MGAnno Domini

GNX-604T Advanced GN-X

The GN-X you already loved, retooled with a lance and a lot more presence.

MechaGrade Score

3.9/5

Advanced GN-X · 1/100 · 2017

GradeMG

Scale1/100

Released2017

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 a genuinely satisfying MG that got buried under its own release history.

Bandai based it on the earlier MG GN-X frame and reworked the head, shoulders, and weapons rather than starting from scratch, and it shows in how confident the proportions feel straight out of the box. The double-jointed elbows and 360 degree waist rotation give it real pose range for a suit that started life as a mass-production mook. My only hesitation going in was whether a retool would feel like a cash grab, and once it was built that worry mostly went away.

Best for: 00-era Celestial Being fans who want the definitive Advanced GN-X and don't mind hunting a P-Bandai exclusive

The full review

What it is

The Advanced GN-X is Bandai's upgrade pass on the original MG GN-X, built for the ESF's GN Drive (Tau)-equipped unit from Gundam 00V, and it comes loaded with the new antenna head, reworked shoulder armor, the Advanced GN Beam Rifle with its mid-length barrel, and the Proto GN Lance that the base GN-X never had. Snapping it together, the retool choices make sense. The silhouette reads as a clear step up from the standard GN-X rather than a simple recolor, and the new head unit especially changes the character of the whole kit. Finger articulation is 3+1+1 per hand, which is more than this suit needed, and I found myself using it anyway just because it was there.

The catch

The elephant in the room is availability and price. This was a P-Bandai (Premium Bandai) exclusive, so it never sat on a regular store shelf, and the community reaction when Bandai kept rolling out yet another GN-X variant (this one, Deborah's Advanced GN-X, the A-Laws GN-X III) was frustration, not excitement, with more than one builder asking why a fourth pass on the same frame was necessary. Secondary market prices have run well above the original tag. Because it's a frame reuse, some of the base GN-X's joint tolerances carry over unchanged, so if the standard GN-X felt a little stiff in the ankles for you, this one will too.

Who it's for

Buy this one if you already like the GN-X silhouette and want the sharper, more armed-up version with a lance in the loadout, or if you're chasing a complete Celestial Being MG shelf and the Advanced variant is the gap. Skip it if you're GN-X-fatigued from the sheer number of reissues Bandai has put out, or if paying above the original P-Bandai price for a kit that shares most of its frame with a cheaper standard release doesn't sit right with you. First-time MG builders can go in without worry; nothing here is more finicky than a standard 1/100.

The build story

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

The build itself is straightforward MG territory, gate placement is reasonable and nub cleanup on the new shoulder and head parts is no worse than the original GN-X kit it's based on. Because this is a retool rather than a ground-up kit, anyone who's built the standard MG GN-X will recognize a lot of the runners immediately, which makes assembly quick if you've done it before.

The standout engineering is in the new parts: the antenna head unit swivels on its ball-and-socket neck joint independent of the head swing, and the Particle Generator binders on the torso and waist pivot out of the way to give the arms and legs their full range rather than fighting the armor. The sliding beam saber storage is a small but satisfying gimmick. For accessories you get the GN Shield, GN Beam Saber, the new Advanced GN Beam Rifle, and the Proto GN Lance, which is a solid loadout for the price band even before factoring in the retooled parts.

Lore & trivia

01The Advanced GN-X first appeared in the Mobile Suit Gundam 00V manga and its Battlefield Record side story, not the main 00 television series.
02It's piloted in-universe by ESF (Earth Sphere Federation) forces and uses a GN Drive (Tau), a lesser Innovator-era drive distinct from the true GN Drives carried by Celestial Being's Gundams.
03Bandai released it as a Premium Bandai exclusive alongside a repainted Deborah's Advanced GN-X variant, both built from the same retooled MG GN-X frame.
04The kit supports an optional Red LED unit (sold separately) for lighting the GN Drive (Tau) housing.