Most people I know of refer to Early Real-Grade Syndrome as an issue with the frame itself. It kind of wears out pretty quickly if you mess around with the kit and repose it or have it in a position with weight, leaving a floppy kit. The RX-78-2 has a LOT of other issues as well due to several loose joints...the big ones being the front and back skirts, the backpack thruster bells, and the majority of the Core Fighter being both floppy and a pain to fold up if you want to use it inside the Gundam
And that's why there's no such thing as "Early High Grade Syndrome" or "Early Master Grade Syndrome". The Real Grade line has very specific issues in the earlier kits that only exist because of the Advanced MS Joint and its specific characteristics. Sure, early HGs aren't as nice as modern ones, but that's because of the general advance in technology and engineering, not because of a specific characteristic of the line in its early days.
@@lucasurquiza554Yep, it's also why the Advanced MS Joints are being limited in newer kits...and there are places making some decent money with what are essentially a metal version of the Advanced MS Frames for different kits.
Early real grade syndrome and loose parts are non issues and can be fixed with glue. All those complaints sound like people dont want to put work in and just want a figure. I don't get it.
@@d3buggedThe loose skirts isn't something easily fixed with glue, because that makes it really hard to repose a lot of things. Same with the core fighter because it is a pain in the rear to deal with for it and you may not even be able to fold it up at all.
@@d3bugged It's still a tad egregious considering Gunpla puts a big focus on advertising that you don't need to glue it like other model kits, and early RGs are particularly flimsy even when compared to other grades of that time period. Not to mention, since the arm and leg joints are effectively molded together as a single piece, you can't really tighten them like the joints on other kits.
I wish it was possible to comvey the mystique and magnitude of this kit's unveiling and eventual release; a year into the 30th anniversary and celebration of the first 1:1 Gundam. I had just started my first semester at University and was on a tight budget, but I made sure to get my hands on it ASAP from HLJ. What a beast of building experience. I've built 2 in the last 13.5 years and I'm looking forward to a third in my backlog.
This is still one of my favorite kits, because it just looks so good, I used water slides, added some shading and very light paint chipping, and semi gloss coated it. It looks almost real. The RG line in general is my favorite especially the Evangelion kits.
RG RX-78-2 is the only gunpla kit so far I've had to get replacement parts on. It was partially user error, but I had the one leg frame completely break which really soured me on the kit. Mine also doesn't really want to stand or hold it's weapons, which really bums me out because I like how the kit looks. I'm excited about the RG 2.0, but I do hope I can fix up my original so I can display it properly.
One of the Early RG problems are the stressing its plastic material making it malleable or looser joints if not careful moving parts. If parts are sturdier, that means great durability in a long term.
I think when it comes to the term "early real grade syndrome" it gets thrown around a lot without a full understanding as to why it came to be. The real grade line as a whole holds a lot of icons, many of which tend to be very ambitious in their designs. With that in mind, the MS joints typically don't have the longevity for those kits. For example, the Zeta can't stay together and neither can many of the earlier Seed/Destiny kits. However, kits like the MKII hold together really well and last. From my experience, what it comes down to is whether the kit solely relies on the MS joints for its main structure or if it uses it as the base for its inner frame. I think what Bandai started to realize later on is that at 1/144 scale, the MS joint couldn't be solely relied upon long term for these kits and switched to using it to supplement a user-built inner frame. I still really enjoy a lot of the earlier real grades and I think they're worth building, especially if they're a design you like. It should be kept in mind though that the large majority of kits released before the RX-0 Unicorn (RG#25) need a little bit of extra love to reach their full potential. Edit: I also wanted to add that it's important to remember that not all builders are of the same skill level or have the same knowledge. A lot of the appeal of Gunpla to newer builders is the ability to straight build kits without the need for paint or glue. Some of us may have the experience to remedy issues we find in kits but plenty of people don't. I've recently been helping a friend get into Gunpla and when we build together I notice all the things that I do out of muscle memory and practice that he doesn't even think about. I've been doing my best to help him learn new techniques and suggest kits I think will help him learn at a gradual pace. The idea of "just fix it" isn't appealing to everyone and some people might not be able to or have the confidence to do so. This is a hobby we all enjoy and we all have our methods we've developed over time and I think it's important to share that with those who are newer to the hobby so that they can enjoy it as much as we do and take on some more challenging kits down the road.
Totally agree, and I think it's important to remember that Bandai markets their kits to straight-builders first, modelers second. There's tons of cases where they'll use inter-molding like on the RG Epyon's tail, which inhibits custom painting, and Bandai kits are not supposed to require modding to increase articulation, or even color correction via paint (that's why they give you stickers). At the end of the day, a model kit is a product, and good presentation as well as good construction are the parameters we use to judge model kits. You shouldn't spend money on something that doesn't hold up to standards.
The Real Grade line is one that I've really come to appreciate. This retrospective review was great to see. You come to these reviews from different angles, which I like to see!
I completely forgot about the different bottom of the box until you mentioned it. Now I do remember seeing details of other grade kits and info under there from time to time since I rarely built RG's back then
I mean, we have the jump from the 80s-90s kits (which people now call First Grade or FG) that don't even follow the now-standard 1/144 scaling, then there were the first HGs (Granddad, Mk. II, Zeta and ZZ, which are NOT the HGUC ones), and then we have the "Revive" kits (which also include Granddad among other kits like Guncannon, Qubeley, etc). At least within HGs, methinks the reason why we have no "Early High Grade Syndrome" was there was no one to coin it. Also, while older kits always had issues that newer releases resolved, the changes were gradual and no real standard was expected from HGs other than being a good 1/144 equivalent of a suit (and even THAT is being challenged at the time of this post). A hypothesis, but the reason we have "ERGS" is because we were GIVEN expectations, which led to having standards, and issues may come up with regards to those standards. Those issues did come, and they were consistent in the early days, so a term is not only easy to coin, but easy to accept. Dislike the term if you want, but things it define is a part of RG's history that Bandai is now solving, and it's good as a reminder to see how far the line has become.
Why look back to 90s kits, though, when the line came out in 2010.....it really has no excuse when some of the best kits that Bandai has ever made were out in 2010. In fact, I happily buy kits from 2007-2009 that were released when this kit was still being designed. I would argue that anything from 2007 onwards, you should be able to expect the same kind of quality engineering that you got from a master grade 2.0 Zaku II. The early real grades were a misguided design based on trying to exploit their new molding technology. And frankly, the engineering there just was not producing products as good as they were getting without the use of that technology. It took Bandai almost ten years to figure this out and stop using the premolded inner frames and go back to the older inner frame construction they were using in their master grades all the way back in 2010. The new real grades are nothing more than master grades in 1/144 scale, using the same technology as master grades from 2010.... If Bandai was trying to use premolded inner frames in 2010 in master grades, they would be terrible too, but thankfully they didn't.
The only real problem I ever had with this was the skirts, which always just popped back on fine. Maybe it was a bit about set expectations since I'd already seen reviews online but honestly, I think the whole thing is solid and looks incredible!
Is he just pretending to not know that "early real grade syndrome" specifically refers to the B runner "advanced MS joint" parts becoming loose over time, or does he actually not know that that's the main issue with RGs Bandai deliberately stopped using the B runner as they produced more and more RGs, to the point that most RGs now barely even use B runner parts if they even use it at all
This kit is much better than i expected. It was solid enough, most of the weak spots like the legs and the side skirts tend to pop off, the ms joints were loose can be easily the tighten with super glue.
