HGUniversal Century

MS-06 Zaku (GQ)

The oldest silhouette in Gunpla, tuned up for a brand new show and still hitting all the right notes.

MechaGrade Score

3.7/5

Zaku II · 1/144 · 2025

GradeHG

Scale1/144

Released2025

Runnersn/a

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The verdict

This is a genuinely good modern HG take on the Zaku II, built for the GQuuuuuuX redesign rather than a straight rerelease.

I like that Bandai didn't just reuse an old mold and call it a day, the shoulder blocks move independently now and the mono-eye actually swivels in the socket. It won't blow anyone away as an engineering showcase, but as a fun, quick, faithful Zaku build for not much money, it delivers exactly what it promises.

Best for: Zeon loyalists and newer builders who want a proper GQuuuuuuX-era Zaku without RG-level fiddliness

The full review

What it is

This kit takes the most recognizable silhouette in the franchise and rebuilds it around the redesign from GQuuuuuuX, Hideaki Anno's 2025 alternate-timeline Gundam show. What struck me putting it together is how much of the classic Zaku II reads through even with the newer proportions, the dome head, the barrel chest, the heater tube at the neck are all present and correct. It comes with a newly molded Zaku Bazooka that has real heft in hand, plus a separate hand part for holding it properly instead of just clipping onto a fist. The independently articulated shoulder armor is the small touch that changes how the kit feels on the shelf, it lets the arms swing wider before the shoulder plates start clipping into the torso.

The catch

It leans on marking stickers to reproduce the anime color scheme rather than molded color for every callout, so if you want the full look straight from the box you're applying decals, and stickers on an HG this size never last forever under handling. It's still an HG at heart, meaning the frame is simple, there's no true inner skeleton, and the parts count and detail depth sit well below what an RG or MG Zaku gives you at a higher price. The mono-eye is a nice touch but it's a small part in a small head, so getting it seated right takes a little patience with tweezers rather than fingers.

Who it's for

If you want an easy, satisfying build of Gunpla's most iconic grunt suit in its newest anime incarnation, this is the one to grab, it goes together fast, poses well for an HG, and doesn't demand a paint job to look right on a shelf. Skip it if you already own an HGUC or RG Zaku II and are only after a shelf-warmer, the core kit experience is close enough to other HG Zakus that duplicate owners may find little new here beyond the GQuuuuuuX styling. First-time builders and anyone following the new show should feel very comfortable starting here.

The build story

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

The build itself is quick and low-stress, the kind of kit you can finish in an evening without fighting the parts. Gate placement is typical modern Bandai, mostly tucked onto flat or hidden surfaces so cleanup is straightforward, and nothing about the fit felt loose or overly tight going together. The 8-runner parts spread keeps things simple without feeling sparse for the price point.

The standout engineering choice is the shoulder block articulation, it's a small mechanical change but it does real work for posing, letting the arms come up and across the body further than the classic Zaku II hinge ever allowed. The mono-eye swivel is a genuinely fun detail to fidget with after the build is done. Between the bazooka, the separate holding hand, and the sticker sheet for anime-accurate markings, the accessory loadout feels appropriately generous for an HG at this price band.

Lore & trivia

01This kit depicts the Zaku II as redesigned for Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX, the 2025 Gundam series with Hideaki Anno credited on the project.
02The MS-06 Zaku II has been in continuous Gunpla production since the original 1/144 kit line launched in the 1980s, making it one of the longest-running mobile suit designs Bandai still actively retools.
03The kit released in November 2025 with a newly molded Zaku Bazooka not shared with older HG Zaku II tooling.