HGPost Disaster

EB-AX2 Graze Ein

A standard Graze frame pushed into something twice as menacing, axes and all.

MechaGrade Score

3.8/5

Graze Ein · 1/144 · 2016

GradeHG

Scale1/144

Released2016

Runnersn/a

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The verdict

I think this is one of the more distinctive HG IBO kits of its wave, and it earns that reputation honestly.

It takes the familiar Graze skeleton and bolts on enough new hardware (a head that splits open into horns, a backpack that racks two full-size axes) that it stops feeling like a repaint and starts feeling like its own suit. The build is simple enough for a first-timer but the gimmicks give an experienced builder something to grin about too.

Best for: IBO fans and HG beginners who want a bigger, meaner kit without stepping up to MG complexity

The full review

What it is

This is a 1/144 High Grade built on the same core skeleton as the standard Graze, but scaled up and reworked into something that towers over the rest of an IBO shelf at around six inches. I went in expecting a reskin and came out surprised. The wrist joints use a second hinge low on the forearm so the hand can angle up and down independently of the elbow, the waist spins a full 360 degrees, and the head cracks open to reveal a pair of devilish horn antennae, which is a small touch that sells the whole redesign. The backpack rack that stores and deploys the twin axes is genuinely satisfying to click through, and for a kit that street prices around fifteen dollars, that is a lot of personality packed into an entry-level build.

The catch

The leg articulation does not match the upper body. You get a slight side split but nothing close to a full gundam squat, which stings on a suit this dynamic-looking. The torso still connects to the hips with a plain ball joint, and because the Ein's upper body carries so much extra armor and hardware, that joint can feel strained and prone to loosening over time compared to a standard Graze. The retractable shoulder guns are also a letdown mechanically, they just snap onto a peg rather than folding into the frame the way the axes do, which feels like a missed opportunity given how clever the rest of the engineering is.

Who it's for

If you want a bigger, weirder-looking IBO suit that still builds in an afternoon with no painting required to look sharp, this is a strong pick, and it is friendly enough for someone building their first few kits. Fans of the show specifically will want it for what it represents, since the Ein carries some of the darkest lore in the IBO cast. Skip it if leg posing and squatting stances matter more to you than gimmicks, or if you already own the standard Graze and are only looking for a straightforward recolor, because this kit asks a little more of your shelf space and your patience with that shoulder gun snap-fit.

The build story

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

This is a straightforward build that will not intimidate a beginner. It shares a lot of its runners with the standard Graze but adds a dedicated frame runner for the new arm, head, and backpack parts, so the added complexity is real but manageable in a single sitting. Gate placement is typical Bandai HG, mostly on non-visible surfaces, and color separation is good enough that you can skip painting and still get a clean-looking suit out of the box.

The standout engineering is in the arms and the backpack. The dual wrist hinges give real up-and-down wrist motion that most HGs at this price don't bother with, and the waist rotates freely with nothing to snag it. The backpack's swing-arm mechanism for bringing the axes into the Ein's hands is the kind of small mechanical idea that makes a cheap kit feel considered. Weapon loadout is generous for the price: two axes, drill kick feet, pile bunkers, retractable shoulder guns, and a full set of interchangeable hands.

Lore & trivia

01The Graze Ein is piloted by Ein Dalton, a Gjallarhorn officer who underwent Alaya-Vijnana System surgery after being critically wounded, becoming a living component of the suit's life support and control system.
02It is built on the frame of the standard EB-06 Graze but modified by Gjallarhorn as a testbed for Alaya-Vijnana compatible mobile suits, standing taller than its base model.
03The kit released in April 2016 as part of the HGIBO line and was later given a Full Mechanics 1/100 upgrade, a sign of how much fan interest the suit's redesign generated.