HGAnno Domini

GN-011Z Gundam Zerachiel

A Harute remix that packs three transformations into one easy weekend build.

MechaGrade Score

3.9/5

Gundam Zerachiel · 1/144 · 2019

GradeHG

Scale1/144

Released2019

Runnersn/a

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The verdict

Zerachiel is proof that a deep-cut manga suit can still make for a genuinely satisfying HG.

I built it expecting a reskinned Harute and came away impressed that the transformation into GN Sky and GN Bull actually works without pulling a single part off the frame. It is not a technical showcase like a top-tier MG, but for an HG asking a light price it hands you three display configurations and two weapon sets, and that is a lot of kit for one afternoon.

Best for: builders who want a fully self-contained transforming HG without hunting for spare parts or a second kit

The full review

What it is

This is the Gunpla take on the suit Ain Soph pilots in Gundam Build Divers Break, built off the GN-011 Harute frame but reworked into its own thing. What struck me first is how complete it feels for an HG. Every accessory, both GN sword rifles and both GN huge cannons, stores directly on the body, so you are never digging through a parts bag mid-pose. The three-mode transformation (mobile suit, the GN Sky flight form, and the tank-style GN Bull) works through hinges and folds built into the kit itself, no extra runners needed. Snapping it through all three shapes for the first time was the moment this kit sold me.

The catch

The backpack is the recurring complaint, and building it confirmed why. It is a wide, busy unit that limits how far you can rotate the shoulders and arms before parts collide, so some dynamic poses need compromise. This is also a Skill Level 2 HG, meaning gate marks are left visibly on purpose so you know where to clean up, and if you skip that step the seams show. Molded color carries most of the scheme so paint is optional, but a few smaller trim details still lean on your patience with a hobby knife rather than stickers.

Who it's for

I would point this at builders who like transforming kits and want the payoff of three real modes without buying a separate flight or tank kit to get there. It also works well for anyone curious about Build Divers Break side-story designs but who does not want to commit to an MG price point to try one. I would steer away someone whose main goal is maximum shoulder and arm articulation for dynamic action poses, since the backpack bulk works against that here. As a first transforming kit or a lunch-break build with real gimmick payoff, it earns its shelf space.

The build story

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

This is a Skill Level 2 HG, so expect basic tools (nippers and a file or sandpaper) rather than cement or paint. Bandai intentionally left nub marks visible on the review samples so builders know exactly where to polish, which is a nice touch for less experienced hands but does mean you cannot skip gate cleanup and expect invisible seams.

The transformation gimmick is the real engineering story here. Folding from mobile suit into GN Sky and then into GN Bull mode uses built-in hinges rather than swapped parts, and it is genuinely satisfying to run through all three once you know the sequence. Posability away from the transformation is solid too, with the caveat that the backpack limits how far you can push the shoulders before parts start colliding. For the price band, getting two rifles, two cannons, and a display base in one box is a strong value trade against a typical single-mode HG.

Lore & trivia

01Zerachiel is built off the GN-011 Gundam Harute frame, the dual-cockpit transforming Gundam from Mobile Suit Gundam 00 The Movie, originally piloted jointly by Allelujah Haptism and Soma Peries.
02In story, Zerachiel is piloted by Ain Soph, leader of the Force Ain Soph Owl in Gundam Build Divers Break, whose name references the Kabbalistic term Ain Soph Aur, meaning infinite light.
03The kit transforms into three faithful modes from its source material: the standard mobile suit form, the aircraft-like GN Sky mode, and the tank-style GN Bull mode.
04The HGBD Zerachiel released in February 2019 and includes a BA-1 display base along with an adapter for the BA-0 base.