MGUniversal Century

THE BEYOND GUNPLA 40th EDITION THE BEYOND x MS-06LS Zaku II Ver.LUNA SEA

A rock band's tribute Zaku that happens to have real MG bones under the black paint job.

MechaGrade Score

3.6/5

Zaku II · 1/100 · 2020

GradeMG

Scale1/100

Released2020

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

I love this kit for what it is, but I want to be upfront that what it is matters a lot here.

Under the all-black eco-plastic and gold LUNA SEA branding is the genuinely well-regarded MG Zaku II Ver. 2.0 frame, so the engineering and pose range are the real deal. The novelty is the shell, though, and if you came for a standard-colored Zaku build straight out of the box, this isn't that kit.

Best for: Zaku II Ver. 2.0 fans and LUNA SEA collectors who don't mind painting for full color separation

The full review

What it is

This is the MG Zaku II Ver. 2.0 mold, released in April 2020 as a crossover between Gunpla's 40th anniversary and LUNA SEA's 30th, bundled originally with the band's CD single THE BEYOND. Every part is molded in EcoPla, Bandai's recycled black plastic, with a gold LUNA SEA emblem and model number stamped on the torso and shoulder armor as the collector hook. Once it's in my hands the novelty fades fast and the Zaku II 2.0 engineering takes over: the ball-jointed waist, the double-jointed elbows, the skirt armor that swings clear on its own ball joints. It handles like the acclaimed Char's Zaku sculpt because that's exactly what it is under the branding.

The catch

Because it's EcoPla, every single part comes out of the bag black, meaning there's no molded color separation at all beyond the gold decals Bandai includes for the logo and number. If you want the classic Zaku green or the LUNA SEA black-and-gold look to actually read on the shelf, you're picking up a brush or an airbrush. The base Ver. 2.0 mold itself has known soft spots too: reviewers of the standard release flag tight polycap connections during assembly, a wrist armor piece that likes to pop loose, and shoulder ball joints that can loosen with repeated posing. This was also a limited, music-store exclusive release, so secondhand prices run well above a normal MG.

Who it's for

I'd point this at two people specifically: Zaku II Ver. 2.0 fans who already love that frame and want a striking monochrome variant to customize, and LUNA SEA fans who want the merchandise piece regardless of paint work. If you're newer to Gunpla and want a Zaku that looks right the moment you clip it together, skip this one and grab a standard-colored MG or HG Zaku II instead, this kit demands a paint plan before it looks the way the box art promises. For the right collector though, it's a fun oddity with real MG engineering holding it up.

The build story

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

Assembly follows the standard Zaku II Ver. 2.0 sequence, and reviewers of that base kit note the joint hoses can be stubborn coming off the runners, plus some ball-jointed parts fit tightly into their polycaps on first connection. Take it slow around the wrist armor and the thigh hose mount, both are call-outs from builders as spots that can work loose with handling.

Where the kit earns its reputation is the frame underneath. The waist ball joint plus forward swivel, the double-jointed elbows, and the fully ball-jointed skirt armor combine for a Zaku that can hit dynamic poses most kits from this design generation can't touch. The gold LUNA SEA emblem and model number decals are the only pre-applied color detail, everything else is a blank black canvas waiting on a brush.

Lore & trivia

01The kit released April 29, 2020 as part of THE BEYOND GUNPLA 40th EDITION, a joint celebration of Gunpla's 40th anniversary and LUNA SEA's 30th anniversary as a band.
02It was the first EcoPla kit ever released in the Master Grade line, molded entirely from Bandai's recycled excess plastic.
03The bundled CD single THE BEYOND hit number one on the Oricon Japan singles chart on May 11, 2020.
04The set included an A4 clear file featuring new Zaku II artwork by veteran Gundam character designer Yoshikazu Yasuhiko.