HGUniversal Century

RGM-79 GM [Moroccan Front]

The Origin GM mold gets sand-scorched paint and a gatling gun, and the whole thing feels like a small tribute to a movie that finally gave the GM grunts their due.

MechaGrade Score

3.7/5

GM [Moroccan Front] · 1/144 · 2023

GradeHG

Scale1/144

Released2023

Runnersn/a

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The verdict

I like this kit more than I expected to for a repaint-and-retool of an existing GM frame.

It leans on the excellent Origin-lineage GM engineering, so the articulation and part fit are already sorted out, and Bandai used the release to give the suit a genuinely distinct look and loadout instead of just swapping runners to a new color. The shoulder cannon and off-hand gatling gun are the reason to own this one over a plain HGUC GM.

Best for: One Year War completionists and Cucuruz Doan's Island fans who want the movie's signature Moroccan Front GM without hunting a used HGUC kit

The full review

What it is

This is the light gray and burnt orange desert GM from the Cucuruz Doan's Island film, built on the same double-jointed elbow and knee engineering Bandai worked out for its Origin-era GM kits. That heritage shows immediately. The hip and shoulder joints move further than you expect from an HG, the feet are stable, and the frame holds a low stance without the ankles rolling out. What sold me was the accessory spread, a beam rifle, shield, beam spray gun, saber, and a gatling gun molded specifically for the left hand, which is not something you get on the standard HGUC GM. The orange panels aren't a paint job you have to do yourself either, most of it comes molded in color with foil stickers and water slide decals handling the sensor and stencil details.

The catch

This is still an HG at HG money, so don't expect MG-level internal frame or smooth panel lines, there are visible seams on the limbs where the mold hasn't changed much from the original GM release. The water slide decals look better than stickers but take extra time and a little patience to set properly, and if you rush them they silver or lift. It's also a Premium Bandai exclusive kit, so pricing and availability run through resellers rather than a shelf at your local shop, and secondhand markups are common once a run sells out.

Who it's for

Get this one if you already like the GM as a design and want the specific desert paint scheme and gatling gun loadout from Cucuruz Doan's Island, or if you're building a One Year War diorama and want a suit that isn't another plain RX-78-2. Skip it if you already own an HGUC GM and don't care about the movie tie-in, since the frame underneath is the same kit you've likely built before. It's also not the place to start if you want your first taste of a full inner frame, an RG or MG will show you more of that.

The build story

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

Gate placement follows the familiar GM runner layout, nubs sit on flat surfaces that are easy to clean without leaving a mark on the desert-orange plastic. Parts snap together with the same confident click the Origin-line GM kits are known for, no looseness in the ankles or wrists, and the shield peg holds tension well.

The standout here is the loadout more than the frame. Beam rifle, beam spray gun, shield, saber, and the gatling gun give you more posing options than most HG accessory sets, and the shoulder cannon (used sparingly in the film before the pilot panics and fires it) is a nice character touch. For roughly 2,200 yen, that's a strong parts-and-accessory count for the price band.

Lore & trivia

01The Moroccan Front color scheme comes from Mobile Suit Gundam: Cucuruz Doan's Island, where GM units were stationed in Casablanca fighting Zeon forces before being overrun by Zaku II High Mobility Surface Types.
02This HG reuses the double-jointed elbow and knee engineering originally developed for Bandai's Mobile Suit Gundam: The Origin GM kits.
03The kit was released in June 2023 as a Premium Bandai exclusive priced at 2,200 yen.
04It includes both foil stickers and water slide decals, a combination usually reserved for higher-detail HG releases.