HGUniversal Century

RX-78-01-01 GUNDAM [GQ]

The prototype Gundam that never got the RX-78-2 paint job, finally in plastic.

MechaGrade Score

3.9/5

GUNDAM [GQ] · 1/144 · 2026

GradeHG

Scale1/144

Released2026

Runnersn/a

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The verdict

This is a niche P-Bandai release that rewards the specific kind of builder who wants it.

I like it a lot for what it is, a black-and-white reimagining of the original Gundam concept before it became the red-white-and-blue RX-78-2 we all know, and Bandai actually molded that color scheme into the plastic instead of leaving it to paint. It is not a kit for someone who just wants a generic HG Gundam, but if you know the GQuuuuuuX story, it is a genuinely satisfying little shelf piece.

Best for: GQuuuuuuX fans and Gundam-lore collectors who want the alternate-timeline prototype 01 Gundam in molded black and white, not another red-white-blue RX-78-2

The full review

What it is

This kit is Bandai's HG take on the 01 Gundam, the prototype unit from Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX's alternate UC 0079, the version of the original Gundam that Char Aznable steals during the raid on Side 7 instead of Amuro Ray ever getting near it. Visually it is striking on the runners before you even build it, a genuinely different silhouette from the RX-78-2 thanks to the new visor-style head unit, and Bandai molded the black-and-white color scheme straight into the plastic so you are not painting a whole kit just to get it screen accurate. It comes with the Hyper Bazooka from the show and hand parts that swap with the Red Gundam expansion set, which is a nice touch if you are collecting the line.

The catch

This is a Premium Bandai exclusive, so you are ordering through P-Bandai rather than picking it up at a hobby shop, and that always means a longer wait and less flexibility if something arrives damaged. Like other kits in this HG GQuuuuuuX line, the parts feel denser than a typical HG, closer to RG territory in fiddliness, and the small stickers on the head, chest, and legs are the trickiest part of the build. The molded colors get you most of the way to accuracy, but the unconventional black-and-white design still leans on those stickers for the final color correction, and panel lines want a wash or paint pen if you want it to really pop.

Who it's for

If you already love the GQuuuuuuX story or just want a genuinely different-looking Gundam on your shelf instead of yet another red-white-blue RX-78-2, this is worth tracking down through Premium Bandai. Builders who like a bit of a challenge will enjoy the denser part count for an HG, and the molded black-and-white plastic means you get a striking finished kit without breaking out an airbrush. Skip it if you want a cheap, fast, beginner-friendly build or if you have no context for who the 01 Gundam is, since the appeal here is almost entirely tied to the alternate-timeline story it comes from.

The build story

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

The GQuuuuuuX HG line this kit belongs to tends to build denser than a standard High Grade, with more parts per runner and cut points that keep nub marks minimal when you use them. No cement needed, and the molded plastic does a lot of the accuracy work before you even reach for stickers.

The 01 Gundam's newly sculpted visor head is the standout piece of engineering here, it is not a reused RX-78-2 head with a new paint job, it is a genuinely different mold that sells the prototype concept. Articulation follows the modern HGGQ pattern with a swiveling waist and double-jointed elbows and knees, and the swappable left hand plus Red Gundam-compatible accessories add some pose and display flexibility for a kit this size.

Lore & trivia

01The 01 Gundam's black-and-white 'prototype' redesign was first revealed at the All Japan Model & Hobby Show on October 17, 2025, with Premium Bandai preorders opening the same day.
02It shipped as a Premium Bandai exclusive in January 2026 at 2,420 yen, with a second production batch released in May 2026 due to demand.
03In the show's alternate Universal Century, this is the prototype Gundam that Char Aznable steals during Zeon's raid on Side 7 in UC 0079, a divergence that leads to Zeon winning its independence by UC 0080 instead of collapsing after the One Year War.
04The kit's hand parts and Beam Rifle effect piece are cross-compatible with the HGGQ Red Gundam Expansion Parts set, letting builders share accessories across the GQuuuuuuX HG lineup.