HGUniversal Century

MS-06R-1A Zaku II (Black Tri-Stars Custom)

The regular Zaku's meaner, faster cousin, done up in the sharpest paint job the line ever got.

MechaGrade Score

3.9/5

Zaku II · 1/144 · 2013

GradeHG

Scale1/144

Released2013

Runnersn/a

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The verdict

This is the 2013 HGUC Zaku frame at its best, wearing the best color scheme it ever got.

I built this expecting a reskin and came away impressed by how much the propellant tanks and extra leg thrusters change the silhouette. It moves like a Zaku should, wide-legged and mean, and the molded black and red plastic means I barely touched a sticker sheet. For a High Grade from this era, the engineering underneath is still doing real work.

Best for: HGUC completionists and Zaku fans who want the definitive High Mobility Type without hunting down a discontinued MSV release

The full review

What it is

This kit is the MS-06R-1A High Mobility Type Zaku, the version the Black Tri-Stars flew, dressed in molded black and deep red instead of the usual green. It shares its core frame with Bandai's well-liked 2011-2013 HGUC Zaku remasters, so the shoulders, skirts, and monoeye housing all feel like a real update rather than an old mold with new stickers. What sets it apart are the four propellant tanks on the legs and extra thrusters, which genuinely change how the silhouette reads on a shelf. Building it, the parts snapped together with confidence and almost no visible seams on the major panels. It looks like a Zaku that actually earned its speed.

The catch

This kit is a decade-plus old design now, and it shows in the joints. The elbows stop at roughly 90 degrees and the knees around 45, so dynamic running poses need some patience and a little cheating with the hip and ankle to sell the motion. The mono-eye only swivels a short arc via an underside switch rather than free articulation, which some builders find fiddly to adjust cleanly. Marking stickers are still in the box for the Tri-Stars unit numbers and a few small trim details, so this is not a 100% sticker-free build. Being an MSV release, it also went out of print and now runs above typical HGUC pricing on the secondary market.

Who it's for

Buy this if you already like the HGUC Zaku family and want the High Mobility variant specifically for the propellant tanks and the Black Tri-Stars scheme, or if you are building a Zaku squad and want one member to stand out. Skip it if you need cutting-edge articulation to match a modern MG collection, or if you are only after a first Zaku and can find the cheaper standard-color HGUC release instead. For most Universal Century shelves this earns its spot on looks and engineering, not on being the newest thing available.

The build story

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

Gate placement on the runners is considerate for a 2013-era HG, with most nubs landing on flat or recessed surfaces so cleanup does not chew into visible detail. The skirt armor pieces pivot out of the way of the legs during posing, which is a small touch that keeps the hip area from binding up mid-pose. Fit throughout is snug without needing glue anywhere on the frame.

The standout engineering is in the leg assembly, where the extra thrusters and cylindrical propellant tanks bolt onto the standard Zaku leg without changing the core joint mechanism, so you get the visual upgrade without a fragile add-on. Weapon storage is genuinely thought through: the heat hawk and spare ammo clip to the side skirt directly, and everything else rides on an adapter that clips to the shoulder shield, so the kit looks complete even posed without weapons in hand.

Lore & trivia

01The MS-06R-1A High Mobility Type Zaku II was designed for elite pilots, since the extra thrusters gave it better speed and agility but made it harder to control than a standard Zaku.
02The Black Tri-Stars were a real three-man Zaku squadron within Zeon's forces, and their signature black and red color scheme is what this kit's molded plastic reproduces.
03This HGUC release includes both TV-anime-style and MSV-style command antennae parts so builders can choose which head sculpt to display.