The core fighter was really flimsy, so I took it apart, put a tiny bit of glue on the joints, waited til they dried, then put it back together. The joints are a bit tighter now and it's holding quite nicely.
i still have this in my closet where it was sitting since 2010. I almost forgot about it. You reminded me I actually owned it lol. Maybe I'll actually build it now
I think builders are overly critical of this old girl. It's a great build and experience, and still holds up. Just bear in mind that it's not an action figure If you're a person who loves posing the kit, I recommend the Beyond Global and the Origin is great with its details too.
That's the thing. While yes these are model kits, newer RGs can pull off some killer pose without falling apart. They made the right decision to use less advance ms joints for each kit since unicorn. And now they seem to ditch it completely for 2.0? Cmiiw but I don't see anything that could be advance ms joints.
@azuzu9813 that's true. I think their multimaterial molding is better applied to color separation like in the EVA heads and Figure Rise Labo eyes and skin. It was a fine experiment and I think they found its best application. I like the new RG nonetheless and will probably get one, because that inner frame looks fun to paint and show off.
I feel like a lot of issues in gunpla get massively overblown. MG Exia has some loose joints and somehow that means it needs a 2.0 right now(!). Is this an issue? Yes. Does it make it the worst kit ever? No. That said, I wouldn’t mind an MG Exia 2.0 because that would mean it will finally come back into stock.
They WILL make mg exia 2.0, it's only a matter of time. Say what you will about it, but it's definitely not up to the standard the new 00 MGs have set. And keep in mind that back in the day people used to say MG aile strike rm was unnecessary since the first MG still held up. We ended up getting a new one anyway to match the standard of the rest of the gang. So tldr bandai will make MG exia 2.0 to match the quality of the news 00 MGs.
So the thing with Early real grade syndrome isn't about how the kit is when it's finished, it's how the kit is months after it's finished. A high grade might loosen up a bit but nothing a bit of work on the joints can't fix, but the skeletons of older RGs break down fast and by the end will not hold their poses without glue. If you pose them once it is not a problem, but some people like to carry displays or move, and that can cause them to turn into rag dolls. This problem is unique to rg's before the change to the inner frame, hance early real grade syndrome.
Mine has held up pretty well. But I figure proofed mine by using super glue or topcoat to friction fit the joints. Other than that, nothing really falls off explodes besides the waist flaps. I've posed it multiple times and treat like, y'know, a model, and not a toy. Tbh one of my newer Entry Grades has worse joints than my Grandpa RG
@@imahoare4742 The specific suit also tends to matter for a lot of them. The Sinanju, Gold Frame Astray, and Zeta are some of the more notorious ones. That said if you're already using glue on the kit you are going above and beyond what these are being sold as. People who handle their kits with care, and expect the promise of "nippers and a hobby knife are all you need" are not treating them like toys, they are expecting the quality they'd been promised up to that point.
I just got one of these today, it was on sale and I got it for $17. Haven’t built a Gundam in awhile, figured this could be a good kit to just put together without much worry.
I don't want to come off as a complainy-type fan cuz I think this is a good overview of the kit. However, I think you've fundamentally misunderstood what people mean by early RG syndrome. It's NOT that a kit is irredeemable or unenjoyable, but that it gets loose over time and doesn't feel as solid as contemporary kits, which IS a fact. It's one thing to say a kit has merit, which the RG RX-78-2 definitely does, but it's another to say some critiques don't exist when they absolutely do. Just as how some builders would enjoy this kit, there are many who would not. Critiques exist for a reason, and it's important to acknowledge and accept that some critiques are valid so the right audiences can enjoy the kits that are right for them.
The reason most people have their early RGs get loose is because they're playing with them. They're a bit more finicky and fragile, they'll loosen up fast due to the inner frame. I have multiple early RGs and they're solid 4 years later! They're in fun poses and not floppy at all because I didn't play with them. At the end of the day gunpla isn't made to be as durable as action figures, no ratcheted joints and soft plastic means they are gonna get loose if you play with them.
@@3xasfast811is that still not valid criticism tho? kits that don't use the premolded inner frame can be played with, so lots of Bandai customers will be going in to these with that mindset. some people who i have talked to about their experiences with premolded inner frames have often talked about how fast the joints get loose. not all warnings are really meant to be taken as pure negatives, they are warnings. I do think the term ERGS has been used way too broadly tho. I think warning potential "haters" of something to look out for is completely valid, and probably would help avoid even more people complaining if it's considered a "common" thing that people know of.
Hate to say this to you but you’re wrong. ERGS absolutely is synonymous with not having any other redeemable qualities. You’re the very first person I’ve ever seen that’s on the “yeah it’s flimsy side but it has other stuff going for it”. Literally every gunpla community ever shits on these kits. Do they talk about the super cheap price, part count, detail? No lmao all they say is “ERGS Mecha Gaikotsu handgrenade”. I’ve handled my old RGs like model kits and my RX and Zeta have been holding their pose for years now. So I always try to be on the other side so people might enjoy the grade as I do, if they like the model aspect. But I always get shit on by the ERGS people, this community fucking sucks.
My first RG, too. That really needed a second Core Fighter II. The only one it came with needed to be inside the GP01, which meant you couldn't appreciate the fine detail and construction of the Core Fighter II.
It's not a bad kit, it's just as you say that Bandai pushed the envelope with this kit and some areas suffered. As a first kit of a new line, I've noticed this is what Bandai does; over designs the first kit and then refines the line later. The first MG Gundam came with features that didn't carry over into the rest of the line (Inner mettalic stickers, mesh, heavey user parts, open hatch gimmicks) and the first HG Gundam had the multi-color injection and a quasi inner frame. I still like this kit, despite its jank. I generally like this aesthetic version of the RX-78-2 as it marries a good balance between the orginal anime look and something realistic. The worst things about it are of course the loose parts falling off, mainly the skirt armors and those RG hands. The peg system for the weapons on this kit (and the RG Zaku II) are such a PITA to work with. The folding peg is always slipping and moving out of the way while you try to slot it into the the hand. It's no wonder Bandai went a fixed peg in later RGs and eventually proper fixed pose hands. I do wish the 3-tone colors would had carried on in the line longer as I did like the look but I can understand why that was canned as it was just a bit much for a 1/144 kit.
Hi, I'm someone who's had a passing interest in the hobby for a long time, and only very recently hopped in. I've done a good amount of research, including watching a decent chunk of gunpla and general model making hobby videos between waiting for deliveries for tools and good weather for spraying. From that perspective, I do believe there's inherently more value in the phrase, "Early RG Syndrome" than for other grades. One of the first things I heard from a friend already deep in the hobby was that I should probably not pick up a kit that was made before 2010 And then the statement was immediately amended with also excluding any RG kits from before 2017. I'm sure that since 2010, ALL the different lines of grades have gone through a lot of improvements in material and engineering quality. However, and by all means correct me if I'm wrong, none of the other grades have had to go through their most noticeable growing pains close to as recently as the RG line has. And while I'm also positive that some of the early RG kits are still lovely projects to work on for many individuals with the right skills and experience under the belt, if the phrase wasn't given a decent amount of oomph around the community, my first kit could have been the RG Zaku II. A model, mind you, that I'm still eager to work on after putting the hours in first. But for now, I'm more than glad that my first kit is instead the HG 241 Zaku II.
