HGUniversal Century

RX-78XX Gundam Pixy

A lean, close-combat one-year-war Gundam that skips the core block and gets away with it.

MechaGrade Score

3.9/5

Gundam Pixy · 1/144 · 2018

GradeHG

Scale1/144

Released2018

Runnersn/a

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The verdict

This is one of the better-kept secrets in the HGUC lineup, a P-Bandai exclusive that punches well above its price in color separation and pose range.

I went in expecting a reissue with a new paint job and came out with a kit that has genuinely new tooling in the armor, guns, and beam daggers. The catch is that it was never a retail-shelf kit, so tracking one down and paying what secondary sellers want for it is the real barrier, not the build itself.

Best for: One Year War completists and HG builders who want a fast, agile Gundam variant without another core-block RX-78-2 on the shelf

The full review

What it is

The Pixy is built around the idea of an RX-78 that ditched the core block system and space thrusters to become lighter and quicker on the ground, and Bandai actually chased that idea in plastic. The silhouette reads slimmer and more athletic than a standard RX-78-2 kit, and Bandai tooled new armor pieces plus a pair of dual-purpose 90mm submachine guns and beam daggers rather than reusing the usual HGUC beam rifle and shield. Building it feels like a proper HG, straightforward snap assembly, but with enough unique parts that it never feels like a repaint job wearing a new name.

The catch

It was a Premium Bandai webshop exclusive, so it never sat on a hobby shop shelf at standard HG pricing, and by the time it hits eBay or aftermarket listings you're often looking at double or more what a normal HGUC costs. There's a seam line that bisects the head, though builders who've handled it say it only needs attention in two small spots to disappear. The accessory loadout is also light by design, no rifle, no shield, no beam saber in the traditional sense, just the daggers and guns, which suits the character but will feel thin if you're used to a fuller HG weapons rack.

Who it's for

Grab this one if you already like the RX-78 family and want a variant that actually poses and moves differently rather than just wearing different colors. The slimmer frame and dropped core block make for some of the more natural close-combat stances you'll get out of an HG this size. Skip it if you're hunting for a first Gundam kit or trying to keep costs down, since the exclusivity tax makes this a kit for people already committed to the line rather than someone testing the hobby.

The build story

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

Assembly stays true to HG simplicity, parts snap cleanly with no fit fights, and the sticker sheet is refreshingly small because Bandai molded so much of the color into the plastic itself. The foot and knee inserts in a separate grey shade are the standout touch, they save you from painting or masking to get that inner-frame look right out of the runners.

Articulation is where this kit earns its keep. The lighter, core-block-free design translates into a wider range of motion and easier ground poses than a standard RX-78-2 HG, and the dual beam daggers plus 90mm submachine guns give you a distinct close-quarters loadout to pose with even though the accessory count itself is modest.

Lore & trivia

01The Gundam Pixy dropped the RX-78's core block system and space-rated thrusters, trading orbital capability for lighter weight and faster ground performance with enhanced apogee motors.
02It originates from Mobile Suit Gundam Side Story: Missing Link, tied into the later Twilight AXIS side-story continuity within the One Year War timeline.
03In its fiction, the suit was commandeered by Captain Bork Cry of the Albatross transport team and later fought Zeon ace Henry Boone's MS-08TX Efreet, with the Pixy never making it back to White Base as planned.
04This HGUC release was a Premium Bandai webshop exclusive, so unlike most HG kits it never had a general retail run.