MGUniversal Century

RGM-79GS GM Command Space

A GM Sniper II frame in a spec ops paint job, and honestly one of the smoothest MG builds I have had in a while.

MechaGrade Score

4.0/5

GM Command Space · 1/100 · 2017

GradeMG

Scale1/100

Released2017

Runnersn/a

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The verdict

I went into this expecting a background GM and came out with one of the more satisfying MG builds on my shelf.

Bandai reused the GM Sniper II's Gundam Ver 2.0 type frame here, and that pedigree shows up everywhere, in the torso twist, the ankle work, the way the whole thing just holds a pose. It is not flashy, but it is honest engineering, and I respect that more than another gimmick line.

Best for: MG builders who want great articulation and minimal painting without picking a flagship Gundam

The full review

What it is

This is the Command Space variant of the late war One Year War GM, tuned down from full combat spec and reassigned to colony defense duty in 0080: War in the Pocket, where it gets the show's one real space skirmish. The kit borrows its inner frame from the MG GM Sniper II, so the movement is already proven. I got real neck articulation, a waist that swings in more than one direction, deep knee bends, and shoulder armor that swings out of the way instead of blocking the arm. It went together clean, no fiddly surprises, and it reads as a proper GM the moment it is standing on the shelf.

The catch

The color separation is good but not complete straight out of the box. The cheek ducts, some shoulder details, and the thruster interiors are molded in a base color and need a small amount of gray and red paint or panel work if you want them accurate, so this is not a full no-paint kit no matter what the box implies. The beam saber blades are also molded solid rather than in clear beam-effect plastic, so they will just look like white sticks unless you paint or swap them. None of this is a dealbreaker, but budget an evening for detail work if you want the finished look to match reference art.

Who it's for

If you already like the GM Sniper II or GM Cold District kits and want another variant with the same excellent frame in a different colorway, this is an easy recommendation. It is also a good pick for someone who has done one or two MGs already and wants a kit that will not fight them, since the seams are minimal and the gates are placed sensibly. I would steer newer builders toward a more iconic kit first if shelf presence of a named hero unit matters more to them than build quality, since this is a background unit even within its own show. But builder to builder, this is a quietly great kit that does not get talked about enough.

What works

Inherits the GM Sniper II's Ver 2.0 type frame, so articulation is genuinely excellent for a 1/100 GM
Clean assembly with minimal visible seams thanks to stepped molding on parts like the bullpup machine gun
Solid accessory loadout: beam rifle, bullpup machine gun, shield with spare mag storage, two beam saber blades, and a stand joint

Worth knowing

Cheek ducts, some shoulder detailing, and thruster interiors are molded in base color and need paint to look finished
Beam saber blades are solid molded plastic, not clear beam-effect plastic, so they read as plain sticks unpainted
Originally sold as a Bandai premium exclusive, which made it pricier and harder to find before its general retail release

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The build story

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

The build itself is low stress. Everything is molded in PS plastic with no ABS parts, which is a small but real relief since ABS is the stuff that tends to stress crack over time on hips and joints. Gates are placed where cleanup is easy, and I did not run into any fit issues forcing parts together or panel gaps opening up where they should not. It moves fast on the sprue and rewards patience on the small painted details rather than punishing you anywhere in the frame assembly.

The frame is where this kit earns its keep. The torso twist and waist swing give it a natural stance instead of the stiff soldier-at-attention look older GM kits get stuck with, and the ankles have enough range to plant a wide stance without looking like it is standing on tiptoes. Color separation on the main body is handled well through molded plastic alone, it is really only the small greebles that need extra work. For a kit built around a colony-defense background unit, the part count and accessory spread punch above what I expected for the price.

Lore & trivia

01The GM Command Space Type appears in Mobile Suit Gundam 0080: War in the Pocket during the OVA's one real space combat sequence, where it is notably armed with a beam rifle, uncommon for Federation mobile suits shown in that series.
02GM Command units in 0080 were deliberately tuned down from full military spec and issued lighter weapons since their job was colony defense, where full-power Zeon-grade weaponry risked breaching the colony hull.
03This MG shares its inner frame with the MG GM Sniper II, itself built on a Gundam Ver 2.0 type skeleton, which is why the articulation feels a tier above what you would expect from a background GM variant.
04The kit was first released as a Bandai premium mail-order exclusive at 3,780 yen before later getting a general retail release.