HGUniversal Century

RX-79BD-3 Blue Destiny Unit 3 "EXAM"

The quiet third sibling that turns out to be the best behaved kit of the trilogy.

MechaGrade Score

3.9/5

Blue Destiny Unit 3 "EXAM" · 1/144 · 2018

GradeHG

Scale1/144

Released2018

Runnersn/a

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The verdict

This is a genuinely satisfying modern HG hiding inside a niche release.

Unit 3 gets treated like an afterthought in the Blue Destiny story since it is basically Unit 2 with a new coat of paint, but as a kit it benefits from every trick Bandai learned finishing off the trilogy. The frame is tight, the parts fit with real confidence, and the color separation is far better than a 2018 HGUC price tag has any right to deliver. If you already like the RX-79 silhouette, this one rewards you for showing up.

Best for: RX-79 Gundam Ground Type fans and Blue Destiny completionists who want the best-built entry in the set

The full review

What it is

Unit 3 is the last of the three Blue Destiny HGUCs, and it is built on the same improved RX-79 frame Bandai used for Unit 2, so it inherits all the good habits that kit picked up. The moment I got the legs and torso together I noticed how solid the joints felt, there is none of the loose, wobbly HG feeling you brace for on a budget-tier kit. The gimmick here is the same EXAM System swap the whole line runs on: build the head with calm gray eyes or drop in the included parts for the glowing red EXAM-activated look. It is a small thing but it gives an otherwise plain gray and dark blue-gray suit a genuine reason to exist on the shelf next to its siblings.

The catch

The elephant in the room is that Unit 3 is the least visually distinct of the three Blue Destinies, it is essentially Unit 2 recolored, and if you are not already invested in the sub-story you may not see the appeal of owning a third variation on the same RX-79 body. The double barrel beam rifle and shield combo, while a nice new accessory, has a wrist mount that a few builders flagged as not locking in as securely as the rest of the kit. Stickers are present for the EXAM-mode red sensor look, so if you want a permanently red-eyed build you are either committing to the sticker or reaching for paint.

Who it's for

Buy this if you are working through the Blue Destiny trilogy, if you like the RX-79 Ground Type shape and want a version with better engineering than the original HGUC releases, or if you just want a well built, well posing 1/144 that does not demand much cash or bench time. Skip it if you are looking for a suit with a strong individual identity, Unit 3's whole design premise is that it barely differs from Unit 2, so display it as a pair or a trio rather than a standalone centerpiece. For anyone new to Gunpla, it is also a fair entry point, easy instructions and confident part fit make it a low-frustration build.

The build story

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

Gate placement and cleanup are about what you expect from a modern HGUC, nubs are small and mostly land in low visibility spots, and the instructions are clear enough that builders of any skill level get through it without confusion. Parts snap together with real authority, nothing about the frame feels fragile while you are working through the legs, torso, or backpack swap between the ground and space configurations.

The frame borrowed from Unit 2 pays off in articulation, the hips and ankles give a real range of dynamic poses and the joints stay put once you set them. The loadout is generous for an HG: shield, twin beam sabers, the double barrel beam rifle unique to this release, and a 100mm machine gun, which is a lot of accessory variety for a budget-tier kit and gives you plenty of ways to pose it beyond a static stand.

Lore & trivia

01Blue Destiny Unit 3 was originally built as a spare parts source for Units 1 and 2, and was only put into active combat after Unit 1 was lost fighting the MS-08TX[EXAM] Efreet Custom.
02Because it entered service without going through Dr. Charles Chlust's proper channels, Unit 3 was never repainted in the signature blue color scheme the rest of the line is named for.
03Like Unit 2 before it, Unit 3 carries a limiter on its EXAM System, letting the pilot access full power output for only a short burst instead of the uncontrolled overload seen in earlier EXAM units.
04The double barrel beam rifle included in this kit is a new tool for the line, later reused on the GM Dominance in the same Blue Destiny side story.