MGCorrect Century

∀ Gundam/Turn X [nano skin image]

Two of the best MG frames in the catalog, dressed up in Syd Mead's original concept skin.

MechaGrade Score

4.1 out of 54.1/5

∀ Gundam/Turn X [nano skin image] · 1/100 · 2019

GradeMG
Scale1/100
Released2019
Runnersn/a

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The verdict

This is a box of two excellent kits wearing a costume most builders will never see in person, and I think it is worth it anyway.

You get the full MG ∀ Gundam and the full MG Turn X, both remolded in a warm metallic finish with water-slide decals meant to echo the bio-organic nanoskin surface Syd Mead sketched for the original show. The frames underneath are the same well-loved engineering the standalone releases are known for. What changes is the skin, and if you care about where this design came from, that skin is the whole point.

Best for: Turn A Gundam fans and Syd Mead completionists who want the definitive display version of both suits from one box

The full review

What it is

This set exists to commemorate the 2019 Syd Mead exhibition at Gundam Base Tokyo, and it shows in every choice Bandai made. Both suits come molded in a soft metallic gold-bronze plastic instead of the usual matte ivory, meant to stand in for the nanoskin covering the show describes as a living, self-repairing surface over the frame. Building it feels like assembling two kits you already trust, the MG ∀ Gundam and the MG Turn X, except the runners catch the light differently and the accent decals map onto the armor in patterns that reference Mead's original production art rather than a paint scheme a toy designer invented from scratch.

The catch

None of the engineering is new, this is the same tooling as the standalone MG ∀ Gundam and MG Turn X releases, so if you already own either of those you are paying a premium mostly for finish and decals. That finish leans entirely on water-slide decals to sell the nanoskin look rather than molded color, which means careful decal work is doing the heavy lifting on the final result, and metallic plastic shows sink marks and seam lines more than matte plastic does. It was a Premium Bandai exclusive at roughly 12,420 yen for two 1/100 kits, so secondhand prices run high and it strays outside a casual builder's budget.

Who it's for

If you love the Turn A Gundam aesthetic, know who Syd Mead is, or want the Turn A and Turn X pair finished exactly as the concept art intended, this is worth tracking down and worth the decal patience it demands. If you just want a great MG Turn A Gundam to pose and display, buy the standard release instead and save real money, since the frame and articulation are identical. This is a collector's version of an already-great kit, not a better-engineered one.

The build story

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

The ∀ Gundam side of the build is the same kit builders have praised for over a decade, no polycaps anywhere in the frame, clever split-shoulder joints that look restrictive on the runner and then open up into real range once assembled, and a leg and hip assembly that holds a one-legged pose without a stand. The one recurring headache is the cockpit's clear part, which several builders note likes to pop loose, so keep an eye on that seat when you handle the finished model. Metallic plastic is slightly less forgiving of nub marks than matte styrene, so gate placement matters more here than it does on the standard-color release.

Where this set earns its price is the accessory and finish layer. Both suits get the water-slide decal treatment mapped to the nanoskin pattern from Mead's concept sketches, which is a different kind of build task than clipping parts, slow and deliberate rather than fast and mechanical. Articulation on both frames is genuinely good for their era, full range through the shoulders and hips and a rear-armor-free waist on the ∀ Gundam that lets the legs swing further back than most MGs allow. You are getting two complete accessory and weapon loadouts in one box, which is real value even before you weigh the collector premium.

Lore & trivia

  • 01The set was released to commemorate the Syd Mead exhibition PROGRESSIONS TYO 2019, held at Gundam Base Tokyo from late April through May 2019
  • 02Syd Mead, the concept artist known for Blade Runner and Tron, designed the CONCEPT-X 6-1-2 Turn X and provided the original draft concept for the SYSTEM ∀-99 ∀ Gundam
  • 03The nanoskin decal artwork on the set was produced by Kawaguchi, referencing the bio-organic self-healing surface the Turn A Gundam series describes covering both suits
  • 04Turn A Gundam and Turn X share the same in-universe design lineage, with Turn X predating and directly inspiring the ∀ Gundam's construction

What other builders say

This write-up is grounded in real reviews and builder discussion, not just one opinion. A few worth reading:

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