HGAnno Domini

GN-011 Gundam Harute (Final Battle Ver.)

A two-pilot Gundam with a plane mode, a beast mode, and a backpack that never lets you forget it's there.

MechaGrade Score

3.5/5

Gundam Harute (Final Battle Ver.) · 1/144 · 2021

GradeHG

Scale1/144

Released2021

Runnersn/a

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The verdict

This is a fun, oddball HG that earns its spot on the shelf mostly through concept, not precision engineering.

Harute transforms into a flight form, folds out a Marute mode face change, and comes loaded with GN Sword Rifles and a GN Cannon, and all of that works the way an HG from this era should. What holds it back from being a clear recommendation is a rear unit that fights gravity constantly and articulation that rewards patience more than confidence.

Best for: Gundam 00 movie fans who want the two-seater Harute done right, and builders who enjoy transforming kits more than they mind a little backpack sag

The full review

What it is

Harute is the successor to Arios Gundam, built for Allelujah and Soma to pilot together, and this Final Battle Ver reissue leans into that with a Marute-mode head swap and a display stand rigged for both MS and flight configurations. I like that Bandai didn't just repaint the old HG00 mold, this version adds newly molded parts including the leg boosters, so it actually reads as the movie's final-battle silhouette rather than the TV-series original. Building it is straightforward HG-line snap fit, softer plastic than the usual Bandai styrene, and the two GN Sword Rifles plus GN Missile Container give you a proper loadout to pose with.

The catch

The GN backpack and boosters are the sticking point almost every builder mentions. It's genuinely heavy for the frame holding it, and once you've got a pose you like, moving the kit again risks the whole rear assembly sagging or the arms drooping under the added weight. Articulation is standard HG00-line, which means it gets you dynamic sword poses fine but doesn't have a lot of range in the hips or ankles, so don't expect deep lunges. A few small parts, notably around the backpack and boosters, are snug enough that panel-line pliers help during assembly rather than fingers alone.

Who it's for

Buy this if you love the Gundam 00 movie, want Harute specifically in its final-battle look with the Marute face swap, or you're building an Anno Domini shelf and need the two-seater Gundam represented. Skip it if backpack droop is a dealbreaker for you or you want a kit you can repose casually without babying it. For the price and part count, the transformation gimmick and weapon loadout make it a worthwhile pickup for series fans, just go in knowing you'll pick your pose and leave it there.

The build story

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

This builds like a typical HG00-line kit, snap-fit, no stickers doing the heavy lifting on the main color scheme, and the plastic is noticeably softer than mainline Bandai runners, which makes nub marks easier to clean up after clipping. The backpack and GN Boosters are the one spot where I'd keep a pair of pliers on hand, some builders report those parts fitting snug enough to fight you a little on the first assembly.

The transformation into flight mode and the Marute-mode head swap are the standout engineering here, they're not just molded-on gimmicks, they change the kit's silhouette and give you two distinct display states off one frame. Weapon loadout is generous for an HG, two GN Sword Rifles, a GN Missile Container, and a GN Cannon, so you get real posing variety. Articulation itself is unremarkable for the line, adequate for sword stances but not built for extreme dynamic poses, and that heavy rear unit means whatever pose you land on, plan to leave it there.

Lore & trivia

01Gundam Harute was developed by Celestial Being's chief mechanic Ian Vashti as the successor to the GN-007 Arios Gundam, combining Arios's own data with that of its support unit, the GNR-101A GN Archer.
02Harute is the first Gundam in the series built with a two-seater cockpit, designed specifically so Super Soldiers Allelujah Haptism and Soma Peries could pilot it together.
03Marute Mode is a Trans-Am-linked system exclusive to Super Soldier pilots that merges the reflexes and thought patterns of Allelujah, his alternate personality Hallelujah, and Soma to power the suit's strongest attacks.
04This Final Battle Ver. is a P-Bandai reissue of the original HG00 #68 Harute mold, updated with newly molded leg boosters and a Marute-mode head part to match its appearance in Mobile Suit Gundam 00 The Movie: A Wakening of the Trailblazer.