HGBuild Divers

RX-零/覚醒 RX-Zeromaru (Shinki Kessho)

A ninja-samurai SD kit that swaps into a full-size Unicorn silhouette without a single extra tool.

MechaGrade Score

3.9/5

RX-零/覚醒 RX-Zeromaru (Shinki Kessho) · 1/144 · 2019

GradeHG

Scale1/144

Released2019

Runnersn/a

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The verdict

This is one of the smartest transformation gimmicks I have built in the SD-adjacent space, and I mean that as a real compliment.

Ayame's upgraded Zeromaru takes the Full Armor Unicorn Gundam concept, shrinks it into a super-deformed ninja frame, then lets you rebuild it on the spot into a taller, human-proportioned 'Real Mode' using the same parts. It is a kit that rewards patience with two genuinely different display looks from one box.

Best for: builders who love transformation gimmicks and want a Unicorn-flavored centerpiece that does not eat a whole shelf

The full review

What it is

The Shinki Kessho version of RX-Zeromaru is Ayame's answer to the Full Armor Unicorn Gundam, reimagined as an SD ninja with a katana, kunai launchers, a shuriken, and a Unicorn-style bazooka. What got me here is how much is packed into a small footprint. In its normal Shinobi form it is chunky and fun with real ninja flair, and when you strip the spare armor off and mount it onto the included Armed Armor Hattori Kiwami support unit, the whole kit restructures into a lean, realistically proportioned 'Real Mode' that genuinely reads as a mini Unicorn Gundam. Building both configurations from one box in an afternoon is a satisfying feeling I did not expect from something this size.

The catch

Waist articulation depends on an extension piece to clear the hip skirts, and without careful assembly the earlier Zeromaru in this line had known clearance problems, so seat that joint properly. The knee only bends to a bit under 90 degrees, which limits deep dynamic poses in Shinobi form. Color separation leans on the sticker sheet for some of the trim and eye details rather than molded plastic, and juggling three shields, the bazooka, two kunai, the katana, the rifle, and the transformation hardware means small parts go missing fast if you are not organized. The SD proportions also mean Real Mode, while clever, is still working from a stubbier base than a true 1/144 humanoid grade.

Who it's for

Pick this one up if you like kits that do more than pose, the transformation between Shinobi and Real Mode is the actual reason to own it and it delivers. Unicorn Gundam fans get a fun cousin to the real thing at a fraction of the size and cost, and builders who enjoy loadout-heavy kits will have plenty to fidget with here. Skip it if you want a straightforward static display piece or hate managing a pile of small accessory parts, since this kit asks you to actively engage with its gimmick rather than just shelf it.

The build story

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

Six runners and a sticker sheet make for a manageable build session, but do not rush the waist assembly. The extension piece there is what gives you full 360 degree rotation, and it is the same joint that gave the original Zeromaru clearance headaches, so test the range before you snap everything into final position.

The engineering payoff is the Real Mode swap. Spare armor and weapons that just look like accessories in Shinobi form turn out to be the exact pieces that convert the Armed Armor Hattori Kiwami into a mounting frame, restructuring the whole silhouette into something closer to a normal-proportioned Gundam. Ball-jointed feet and a usable wing joint add real posing range on top of that gimmick, and the bazooka combining with the beam zanbato and rifle for a signature beam attack is a nice bonus for anyone who poses with a story in mind.

Lore & trivia

01RX-Zeromaru was built and piloted by Aya Fujisawa, known by her online handle Ayame, in Gundam Build Divers
02The kit is Ayame's homage to the RX-0 Full Armor Unicorn Gundam, with Real Mode nicknamed Ninto-Do and modeled after the Unicorn's Psycho Shard form
03The name Zeromaru combines the RX-0 model number with 'maru', a suffix traditionally used in Japanese names for boys and ships
04This Shinki Kessho version released January 31, 2019 as an upgrade over the original SDBD RX-Zeromaru kit