You don’t hear the same about early HG and MG because they aren’t the newest main line of kits. Also you can thank a certain polarizing UA-camr for popularizing the phrase.
I never built this one, but I did build the Zaku II, Mk.II, Strike, Freedom, and Strike Freedom. They still hold up decently. Really wish they'd do the Sinanju as a RG 2.0.
you aren't wrong, the RG boxes did used to be different! They had a glossy black outing to it featuring different grades of kits from the series the RG in question came from. I think they stopped doing it around 2017? Because I dug out my RG Unicorn box to see it had it
I think when people say Early RG Syndrome what they mean is that the B-runner frame parts on those kits work great out of the box but loosen over time, and those kits have trouble holding a pose or standing after a few years. It's easy to say this is overstated when reviewing a new kit out of the box, but take an old one off the shelf and you can see it.
It's a meme perpetuated by MechaGaikotsu to cope with his lack of modeling skills and refusal to put in any effort to address issues that could be fixed with a few minutes of effort.
Let me preface this by saying... the RX-78-2 is one of my favorite mobile suit designs ever (I basically only collect UC designs), and I actually like the aesthetic of this kit. But, I HATE this RG, one of the most floppy, unstable models I've ever built. Trying to pose this thing was an exercise in madness, especially after it'd been built for a grand total of 3 weeks and it was already incapable of holding its own weapons/shield. I threw mine away after a month I was so bummed about it. The HGGTO version of the RX-78-2 is so much better for 1/144th scale and I'm so stoked to be getting a RG Ver 2.0 with the modern engineering.
It's a good kit. Sorry I'm trying to figure out a more witty thing to say about it but my experience with RG has always been that they look great but I don't really enjoy the process of building them, even the recent ones. I built my RG Rx 78-2 as my second RG to be a companion to RG Zaku 2.0. They both have their issues but it's been 7 years and they're still holding up pretty fine.
It's honestly gonna end up being an apples to oranges comparison but since I have a PG and MG RX-78 plus am currently interested in the RG 2.0, I think this'll be a fun video idea.
Real Grade is my favorite line of Gunpla because it combines all aspects of other grades into one kit. I'm really happy that it's getting the 2.0 treatment because having recently built the RG RX-78-2 Gundam I've personally experienced how much of a headache it is to keep intact and I can confindently say that the idea of pre-molded inner frames for 1/144 kits was too early for its time.
The first gunpla I completely finished with full paint was the MG RX-78-2 3.0. Because of the RH 2.0 announcement, I have decided to pick up the RG 1.0 to add to the collection. It would be a nice contrast with the 2.0 once it's released. Great review!
I personally don't like MechaGaikotsu but it's hard to deny that he's right for these early RGs. I think you nailed it in the head with Bandai being too ambitious at the time. Good on them for trying to innovate and push the envelope; we wouldn't have the likes of the RG Nu and Sazabi if the early ones like the RX-78 and Zeta didn't pave the way. However the tech really wasn't there yet when they released. On the kit though, it's true that it still looks really good and it doesn't appear dated whatsoever. However I'm not fond of the hollow area in the shin when the knee is bent, looks weird and unnatural (I said while talking about fictional giant mechs lol). Having just finished the PGU RX-78, I'm actually kinda looking forward to the RG 2.0.
Acts like he’s oblivious as to why people don’t like him early RG and thinks them moving away from RG frames is a minor change then proceeds to demonstrate all the problems those people bring up like the RG frame ball joints popping out easily which is especially nasty when they used them for shoulders on the first few RGs, have awful grip for the armor pieces so they pop out all the time as well and the joints just feeling like they’re about to break when you move them. The pre modeled ABS/PP frame was the biggest culprit behind all this once they moved to regular PS frames you put together these issues largely disappeared.
i feel like zaku tries way too hard to not sound whiney to avoid being ragged on by the "elite builders". yeah ive leant to fix issues with kits over time but u really cant fix the loose advanced ms joints
Still one of my favorite 1/144th RX’s despite it’s floppy issues. But I found out a hack if you paint the inner frame it adds a little extra layer of thickness which is what I did for my first RG and I’ve had little to none stability issues other than the front skirts and poseable fingers. I’ll definitely give this kit a proper send off before the 2.0 becomes all the rage with my second RG RX in my backlog that I’ve bought visiting my home town
The reason the multi tone system exists is because on large fuselage vehicles, some panels get destroyed or ruined beyond use and replaced by new shiny white ones, while the rest of the conjoining panels are still usable yet heavily faded and weathered, giving it different tones of white It's an EXCELLENT way to portray realism, modern real grades are missing the point Edit: it could also portray the diffusion of the base material color through the white, some parts might be aluminum, some tungsten or a form or darker metal and assuming there is no primer the white would be shaded differently
So you're basically saying, Early Real Grade Syndrome is a real thing. I get that all these issues are easily fixable with additional work put in the kit, but OOB the RG Graddy is the epitome of Early Real Grade Syndrome.
Hey! Bandai had a vision for real grade....THEN they HAD to adapt it moving forward! SO some stuff HAD TO UPDATE WITHIN ITS OWN GRADE. Its a beautiful grade! Give it a chance!❤❤❤
I just built my first RG which was this kit. I love it but also hate it. The leg joints are super tight, yet the arms are super loose. I cant even get him to hold his shield up. It just sags back down to rest against his legs moments later. BUT. Its such a cool looking kit imo. And despite the frustrations ive had with it, i love it.
The problem with the early real grade is how loose they got over time. Most of them have a hard time holding a pose after just six months. The simpler that the early kits were, the less of these problems you had, meaning like the mark 2 or even the rx-78-2 would have fewer issues than say the rg destiny, or the rg sinanju. More weight in general, be it weapons or weight on just the frame, really caused issues for a lot of the early real grade kits. Plus, the softer plastics used in the advanced ms joint system meant it was more prone to loosening when posed multiple times.
I put this kit together a couple years ago. Absolutely love the look of it, but working on it can he annoying with things falling off it so easily. I put it into a pose once I was done with it and haven't touched it too much since, so I hope it holds up for a few years. It looks great and it impresses me at least on a technical level, but I get the complaints people have with it. But hey, at least it isn't the RG Zeta.
The RG 2.0 is definitely a milestone, above every recent real grade. However between that and this 2010 RG, I'd still pick this one. I dunno, this one has that RG aesthetic and detail, but still has that classic feel from the RX-78-2 back when I first saw it in the anime. The 2.0 just looks far too busy and a bit bulky, I just didn't see the RX-78-2 as a bulky suit. And I like the 2010's headshape better.
I felt seen when I saw the skirt armor fall off. This is the first kit I ever built, and while it looks awesome and I love it, I don’t really pose it because of the skirt. Looking forward to the 2.0.
The early real grades are scary for me to handle. The ms joint can be somewhat loose or just downright impossible to move like my unicorn. For some reason one of the arms was just dummy tight to a point even though I slowly move it, it broke off. I guess that’s the price RGs had to endure till Bandai figured it out and turned RG line into one of the best grades.
The kit i got was around the time of first release, i can confirm that the core fighter is much stiffer and all the sliding and swivelling parts friction hold in place quite well.
While I am excited for the 2.0 RG, there's just something so ubiquitous with the RG 1.0/MG 3.0 RX 78-2 that makes it seem so timeless. You've seen it everywhere, it's the iconic original Gundam statue, it's /the/ face of modern Gundam. Something, I don't think the RG 2.0 will be able to surpass in terms of being a cultural icon.
