HGPost Disaster

UGY-R267MM Monkey Rodi (598 unit)/ Monkey Crab Rodi

A cheap, mean-looking street brawler that gives you two suits in one box.

MechaGrade Score

3.7/5

Monkey Rodi (598 unit)/ Monkey Crab Rodi · 1/144 · 2025

GradeHG

Scale1/144

Released2025

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 kit earns its keep by being generous, not fancy.

You get 598's horned commander-type Monkey Rodi and the crab-clawed refit in a single HG box, and both builds are quick, cheap fun rather than a chore. It leans on the same Rodi Frame engineering the IBO line has used for years, so nothing here reinvents the wheel, but the sheer amount of suit you get for the price is the whole pitch and it delivers.

Best for: IBO fans and army builders who want two distinct Rodi variants without buying two kits

The full review

What it is

This is a two-in-one HGIBO release built off the familiar Rodi Frame, the same lightweight, partially exposed-frame chassis that's carried the Man Rodi and Waldga Rodi lines since the original Iron-Blooded Orphans. Here it's dressed up as 598's personal ride from the Urdr-Hunt game, with the horned head and orange shoulder trim of the commander-type Monkey Rodi, plus a full parts swap to the Rakow Pirates' crab-clawed refit with forearm machine guns. I went in expecting a quick, disposable build and came out liking it more than I expected, mostly because building two distinct silhouettes from one runner set feels like getting away with something.

The catch

The engineering underneath is the same modest Rodi Frame Bandai has reused since 2016, so don't expect MG-level part fit or a deep inner structure, this is a straightforward HG snap build with exposed frame sections standing in for real articulation engineering. The bulky torso and shoulder armor make it top-heavy, and without an action base it tends to sit stiffly rather than hold dynamic poses. Stickers are limited mostly to the monoeye and a few panel accents, which is a plus, but colored plastic separation on the smaller trim pieces still leans on paint if you want it crisp. Swapping between Monkey Rodi and Monkey Crab Rodi means committing to one glue-free config at a time unless you buy a second kit.

Who it's for

Grab this if you're already in on Iron-Blooded Orphans or Urdr-Hunt and want a suit with real character on the shelf, or if you just like the idea of two builds worth of variety for one HG price point. It's also a genuinely good beginner kit, low part count, minimal stickers, forgiving gate placement, and a satisfying weapon loadout of crowbar, SMG, shield, and grenades. Skip it if you're chasing premium engineering or heavy articulation for dynamic posing, the Rodi Frame just isn't built for that, and pick up an action base if you plan to display it standing rather than static on a shelf.

The build story

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

The build itself moves fast. Gate placement follows the usual HGIBO logic, mostly on flat or hidden surfaces, and nub cleanup is painless for anyone who's put together a Rodi Frame kit before. The frame's exposed sections are cosmetic more than functional, so this isn't a kit that rewards fussing over hidden detail, it rewards just getting the silhouette assembled and enjoying how mean it looks finished.

Where it earns points is value. The leg articulation carries over the Rodi Frame's roughly six points per leg, which is more range than the boxy torso design would suggest, though the bulk still caps how far you can push a pose. Color separation on the main armor is solid molded plastic, and the crowbar and forearm-mounted machine guns on the Monkey Crab configuration give the refit real visual identity rather than feeling like a reskin. For an HG at this price, getting two distinct load-outs and a full weapon set is a lot of suit for the money.

Lore & trivia

01598 is a former Human Debris soldier who took the number assigned to him by his owner as his name, and pilots the Monkey Rodi in Mobile Suit Gundam: Iron-Blooded Orphans - Urdr-Hunt.
02The Monkey Crab Rodi is a custom refit built by the Rakow Pirates, the all-female crew led by Tamami Rakow, to match 598's high-mobility fighting style.
03Both the Monkey Rodi and Monkey Crab Rodi are based on the low-cost Rodi Frame, model number UGY-R266C, which leaves parts of the internal frame exposed and relies on armor shielding instead of a full inner structure.