MGCosmic Era

ZGMF-X12D Gundam Astray Out Frame D

A P-Bandai retool of the Sign frame that ends up being its own quietly excellent kit.

MechaGrade Score

3.8/5

Gundam Astray Out Frame D · 1/100 · 2023

GradeMG

Scale1/100

Released2023

Runnersn/a

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The verdict

This is a smart reuse of an existing mold that somehow still feels like a real kit in its own right.

Bandai built Out Frame D off the MG Sign Gundam skeleton but reworked enough of the shell, the head, and the weapons that it reads as a distinct machine on the shelf, not a repaint. If you already know and like the Sign frame's engineering, this is a worthwhile second (or third) trip through it with a different silhouette and a genuinely clever weapon loadout.

Best for: Astray/Cosmic Era completionists and MG builders who want an interesting P-Bandai side-grade rather than a mainline hero unit

The full review

What it is

Out Frame D is Lowe Guele's overhauled Astray Out Frame, and this MG rebuilds it from the Sign Gundam's inner frame with new outer armor, a redesigned head that houses a second cockpit for a co-pilot, and reworked chest and shoulder shells. Building it felt like meeting a familiar frame wearing new clothes. The beam rifle has a telescoping stock gimmick that actually functions, the Armor Schneider knife folds closed for storage, and the gun camera is a proper molded accessory rather than a sticker afterthought. It comes together as a kit that respects the Sign engineering while giving you a reason to build it again.

The catch

This was a Premium Bandai exclusive, so it never sat on general retail shelves and secondary market prices run well above the original roughly 6,380 yen price point once you factor in import and markup. The lens details lean on foil stickers rather than molded color or trans parts, which is a step down from what MG builders expect at this price band. Because it is built on an older Sign-era frame, the articulation ceiling is a notch below current-generation MG kits, particularly in the torso twist and hip swing, so do not expect the newest engineering tricks here.

Who it's for

If you already have or love the MG Sign Gundam and want to see that same frame wear a different, more agile-looking shell, this is worth tracking down. It also makes sense for Astray manga fans who want Lowe's actual suit rather than a Red Frame variant. Skip it if you are hunting for a first MG purchase or want the most current articulation and detail standards for the money, since the frame underneath is a few generations behind Bandai's newest MG engineering and the exclusivity tax is real.

The build story

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

Assembly leans on the proven Sign runners for the skeleton, so the frame goes together with the same confidence-inspiring click that kit is known for. The new-mold parts, the head shell, chest plate, and camera unit, are where the kit earns its keep, and gate placement on those pieces is clean enough that cleanup is quick.

The standout mechanical touch is the beam rifle's telescoping stock, a small gimmick that pays off every time you extend it for a firing pose. Pair that with the folding Armor Schneider knife and the redesigned head with its co-pilot cockpit detail, and you get a kit with more personality in its gimmicks than its part count alone would suggest. Weapon loadout is generous for an MG at this scale (rifle, gun camera, knife, and the display base), even if the frame's pose range is a step behind Bandai's newest hip and shoulder engineering.

Lore & trivia

01Out Frame D is the personal overhaul Lowe Guele builds from the original Astray Out Frame in the Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Destiny Astray manga, adding a second cockpit for a co-pilot in the redesigned head.
02The kit reuses the MG Sign Gundam's inner frame as its base, with newly molded head, torso, and armor parts to give Out Frame D its own silhouette.
03It was released in April 2023 as a Premium Bandai exclusive at 6,380 yen, meaning it was never sold through normal retail channels.
04The included beam rifle has a working telescoping stock gimmick, and the Armor Schneider work knife folds closed, both carried over and refined from the source Sign kit's design language.