I'm currently trying to build this and the back foot piece is not going in. Idk if anyone else had this issue. It seems that the hinge piece should have holes that gets slotted into, but both hinge and back of foot piece have the insert pieces. Helllppppp? 😢
8:35 - This is a rare case where, of the provided hands, I actually prefer the articulated ones over the fixed-pose. The standard RG frame closed-fist hands are molded in such a _weird_ pose, especially with the position of the thumb and how the thumb tip is compressed into the palm behind the finger tips. If you were to emulate that fist pose, it would feel incredibly awkward; and if you were to make a natural fist (or even just compare the RG closed fist to a HG closed fist), you would notice how much further the thumb extends "to the side" so that it rests against either the knuckle joints or the middle digit segments. The moment I noticed it, I could never again _not_ notice it. The articulated hands aren't much better, but you can at least contort them into two or three half-decent poses.
Westerners weren't exposed to early HG and MG kits so you won't hear much complains about them. When they hear HG RX-78-2 they think the Revive one, not the 2001 one, or even the 1990 one which got discontinued. But the RG line is fairly new and recognizable, and now thanks to social media people can just spread buzzwords like "early real grade syndrome" without even trying it for themselves or understanding what they say. Same people should go try building old kits from early 90s. Then the early RGs would start feeling like a technical marvel from the future in comparison. Everything evolved with time, not just the RG line. In 10 or 20 years from now the kits we consider the best today would be considered old in obsolete compared to what's gonna be out during that time. Everything is relative. Forget the First Grade, people still buy those vintage retro kits that came even before that in 1980s. They build, paint and customize them to barely look like a vintage kit. Old =/= bad. Old == requires more skill from the builder.
I've built two RG RX-78s, one of them in just the last couple of months, and I think it's a great kit. Yes, posing it can be annoying. The thruster bells, skirt armor, and hip joints like to pop out, and the elbows are a bit scary to bend. Shallow details are a little disappointing as you mentioned. All that said, it's a beautiful kit once built. I'm a pose it and forget it guy, so I've never had a real issue with it, RG Zeta, GP01, etc. that others complain about endlessly. I'm excited for the 2.0 just because I love the RX-78, but if I had my way I'd have preferred the Shining Gundam. The HG and MG are both really nice, but I'd have been really interested in seeing what they could've done with the transformation.
This was my first RG and my hated kit that I've ever built among all of my rx-78-2 collections. But the design is beautiful. Just don't ever touch it from the shelf.
Ok, just finished building it. It's nice in its parts and a nightmare in the end. Legs, arms, skirts, thrusters shoulder pads - all flying around. It can hold the pose but bending it - nightmare. Left articulated arm kept losing fingers so no shield for me. Love the look but I so so so glad Zgok was my first kit and Rx-78 - second. Otherwise Ginpla and I would went separate ways.
I definitely prefer the look of this kit to any other 1/144 scale RX-78. This is easily one of my favorite looking 1/144 scale gunpla flat out, incidentally alongside the RG RX-178 Mk2 and the Sazabi. The only reason I don't feel the same way about the 3.0 MG that it mirrors in design is because I love the 2.0 MG the most. I'm not a huge fan of the way the RG 2.0 looks so far or the way they changed up the design. The original is a pitch perfect representation of the original Shizuoka life size Gundam, which was a very tasteful "realistic" recreation of the RX-78, and therefore a very apt design language for the first real grade since it was literally based on a "real life" Gundam. The RG 2.0 is clearly meant to look entirely different, they scrapped the look completely and in fact the RX-78-2 completely - it not only doesn't look anything like the original "Shizuoka" Gundam, it looks nothing like any of the line art of the RX-78 nor its appearance in any other medium. It's basically a completely new Gundam design made ad hoc, as radical a departure from the design as the Beyond Global. It's not just a 2.0 model kit of the RX-78, it's a 2.0 of the RX-78 design itself...I prefer the Okawara design, personally. So this kit still has plenty of value in my mind. For one thing, I personally prefer the recessed chest vents, and I don't understand why Bandai refuses this part of the design when it flat out looks better with a cleaner silhouette. On the other hand, there was certainly plenty of amazing kits in 2010....most of the best 2.0 master grade kits were already on market by that time, including the 2.0 RX-78, the Zaku II 2.0, Gouf, Gelgoog. And the high grades from that period are some of the nicest ones on my shelf - I particularly like the HGUC Re-GZ, Geara Doga, and the Kampfer. So I think it's still fair to point out the limitations of the design and how they ended up affecting the structure of the product. It's not like Bandai didn't know how to make both excellent clamshell HGUC models with polycaps and simplified ABS joints, or full ABS MG 2.0 style inner frames with plenty of mechanical wizardry, miniature telescoping pistons, linkage systems, gears for mono-eyes and so forth. In fact, new real grades aren't any kind of new technology, they are basically just using the exact same construction of a master grade 2.0, except with polystyrene and without polycaps. The RG Sazabi and Nu Gundam are constructed pretty much the exact same way as a master grade from 2008....I think if they had simply made 1/144 scale master grades in 2010 like they're doing now instead of using the premolded inner frame, this would have been a perfect kit like its contemporary 1/100 scale MG 2.0s...
I think the reason there's no "early HG" or "early MG syndrome" is mainly just due to how old those kits actually are. The first HG is as old as I am, so there's almost some expectation that they're going to be lackluster, or in the most charitable situation, it bleeds into the territory of "this was good for the time", if anyone even thinks about them at all - you certainly don't see many reviews of HG or MG kits from the early years of their release, but when you do see reviews for (as an example) MGs from the early 2000s, you get hit with things like "as you'd expect" or "of course since its from 200X" to justify poor color separation, lacking articulation, or floppy joints and loose connections. Likewise, I'd assume recency bias has a lot to do with "early RG syndrome" - there's an expectation that after 30 years of gunpla, they could have easily produced a line of 1/144 scale kits with this level of detail that were just as solid (figuratively and literally) as their MG counterparts. The fact that they did end up making RGs with full inner frames that rely very little or not at all on the pre-molded floppy frame just ends up "proving" the point that "this is what it should have been the whole time". Lastly, I think consistency is part of the issue. I haven't built a whole ton of HG kits, but the ones I have built have been all over the place in terms of overall quality. the HG Hygogg from 2003 kicks ass - its as solid as a rock, dominates the shelf and looks great, even just snapped together. Meanwhile, the recent HG Deathscythe Hell (which I love, don't get me wrong) has some color accuracy issues and surprisingly weak joints, which isn't something I've encountered in comparable HGs... Which, the fact that while writing this I have had to stop myself from going down the rabbit hole of drawing more and more kits into the comparison sort of proves the point. Compare that to just being able to sum up the issues with the RX-78-2 or the Zeta with "early RG syndrome" and everyone just gets it.
The kit is a victim of bandai's success. Military, and zoid kits require glue. We're just spoiled. Glue goes a long way with these kits. Find a pose, stick with it, and it's going to look amazing in photos and on the shelf.
Mine is standing proud next to me, right on top of my pc case. It is GORGEOUS and so stunning in design and presence, the level of detail is insane to the point it kinda ruined HGs and MGs for me and made me obsessed with the RG line, specially since it was my first Real Grade kit. It's definitely floppy, but I fixed most lose parts with Plastic Cement and plan on tightening the joints in the future. Definitely recommend it for anyone still on the fence, on looks alone it is one of my favorites, it just needs a little bit of tlc.
