MGCosmic Era

ZGMF-X42S Destiny Gundam (Heine's Custom)

The same great Destiny frame dipped in Heine's orange, with wings of light to match.

MechaGrade Score

3.9/5

Destiny Gundam (Heine's Custom) · 1/100 · 2024

GradeMG

Scale1/100

Released2024

Runnersn/a

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The verdict

I think this is the best way to own a Destiny Gundam if you already have the standard MG on your shelf, or you just love Heine Westenfluss enough to want his machine in orange instead of blue.

It's the 2016 MG Destiny Gundam mold, which was already a strong, well-engineered kit, given a Gundam Base exclusive repaint with a clear orange display base and matching wings of light effect parts. Nothing about the engineering changed, so you're getting a proven kit with a genuinely fresh look, not a gimmick reissue.

Best for: Destiny Gundam fans and Heine Westenfluss loyalists who want the alt colorway with the light-wing effect parts

The full review

What it is

This is the same MG Destiny Gundam skeleton Bandai put out back in 2016, recast almost entirely in molded orange to match Heine Westenfluss's personal FAITH colors, and sold as a Gundam Base exclusive in July 2024. You get the Arondight beam sword, the high-energy long range beam cannon, the Flash Edge beam boomerangs, a full set of translucent orange wing of light effect parts, and a dedicated clear orange display stand. Building it feels familiar if you've done the original blue version, but the color swap genuinely changes how the suit reads on a shelf. The orange catches light differently than the blue ever did, and next to the effect parts it looks like it was designed this way from the start.

The catch

You are paying exclusive-kit pricing (around 7,150 yen, roughly 91 USD from Bandai direct) for what is fundamentally a recolor, so if you already own the standard MG Destiny Gundam, this is a shelf-presence purchase, not a new engineering experience. The underlying mold has a known weak point at the male peg where the thigh's inner frame attaches, which is prone to snapping if you're heavy handed with it, and the long side skirt fins and back fins can get in the way of hip and leg articulation in some poses. Being Gundam Base exclusive also means it's harder to find at retail and more likely to carry a markup once initial stock dries up.

Who it's for

If you're building your first Destiny Gundam and don't care about the specific colorway, grab whichever version is easiest to find, the engineering underneath is identical either way. But if you already know you want the Heine version, or you're chasing the matching wings of light effect parts and clear orange base for a display piece, this kit delivers exactly what it promises. Skip it if you're on a budget and just want a Destiny Gundam on your shelf; the standard release gets you the same build for less money. Buy it if the orange colorway and effect parts are the actual draw.

What works

Ball jointed side skirts and articulated shoulder armor give it more pose range than older Cosmic Era MG kits like Akatsuki or Strike
Full weapon loadout including Arondight beam sword, beam cannon, and Flash Edge boomerangs, all molded to match the orange scheme
Matching clear orange wings of light effect parts and display base make this a genuinely different display piece from the standard blue release

Worth knowing

It's a recolor of an eight year old mold, so there's no new engineering here, just new plastic color
Gundam Base exclusive pricing and limited distribution mean you'll likely pay more and hunt harder to find it
The thigh's inner frame attachment peg is a known weak point, and the long back and skirt fins restrict some leg poses

Sold? Grab it.

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The build story

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

The build follows the familiar 2016 MG Destiny Gundam sequence, so gate placement and part fit are well worn territory. Nub cleanup is straightforward on the main body parts, though the smaller effect part runners for the wings of light need a gentler hand since the translucent orange plastic shows sanding marks more readily than solid colors. Fit is generally snug throughout, with the main frame holding together well once assembled.

The metal-look inner frame does what it was designed to do, holding the weapons firmly in hand and letting the body rotate and swivel through a wide range without feeling loose. The ball jointed skirts and flip up shoulder armor are the standout articulation features, giving noticeably more range than Bandai's earlier Cosmic Era MG kits. Part count and accessory variety are solid for the price band, and the color separation on the orange scheme is handled almost entirely through molded plastic rather than stickers or paint.

Lore & trivia

01Heine Westenfluss was a ZAFT FAITH member voiced by Takanori Nishikawa, the same artist who performed Gundam SEED's first opening theme INVOKE and Gundam SEED Destiny's first opening IGNITED.
02In the anime, Heine's specially adjusted orange Destiny Gundam was prepared for him but never actually deployed in combat before his death.
03This MG release was sold exclusively through Gundam Base stores starting July 27, 2024, and reuses the frame and articulation from the original 2016 MG Destiny Gundam kit rather than introducing new engineering.