HGUniversal Century

RX-78-01 [FSD] Gundam FSD (with Prototype Long-Range Beam Rifle)

A weapons expansion on a genuinely excellent Origin-era HG, big beam rifle and all.

MechaGrade Score

3.8/5

[FSD] Gundam FSD (with Prototype Long-Range Beam Rifle) · 1/144 · 2024

GradeHG

Scale1/144

Released2024

Runnersn/a

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The verdict

This is a great core kit wearing a slightly padded-out box.

The FSD frame under all of it, the swappable Local Type parts, the double-jointed limbs, is still one of the better engineering jobs in the whole HGGTO Origin line, and the Prototype Long-Range Beam Rifle is a genuinely fun centerpiece weapon once you commit to posing around its weight. I just would not call the extra runner a must-have if you already own the plain FSD or Local Type release.

Best for: Origin-line collectors and North American Front fans who want the FSD/Local Type swap kit with a show-stopper long rifle thrown in

The full review

What it is

At its core this is the RX-78-01 FSD from Gundam: The Origin's Cucuruz Doan side story, built to switch between the desert-camo Local Type (North American specification) and the mass-production-ready FSD. That flexibility alone makes it a satisfying build, you get two distinct looks and a small arsenal (arm gatling gun, machine gun, shoulder cannon, twin beam sabers) out of one box. The Gundam Base exclusive version adds a nine-piece Prototype Long-Range Beam Rifle that splits down into a shorter combat form, plus a shield-on-barrel mount that is a nice, unusual touch for an HG.

The catch

The extra runner here is really just the big rifle, ammo drum, mini gatling add-on and a handful of body parts recycled from the earlier Local Type release, so if you already built that kit or the plain FSD, you are mostly paying for one new weapon. The rifle itself is heavy for HG-scale hands, and the standard HG grip struggles to hold the trigger handle steady in the extended long-range form, you will want to relocate the handle to the shorter position Bandai includes if you want it to hold a pose without drooping. None of that is a dealbreaker, but a couple builders online have called this specific rerelease a bit phoned in as an expansion.

Who it's for

Buy this if you want the FSD/Local Type swap kit and the long rifle is the version you can actually find, the base engineering earns its keep regardless of which weapon loadout you land on. Skip it if you already own the standard FSD or Local Type HG and are only after the beam rifle, since you are paying kit price again for what amounts to one accessory. First-timers to the Origin line should still start here rather than with a plainer HG, the two-suit swap gimmick is worth experiencing at least once.

The build story

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

The core frame builds the way most Origin-line HGs do, clean gate placement, minimal sticker reliance for the main color scheme, and a straightforward runner layout even with the swap-part option built in. The shoulders raise on a ball-and-socket joint and swing horizontally, the hips can swing forward for extra range, and the skirt armor is cut to get out of the way of the legs, so once assembled it holds a surprising amount of dynamic pose for an HG rather than just standing at attention.

The standout engineering is the modularity: the same shell becomes the desert-camo Local Type or the production-minded FSD depending on which armor and weapon parts you commit to, and the Gundam Base version layers the Prototype Long-Range Beam Rifle on top as a nine-piece accessory that reconfigures into a shorter, lighter combat form. The arm gatling gun and machine gun round out a genuinely generous weapons loadout for the price band, even if the headline rifle is the one piece that needs a little extra care to pose.

Lore & trivia

01The FSD (Full-Scale Development) suit and its Local Type counterpart both originate from Mobile Suit Gundam: The Origin MSD, the manga side story Cucuruz Doan's Island set on the North American Front.
02The Gundam Base Limited version with the Prototype Long-Range Beam Rifle released on October 12, 2024, exclusively through Gundam Base stores.
03The included rifle can be broken down into nine separate components and reassembled into a shorter, lighter short-range form, with an optional scope that can be removed.
04As a special touch for the HG Origin series, the kit lets you mount the shield suspended from the rifle's barrel rather than only on the forearm.