Newer kits are generally better, especially if you just snap build and stick it on a shelf. If you paint your kits, though, older kits are just an extra challenge and extra practice, and are usually cheaper.
HG GTO Rx78 was a better kit than the first RG Rx78 - The first RG Rx78 was simply more difficult and not worth the extra labor (and fragility) for some better articulation.
I think ERGS is in regards to the flimsyness of the inner frame, I built the mark 2 aeug last week and straight out of the box the inner frame can’t support his arms out to 90 degrees. But besides that I’ve never had any issues with early real grades
The MKII is super sturdy, I've had mine for 4 years and it hasn't loosened up one bit. The early RGs only get loose if you play with them a ton, much like new kits without polycaps they'll get loose and floppy that way. I have built 3 early RGs the MKII, Aile Strike, and GPO1FB not had a single issue with loose joints.
I loved my rg #1 and the justice rg back when I got back into the hobby. It is a rough kit compared to the newest real grades. I wish that phrase didn't meme so hard, the early entry's definitely have to be handled as models, not as toys.
If you really love this particular design and feel unhappy with this model get the true "2.0"...which is the Master grade 3.0. This particular design definitely feels favourable in that scale considering the detail. Both the PGU and the upcoming RG 2.0 have a different more generalized design that feel like a combination of the old statue, THE ORIGIN and the KA design. The 3.0 is very much worth picking up if you enjoyed that particular and unique look of the statue. Also for the people who love an interesting build, The 3.0 is definitely that. Had me scratching my head with how such a small Gundam could have that many runners. Tighten up up the waist joint and skirting balljoints, glue the wrist guards and it may as well is a perfect Master Grade that showcases that Nu and Sazabi ver.Ka complexity that a lot of people love.
@@sanictheedgehog It's just a result of a lot of people coming from simpler kits at the time such as the seed and wing kits. On the figure to model kit spectrum the 3.0 is much more a model kit than a figure. Get THE ORIGIN instead if you want something closer to a figure. Anyway the reason these same people don't complain about the Nu or Sazabi ver.Ka is because..those kits are very expensive! Definitely a way to gatekeep those model kits haha. Also as the local 3.0 hand defender, I've done the song and dance about 7 times now? Once you sort of get the hang of it and successfully unlock the joints without messing up they are quite nice! It's just that when you do mess up that they are forever ruined lol. also fun fact, the zeon 3.0 manipulators are actually 3.5s. Introduced with the Sazabi which came out later results in them having much nicer molding and two tone colors! the 4.0 of these hands can be found with the RG GaoGaiGar sort of.
@@BrandonTjon Tbh the hands were the only thing I didn't like about my MG 3.0, I think the kit looks really cool but I wish I had the option for fixed pose hands just to make holding the Rifle/Bazooka a bit more stable.
Regardless of it ERGS is real or not, it’s really stupid how people in the Gunpla discord and Reddit will get super mad at you and insult your building skill for even mentioning it
Early real grade syndrome is real lol, more so than other grades. A lot of early real grades have a big tendency to drop pieces without glue, and they lose any stability absurdly fast, within a few reposes if you have a bad print. And sure, you might be good at building kits, but a new or intermediate (ie the average builder) is going to very easily have a terrible experience with the kit. I like to think that I am pretty good at building gunpla, and I love the early real grade kits, but im not gonna pretend ergs isnt real
I started building the RG G-3 Gundam THE DAY before they announced the 2.0. Part of me feels insulted, and part of me is excited for the inevitable RG 2.0 G-3 Gundam.
Built this kit a month ago and it's absolutely not as bad as people say it is. That said it ain't good either. The hands suck. The hands make me feel things no human ever should. I despise the hands and the shield literally does not tab in for me. Maybe I did something wrong. Maybe that's my fault, but I don't know how to fix it
ERGS is subjective. It's basically a term of laziness except for the Sinanju. The older RGs before the Unicorn CAN be fixed rather easily. Anyone who's built 3rd party kits IMOO are basically pros, especially since they know how difficult 3rd party kits are to make presentable. That said, basically the pre-unicorn RGs aren't as bad as some difficult 3rd party kits aside from Sinanju.
Newer third party kits are really good, I built the Supreme Evolution Glory and the SNAA Blade king and they are both easy and really good looking oob. I also bought the Solomon Physalis but haven't built it.
![RX-78 Gundam Development History [The Early Types]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/tYUPOEs1cv0/mqdefault.jpg)
Hard to believe 2010 was 34 years ago
14
Crazy. I thought I was 21. It turns out I'm 41. Time really does fly
@nizalmuhammad9689 it was clearly 34 years ago, I'm not sure what you're talking about
14 buddy mathhhhh
Yo chill!😂😂😂
Most people I know of refer to Early Real-Grade Syndrome as an issue with the frame itself. It kind of wears out pretty quickly if you mess around with the kit and repose it or have it in a position with weight, leaving a floppy kit.
The RX-78-2 has a LOT of other issues as well due to several loose joints...the big ones being the front and back skirts, the backpack thruster bells, and the majority of the Core Fighter being both floppy and a pain to fold up if you want to use it inside the Gundam
And that's why there's no such thing as "Early High Grade Syndrome" or "Early Master Grade Syndrome". The Real Grade line has very specific issues in the earlier kits that only exist because of the Advanced MS Joint and its specific characteristics. Sure, early HGs aren't as nice as modern ones, but that's because of the general advance in technology and engineering, not because of a specific characteristic of the line in its early days.
@@lucasurquiza554Yep, it's also why the Advanced MS Joints are being limited in newer kits...and there are places making some decent money with what are essentially a metal version of the Advanced MS Frames for different kits.
Early real grade syndrome and loose parts are non issues and can be fixed with glue. All those complaints sound like people dont want to put work in and just want a figure. I don't get it.
@@d3buggedThe loose skirts isn't something easily fixed with glue, because that makes it really hard to repose a lot of things.
Same with the core fighter because it is a pain in the rear to deal with for it and you may not even be able to fold it up at all.
@@d3bugged It's still a tad egregious considering Gunpla puts a big focus on advertising that you don't need to glue it like other model kits, and early RGs are particularly flimsy even when compared to other grades of that time period. Not to mention, since the arm and leg joints are effectively molded together as a single piece, you can't really tighten them like the joints on other kits.
I wish it was possible to comvey the mystique and magnitude of this kit's unveiling and eventual release; a year into the 30th anniversary and celebration of the first 1:1 Gundam.
I had just started my first semester at University and was on a tight budget, but I made sure to get my hands on it ASAP from HLJ. What a beast of building experience. I've built 2 in the last 13.5 years and I'm looking forward to a third in my backlog.
This is still one of my favorite kits, because it just looks so good, I used water slides, added some shading and very light paint chipping, and semi gloss coated it. It looks almost real. The RG line in general is my favorite especially the Evangelion kits.
RG RX-78-2 is the only gunpla kit so far I've had to get replacement parts on. It was partially user error, but I had the one leg frame completely break which really soured me on the kit. Mine also doesn't really want to stand or hold it's weapons, which really bums me out because I like how the kit looks. I'm excited about the RG 2.0, but I do hope I can fix up my original so I can display it properly.
