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EB-05s McGillis's Schwalbe Graze

A budget Graze mold dressed up in officer blue, with a claw that actually earns its keep on the shelf.

MechaGrade Score

3.6/5

McGillis's Schwalbe Graze · 1/144 · 2015

GradeHG

Scale1/144

Released2015

Runnersn/a

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The verdict

This is the Graze frame doing what it does best: cheap, sturdy, and more fun to pose than its price tag suggests.

McGillis's remolded torso, extra thruster arms, and the wire claw give it a distinct silhouette next to a stock Graze, and none of that costs you build time. It won't wow you with engineering tricks, but for what it asks of you it delivers a clean, satisfying afternoon build.

Best for: IBO fans and budget-conscious builders who want a distinctive rival unit without stepping up to MG money

The full review

What it is

I went in expecting a reskinned Graze and that is basically what I got, just a good one. The molded-in dark blue and gunmetal mean it looks finished the moment the runners are clipped, no painting required to read as McGillis's unit. The double back-mounted thruster arms are the standout physical feature, they swing forward for that counter-thrust pose straight out of the show, and they make the silhouette instantly recognizable from three feet away. Assembly is fast, snap-fit throughout, and the part count is low enough that this is a relaxed evening build rather than a project.

The catch

The wire claw is the one feature everybody flags and for good reason. It is molded rubber rather than an actual metal wire, so getting the claw to sit where you want it, especially mid-strike poses, takes patience and it will not hold tension the way a real cable would. The frame underneath is stock Graze, meaning the articulation ceiling is that of a mid-2010s HG, not a modern kit, so hip and shoulder range is decent but not spectacular. There is minimal sticker use since most color comes molded in, though panel lines are left for you to add if you want the extra pop.

Who it's for

Grab this if you already like the Graze family and want the version with actual character behind it, or if you are building out the IBO roster and need McGillis's unit specifically. It is also a fine low-stakes pickup for someone easing into HG kits who wants a suit with a bit more personality than a stock grunt. Skip it if poseability is your main priority, since the frame is a few generations behind current HG engineering, or if the idea of fiddling with a soft rubber grapple line sounds like more hassle than it is worth.

The build story

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

The build itself is uneventful in the best way. Runners are simple, gate placement is unobtrusive on visible surfaces, and snap-fit joints go together without the looseness that plagues some budget kits. Nothing here demands cement or paint to look presentable, which makes it a good candidate for a first serious HG build if someone wants a suit with more visual flair than the average grunt.

The standout engineering choice is the pair of independently articulated backpack thrusters, they are ball-jointed and can rotate to face forward for the counter-thrust pose McGillis uses in the anime, which is a nice bit of show accuracy on a budget frame. Loadout includes the 120mm rifle, battle axe, and the claw weapon with its rubber wire, so weapon variety is solid for the price. Neck is a double-jointed ball-and-socket, shoulders swing and raise reasonably far, and waist boosters peg-swing for extra dynamic stance options.

Lore & trivia

01The Schwalbe Graze is McGillis Fareed's personal custom built on the Graze family's Valkyrie frame lineage, distinguished by its dark blue livery and remolded torso.
02McGillis operated as the masked ally 'Montag' to Tekkadan early in Iron-Blooded Orphans while working within Gjallarhorn as an Inspector alongside Gaelio Bauduin.
03The suit's forearm-mounted Grappling-Hook Pistol claw can also be used as a melee weapon for parrying and stabbing when attached directly to the arm.
04This HG released in October 2015 as an early entry in the HGIBO line, numbered 003 in Bandai's Iron-Blooded Orphans High Grade lineup.