MGUniversal Century

RX-78TB-3[SB] Gundam Stormbringer F.A. / RGM-79TB-1[T] GM Turbulence

One box, two mobile suits, and a frame that actually earns its wide stance.

MechaGrade Score

4.0/5

[SB] Gundam Stormbringer F.A. / RGM-79TB-1[T] GM Turbulence · 1/100 · 2020

GradeMG

Scale1/100

Released2020

Runnersn/a

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The verdict

This is a two-in-one kit that actually delivers on the promise instead of just padding the runners.

You get GIMM's olive drab GM Turbulence and the upgraded Fatal Ash colored Stormbringer F.A. from the same body, swapping head, shoulder armor, and backpack parts. I built both configurations off one frame and neither felt like an afterthought. The catch is real (loose stand joint, some seams) but it does not undercut how good this kit is to actually pose.

Best for: MG builders who want two distinct mobile suits' worth of posing fun and don't mind hunting down a P-Bandai exclusive

The full review

What it is

This kit runs on the same engineering as the MG GM Sniper II, and you can feel it the moment you start posing the finished model. The hips, knees, and shoulders all move further than I expected out of a suit with this much surface armor, and it holds those poses without drifting back to neutral. What sold me is the two-in-one design. Swap the head, shoulder armor, and backpack and you get GIMM's original olive drab GM Turbulence or the upgraded Fatal Ash colored Stormbringer F.A. with its added 360mm rocket cannon and precision aiming system on the backpack. Building both from one box felt like getting two kits for the price of one, and the parts share convincingly enough that neither version feels like the leftover option.

The catch

This is a P-Bandai exclusive, so you are paying exclusive pricing and dealing with exclusive availability rather than picking it up off a shelf. Builders have flagged partial seam lines on the torso and limb joints, nothing severe but noticeable if you're a smooth-build purist. The bigger complaint is the display stand joint, which is loose enough that the kit can tip over if you tilt it too far in a dynamic pose. There's also a heavy sheet of water slide decals with a detailed placement map, which is a plus for detail and a chore if you don't enjoy decal work.

Who it's for

Grab this if you already like MG-level build complexity and want a kit that rewards you with two finished mobile suits instead of one, especially if the Gundam Build Divers GBWC storyline (Gimm and Ball's rivalry) means anything to you. Skip it if you're allergic to P-Bandai pricing and hunting, or if a loose display joint and a bit of seam work is a dealbreaker for you. If you just want the cheapest route to a posable GM-lineage suit, a standard retail MG will get you there for less hassle.

The build story

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

No glue required, but you'll want a hobby nipper on hand for a build with a lot of sprues and an intricate internal skeleton. Builders coming from HG kits have described the sheer number of moving parts as a jump up, but the fit is solid throughout and the swap between the two head/backpack configurations is straightforward once you understand which runners belong to which suit.

The standout here is the frame itself. Borrowing from the MG GM Sniper II gives this kit a flexibility that a lot of MG suits from the same era don't have, and it shows in how easily it holds a lunging or aiming pose. Weapon loadout includes two beam sabers and a two-barrel hand beam gun, and the Stormbringer F.A. configuration adds a 360mm rocket cannon with a precision aiming system on the backpack, at the cost of the beam saber recharge racks. For a single MG price point, getting two distinct suits and two distinct weapon loadouts is real value.

Lore & trivia

01The Gundam Stormbringer F.A. (Fatal Ash) is a remodel of GIMM's RX-78TB-2[SB] Gundam Stormbringer, itself an upgrade of the RGM-79TB-1[T] GM Turbulence, tied to the Gunpla Builders World Cup (GBWC) storyline in Gundam Build Divers.
02The kit's frame and proportions are based on the MG GM Sniper II, which is where its wide range of motion comes from.
03The Stormbringer F.A. configuration trades its beam saber recharge racks for a 360mm rocket cannon and precision aiming system mounted on the backpack.
04This is a two-in-one P-Bandai exclusive kit: swapping the head, shoulder armor, and backpack parts lets you build either GIMM's original olive drab GM Turbulence or the upgraded Fatal Ash colored Stormbringer F.A. from the same body.