RGAfter Colony

OZ-13MS Gundam Epyon

A melee-only heretic Gundam that finally gets a real-grade skeleton worthy of its whip.

MechaGrade Score

4.3/5

Gundam Epyon · 1/144 · 2023

GradeRG

Scale1/144

Released2023

Runnersn/a

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The verdict

This is one of the best RG kits Bandai has put out and the first time Epyon has gotten the engineering it deserves.

The heat rod comes pre-molded on the runner instead of forcing you to snap together a dozen tiny whip segments by hand, the hip has a locking mechanism that actually holds a wide stance, and the beam sword swings off a real shoulder and torso gimmick instead of a static peg. For a suit whose whole identity is close-quarters violence, that matters more than any other feature on the sprue.

Best for: RG collectors and Gundam Wing fans who want Epyon's whip and sword combat pose without stepping up to MG size or price

The full review

What it is

Epyon is the odd suit out in Gundam Wing, built by Treize Khushrenada with no ranged weapons at all, just a beam sword and a segmented heat rod whip, because the whole point of it was to force honorable close combat. Bandai finally gave it an RG in September 2023, and I came away impressed. The torso gets real forward lean, the wrists got an added swivel axis, and the hip lock lets you plant a wide low stance without the legs sagging apart mid-pose. The heat rod is the standout change, it now comes pre-molded on its runner in one connected piece instead of the old link-by-link nightmare, so you get the whip's full snake-like curve without touching cement or wire.

The catch

It is still an RG, which means small parts, thin gates in tight spots (especially around the shoulder binders and the pterosaur mode joints), and a real risk of stress marks if you rush the nippers. The mobile armor transformation into the double-headed dragon form is a genuine engineering feat but it is fiddly to execute cleanly and the frame flexes more than I like in that mode. The shield mount for the heat rod can feel loose once you have swapped it in and out a few times, and like most RG kits from this era there is a lead wire piece to route by hand that first-timers tend to snap or lose.

Who it's for

Buy this if you already know RG-scale building (thin nubs, small pins, patience with cement-free snap fit) and you want Epyon posed mid-swing with that whip curling out behind it. It is also a strong pickup for Gundam Wing fans who felt let down by the older 1/144 Epyon kits, this one actually earns the design. Skip it if you want a big, chunky display piece or you are newer to Gunpla and haven't built an RG before, an HG or even the MG Epyon EW will be a gentler and sturdier starting point before you take this one on.

The build story

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

Runner cleanup is classic RG, thin gates that need a sharp single-blade nipper cut rather than a yank, especially on the wing binders and the segmented heat rod where a rough cut shows immediately once it is molded in white and red. Fit across the frame is snug without being a fight, and I did not need cement anywhere on my build, everything clicked and stayed.

The real payoff is the articulation Bandai built specifically for this suit's fighting style, the torso's added forward hinge and the locked hip let you get a low lunging sword stance that older Epyon kits simply could not hold. Color separation is strong for the scale, with the gold shoulder accents and red frame details molded in rather than stickered, and the accessory set (beam sword, sword holder, shield, heat rod, two styles of display joint for MS and MA modes) gives real value for an RG price point.

Lore & trivia

01Epyon was designed and built by OZ leader Treize Khushrenada with no ranged armaments at all, only a beam sword and heat rod whip, reflecting his belief that combat should be won at close range rather than with cowardly long-range weapons
02The suit transforms into a dragon-like mobile armor mode for high-speed atmospheric and space flight, a feature this RG reproduces using the same core frame rather than swapped parts
03Epyon was originally piloted by Heero Yuy before being handed off to Zechs Merquise, and only gained head-mounted vulcan cannons later when it was folded into the White Fang faction's forces
04This was Epyon's first-ever Real Grade release, arriving in September 2023 as kit number 38 in the RG line