MGAnno Domini

Avalanche Unit for Gundam Astraea Type F

A backpack that turns a quiet Type F into a claw-swinging dash brawler, if you already own the suit underneath.

MechaGrade Score

3.6/5

Avalanche Unit for Gundam Astraea Type F · 1/100 · 2022

GradeMG

Scale1/100

Released2022

Runnersn/a

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The verdict

I like this kit a lot, but only once you understand what it actually is.

This is not a standalone Gundam, it is a P-Bandai expansion backpack for the MG Astraea Type F, and every bit of the fun here comes from what it bolts onto an existing build. The GN Claws and Dash reconfiguration are genuinely clever engineering, and the shield-storage adapter is the kind of small detail I always appreciate. Just go in knowing you need the base kit and probably a paint job before this thing looks as good as the box art.

Best for: Astraea Type F owners who already have the Full Weapon Set body and want a dramatic dash-mode backpack to pose it with

The full review

What it is

This is the Avalanche add-on unit for the MG 1/100 Gundam Astraea Type F, a P-Bandai exclusive backpack, claw, and thruster package rather than a complete mobile suit kit. Once mounted, the GN Claws swing open or closed, the whole assembly reconfigures into a lower, more aggressive Dash attack mode, and the GN Beam Saber handles pull free of the shoulder armor to work as handheld weapons. There is a real toy-engineering pleasure in watching the backpack fold from cruise silhouette into attack posture without pulling it off the frame. It comes with an Action Base 1 stand and a shield adapter so the GN Shield can ride on the rear waist skirt when it is not in hand.

The catch

The big catch is right there in the name: this is a unit, not a suit. You need the separate MG Astraea Type F (Full Weapon Set) body kit to use any of it, so the actual sticker price of "the finished model" is two P-Bandai exclusives, not one. Being P-Bandai also means no guaranteed reissues and aftermarket prices that creep up once a run sells out. Builders and color guides both note the molded plastic leans on plain white and grey, so the panel work and the claw detailing do not really pop until you commit to painting and panel-lining, closer to a display kit than a snap-and-pose weekend build.

Who it's for

This is for people who already have the MG Astraea Type F on the shelf and want to push it into its more dramatic Dash configuration, and for Gundam 00F and 00P completionists chasing the full Ptolemaios-era roster. If you are new to Gunpla or want one kit to open and finish in a sitting, skip this, there is nothing here without the base suit and it rewards the extra step of painting far more than it rewards straight-from-the-runner building. For an existing Astraea Type F owner who likes fiddly transforming mechanisms, though, this is a satisfying and legitimately clever add-on.

What works

GN Claws that genuinely open and close and the backpack reconfigures into a distinct Dash attack silhouette rather than just adding static bulk
GN Beam Saber handles detach cleanly from the shoulder armor to double as handheld melee weapons
Thoughtful storage engineering, the GN Shield adapter lets the shield ride on the rear waist skirt instead of being a loose accessory you lose in the parts box

Worth knowing

Requires the separate MG Astraea Type F (Full Weapon Set) body kit, this add-on does nothing on its own
P-Bandai exclusive pricing and no reissue guarantee once a production run sells out
Molded plastic leans heavily on white and grey, so detail and color separation depend on painting and panel-lining rather than being sticker or trim ready out of the box

Sold? Grab it.

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The build story

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

Handling is closer to an accessory kit than a full suit build, most of the runners here are backpack shell, claw arms, and thruster housings, so cleanup is lighter than a full-body MG but the small claw hinge parts need careful gate placement and cleanup since they are visible in both cruise and Dash mode.

The engineering standout is the Dash transformation itself, the backpack folds from a compact travel silhouette into a lower, wider attack stance without needing to be detached from the base Astraea Type F, and the shield-to-waist adapter is a nice touch that a lot of expansion kits skip entirely.

Lore & trivia

01The original GNY-001 Gundam Astraea was constructed in AD 2292 and later rebuilt into the upgraded Type F using know-how fed back from the third-generation Gundams.
02The Astraea Type F is piloted by Fon Spaak in the Mobile Suit Gundam 00F manga, a side story set in the Anno Domini timeline alongside the mainline Gundam 00 series.
03The suit is fitted with a removable sensor mask specifically so it would not be identified as a Gundam, keeping the existence of mobile suits outside the Ptolemaios team's roster a secret.