MGUniversal Century

RX-121-1 Gundam TR-1 [Hazel Custom] (Combat Deployment Colors)

A battlefield rebuild wearing its unpainted origin story as a paint job, and the Mk-II frame underneath makes it a joy to put together.

MechaGrade Score

3.9/5

Gundam TR-1 [Hazel Custom] (Combat Deployment Colors) · 1/100 · 2018

GradeMG

Scale1/100

Released2018

Runnersn/a

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The verdict

This is a very good MG that trades raw articulation ceiling for one of the smoothest assembly experiences in the Mk-II family of kits.

I went in expecting a reskin and came out impressed by how much thought went into hiding nub marks and getting the panel breakup right. It will not out-pose a modern MG, but it holds a battle stance with real conviction. The Combat Deployment Colors call it out as unpainted armor worn into a fight, and the molded plastic actually sells that idea without a drop of paint.

Best for: UC completionists and Mk-II frame fans who want a lore-accurate 'never got repainted' Hazel Custom without picking up a brush

The full review

What it is

The Hazel Custom is a battle-damaged RX-121 patched back together with GM Quel parts and reborn as a proper Gundam, and this MG runs on the MG RX-178 Mk-II inner frame with new armor molds built around it. The Combat Deployment Colors version leans into the lore detail that the real unit got thrown into the Gryps Conflict in its bare light gray molded armor before anyone had time to paint it, so the kit's stock colors are the point rather than a compromise. Building it felt genuinely relaxed. Parts locked together cleanly, the surface finish had a nice smooth matte quality with no frosting, and the included waterslide decal sheet let me add panel and unit markings exactly where I wanted them.

The catch

Articulation is the honest tradeoff here. The waist, hips, and shoulders inherit real limits from the original Hazel Custom skeletal design, so extreme dynamic poses are off the table even though simple MG-level movement is fine and the joints hold their positions. The deep-set eye sockets read a little flat and dull from straight on without a light source hitting them. And because this is the Combat Deployment Colors variant, you are committing to unpainted-gray plastic as the whole aesthetic, if you wanted the later official Titans colors you will want the standard release instead. It was also a P-Bandai exclusive, so secondary market pricing runs above a general-release MG.

Who it's for

Get this one if you already like the Mk-II inner frame and want a UC oddball with a genuinely good build, or if the unpainted-battlefield story is exactly the kit you have been looking for. Skip it if pose range is your top priority, a modern MG with a wider hip skirt and better waist articulation will out-perform it on the shelf. It is also not the pick if you specifically want the repainted Titans colorway, since this release is built entirely around the gray, undressed look. For most Zeta-era UC fans this is a satisfying, low-frustration build with a genuinely interesting design behind it.

The build story

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

Assembly leans on the well-proven MG RX-178 Mk-II frame system, and it shows in how confidently everything clicks together. I never fought a tight peg or a part that needed force. Gate placement is thoughtful, tucked into armor seams and joint recesses, so most nubs need only a pencil-knife touch-up rather than sanding. The plastic itself has a smooth, matte surface with none of the frosted texture that shows up on lesser kits, and color separation is strong across the armor with only a couple of small spots that benefit from a paint pen if you want full accuracy.

The standout engineering choice is reusing a proven, sturdy frame under all-new Hazel Custom armor, so the kit never feels experimental in the way a from-scratch mold sometimes does. It carries a shield booster and can mount the Icarus flight unit in other releases of this line, and this kit's loadout of beam rifle, spare magazines, beam saber, and both a small and large shield gives it real accessory value for the part count. Articulation covers all the basic MG staples, and the waterslide decals reward anyone who wants to push the finished look further without touching an airbrush.

Lore & trivia

01The Hazel Custom is a field rebuild of the damaged original RX-121 Hazel, repaired using spare parts from the Aswan and components salvaged from a GM Quel stationed at Confeito, which is why the design reads as part-Gundam, part-patchwork.
02It swaps the standard dual-eye Gundam face for a monoeye visor, a rare look for a unit that is nominally a true Gundam-type rather than a Zeon design.
03This Combat Deployment Colors version depicts the real in-story detail that the unit was rushed into the Gryps Conflict still wearing its unpainted light-gray molded armor before it was later repainted in official Titans colors.
04The Hazel Custom is piloted by Wes Murphy in Advance of Zeta: The Flag of Titans, and its lighter frame and boosted thrusters gave it roughly 10 percent more acceleration than the base Hazel.