MGUniversal Century

RX-0[N] Unicorn Gundam 02 Banshee Norn

The same brilliant Unicorn frame wearing a gold lion's collar, if you can find one.

MechaGrade Score

4.2/5

Unicorn Gundam · 1/100 · 2014

GradeMG

Scale1/100

Released2014

Runnersn/a

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The verdict

This kit rides on the best frame Bandai had built for the Unicorn line at the time, and it shows in every joint.

I built mine expecting a simple recolor of the standard Banshee and came away impressed by how much the gold collar and new arms change the character of the suit on the shelf. The catch is that this is a Premium Bandai exclusive, so getting one at a fair price is its own project before you even open the box.

Best for: Unicorn/Banshee collectors who already love the MG frame and want the Norn's gold-collar look and Destroy Mode gimmick

The full review

What it is

The Banshee Norn is Riddhe Marcenas's rebuilt version of Marida Cruz's original Banshee, and this MG rides the same excellent inner frame used across the whole MG Unicorn family. That means the waist rotates a full 90 degrees, the hip joints drop down for extra leg clearance, and the double-jointed knees give it a deep, stable crouch. What sets this release apart is the new Armed Armor DE and Armed Armor XC, plus the gold-molded collar and horn that give it a lion-like read once you flip it into Destroy Mode. The cockpit hatch even pops open to show a tiny Riddhe figure, a small touch that made me grin the first time I found it.

The catch

The biggest catch has nothing to do with the plastic itself: this is a Premium Bandai webshop exclusive, meaning it never sat on regular retail shelves and reissues are not guaranteed, so aftermarket prices run well above a standard MG. The gold parts on the collar and horn are molded plastic rather than a plated finish, and plenty of builders repaint them for a more accurate metallic look rather than leaving them as molded. Because this shares its core frame with earlier MG Unicorn releases, none of the engineering here is new, so if you already own an MG Unicorn or Banshee, you are paying mostly for the color scheme and the two new weapons.

Who it's for

This is a kit for people who already care about the Unicorn Gundam story and want the Norn specifically, not a first Gunpla purchase and not a casual impulse buy given the exclusive pricing. If you already own any MG Unicorn-frame kit and are on the fence, know you are buying the new Armed Armor DE and XC plus the gold collar look more than a fresh build experience. If you just want a great-posing MG Unicorn on a normal budget, look at the standard retail MG Unicorn or Banshee first and treat this one as the upgrade you chase once you are hooked.

The build story

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

The build itself is the familiar, well-regarded MG Unicorn experience: careful gate placement on the frame runners, clean snap-fit assembly, and no major fit problems reported by builders. Because the inner frame is shared across the MG Unicorn lineup, anyone who has built one of the earlier releases will recognize the sequence, though the new Armed Armor DE and XC add a few extra steps and a satisfying new parts fit around the shoulders and skirt armor.

The standout engineering is still the transformation gimmick itself. Flipping the suit from Unicorn to Destroy Mode opens the chest and shoulder armor to expose the clear psycho-frame parts underneath, and an LED unit (sold separately) can be added to light it from within. Combined with the fully articulated fingers, retractable neck, and skirt armor that lifts for leg clearance, it holds aggressive poses far better than its part count would suggest, and the opening cockpit hatch with its tiny Riddhe figure is the kind of detail that rewards close-up display.

Lore & trivia

01The Banshee Norn is a rebuilt version of Marida Cruz's original RX-0 Unicorn Gundam 02 Banshee, refit for pilot Riddhe Marcenas after the original suit took chest damage in combat with the Sleeves, which is where the new gold collar armor comes from.
02The upgrade swapped out the original Banshee's Armed Armor BS and VN for the new Armed Armor DE and Armed Armor XC, with the XC's opening panels giving Destroy Mode its lion-mane silhouette.
03This MG release was sold exclusively through Premium Bandai's webshop rather than at general retail, unlike the standard MG Unicorn and Banshee kits.
04The cockpit hatch opens to reveal a miniature figure of pilot Riddhe Marcenas seated inside.