HGUniversal Century

RMS-179 GM II Semi Striker

A field-repaired grunt kit that turns spare parts into real character.

MechaGrade Score

3.4/5

GM II Semi Striker · 1/144 · 2015

GradeHG

Scale1/144

Released2015

Runnersn/a

Check price on Amazon

Affiliate link. We may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.

The verdict

This is a P-Bandai reshuffle of the HGUC GM II, and it plays exactly like that, in a good way.

I like it more than a plain GM II because the mismatched shoulder plates and the fixed forearm shield actually read as a suit that got patched together out of whatever was on hand at Torrington Base, which is the whole point of the design. It will not blow anyone away as an engineering showcase, but as a quick, honest grunt build with a bit of extra character, it delivers.

Best for: GM completionists and Unicorn-era builders who want a lived-in, field-modified grunt suit without a big time investment

The full review

What it is

This kit takes the standard HGUC GM II frame and swaps in reworked shoulder armor, a fixed left forearm shield, and extra leg thrusters to represent a suit patched together from spare parts at a forward base. Because it is built on the older GM II tooling, the build itself is quick and uncomplicated, snap together an evening and you are done. What sold me on it is how those small parts swaps change the silhouette. The shoulders in particular give it a scrappier, more battle-worn read than a stock GM, and the twin beam spear from the GM Striker in its hand makes it look like it means business even though underneath it is the same simple grunt frame Bandai has reused for years.

The catch

The knee joint does not bend past 180 degrees, so deep crouches and dynamic kneeling poses are out, and that is the one real articulation complaint reviewers keep flagging. The torso sticker is a big wraparound piece that takes patience to apply straight, and the clear decal sheet some builders expect is not in the box, it is stickers only for the unique striker markings. As a P-Bandai exclusive it also never had a normal retail run, so secondary market pricing runs well above the roughly 1,600 to 1,700 yen it launched at, sometimes into the 35 USD range, which is steep for what is still a basic HG frame underneath the reshuffled armor.

Who it's for

If you already like the GM line and want a version with a bit more visual personality without a fussy build, this is worth tracking down, especially if you can find it near its original price rather than aftermarket markup. The twin beam spear and reworked shoulders make it a nice shelf companion next to a stock GM II or GM Striker for a side-by-side comparison. Builders who want cutting-edge engineering, deep articulation, or a suit with real screen time should look elsewhere, this is a parts-bin variant for people who enjoy that kind of lore-driven oddity, not a flagship kit.

The build story

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

Since this is built on the older GM II tooling, the runners and gates are simple and cleanup is quick, there is nothing fussy here beyond the usual nub trimming. The unique parts specific to the Semi Striker variant, the reworked shoulder plates and the fixed shield, come on their own dedicated runners and snap in cleanly alongside the standard GM II frame.

Articulation is a mixed bag but leans positive, the ankles are the standout and let the kit hold ground poses well, while the sub-180-degree knee bend is the one joint that holds it back from deeper action poses. For accessories you get the twin beam spear borrowed from the GM Striker, a beam saber, and a pair of 60mm vulcans, a reasonable loadout for a grunt-tier HG.

Lore & trivia

01The GM II Semi Striker was improvised at Torrington Base out of spare parts, which is why its model number stayed RMS-179 rather than getting a new designation.
02Its left forearm shield design was inspired by the FA-78-1 Full Armor Gundam, even though the suit shares none of that unit's firepower.
03The kit was a Premium Bandai exclusive first released in October 2015 and later reissued, meaning it never had a standard retail run through normal hobby shops.