Where did you get the replacement? Ive been looking all over the internet to get a replacement for a part for a zaku but to no avail
One of the Early RG problems are the stressing its plastic material making it malleable or looser joints if not careful moving parts. If parts are sturdier, that means great durability in a long term.
I think when it comes to the term "early real grade syndrome" it gets thrown around a lot without a full understanding as to why it came to be. The real grade line as a whole holds a lot of icons, many of which tend to be very ambitious in their designs. With that in mind, the MS joints typically don't have the longevity for those kits. For example, the Zeta can't stay together and neither can many of the earlier Seed/Destiny kits. However, kits like the MKII hold together really well and last.
From my experience, what it comes down to is whether the kit solely relies on the MS joints for its main structure or if it uses it as the base for its inner frame. I think what Bandai started to realize later on is that at 1/144 scale, the MS joint couldn't be solely relied upon long term for these kits and switched to using it to supplement a user-built inner frame.
I still really enjoy a lot of the earlier real grades and I think they're worth building, especially if they're a design you like. It should be kept in mind though that the large majority of kits released before the RX-0 Unicorn (RG#25) need a little bit of extra love to reach their full potential.
Edit:
I also wanted to add that it's important to remember that not all builders are of the same skill level or have the same knowledge. A lot of the appeal of Gunpla to newer builders is the ability to straight build kits without the need for paint or glue. Some of us may have the experience to remedy issues we find in kits but plenty of people don't.
I've recently been helping a friend get into Gunpla and when we build together I notice all the things that I do out of muscle memory and practice that he doesn't even think about. I've been doing my best to help him learn new techniques and suggest kits I think will help him learn at a gradual pace.
The idea of "just fix it" isn't appealing to everyone and some people might not be able to or have the confidence to do so. This is a hobby we all enjoy and we all have our methods we've developed over time and I think it's important to share that with those who are newer to the hobby so that they can enjoy it as much as we do and take on some more challenging kits down the road.
Totally agree, and I think it's important to remember that Bandai markets their kits to straight-builders first, modelers second. There's tons of cases where they'll use inter-molding like on the RG Epyon's tail, which inhibits custom painting, and Bandai kits are not supposed to require modding to increase articulation, or even color correction via paint (that's why they give you stickers). At the end of the day, a model kit is a product, and good presentation as well as good construction are the parameters we use to judge model kits. You shouldn't spend money on something that doesn't hold up to standards.
Very well said.
Truly a voice of reason. Thank you.
The Real Grade line is one that I've really come to appreciate. This retrospective review was great to see. You come to these reviews from different angles, which I like to see!
Glad you enjoyed it!
I completely forgot about the different bottom of the box until you mentioned it. Now I do remember seeing details of other grade kits and info under there from time to time since I rarely built RG's back then
I mean, we have the jump from the 80s-90s kits (which people now call First Grade or FG) that don't even follow the now-standard 1/144 scaling, then there were the first HGs (Granddad, Mk. II, Zeta and ZZ, which are NOT the HGUC ones), and then we have the "Revive" kits (which also include Granddad among other kits like Guncannon, Qubeley, etc).
At least within HGs, methinks the reason why we have no "Early High Grade Syndrome" was there was no one to coin it. Also, while older kits always had issues that newer releases resolved, the changes were gradual and no real standard was expected from HGs other than being a good 1/144 equivalent of a suit (and even THAT is being challenged at the time of this post).
A hypothesis, but the reason we have "ERGS" is because we were GIVEN expectations, which led to having standards, and issues may come up with regards to those standards. Those issues did come, and they were consistent in the early days, so a term is not only easy to coin, but easy to accept. Dislike the term if you want, but things it define is a part of RG's history that Bandai is now solving, and it's good as a reminder to see how far the line has become.
Why look back to 90s kits, though, when the line came out in 2010.....it really has no excuse when some of the best kits that Bandai has ever made were out in 2010. In fact, I happily buy kits from 2007-2009 that were released when this kit was still being designed. I would argue that anything from 2007 onwards, you should be able to expect the same kind of quality engineering that you got from a master grade 2.0 Zaku II. The early real grades were a misguided design based on trying to exploit their new molding technology. And frankly, the engineering there just was not producing products as good as they were getting without the use of that technology. It took Bandai almost ten years to figure this out and stop using the premolded inner frames and go back to the older inner frame construction they were using in their master grades all the way back in 2010. The new real grades are nothing more than master grades in 1/144 scale, using the same technology as master grades from 2010....
If Bandai was trying to use premolded inner frames in 2010 in master grades, they would be terrible too, but thankfully they didn't.
The only real problem I ever had with this was the skirts, which always just popped back on fine. Maybe it was a bit about set expectations since I'd already seen reviews online but honestly, I think the whole thing is solid and looks incredible!
Is he just pretending to not know that "early real grade syndrome" specifically refers to the B runner "advanced MS joint" parts becoming loose over time, or does he actually not know that that's the main issue with RGs
Bandai deliberately stopped using the B runner as they produced more and more RGs, to the point that most RGs now barely even use B runner parts if they even use it at all
This kit is much better than i expected. It was solid enough, most of the weak spots like the legs and the side skirts tend to pop off, the ms joints were loose can be easily the tighten with super glue.
The core fighter was really flimsy, so I took it apart, put a tiny bit of glue on the joints, waited til they dried, then put it back together. The joints are a bit tighter now and it's holding quite nicely.
indeed! Nice fix!
@@ZakuAurelius thank you, I'm still working on the Gundam itself.
i still have this in my closet where it was sitting since 2010. I almost forgot about it. You reminded me I actually owned it lol. Maybe I'll actually build it now
I think builders are overly critical of this old girl.
It's a great build and experience, and still holds up. Just bear in mind that it's not an action figure
If you're a person who loves posing the kit, I recommend the Beyond Global and the Origin is great with its details too.
That's the thing. While yes these are model kits, newer RGs can pull off some killer pose without falling apart. They made the right decision to use less advance ms joints for each kit since unicorn. And now they seem to ditch it completely for 2.0? Cmiiw but I don't see anything that could be advance ms joints.
@azuzu9813 that's true. I think their multimaterial molding is better applied to color separation like in the EVA heads and Figure Rise Labo eyes and skin.
It was a fine experiment and I think they found its best application.
I like the new RG nonetheless and will probably get one, because that inner frame looks fun to paint and show off.
This was my second Gunpla ever build and I will never not love it.
I feel like a lot of issues in gunpla get massively overblown. MG Exia has some loose joints and somehow that means it needs a 2.0 right now(!). Is this an issue? Yes. Does it make it the worst kit ever? No.
That said, I wouldn’t mind an MG Exia 2.0 because that would mean it will finally come back into stock.
They WILL make mg exia 2.0, it's only a matter of time. Say what you will about it, but it's definitely not up to the standard the new 00 MGs have set. And keep in mind that back in the day people used to say MG aile strike rm was unnecessary since the first MG still held up. We ended up getting a new one anyway to match the standard of the rest of the gang.
So tldr bandai will make MG exia 2.0 to match the quality of the news 00 MGs.
So the thing with Early real grade syndrome isn't about how the kit is when it's finished, it's how the kit is months after it's finished. A high grade might loosen up a bit but nothing a bit of work on the joints can't fix, but the skeletons of older RGs break down fast and by the end will not hold their poses without glue. If you pose them once it is not a problem, but some people like to carry displays or move, and that can cause them to turn into rag dolls.
This problem is unique to rg's before the change to the inner frame, hance early real grade syndrome.
