HGUniversal Century

RX-9/B Narrative Gundam B-Packs

A Gundam Base exclusive that swaps funnel bling for a wired grappler and a shield gimmick Katoki Hajime dreamed up himself.

MechaGrade Score

4.1/5

Narrative Gundam B-Packs · 1/144 · 2019

GradeHG

Scale1/144

Released2019

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 the full Narrative Gundam body wearing its B equipment, and it earns the reputation the Narrative HG line built with the A-Packs release before it: a big, dense, well detailed kit that punches above its HG billing.

I like it for the twin small shields that click together into one combined shield, a gimmick that never even showed up in the OVA. The wired remote attack terminal is a fun idea too, even if it deploys by swapping parts rather than sliding out on its own.

Best for: NT/Narrative fans and Gundam Base collectors who want the B equipment loadout and don't mind hunting a limited release

The full review

What it is

What you get here is the complete RX-9/B, not an add-on kit bolted to a suit you already own: full Narrative body, the B-Packs backpack with its wired remote attack terminal, twin small shields for each forearm, and support poles built for Action Base 4 and 5. Building it felt like the A-Packs kit's reputation in action, oversized runners, chunky stable pegs, and a part count that makes the finished suit feel closer to an MG on the shelf than a typical HG. The twin shields are the highlight for me. They peg onto the forearms individually, then fold and lock together into one large shield, a display option Katoki Hajime designed for the kit itself.

The catch

The wired attack terminal's big transformation, tucked at rest versus deployed on its cable, is handled with a part swap rather than a slide-and-lock mechanism, so don't expect a satisfying click into place. The shared Narrative frame's torso connects to the core block through a single peg pressure fit into a polycap, so I support the waist rather than lever from the head when posing. And because this shipped as a Gundam Base Limited release in December 2019 at 3,300 yen, you're buying it off the secondary market now, which means paying more than the original price and hunting a bit.

Who it's for

Buy this one if you're building out the Narrative story (A-Packs, B-Packs, C-Packs side by side) or you specifically want that combined-shield gimmick and the wired terminal on your shelf. It's also a fair pickup for anyone who wants HG-scale MG-adjacent detail without the part count of a full Master Grade. Skip it if you just want an easy, in-stock Narrative Gundam to build this weekend. The plain HGUC Narrative Gundam without packs is cheaper and far easier to find, and the B equipment here is really for people who already know they want this specific loadout.

The build story

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

The runners feel oversized and confident the way the A-Packs kit is known for, with stable pegs and forgiving fit. The one spot I go slow on is the torso to core block connection, a single peg pressure fit into a polycap that shared across the Narrative frame, so I brace the waist rather than yank on the head or shoulders when posing.

Where the kit earns its keep is detail payoff: molded missiles in the pod hatches, chunky propellant tanks, and beam effect parts that read as MG-level texture on an HG frame. Shoulders swing up before the ball joint takes over, elbows bend to roughly 110 degrees, and the waist adds a slight side tilt on top of rotation, enough range to hold the dynamic funnel-adjacent poses this loadout wants. For 3,300 yen you're getting a full suit plus two accessory systems, which is real value next to a same-scale standalone HG.

Lore & trivia

01The RX-9/B is piloted by Jona Basta in Mobile Suit Gundam NT (Narrative), set between Char's Counterattack and Hathaway's Flash.
02Its NT-D (Newtype Destroyer) System is a hidden anti-Newtype protocol that activated on its own when the suit encountered the Sinanju Stein carrying the Phenex, catching Jona off guard since he didn't know it existed.
03The combined double small-shield display option was designed specifically for this kit by chief mechanical designer Katoki Hajime and was never shown in the anime itself.
04This HG version released December 20, 2019 as a Gundam Base exclusive at 3,300 yen, following the A-Packs HG release the year before.