HGUniversal Century

RMS-099BC Build Γ Gundam

An old favorite in disguise, with better joints and a bigger price tag.

MechaGrade Score

3.4/5

Build Γ Gundam · 1/144 · 2020

GradeHG

Scale1/144

Released2020

Runnersn/a

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The verdict

This kit is a genuinely clever costume change for a Universal Century classic, and I had fun building it, but I can't call it a must-buy at P-Bandai pricing.

You're paying exclusive money for reworked joints wrapped in the same Rick Dias armor shapes you already know. If you love the Rick Dias silhouette and want it posing like a modern kit, this delivers. If you just want a good Gundam-shaped Gundam for your shelf, your money goes further elsewhere.

Best for: Rick Dias fans who want that silhouette with modern articulation and don't mind paying exclusive prices for it

The full review

What it is

Build Γ Gundam takes the familiar Rick Dias armor, the boxy chest, the mono-eye head silhouette hinted at underneath, and rebuilds the skeleton under it from scratch. In hand it reads as a total glow-up of an old HGUC favorite. The head swaps in a V-fin and dual eyes over the retained mono-eye, which gives it that unmistakable heroic Gundam read while still being recognizably Rick Dias underneath. I liked how the designers leaned into the joke: this suit's whole backstory is a fan converting an unloved mobile suit into a proper Gundam, and the plastic actually sells that idea. The Beam Gatling Bazooka is the standout accessory, chunky and satisfying to peg into either hand.

The catch

This is a P-Bandai exclusive, and it shows in the price relative to what you're getting: an armor set you've essentially seen before on a new frame. It listed around 2,090 yen in Japan, which isn't outrageous on its own, but factor in import markup and it stops looking like a bargain next to a standard retail HG. The waist only rotates on the front ring rather than a true swivel, the ankle and head joints are limited-range by design rather than full ball joints, and the whole exercise is fundamentally a joint-and-frame upgrade for parts you may already own from the original HGUC Rick Dias. If you're hoping for a from-scratch new mobile suit, this isn't quite that.

Who it's for

Buy this if you already have a soft spot for the Rick Dias and want to see it posing properly for once, or if you collect the Gundam Build Divers Break cast and want Onoko's signature machine on the shelf. Skip it if you're hunting for the best HG-scale value per dollar or you've never cared about the Rick Dias in the first place, since the appeal here leans heavily on nostalgia for the donor kit. It's a fun secondary purchase for an established Gunpla builder, not a great first kit or a great impulse buy.

The build story

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

The build itself is straightforward HG-level snap-fit, nothing fiddly here, but the satisfaction comes from watching the old Rick Dias armor panels click onto an entirely new joint structure. Gate placement is standard and cleanup is light. The shoulder armor is hinged to lift out of the way for overhead arm poses, and the front and side skirts pivot so the legs can actually kick up without the armor catching, both small touches that matter more than they sound.

Where it earns its keep is the frame engineering: double-jointed elbows and knees turn a stiff old design into something that can hold a dynamic pose, and the ball-socket ankles, limited as they are, still help it plant a stable stance. Color separation is solid for an HG, molded rather than stickered on the main color blocks, and the weapon loadout (Beam Gatling Bazooka, the Rick Dias's own bazooka, beam saber, twin BP-L-86 beam pistols) gives you real options for display without needing extra runners.

Lore & trivia

01In-universe, Build Γ Gundam is a custom Gunpla built by the Diver Emo Yumesaki (avatar name Onoko) in the manga Gundam Build Divers Break, converting a Rick Dias into a heroic Gundam-type unit.
02The kit reuses HGUC Rick Dias armor shapes on an entirely reworked joint frame, making it play almost like an unofficial articulation upgrade for the older kit.
03It retains the Rick Dias's signature mono-eye but adds a V-shaped antenna and dual eyes to the head, visually blending the donor suit with classic Gundam iconography.
04Released in January 2020 as a Bandai Hobby Online Shop (P-Bandai) exclusive under the HGBD:B line, it was popular enough to see later reissue runs.