HGUniversal Century

RGM-79 GM (Gundam Thunderbolt ONA Ver.)

The mass production grunt suit finally gets a frame worth posing.

MechaGrade Score

3.8/5

GM (Gundam Thunderbolt ONA Ver.) · 1/144 · 2016

GradeHG

Scale1/144

Released2016

Runnersn/a

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The verdict

This is the GM I wish I'd gotten as my first kit instead of my fifth.

The Thunderbolt redesign takes a suit that's always been the RX-78's plain cousin and gives it a busier, more mechanical backpack, extra verniers, and a stance that actually holds a gun-fu pose. For an HG in the 1,000 to 1,500 yen range, the part count and play value punch well above what you'd expect from a background mob unit.

Best for: Universal Century fans and Thunderbolt readers who want an accurate, posable grunt suit without spending MG money

The full review

What it is

This kit reimagines the RGM-79 GM as it appears in the Thunderbolt manga and anime, with the extra thruster-heavy backpack, twin sub-arm shield mounts, and a noticeably sharper silhouette than the classic HGUC GM most builders grew up with. I went in expecting a filler background unit and came out surprised at how much personality the sculpt has. The joints lock in firmly, the suit stands unassisted without a stand, and it can hit a proper kneeling pose and bring both shields up defensively at the same time, which is more than plenty of pricier kits manage.

The catch

The sub-arms that hold the extra shields are the sticking point literally. Builders consistently flag that they're fixed at an awkward angle around the shoulder, so getting a natural two-shield stance takes some fiddling and the arms never fully disappear when you want a cleaner single-shield look. It also leans on stickers for some of the finer panel markings rather than molded color, which is normal for the grade but means careful application if you want the anime-accurate color separation to read cleanly up close.

Who it's for

Grab this if you're building out a Universal Century army, working through the Thunderbolt series, or want a genuinely fun, sturdy HG that doesn't cost MG money but still holds dynamic poses on a shelf. Skip it if you specifically want the vanilla 2001 HGUC GM silhouette without the Thunderbolt redesign, or if fixed sub-arm shield mounts are a dealbreaker for your posing style. As a first kit or a bulk squad-building purchase, it's an easy recommendation.

The build story

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

Assembly is straightforward snap-fit across roughly nine runners, and gate placement is forgiving enough that a first-timer can get clean nub removal without much sanding. Joints seat with real tension out of the box, nothing here felt loose or wobbly the way older HG GM releases sometimes did, and the frame holds tension well after repeated repositioning.

The standout engineering here is the backpack and vernier layout, which reworks a suit that's normally an afterthought into something with genuine mechanical presence. Articulation in the hips and knees is strong enough for a proper kneel, and the shoulders rotate enough for two-handed weapon poses. The accessory loadout, dual shields, beam spray gun, and double barrel beam cannon, gives real display versatility for an HG price point.

Lore & trivia

01The Thunderbolt version of the GM was redesigned by Yasunari Kanetake for the Gundam Thunderbolt manga before being adapted into the ONA anime series.
02This kit's backpack and vernier arrangement is a deliberate departure from the original 2001 HGUC RGM-79 GM, giving the mass production suit a more distinct silhouette tied specifically to the Thunderbolt sector's brutal December 5th Corridor setting.
03The double barrel beam cannon included in the kit echoes hardware later associated with the ZZ Gundam line, a nod some builders read as a wink toward later UC mobile suit development.