MGUniversal Century

RX-78TB-2[SB] Gundam Stormbringer

A GM in a Gundam's clothes, and one of the better ideas the Build Divers cast ever had.

MechaGrade Score

3.7/5

[SB] Gundam Stormbringer · 1/100 · 2018

GradeMG

Scale1/100

Released2018

Runnersn/a

Check price on Amazon

Affiliate link. We may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.

The verdict

This kit is a GM Dominance wearing a stolen Gundam head, and I mean that as a compliment.

It takes a frame builders already trust and dresses it up in a tri-color scheme and a mountain of waterslide decals that make the finished model punch well above a parts-swap kit. It is not flawless, the ankle guards and elbow armor give real pushback, but the character underneath is strong enough that I forgave the fussy bits.

Best for: MG collectors who already like the GM Dominance frame and want a GBWC oddball with real shelf character

The full review

What it is

Under the paint, this is the MG RGM-79DO GM Dominance frame wearing new armor and a Gundam-style head, built by GIMM as a custom upgrade of the GM Turbulence for the Gunpla Battle World Cup arc of Build Divers. That lineage means you get the Dominance's intricate internal skeleton and its faux hydraulic detailing at the elbows, knees, and ankles, all packed into a kit that feels denser than its box suggests. Snapping the frame together and watching that many moving parts click into place is a genuinely good time, and the tri-color repaint over a GM chassis is a sharper idea than it sounds on paper.

The catch

The plastic Bandai chose for this one scars easily, so nub marks show as pale scuffs unless you clean up carefully or plan to paint over them anyway. Ankle guards do not want to sit flush and need coaxing to stay put, and the elbow armor can catch on itself and stop the arm from going fully straight. One builder found the shoulders went noticeably loose partway through assembly. On top of that, this was a Premium Bandai online exclusive at roughly 5,000 yen, and the signature G.H.L-M.A.D Gun that completes the look is sold as a separate add-on, not included in the box.

Who it's for

Go for this one if you already like the GM Dominance's frame and want a version with more personality, or if you collect Build Divers customs and know the character. It rewards builders who do not mind a little seam cleanup and are willing to hunt down secondhand stock and the separate weapon kit to get the full package. If you want a first MG, or a kit where everything clicks together clean with zero fuss, look elsewhere first, this one asks a little patience of you before it gives the payoff back.

What works

Reuses the GM Dominance's intricate internal skeleton and faux hydraulic joints, so there is real engineering hiding under the armor
A dense waterslide decal sheet with a clear placement map pushes the finished look well past what the molded plastic alone gives you
A genuinely distinctive silhouette, GM proportions under a Gundam head and tri-color paint scheme, that stands out next to every other RX-78 on the shelf

Worth knowing

The signature G.H.L-M.A.D Gun is sold separately, so the box alone does not give you the complete look
Ankle guards and elbow armor fight you, gaps that will not sit flush and an elbow catch that blocks a full straight-leg pose
The plastic marks easily at gate and nub points, leaving visible pale scuffs unless you clean up carefully or repaint

Sold? Grab it.

Check price on Amazon

Affiliate link. We may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

The build story

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

This plays like a step up from HG in every direction, more sprues, an actual internal skeleton, and enough small hydraulic-look parts that first-time MG builders should expect a slower, more careful session than they are used to. The blue plastic is the one real headache during assembly, it scars at nub points more readily than most Bandai runners, so I took extra time on cleanup and still ended up touching up a few white marks with paint. Beam sabers needed a dab of glue to stay together, which is a small but avoidable annoyance.

The GM Dominance frame underneath is the reason this kit holds together as well as it does, faux hydraulics at the elbows, knees, and ankles give real shoulder and hip mobility once assembled, though one builder reported the shoulder joints loosening partway through the build. The elbow armor can catch and stop a full straight arm, and the ankle guards need coaxing to sit flush. The box includes a small MG RB-79PP Polypodball accessory and the extensive decal sheet, but the kit's signature weapon is a separate purchase, so factor that into the real cost of finishing the look.

Lore & trivia

01In the Build Divers fiction, the Stormbringer is GIMM's custom upgrade of his own RGM-79TB-1[T] GM Turbulence, built for the Gunpla Battle World Cup (GBWC) arc, swapping in a Gundam-style head and a traditional Gundam tri-color scheme over what was originally a green and gray GM.
02The GM Turbulence it evolved from was itself a custom variant of the RGM-79DO GM Dominance, a mobile suit that originates in the manga Mobile Suit Gundam Side Story: The Blue Destiny.
03The MG kit is a parts and color variant built on the existing MG RGM-79DO GM Dominance runners, released in 2018 as a Premium Bandai online exclusive priced around 5,000 yen.
04The kit box includes a small MG RB-79PP Polypodball accessory and a large waterslide decal sheet, but the Stormbringer's named weapon, the G.H.L-M.A.D Gun, was sold as a separate kit.