MGAnno Domini

GNY-001F Gundam Astraea Type-F (Full Weapon Set)

A manga side character shows up with more hardware than half the main cast combined.

MechaGrade Score

4.0/5

Gundam Astraea Type-F (Full Weapon Set) · 1/100 · 2022

GradeMG

Scale1/100

Released2022

Runnersn/a

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The verdict

This is a kit built entirely around its arsenal, and once you see everything laid out on the table, that's the whole pitch.

You get a Proto GN Sword, a Proto GN Launcher, a GN Hammer, a GN Beam Rifle, a GN Shield, and an NGN Bazooka, plus two swappable head units for the Type F and Type F2 look. The frame under all of it is the familiar Exia-family double-jointed elbow and knee setup with a 360 degree waist, so the suit itself moves the way you'd expect from a solid mid-2010s-derived MG. The reason to own this one isn't the suit, it's the loadout.

Best for: Gundam 00 completionists and weapon-display collectors who want one suit that can hold six different silhouettes

The full review

What it is

The Astraea Type-F is Celestial Being's test mule from the 00F/00I side stories, and Bandai leaned into that by packing this MG with every weapon the suit ever carried across its manga appearances. Building it feels less like assembling one Gundam and more like assembling a small armory with a pilot attached. The GN Sword and Launcher are big, chunky, satisfying pieces to click together, the Hammer has real heft in hand, and swapping between the standard head and the Type F2 head changes the read of the whole figure without touching the body. New hardpoints on the arms and legs let you rack weapons directly on the frame, which is the detail that sold me. It turns a shelf piece into something you rearrange every time you walk past it.

The catch

This is a P-Bandai exclusive, which means the price sits well above a standard retail MG and you're paying for the weapon glut, not for a more advanced inner frame. Waterslide decals handle a lot of the surface marking rather than molded color, so if you want the panel lines and insignia to actually pop you're looking at extra work with a topcoat to protect them, and Bandai's own instructions flag that painting and panel-lining are basically expected for this one to look finished. The LED gimmick for the core is sold separately, so out of the box the drive is just a clear part, not a lit-up feature. None of this is a hidden flaw, it's the tradeoff of a kit designed as an accessory bonanza first and a display-ready figure second.

Who it's for

Buy this if you already like the Astraea silhouette and want the version that comes with its entire weapon history in one box, or if you're building a 00 side-story display and want a centerpiece with real posing variety. Skip it if you're new to Gundam 00 and want the iconic suits first, the Astraea Type-F is a deep-cut pick, and skip it if you want a kit that looks complete straight off the runners, because the sticker and decal reliance means you'll want to put in extra finishing work to get the payoff other MGs give you for free. For the right buyer, the sheer volume of accessories makes it one of the more entertaining MGs to actually pose.

The build story

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

The body assembles like a familiar Exia-derived MG, double-jointed elbows and knees, a neck on a single ball joint, and a waist that spins the full 360 degrees, so nothing about the core build surprises you. Where the time actually goes is the weapon set: six separate armaments each need their own runners cleaned up and assembled, and the GN Sword and Launcher in particular have enough parts that they build out almost like mini side-projects of their own before you even get to mounting them.

The payoff is in the accessory count and the hardpoint system. Being able to rack the Hammer, Bazooka, and Shield directly onto the frame's new mount points means you can build several distinct display poses from one kit without extra stands, and the dual head option (Type F versus Type F2) gives you a second silhouette entirely. It's a strong value case for the price if you actually use the full loadout instead of picking one weapon and shelving the rest.

Lore & trivia

01The Astraea Type-F first appeared in the Mobile Suit Gundam 00F manga side story and later crossed over into 00I, both spinoffs of the main Mobile Suit Gundam 00 series.
02In the story, the suit served as a test bed for Celestial Being's Fereshte support team, trialing new hardware before it reached the frontline Gundams.
03The kit was primarily piloted by Fon Spaak in its source material and was produced as a Bandai Hobby Online Shop / Premium Bandai exclusive rather than a general retail release.
04A separately sold green LED unit is compatible with the kit's GN Drive for a lit-up core effect.