MGUniversal Century

RX-78NT-1 Gundam NT-1 Ver.2.0

A quiet OVA hero gets the full modern MG treatment, Chobham armor and all.

MechaGrade Score

4.2/5

Gundam NT-1 · 1/100 · 2019

GradeMG

Scale1/100

Released2019

Runnersn/a

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The verdict

This is one of the better MG reissues Bandai has put out and I mean that as someone who was skeptical going in.

The old Ver. 1.0 was a product of its era, this Ver.2.0 rebuilds Alex from the frame out with real color separation and the option to run it stripped down or fully armored. I came away impressed with how much personality a mostly white and blue suit can have once the engineering catches up to it.

Best for: 0080 fans and MG builders who want a suit that transforms between a lean inner Gundam and a bulked-out armored tank

The full review

What it is

Alex is the Newtype-use prototype from Gundam 0080, the suit built quietly by the Federation while the rest of the war moved on without it, and this Ver.2.0 finally gives it an MG that matches the anime's two identities in one box. You build the slim RX-78NT-1 underneath, then wrap it in removable Chobham armor plating that turns it into a completely different silhouette. I like that the kit does not force a choice, both looks are legitimate display options and the swap is genuinely simple once assembled. The gattling gun arm covers open even with the armor on, which is the kind of small gimmick that makes a static shelf piece feel alive.

The catch

The wrist ball joints are noticeably tight out of the runners and several builders report needing to sand or work them in before the hands move smoothly, which is an odd rough edge on a kit this modern. With the Chobham armor fully installed, the proportions get bulky and the flat blue-grey plating covers up most of the sleek inner frame you just spent time detailing, so the armored mode is more about the gimmick than the looks for some builders. Eye and camera stickers are still present rather than molded, a minor concession on an otherwise sticker-light kit.

Who it's for

Buy this if you want an MG that actually does something mechanically interesting rather than just posing well, the armor swap alone makes it worth the shelf space for 0080 fans. It also holds up fine as a first serious MG for someone coming off HG kits, the parts are forgiving and the instructions handle the transformation clearly. Skip it if you specifically want the lean unarmored Alex silhouette as the primary look, since the kit is really designed around showing off both states and the bulk of the armor is part of the deal, not an afterthought.

The build story

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

Assembly is smooth and modern MG standard, the inner frame goes together cleanly with clear part fit, though the wrist joints are the one spot where I had to stop and work the ball joint in by hand before it moved right. Gate placement is reasonable and cleanup is light for a kit of this part count.

The real engineering win is the dual-mode design, the inner frame is fully posable on its own and the Chobham armor pieces clip on and off without stressing the frame underneath. Articulation is full modern MG range, the legs in particular have a wide stance for dynamic poses, and the accessory loadout (beam rifle, hyper bazooka, shield with hidden gattling gun) gives you real options for a display pose either armored or stripped down.

Lore & trivia

01Alex was developed by the Earth Federation starting in August of Universal Century 0079 specifically to make use of Newtype pilot reflexes, in this case for Amuro Ray, even though he never actually pilots it in the OVA.
02The RX-78NT-1 was the first Gundam to use Chobham composite armor, a design choice that recurred across later Universal Century suits.
03Ver.2.0 released in 2019 to mark the 30th anniversary of Mobile Suit Gundam 0080: War in the Pocket and rebuilt the kit around a modern MG inner frame rather than reworking the older 1.0 mold.
04The suit's cockpit used a 360 degree panoramic monitor with controls built into the pilot's seat, giving it an unusually wide field of view for its era in the show.