XXXG-01Wfr/A Gundam Fenice Rinascita Alba
The Fenice Rinascita's transformation frame wearing the original Wing Gundam's colors, and it wears them beautifully.
MechaGrade Score
Gundam Fenice Rinascita Alba · 1/100 · 2015
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I like this kit more than I expected to, and I say that having read what other builders went through with the base Fenice Rinascita mold.
The Alba trades that kit's unusual red and green scheme for the white, blue, red and yellow of the original XXXG-01W Wing Gundam, and on this frame it just works. It is a P-Bandai exclusive so you are paying a premium and hunting a secondary market to get one, but the payoff on the shelf is real. Just go in knowing this is a fussy build, not a relaxing one.
Best for: Wing Gundam loyalists who want the Build Fighters transformation frame in the original's color scheme, and don't mind a fiddly build
What it is
This is the Alba variant of the MG Fenice Rinascita, a P-Bandai exclusive that repaints the same transformation capable frame in a tribute scheme matching the classic XXXG-01W Wing Gundam rather than the original Fenice Rinascita's red and green. The lineage goes back to the Fenice Rinascita from Gundam Build Fighters, and the Alba dials it back toward Heero Yuy's original suit while keeping the same wings, the same wave rider transformation gimmick, and the same generous accessory set of beam rifle, handgun, beam sabers that combine into a cannon, and a big convertible shield. Building it, I kept catching myself just staring at how clean the classic color blocking looks stretched over a modern MG frame.
The catch
The frame underneath is the same one builders flagged on the original Fenice Rinascita, and the problems carry over. The inner structure exists to support a full wave rider transformation, which means a lot of load gets routed through small, thin frame joints that feel like they could snap if you force a pose. The kit is also top heavy once the wings, shield, and effect parts are on, so it tends to tip over without its action base stand. Nub placement on the earlier release drew real complaints on the visible dark green armor, and while the Alba's lighter blue and white panels hide seam and nub marks better, careful cleanup on the colored parts still matters if you want a clean finish. This is a limited P-Bandai release too, so expect to pay collector prices on the secondary market.
Who it's for
I would point this kit at builders who already love Wing Gundam and want to see it reinterpreted through a more mechanically ambitious MG frame, and who are patient enough to handle small, fragile joints without forcing them. If you want a stress free weekend build or you are newer to MG kits, the fragile transformation frame and top heavy stance are going to frustrate you more than they will impress you. If you can track one down at a fair price and you are building it to display rather than pose aggressively, it rewards you with one of the more striking color executions in the Build Fighters MSV line.
The build story
What the build is actually like, and the engineering worth knowing about.
The transformation mechanism drives most of the internal engineering, which means a lot of the build time goes into small linked frame pieces rather than straightforward armor stacking. Runners are cleanly molded and gate placement is manageable on the lighter colored parts that make up most of the Alba's palette, though the earlier Fenice Rinascita release drew real complaints about nub visibility on its dark green panels. Expect the joints to feel looser and more delicate than a standard non-transforming MG, particularly through the waist and hip block that has to flex for wave rider mode.
Where this kit earns its keep is color separation and loadout. The classic red, white, blue and yellow breaks up cleanly across the armor with very little sticker reliance, and the accessory count is generous for the price band: a beam rifle, a handgun, twin beam sabers that combine into a cannon, and a large shield that stores a beam saber and folds for wave rider mode. Articulation is wide on paper but gets constrained in practice once the wings and shield are mounted, so this is more of a strong-poses-in-key-moments kit than a fully free ranging one.
Lore & trivia
- 01The Fenice Rinascita line originates from Gundam Build Fighters, where it was built by the character Ricardo Fellini as an homage to the original Wing Gundam.
- 02The Alba variant swaps the Fenice Rinascita's red and green scheme for the white, blue, red and yellow of the classic XXXG-01W Wing Gundam and removes the beam mantle capes carried by the standard release.
- 03This MG released in October 2015 as a Bandai Hobby Online Shop (P-Bandai) exclusive, making it a limited run kit rather than a general retail release.
What other builders say
This write-up is grounded in real reviews and builder discussion, not just one opinion. A few worth reading:
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