HGAnno Domini

GN Arms Type E + Gundam Exia

A 2008 HG that turns a lean sword fighter into a two suit weapons platform, and asks you to hold a screwdriver for the privilege.

MechaGrade Score

3.6/5

Exia · 1/144 · 2008

GradeHG

Scale1/144

Released2008

Runnersn/a

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The verdict

This is a genuinely fun combo kit if you go in knowing it is two builds for the price of one, not a clean single suit.

The Exia half is the same solid HG frame from the standalone release with sharp trans-am red plastic and foil accents, while the GN Arms half is a fiddly armor rig that rewards patience with real transformation and a huge weapons loadout. I like it a lot for what it represents, the whole Exia-can't-fight-alone story beat from the show, but I would not call the Arms unit fun to pose on its own.

Best for: 00 fans who want the Trans-Am Exia plus the full docking gimmick and don't mind a screw here and there

The full review

What it is

This set pairs the Trans-Am colored Gundam Exia, essentially the same HG Exia frame with red plastic and foil stickers swapped in, with the GN Arms Type E support unit that docks onto its back. Snapped together you get a genuinely different silhouette, a GN Sword doubled up, two GN beam guns, and two big GN cannons hanging off the shoulders. Building it feels like getting two kits in one box, and the payoff when you finally lock the Arms onto Exia's back and it actually reads as the show's combined form is worth the extra time. It comes with a display stand too, which the combined form genuinely needs.

The catch

The GN Arms half requires an actual Phillips screwdriver to assemble, which is unusual for an HG and immediately signals this is not a quick weeknight build. Its own articulation is limited, the arm assemblies are long and need care to line up symmetrically since there is no built in support while you work, and the rear skirt armor keeps the legs from swinging back very far. The Exia side reuses the standalone HG Exia's stickers rather than molded color for some of the trim, so if you dislike foil decals on a 2008 kit, know that going in. None of this is a hidden flaw, it is a genuinely more involved build than a typical HG.

Who it's for

Get this if you want the Trans-Am Exia specifically and like the idea of building the full combined form as one project rather than hunting down GN Arms separately later. It also suits builders who enjoy transformation gimmicks and don't mind a screwdriver in the mix. Skip it if you just want a clean, quick, poseable Exia to shelf on its own, the standalone HG Exia or the newer RG will serve that better and skip the Arms unit's fiddliness entirely. This is a kit for people who want the story moment, not just the suit.

The build story

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

The Exia side goes together the way any HG Exia does, gates are in sensible spots and cleanup is easy, with the usual sticker sheet handling the trans-am red accents and camera lenses. The GN Arms side is the real project here. Its long arm sections and moving hinge points need to line up on both sides at once, and without a jig or extra hands it takes patience to keep everything symmetrical while you fit the screws that hold it together.

The payoff is real though. Once combined, the shoulders carry the GN cannons, the forearms mount the beam guns, and the whole silhouette reads immediately as the show's boosted Exia rather than a generic add on. The head still swivels and tilts on its ball joint, the waist still rotates a full 360, and elbows bend to 90 degrees, so the core Exia frame keeps its usual HG poseability even carrying the extra hardware. The included display stand is worth using, since the combined form is heavier and less stable standing on its own feet.

Lore & trivia

01This HG released in March 2008 pairs a Trans-Am colored (red plastic, foil sticker) version of the standalone HG Gundam Exia with the GN Arms Type E support unit.
02GN Arms Type E can dock with Exia in GN Armor mode for combined firepower, or fold down into its own Mobile Armor mode when used without a Gundam Exia kit.
03Bandai reissued the Real Color version of GN Arms Type E through Premium Bandai, updated with newly designed non-foil decals and colors matched to the modern RG Gundam Exia line.