RGUniversal Century

XM-X2 Crossbone Gundam X-2

The X1's frame, a meaner face, and a Shot Lance you'll want an excuse to pose.

MechaGrade Score

4.2/5

Crossbone Gundam X-2 · 1/144 · 2019

GradeRG

Scale1/144

Released2019

Runnersn/a

Check price on Amazon

Affiliate link. We may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.

The verdict

This is the RG X1 kit with the parts you actually wanted the first time around.

I'll say it straight, if you already built the X1 you basically know how this one goes together, but the retooled head, the redone shoulder horns, and the Shot Lance make it feel like its own suit on the shelf rather than a reskin. It was a Bandai online exclusive, so it's pricier and harder to find than a rack kit, and that's the real asking price here, not the build itself.

Best for: RG collectors who already know they like the Crossbone silhouette and are willing to pay exclusive-release prices for the definitive X-2

The full review

What it is

I went into this expecting a straight recolor of the RG X1 and came out liking it more than that description deserves. The core frame, the double-jointed elbows and knees, the ball-jointed skirt armor, all of it is the same excellent RG engineering that made the X1 a favorite, but the retooled horned head and the Shot Lance (that spear extends, which is a nice tactile surprise the first time you pull it) give the X-2 its own identity in hand. The face unit swaps between a normal eye camera and the eyepatch mode from the manga, and building both options in felt like Bandai actually read the source material instead of just changing the plastic color.

The catch

The biggest catch isn't the build, it's the availability and price. This was a Bandai Premium/Club G online exclusive, so you're paying well above a standard RG and hunting secondary market or Bandai's shop rather than grabbing it off a shelf. On the build side, it inherits the X1's known soft spots, the heat dagger hilts on the back of the legs and the ankle blades sit loose enough that they can work free during aggressive posing, and the knee caps can pop off, though that's mostly a byproduct of how far the knees actually bend. You'll also want to be patient with the chest emblem and face scar stickers, they're small and a couple reviewers noted the insignia decal starts to lift after a few days of handling.

Who it's for

If you already have the RG X1 on your shelf and love it, the X-2 is worth chasing down for how differently the head and Shot Lance read in person, especially if you care about the Crossbone Vanguard roster beyond just the flagship suit. If you're newer to RG and haven't built the X1 yet, I'd actually start there, it's cheaper, easier to find, and gets you the same frame experience without the exclusive tax. Skip this one if loose ankle joints and sticker maintenance are dealbreakers for you, or if you're not willing to pay above standard RG pricing for a suit that's mechanically 90 percent the same kit as its cheaper sibling.

What works

Retooled head sculpt and the extending Shot Lance give it real visual separation from the RG X1 instead of feeling like a straight recolor
Inherits the X1's genuinely excellent RG frame, 360 degree waist rotation, double-jointed knees and elbows, skirt armor that swings out of the way of leg articulation
Face unit converts between standard eye camera and the manga-accurate eyepatch mode, a small detail that pays off on the shelf

Worth knowing

Bandai online exclusive release, so price and availability are real barriers compared to a standard retail RG
Heat dagger hilts, ankle blades, and knee caps run loose enough to work free during heavier posing
Chest emblem and facial scar stickers are fiddly, and the insignia decal has been reported to peel after a short time

Sold? Grab it.

Check price on Amazon

Affiliate link. We may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

The build story

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

The runners will feel familiar if you've touched the RG X1, gate placement is clean on the visible panels and the polycap-free inner frame clicks together with the satisfying precision RG is known for at this scale. The retooled head parts and Shot Lance are new tooling, not just recolors, and they fit with the same tightness as the rest of the kit, no sink marks or flash to fight through on my build.

Articulation is where this kit earns its price tag even before you factor in the exclusive markup. Double-jointed elbows and knees, a neck that's genuinely a ball joint rather than a single swivel, and skirt armor on all three sides that gets out of the way of the legs mean you can get into real dynamic poses without fighting the plastic. The Shot Lance extends for a longer reach weapon option, and it combines with the Beam Gun and Beam Zanber into the Zanbuster, so the accessory loadout carries over everything the X1 came with plus its own new pieces.

Lore & trivia

01The XM-X2 was piloted by Zabine Chareux, second-in-command of the revived Crossbone Vanguard and a defector who later joined the Jupiter Empire
02The X-2 is destroyed in the manga's climax when Seabook Arno (piloting the X-1) impales its cockpit with a Heat Dagger, killing Zabine
03This RG was released in December 2019 as a Bandai online shop (Club G / Premium Bandai) exclusive, reusing the RG X1's frame with new head, horn, and Shot Lance tooling
04The kit's face unit can be built or switched to show the eyepatch-style Heat Radiation Face Open mode referenced in the Crossbone Gundam manga