HGUniversal Century

MS-11 Act Zaku

A prototype Zeon speed demon that turns the old Zaku II frame into something genuinely mean.

MechaGrade Score

3.8/5

Act Zaku · 1/144 · 2018

GradeHG

Scale1/144

Released2018

Runnersn/a

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The verdict

This is one of the more satisfying HG Zaku variants I have put together, and the monoeye gimmick alone makes it worth the shelf space.

It reuses the Zaku II's joint architecture almost wholesale, so the articulation feels proven rather than experimental. Where it earns its keep is in presence: the bulked-up shoulders, the four-barrel machine gun, and the oversized heat hawks give it a genuinely different silhouette from every other 1/144 Zaku I own. It is not a technical showpiece, but it is a confident, well-detailed variant kit.

Best for: Zeon collectors who already have a stock Zaku II and want a meaner prototype variant with real gimmicks

The full review

What it is

The Act Zaku was Zeon's late-war attempt to push Zaku performance further under the secret Pezun Project, and this HG kit (built off the Gundam The Origin MSD line) leans hard into that prototype identity. It carries over the Zaku II's joint engineering nearly wholesale, so the range of motion is instantly familiar if you have built any HG Zaku before. What makes it distinct is the head: turning it swivels an internal gear that moves the monoeye along with it, a small mechanical touch that photographs well and just feels clever in hand. The four-barrel machine gun and the pair of oversized heat hawks are the visual signature, and both are molded with enough surface detail that they do not look like afterthought accessories.

The catch

The monoeye-follows-the-head gimmick is neat but it takes away the option to manually aim the eye independently of head rotation, which some builders will miss when fine-tuning a pose. Because this is a variant kit built on reused Zaku engineering, it does not bring anything new to the frame itself, so if you are hoping for an engineering leap over the standard Zaku II you will not find it here. It also leans on being a Kycilia's Forces or Origin-line release, meaning some of the panel lining and marking work benefits from aftermarket decals or careful marker work to really pop, since the molded color alone reads a bit flat out of the box.

Who it's for

Grab this one if you already like the Zaku II's build and want a prototype variant with a stronger silhouette, a genuinely fun head gimmick, and two of Zeon's more distinctive melee and ranged weapons in the box. It is a good next kit after a standard HG Zaku II rather than a first Gunpla ever, since none of its selling points are about ease of build, they are about character and detail. Skip it if you specifically want new frame engineering or if the monoeye gimmick's lack of independent aiming would bother you more than the extra presence is worth.

The build story

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

Assembly leans on the same double-jointed elbow and knee construction as the standard HG Zaku II, so gate placement and part fit will feel familiar territory if you have built one before. Nothing here surprises you mid-build, which is part of the appeal since you can focus on enjoying the new silhouette rather than fighting the kit.

The standout is the head unit, where turning it drives an internal gear that swings the monoeye along the same axis, a small gimmick that reviewers single out as the kit's best feature. The four-barrel machine gun and the two heat hawks round out a weapons loadout that is more distinctive than most 1/144 Zeon releases at this price point.

Lore & trivia

01The MS-11 Act Zaku was developed under Zeon's classified Pezun Project during the One Year War, intended to push Zaku performance past its limits before the war ended.
02Special magnet coating on its joint components could be electrically charged to reduce joint friction almost to zero, giving the Act Zaku noticeably faster, more responsive movement than a standard Zaku II.
03Its miniaturized, higher-output fusion reactor (rated around 1,440 kW) let the Act Zaku equip beam weapons like beam rifles and beam sabers, something the original Zaku II could not do.
04Despite the One Year War ending before mass production, captured Act Zaku plans were later used by the Earth Federation Forces, who put their own version of the design into limited service.