MGBuild Fighters

PPGN-001 Gundam Exia Dark Matter

The GN-drive purist gets a black coat and a chip on its shoulder, and the MG makes it worth the trouble.

MechaGrade Score

3.9/5

Exia · 1/100 · 2015

GradeMG

Scale1/100

Released2015

Runnersn/a

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The verdict

I like this kit more than I expected to going in.

It takes the excellent MG Exia inner frame, which was already one of the better mid-2010s engineering jobs Bandai had going, and buries it under a genuinely mean-looking Dark Matter conversion. The extra backpack and blade array change the silhouette enough that it doesn't feel like a reskin. My one real complaint is mechanical, not aesthetic, and I'll get to it, but it doesn't sink the kit.

Best for: Exia fans who already like the base MG and want a heavier, more weapon-laden variant without starting from scratch

The full review

What it is

This is the Meijin Kawaguchi villain-arc version of Exia from Build Fighters Try, built on the same frame Bandai used for the standard MG Exia and MG Exia Ignition Mode. That frame was good then and it's still good now. Shoulders, elbows, and knees all move through a wide range, and the hip and torso setup lets it hold dynamic poses without a ton of fighting. What's new here is the Dark Matter Booster, a big backpack unit that splits into a bird-mode silhouette, plus the mask, the Dark Matter Rifle, twin Dark Matter Blades, and a pair of short beam sabers stacked alongside the GN Blades from the original loadout. Building it feels like assembling two kits worth of accessories onto a chassis that already knew what it was doing.

The catch

The ankles are the issue everyone flags, and they're right to. The base Exia frame was never over-built at the ankle joint, and it got away with it because the standard kit is light. Strap on the Dark Matter Booster and the extra blade hardware and that same joint is now supporting real weight it wasn't sized for. Expect some sag or outright buckling in a standing pose without support. Builders also call out visible nub marks and seam lines on some of the smaller Dark Matter-specific parts, and there's sticker reliance for a few of the accent details rather than molded color. Budget a real evening or two for this one, reviewers land around 8 to 10 hours with panel lining and decals.

Who it's for

Go for this if you already enjoy the MG Exia line and want the Build Fighters variant with a bigger, more aggressive loadout, or if the all-black Dark Matter look is the specific reason you're here. It rewards someone willing to either mount it on an action base or accept some ankle sag in exchange for the extra firepower and screen presence. Skip it if you want a kit that stands cleanly on its own two feet straight off the runners with no supplemental base, or if you'd rather have the cleaner standard Exia without the added weight and part count to manage.

What works

Inherits the genuinely strong MG Exia inner frame, so shoulder, elbow, and knee articulation is wide and confident
Loadout is generous: GN Blades, Dark Matter Rifle, two Dark Matter Blades, two short beam sabers, and a removable Dark Matter mask
Bird-mode transformation on the Dark Matter Booster gives the kit a second display option beyond the standard robot stance

Worth knowing

Ankle joints weren't reinforced for the extra weight of the Dark Matter Booster, and sag or buckling is a common complaint without an action base
Some smaller Dark Matter-specific parts show visible nub marks and seam lines that need cleanup attention
A few accent details lean on stickers instead of molded color separation

Sold? Grab it.

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The build story

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

The frame assembly will feel familiar if you've built the standard MG Exia, which is a good thing since that frame goes together cleanly with solid part fit. Where the build slows down is the Dark Matter-specific hardware: the booster unit, the blade mounts, and the mask all add extra steps and extra runners to clip through, and a handful of those smaller parts show more visible nub marks than the core frame does. Plan for careful gate cutting on the blade components especially, since they're thin and the seams show if you rush them.

The payoff is in the articulation and the sheer amount of stuff this kit gives you to pose with. The inner frame lets the shoulders and hips carry a real action stance, and once you've got the GN Blades, the Dark Matter Rifle, and the twin Dark Matter Blades all in hand, you've got more combat configurations than the standard Exia ever offered. The bird-mode split on the booster is a nice bonus display option that doesn't feel tacked on. Just get it on an action base before you start swapping weapons, because that's when the ankle weight problem shows up fastest.

Lore & trivia

01The Exia Dark Matter is a modified Gundam Amazing Exia piloted by Meijin Kawaguchi, built specifically to take down Reiji and Sei Iori in Gundam Build Fighters Try.
02The kit's Dark Matter Booster is a large backpack unit not present on the base Exia, and it can be separated and reconfigured into a bird-form silhouette.
03The Dark Matter mask on the head is a separate, removable piece rather than a painted or molded detail on the head sculpt itself.
04The kit carries over the Trans-Am system from the Exia line, referenced through the Dark Matter Booster's twin detachable blade hardware.