MGUniversal Century

MSA-0011[Ext] Ex-S Gundam / MSA-0011 S Gundam

A transforming battleship of a Gundam that looks incredible and fights you the whole way there.

MechaGrade Score

3.5/5

[Ext] Ex-S Gundam / MSA-0011 S Gundam · 1/100 · 2019

GradeMG

Scale1/100

Released2019

Runnersn/a

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The verdict

This is a kit I respect more than I enjoyed building.

The Ex-S is one of the most ambitious MG releases in years, a full transformation into the G-Cruiser packed into a normal-priced Master Grade, and when it clicks together and stands there in either mode it is genuinely one of the sharpest looking suits Bandai has ever tooled. But the price of that ambition is a build full of hidden hinges you have to baby, questionable plastic in a few key joints, and a finished figure that is so top-heavy it will not stand without the display stand doing real work.

Best for: Gundam Sentinel fans and transformation-gimmick builders who want a showpiece and don't mind fighting for it

The full review

What it is

The Ex-S is the upgraded form of the S Gundam from Gundam Sentinel, and Bandai built this MG around its signature party trick: the whole suit folds down into the G-Cruiser, a single sleek waverider instead of the old three-piece split the original S Gundam used. Cracking the box open, I was struck by how many runners are dedicated just to the transformation frame, over thirty in total, before you even get to the armor. Snapping the G-Cruiser together for the first time and watching the wings, legs, and head all tuck away into a coherent ship shape is a genuinely satisfying payoff, and in either mode this suit has a silhouette that stops people scrolling past it.

The catch

The transformation mechanism is also the build's biggest liability. Several joints exist purely to let panels fold, and I found myself constantly second-guessing how much pressure I could put on a part before I risked cracking a hinge that has no backup if it snaps. A few of the smaller polycaps and connector pieces feel like they were engineered for the gimmick first and durability second, and more than one builder online has flagged the same soft plastic in the same spots. Once fully armored up for battle mode, the suit is also so front and top heavy it cannot free-stand reliably, so the included display stand isn't optional, it's load-bearing. With all the extra armor and weapon hardpoints attached, poseability shrinks noticeably compared to a standard MG.

Who it's for

Buy this one for the Gundam Sentinel connection and the transformation gimmick, not for weekday shelf-flipping durability. If you love UC obscure-suit lore, want a kit that does something mechanically different from the usual MG formula, and you're the type of builder who reads instructions twice before applying pressure to a new joint, this is a rewarding, memorable build. If you want a suit you can pose aggressively and handle casually, or this would be your first MG, skip it and come back once you've built a few standard Master Grades and know how to respect a fragile hinge.

The build story

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

Runner count is high right out of the gate, and a good chunk of it is dedicated purely to the transformation frame rather than surface detail. Gate placement is mostly kind on the visible armor panels, but the internal transformation parts have some awkward nub positions that take patience to clean without stressing the connecting hinge nearby. Fit on the armor shells is generally snug and satisfying to snap in, though a few of the smaller polycap joints feel noticeably softer than what you get on a standard MG release.

The standout engineering is the transformation itself, folding a full humanoid MG down into a single-piece waverider without the multi-part split its predecessor used. Color separation on the armor is strong for the era, with foil-style stickers covering some of the more intricate camera and sensor details rather than molded color, which some builders skip entirely to keep panel lines clean underneath. Articulation is decent at the limbs for beam saber and beam smart gun poses, but drops off once the full weapon and armor loadout is mounted, since the extra hardpoints physically block range of motion.

Lore & trivia

01The Ex-S Gundam is an upgraded form of the MSA-0011 S Gundam, built by Task Force Alpha engineers aboard the Pegasus III with added armor, weapons, and engine modules that nearly double its output over the base S Gundam
02Unlike the S Gundam, which split into three separate craft to travel long distances, the Ex-S transforms into a single unified waverider called the G-Cruiser, complete with jettisonable propellant tanks mounted over the shoulders
03The suit's three cockpits were built for a full crew, but pilot Ryou Roots flew it essentially alone, relying on the onboard AI system ALICE to handle much of the actual combat given his own limited piloting skill
04This MG marks the suit's return to Master Grade after the original MSA-0011 S Gundam MG released years earlier, giving Gundam Sentinel fans a modern transforming kit true to the manga's most distinctive mecha gimmick