Mine has held up pretty well. But I figure proofed mine by using super glue or topcoat to friction fit the joints. Other than that, nothing really falls off explodes besides the waist flaps. I've posed it multiple times and treat like, y'know, a model, and not a toy. Tbh one of my newer Entry Grades has worse joints than my Grandpa RG
@@imahoare4742 The specific suit also tends to matter for a lot of them. The Sinanju, Gold Frame Astray, and Zeta are some of the more notorious ones. That said if you're already using glue on the kit you are going above and beyond what these are being sold as. People who handle their kits with care, and expect the promise of "nippers and a hobby knife are all you need" are not treating them like toys, they are expecting the quality they'd been promised up to that point.
I just got one of these today, it was on sale and I got it for $17. Haven’t built a Gundam in awhile, figured this could be a good kit to just put together without much worry.
I don't want to come off as a complainy-type fan cuz I think this is a good overview of the kit. However, I think you've fundamentally misunderstood what people mean by early RG syndrome. It's NOT that a kit is irredeemable or unenjoyable, but that it gets loose over time and doesn't feel as solid as contemporary kits, which IS a fact.
It's one thing to say a kit has merit, which the RG RX-78-2 definitely does, but it's another to say some critiques don't exist when they absolutely do. Just as how some builders would enjoy this kit, there are many who would not. Critiques exist for a reason, and it's important to acknowledge and accept that some critiques are valid so the right audiences can enjoy the kits that are right for them.
The reason most people have their early RGs get loose is because they're playing with them. They're a bit more finicky and fragile, they'll loosen up fast due to the inner frame. I have multiple early RGs and they're solid 4 years later! They're in fun poses and not floppy at all because I didn't play with them. At the end of the day gunpla isn't made to be as durable as action figures, no ratcheted joints and soft plastic means they are gonna get loose if you play with them.
Man, shut up
The term was created by someone who literally shakes and slams his kits against the his desk
@@3xasfast811is that still not valid criticism tho? kits that don't use the premolded inner frame can be played with, so lots of Bandai customers will be going in to these with that mindset. some people who i have talked to about their experiences with premolded inner frames have often talked about how fast the joints get loose.
not all warnings are really meant to be taken as pure negatives, they are warnings. I do think the term ERGS has been used way too broadly tho. I think warning potential "haters" of something to look out for is completely valid, and probably would help avoid even more people complaining if it's considered a "common" thing that people know of.
It's not a toy. Pick a pose and leave it or use glue. It's best not to mess with these so much, or just get a metal build.
Hate to say this to you but you’re wrong. ERGS absolutely is synonymous with not having any other redeemable qualities. You’re the very first person I’ve ever seen that’s on the “yeah it’s flimsy side but it has other stuff going for it”.
Literally every gunpla community ever shits on these kits. Do they talk about the super cheap price, part count, detail? No lmao all they say is “ERGS Mecha Gaikotsu handgrenade”.
I’ve handled my old RGs like model kits and my RX and Zeta have been holding their pose for years now. So I always try to be on the other side so people might enjoy the grade as I do, if they like the model aspect. But I always get shit on by the ERGS people, this community fucking sucks.
I made Rg GP01 and it was really fun
My first RG, too. That really needed a second Core Fighter II. The only one it came with needed to be inside the GP01, which meant you couldn't appreciate the fine detail and construction of the Core Fighter II.
It's not a bad kit, it's just as you say that Bandai pushed the envelope with this kit and some areas suffered. As a first kit of a new line, I've noticed this is what Bandai does; over designs the first kit and then refines the line later. The first MG Gundam came with features that didn't carry over into the rest of the line (Inner mettalic stickers, mesh, heavey user parts, open hatch gimmicks) and the first HG Gundam had the multi-color injection and a quasi inner frame.
I still like this kit, despite its jank. I generally like this aesthetic version of the RX-78-2 as it marries a good balance between the orginal anime look and something realistic. The worst things about it are of course the loose parts falling off, mainly the skirt armors and those RG hands. The peg system for the weapons on this kit (and the RG Zaku II) are such a PITA to work with. The folding peg is always slipping and moving out of the way while you try to slot it into the the hand. It's no wonder Bandai went a fixed peg in later RGs and eventually proper fixed pose hands.
I do wish the 3-tone colors would had carried on in the line longer as I did like the look but I can understand why that was canned as it was just a bit much for a 1/144 kit.
Hi, I'm someone who's had a passing interest in the hobby for a long time, and only very recently hopped in. I've done a good amount of research, including watching a decent chunk of gunpla and general model making hobby videos between waiting for deliveries for tools and good weather for spraying.
From that perspective, I do believe there's inherently more value in the phrase, "Early RG Syndrome" than for other grades. One of the first things I heard from a friend already deep in the hobby was that I should probably not pick up a kit that was made before 2010 And then the statement was immediately amended with also excluding any RG kits from before 2017.
I'm sure that since 2010, ALL the different lines of grades have gone through a lot of improvements in material and engineering quality. However, and by all means correct me if I'm wrong, none of the other grades have had to go through their most noticeable growing pains close to as recently as the RG line has.
And while I'm also positive that some of the early RG kits are still lovely projects to work on for many individuals with the right skills and experience under the belt, if the phrase wasn't given a decent amount of oomph around the community, my first kit could have been the RG Zaku II. A model, mind you, that I'm still eager to work on after putting the hours in first. But for now, I'm more than glad that my first kit is instead the HG 241 Zaku II.
You don’t hear the same about early HG and MG because they aren’t the newest main line of kits. Also you can thank a certain polarizing UA-camr for popularizing the phrase.
I never built this one, but I did build the Zaku II, Mk.II, Strike, Freedom, and Strike Freedom. They still hold up decently. Really wish they'd do the Sinanju as a RG 2.0.
Really slamming us with the content, appreciate it bro!
you aren't wrong, the RG boxes did used to be different! They had a glossy black outing to it featuring different grades of kits from the series the RG in question came from. I think they stopped doing it around 2017? Because I dug out my RG Unicorn box to see it had it
As i remember 2 decades ago, rx 78 had special move with morning star while playing gundam battle assault on PSX console.
“GUNDAM HAMMER!!!” Instant overheat.
I think when people say Early RG Syndrome what they mean is that the B-runner frame parts on those kits work great out of the box but loosen over time, and those kits have trouble holding a pose or standing after a few years. It's easy to say this is overstated when reviewing a new kit out of the box, but take an old one off the shelf and you can see it.
It's a meme perpetuated by MechaGaikotsu to cope with his lack of modeling skills and refusal to put in any effort to address issues that could be fixed with a few minutes of effort.
@@arfbarfultimaso you saying the frame of MG exia is perfect?
@@ChrisTian-sd5yq It's not even that bad aside from the ankles. The rest of it is fine.
Some are even bad out of the box too! My gundam wing EW refuses to stand. And Exia is a damn nightmare to get fully armed.
@@arfbarfultima well point taken
Let me preface this by saying... the RX-78-2 is one of my favorite mobile suit designs ever (I basically only collect UC designs), and I actually like the aesthetic of this kit. But, I HATE this RG, one of the most floppy, unstable models I've ever built. Trying to pose this thing was an exercise in madness, especially after it'd been built for a grand total of 3 weeks and it was already incapable of holding its own weapons/shield. I threw mine away after a month I was so bummed about it. The HGGTO version of the RX-78-2 is so much better for 1/144th scale and I'm so stoked to be getting a RG Ver 2.0 with the modern engineering.
