MGUniversal Century

RX-0 Unicorn Gundam 02 Banshee

The lion-maned twin that turns the psycho frame gimmick into a full-blown transformation.

MechaGrade Score

4.1/5

Unicorn Gundam · 1/100 · 2012

GradeMG

Scale1/100

Released2012

Runnersn/a

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The verdict

This is the Unicorn Gundam's inner frame and Destroy Mode gimmick recut with a meaner face, and I think it is one of the more satisfying MG transformations Bandai ever built.

The clear psycho frame parts glow under UV or black light exactly like the first Unicorn kit, the head splits open into that lion's mane collar, and the whole thing goes from calm white knight to armored brawler in a couple of confident motions. The catch is that this design asks a lot of its joints, and I noticed it right away once I started posing.

Best for: Builders who already love the psycho frame transformation gimmick and want the aggressive, gold-trimmed twin without buying a second identical Unicorn

The full review

What it is

The MG Banshee reuses the Unicorn Gundam's psycho frame engineering (Bandai's own internal frame with translucent parts that light up under a black light) but reskins it with a lion motif: a golden mane collar, a sharper V-fin, and Banshee-specific gold accents across the shoulders and shins. Building it feels familiar if you have done the first Unicorn, but the extra face plates, the mane-collar mechanism, and Armed Armor VN/BS weapon gimmicks give it its own identity rather than feeling like a recolor. Flipping it from Unicorn Mode into Destroy Mode is still the best part of owning this kit, the frame genuinely reconfigures rather than just popping a face plate.

The catch

The frame is not as sturdy as I would like once you actually start posing it. Builders consistently report weak joints, especially at the torso-to-hip connection and the wrists, and the transformation mechanism itself feels fragile enough that parts can pop loose mid-pose if you are not careful. I found the same thing: you can absolutely display this suit in a dynamic stance, but I would not recommend swapping it between Unicorn and Destroy Mode over and over, the connectors just were not built for that kind of repeated stress. Treat it as a build-then-pose-once kit rather than a toy you fidget with daily.

Who it's for

Get this one if you already enjoy the Unicorn line's transformation gimmick and want the more aggressive-looking sibling for a display shelf, or if you are a Unicorn/Banshee anime fan who wants both suits side by side. Skip it if you want a kit you can repeatedly flip between modes without babying the joints, or if loose Gunpla connections are a dealbreaker for you, in that case wait for a later reissue or budget time for a light glue-and-friction fix. For most UC fans building carefully and displaying rather than fiddling, this is a strong pickup.

The build story

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

The build itself goes together cleanly, gates are thin and cleanup is straightforward, and there is no snap-fit shortcut nonsense working against you. Where it gets fiddly is the transformation sequence: getting the shoulder armor, mane collar, and V-fin to lock correctly between Unicorn Mode and Destroy Mode takes a careful hand the first few times, and I would test the sequence gently before forcing anything.

The psycho frame is the star of the show, translucent inner-frame parts that light up under UV exactly like the original Unicorn kit, and the weapon loadout (Armed Armor VN and BS) adds real presence once posed. Color separation is strong for an MG from this era, molded gold and orange accents mean minimal stickers for the main color scheme, though the joints do not match the frame's visual ambition, this is a kit that looks tougher than it actually is.

Lore & trivia

01The Banshee was developed by Anaheim Electronics as the second full psycho frame prototype alongside the original RX-0 Unicorn Gundam under the Earth Federation's UC Project.
02Its design motif is a lion rather than the original Unicorn's horse/unicorn theme, expressed through the gold mane-like collar and more elaborate head antenna.
03In the story, the Banshee was piloted first by Marida Cruz and later reassigned to Riddhe Marcenas as the Banshee Norn during the climactic fight against Full Frontal's forces.
04This standard-release MG Banshee uses an orange psycho frame, distinct from the later Ver.Ka release which swapped in a green psycho frame and Hajime Katoki foil-marking decals.