HGUniversal Century

RMS-154 Barzam

The plain-looking Titans grunt that moves better than kits twice its price.

MechaGrade Score

4.1/5

Barzam · 1/144 · 2017

GradeHG

Scale1/144

Released2017

Runnersn/a

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The verdict

I did not expect to like this kit as much as I do.

The Barzam has zero visual flash, it is a boxy Titans mook built to be cheap and disposable in-universe, but Bandai gave it some of the best articulation I have felt on an HG from this era. It holds deep lunges and asymmetrical poses without fighting me, and the color separation on the frame is good enough that I barely reached for paint.

Best for: HG builders who want real articulation on a budget and do not mind a plain-Jane Titans mono-eye grunt

The full review

What it is

The Barzam is a mass-production Titans suit from Zeta Gundam, basically the answer to what happens when the RX-178 Gundam Mk-II gets stripped down for cheap factory output. On the shelf it reads as a no-frills grunt, boxy torso, round mono-eye head, minimal armor panels. But once it is together the design stops feeling like an afterthought. The lack of bulky armor over the joints is exactly why it moves so well, the hips, knees, and shoulders all have room to travel further than a typical HG from 2017. It comes with a beam rifle, two beam sabers, and a vulcan pod, enough loadout to pose it in a fight scene without needing another kit's accessories.

The catch

The nub placement is the real complaint here, several reviewers flagged it as rough, and I felt it too. Some nubs land right on visible edges, so cleanup takes more care than the kit's plain looks would suggest. It also leans on bare plastic for a lot of its detail rather than molded panel lines, so if you want the sharp look from the box art you will want to run a panel-line wash or Gundam markers over it, out of the box it can look a little flat under bright light. And it is, visually, a grunt suit. If you want a hero unit centerpiece for a shelf, this is not it.

Who it's for

This is a great pickup for anyone who cares more about how a kit poses than how it photographs sitting still. If you like building dynamic action shots, deep knee bends, weapon-in-both-hands stances, asymmetrical combat poses, the Barzam will reward you more than most kits in its price range. It is also a solid choice for someone who wants to practice panel lining on a kit that will not punish a mistake, since it is not a hero unit you are precious about. Skip it if you specifically want a striking centerpiece build or you dislike doing your own panel lines and washes to finish the detail.

The build story

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

Assembly itself is straightforward HG snap-fit, nothing fiddly about part fit or connection points, the challenge is entirely in gate cleanup rather than construction. The torso and hip assembly go together with a satisfying click and nothing feels loose once it is built.

The standout here is engineering choices around the joints. Because the Barzam has less armor bulk than a typical UC suit, the ball joints in the hips and shoulders get more clearance to move, so it can hit poses that would look strained on a more heavily armored kit. Paired with the beam rifle, dual beam sabers, and vulcan pod, it has enough gear to build a full combat pose without borrowing from another kit.

Lore & trivia

01The Barzam was developed by the Titans at their New Guinea Base as a cheaper mass-production replacement for the aging RMS-179 GM II.
02It was designed around the RX-178 Gundam Mk-II's basic frame and shares compatible weapons with the GM II, RMS-106 Hi-Zack, and RMS-108 Marasai.
03Despite being intended as the Titans' new standard grunt suit, it was judged too ordinary next to more distinctive units and only saw limited production during the Gryps War.