MGUniversal Century

RX-93 ν Gundam "Ver.Ka" [Collection Ver.]

Amuro's last Gundam, reboxed in fresh colors and still one of the great MG builds.

MechaGrade Score

4.2/5

Nu Gundam · 1/100 · 2022

GradeMG

Scale1/100

Released2022

Runnersn/a

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The verdict

This is the Katoki-redesigned Nu Gundam at its best, just wearing a new coat of paint for the occasion.

The Collection Ver. keeps everything that made the 2012 Ver.Ka release a modern classic (the psycoframe reveal gimmick, the double-jointed limbs, the finger articulation borrowed from Perfect Grade) and swaps in its own molded colors and decal sheet. If you have never built the original Ver.Ka, this is a perfectly good, arguably prettier, way in.

Best for: builders who want the definitive MG take on Amuro's Nu Gundam and don't already own the 2012 Ver.Ka release

The full review

What it is

This is the Hajime Katoki redesign of the Nu Gundam done up as an MG, repackaged with its own molded colors and new decals for the occasion. I went in expecting a reskin and came out impressed, the chest armor still hinges open to show off embedded psycoframe detail on the torso frame, the head has a socket ready for an LED (sold separately, bring your own), and the hands use the folding two-peg grip system so the beam rifle and hyper bazooka actually sit in the palm instead of just being wedged in. Snapping the torso together and watching that psycoframe cutaway line up right was a genuine highlight of the build.

The catch

The fin funnel backpack is the one place this kit shows its age. The connector pegs that link the six funnel units together are loose and floppy, so posing them fanned out and attached to each other is more fuss than it looks like it should be, most builders just mount them individually on the display stand instead. Fingers are wonderfully expressive but the joints can loosen with repeated re-posing over time. And because this is molded plastic straight from the Ver.Ka engineering, overall articulation reads as good rather than cutting-edge next to newer MG releases, the design is over a decade old at its core.

Who it's for

Builders who love Char's Counterattack and want the best-detailed MG version of the Nu Gundam should grab this without hesitation, especially if the Collection Ver. colorway or decals appeal to you more than the standard release. Skip it if you already own the 2012 Ver.Ka and don't care about the alternate colors, you would be building the same kit twice. New builders can handle it if they have a few kits behind them already, the assembly rewards patience more than raw skill.

The build story

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

Runners are clean with gates placed on non-visible edges for the most part, and the parts snap together without needing glue or excessive force, which is a relief given how many small pieces make up the torso and backpack assemblies. The chest opening mechanism is the trickiest sub-assembly, take your time seating the hinge pins or the armor will not swing cleanly.

Color separation on the frame is strong for a kit of this design vintage, molded plastic carries most of the psycoframe pink and gold accents so stickers are mostly reserved for small panel details rather than covering large body panels. Part count is generous for the 1/100 price band, you get the beam rifle, hyper bazooka, beam saber pair, shield, funnel stand, and the full fin funnel backpack, which is a lot of loadout for one box.

Lore & trivia

01The RX-93 Nu Gundam was designed and piloted by Amuro Ray in Mobile Suit Gundam: Char's Counterattack, his final appearance in the Universal Century timeline.
02The original MG Ver.Ka release in 2012 commemorated the 25th anniversary of Char's Counterattack, using an all-new Hajime Katoki illustration as its design basis rather than the film's original mechanical art.
03The kit's head is molded with a socket for an optional LED unit so the eyes can be lit up, a feature carried over from the original Ver.Ka tooling.
04This Collection Ver. release uses its own molded colors and a new decal sheet on the same Ver.Ka engineering, rather than being an all-new mold.