RGAnno Domini

GN-001REII Gundam Exia RepairII

Exia's last stand, rebuilt in RG scale with clear-part GN lines that actually earn the hype.

MechaGrade Score

4.1/5

Exia · 1/144 · 2017

GradeRG

Scale1/144

Released2017

Runnersn/a

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The verdict

This is a P-Bandai exclusive that rewards patience with a small, tightly engineered kit that looks like nothing else on your shelf.

The clear GN power line strips and foil-backed clear armor are a genuine step up from a painted approximation, and the finished suit reads as exactly what it is, Exia clawing its way back into a final fight with a jury-rigged drive strapped to its back. I would not call it beginner-friendly, but for anyone who already has an RG or two under their belt, it is one of the more distinctive builds in the line.

Best for: RG builders who already own a base Exia and want the definitive, GN-Drive-blazing send-off version

The full review

What it is

This kit takes the RG Exia frame everyone already knows and dresses it in the battle-worn Repair II armor from the very end of Gundam 00 season 2, GN Drive in full burst mode bolted to the back and all. What got me was the shield. It is not just a slab of plastic, the side panels rearrange into an expansion mode that actually changes the silhouette, and that kind of mechanical trick is what RG does best at this scale. The GN beam sabers, GN Sword (GN Rifle), GN Qatar, and the little 1/144 Setsuna figure round out a loadout that feels generous for how compact the box is.

The catch

The clear parts are the whole appeal and also the whole headache. Those foil-backed clear GN line strips have to go on before you close up the limbs, so you cannot just build everything raw and topcoat at the end the way you would with a normal RG. Get the sequence wrong and you are digging a limb back open. The Setsuna figure is molded with some very thin burrs that will snap if you rush the nub cleanup, and this being a P-Bandai exclusive means you are paying exclusive-kit prices and hunting a secondary market instead of just walking into a shop.

Who it's for

Buy this if you have built at least one RG before and want a kit that actually looks different from the rest of your shelf, the clear GN Drive and expansion shield genuinely earn their premium here. Skip it if you are new to Gunpla or new to RG specifically, the fiddly clear-part sequencing and delicate figurine will frustrate a first-timer more than they will impress. It is also not the move if you just want a clean, screen-accurate Exia without the battle-damage story attached, the base RG Exia is the better starting point for that.

The build story

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

The frame underneath is the same RG Exia engineering builders already trust, so the actual clip-and-fit feel is solid, gates are placed reasonably and cleanup is standard RG-level fiddly rather than nightmare-level. Where this kit diverges is the clear runners. The green foil sticker under the clear GN line piece looks genuinely good once it is seated right, but you have to commit to the order of operations, clear strip in, then close the limb, no going back to touch it up after the fact.

Where the kit earns its price is articulation and gimmick payoff. Foot articulation on the RG Exia platform actually works rather than being decorative, the waist turns a full 360, and the shoulder-pull-up trick opens up a wider arm range than the base frame's proportions would suggest. Between the two-piece expanding shield, the multiple manipulator hand options, and the GN Sword loadout, the accessory count feels right for a kit this size.

Lore & trivia

01The Exia Repair II is the version of Exia that appears only in the final episode of Gundam 00 season 2, reactivated with Celestial Being's last functioning GN Drive to fight Ribbons' 0 Gundam.
02The GN Drive was fitted onto the airframe earlier by Ian Vashti on Sumeragi Lee Noriega's orders so Setsuna F. Seiei could keep fighting after the original Exia was crippled.
03This RG version was released in March 2017 as a Bandai Hobby Online Shop (P-Bandai) exclusive, built on the same core frame as the standard retail RG GN-001 Gundam Exia.