun: Akai is voiced in Japanese by Shuichi Ikeda, the same actor who voices Char Aznable, the pilot most associated with a red Zaku.
03The Conan Edogawa figure is finished in Char's own signature Zaku II red as its half of the joke.
04The set was sold as a Premium Bandai and Gundam Base exclusive for 3,300 yen and requires no glue or extra tools to assemble.