It's a good kit. Sorry I'm trying to figure out a more witty thing to say about it but my experience with RG has always been that they look great but I don't really enjoy the process of building them, even the recent ones. I built my RG Rx 78-2 as my second RG to be a companion to RG Zaku 2.0. They both have their issues but it's been 7 years and they're still holding up pretty fine.
Asking again for a comparison video between all the RX 78-2’s lol
It's honestly gonna end up being an apples to oranges comparison but since I have a PG and MG RX-78 plus am currently interested in the RG 2.0, I think this'll be a fun video idea.
Good luck finding the 1990 HG ver
Real Grade is my favorite line of Gunpla because it combines all aspects of other grades into one kit. I'm really happy that it's getting the 2.0 treatment because having recently built the RG RX-78-2 Gundam I've personally experienced how much of a headache it is to keep intact and I can confindently say that the idea of pre-molded inner frames for 1/144 kits was too early for its time.
The first gunpla I completely finished with full paint was the MG RX-78-2 3.0. Because of the RH 2.0 announcement, I have decided to pick up the RG 1.0 to add to the collection. It would be a nice contrast with the 2.0 once it's released. Great review!
That was the first kit I ever built and I loved it.
so the conclusion, just glue the non-moving parts that easily falls off to save your sanity, lol.
I personally don't like MechaGaikotsu but it's hard to deny that he's right for these early RGs. I think you nailed it in the head with Bandai being too ambitious at the time. Good on them for trying to innovate and push the envelope; we wouldn't have the likes of the RG Nu and Sazabi if the early ones like the RX-78 and Zeta didn't pave the way. However the tech really wasn't there yet when they released.
On the kit though, it's true that it still looks really good and it doesn't appear dated whatsoever. However I'm not fond of the hollow area in the shin when the knee is bent, looks weird and unnatural (I said while talking about fictional giant mechs lol). Having just finished the PGU RX-78, I'm actually kinda looking forward to the RG 2.0.
Great review, definitely gave the RG RX-78-2 the respect it deserves! 🤖👏
Acts like he’s oblivious as to why people don’t like him early RG and thinks them moving away from RG frames is a minor change then proceeds to demonstrate all the problems those people bring up like the RG frame ball joints popping out easily which is especially nasty when they used them for shoulders on the first few RGs, have awful grip for the armor pieces so they pop out all the time as well and the joints just feeling like they’re about to break when you move them. The pre modeled ABS/PP frame was the biggest culprit behind all this once they moved to regular PS frames you put together these issues largely disappeared.
i feel like zaku tries way too hard to not sound whiney to avoid being ragged on by the "elite builders". yeah ive leant to fix issues with kits over time but u really cant fix the loose advanced ms joints
watched with your eyes closed huh?
3:38 it used to have black shiny bottom box with the mobile suit's other scales/grade. I think they did it up until RG nu gundam.
Still one of my favorite 1/144th RX’s despite it’s floppy issues. But I found out a hack if you paint the inner frame it adds a little extra layer of thickness which is what I did for my first RG and I’ve had little to none stability issues other than the front skirts and poseable fingers. I’ll definitely give this kit a proper send off before the 2.0 becomes all the rage with my second RG RX in my backlog that I’ve bought visiting my home town
I finally picked this one up this week and BAM. they drop the 2.0 news 😅
I always thought the proportions were a bit off, but once I saw the Rg ver 2, it was confirmed for me.
The reason the multi tone system exists is because on large fuselage vehicles, some panels get destroyed or ruined beyond use and replaced by new shiny white ones, while the rest of the conjoining panels are still usable yet heavily faded and weathered, giving it different tones of white
It's an EXCELLENT way to portray realism, modern real grades are missing the point
Edit: it could also portray the diffusion of the base material color through the white, some parts might be aluminum, some tungsten or a form or darker metal and assuming there is no primer the white would be shaded differently
So you're basically saying, Early Real Grade Syndrome is a real thing. I get that all these issues are easily fixable with additional work put in the kit, but OOB the RG Graddy is the epitome of Early Real Grade Syndrome.
No I believe that would be the Rg zeta but we don’t talk about rg zeta
Hey! Bandai had a vision for real grade....THEN they HAD to adapt it moving forward! SO some stuff HAD TO UPDATE WITHIN ITS OWN GRADE. Its a beautiful grade! Give it a chance!❤❤❤
I just built my first RG which was this kit. I love it but also hate it. The leg joints are super tight, yet the arms are super loose. I cant even get him to hold his shield up. It just sags back down to rest against his legs moments later.
BUT. Its such a cool looking kit imo. And despite the frustrations ive had with it, i love it.
The problem with the early real grade is how loose they got over time. Most of them have a hard time holding a pose after just six months. The simpler that the early kits were, the less of these problems you had, meaning like the mark 2 or even the rx-78-2 would have fewer issues than say the rg destiny, or the rg sinanju. More weight in general, be it weapons or weight on just the frame, really caused issues for a lot of the early real grade kits. Plus, the softer plastics used in the advanced ms joint system meant it was more prone to loosening when posed multiple times.
Built this last month and everything about it was just alright. Super excited for that 2.0 though.
I think the beam saber handles can be stored on the back of the shield while holding the beam sabers in the hands.
I put this kit together a couple years ago. Absolutely love the look of it, but working on it can he annoying with things falling off it so easily. I put it into a pose once I was done with it and haven't touched it too much since, so I hope it holds up for a few years. It looks great and it impresses me at least on a technical level, but I get the complaints people have with it. But hey, at least it isn't the RG Zeta.
The RG 2.0 is definitely a milestone, above every recent real grade. However between that and this 2010 RG, I'd still pick this one. I dunno, this one has that RG aesthetic and detail, but still has that classic feel from the RX-78-2 back when I first saw it in the anime. The 2.0 just looks far too busy and a bit bulky, I just didn't see the RX-78-2 as a bulky suit. And I like the 2010's headshape better.
I felt seen when I saw the skirt armor fall off. This is the first kit I ever built, and while it looks awesome and I love it, I don’t really pose it because of the skirt. Looking forward to the 2.0.
The early real grades are scary for me to handle. The ms joint can be somewhat loose or just downright impossible to move like my unicorn. For some reason one of the arms was just dummy tight to a point even though I slowly move it, it broke off.
I guess that’s the price RGs had to endure till Bandai figured it out and turned RG line into one of the best grades.
The kit i got was around the time of first release, i can confirm that the core fighter is much stiffer and all the sliding and swivelling parts friction hold in place quite well.
While I am excited for the 2.0 RG, there's just something so ubiquitous with the RG 1.0/MG 3.0 RX 78-2 that makes it seem so timeless. You've seen it everywhere, it's the iconic original Gundam statue, it's /the/ face of modern Gundam. Something, I don't think the RG 2.0 will be able to surpass in terms of being a cultural icon.
Well the average builder just wants a flawless product to play around with… therefore..
I'm currently trying to build this and the back foot piece is not going in. Idk if anyone else had this issue. It seems that the hinge piece should have holes that gets slotted into, but both hinge and back of foot piece have the insert pieces. Helllppppp? 😢
8:35 - This is a rare case where, of the provided hands, I actually prefer the articulated ones over the fixed-pose. The standard RG frame closed-fist hands are molded in such a _weird_ pose, especially with the position of the thumb and how the thumb tip is compressed into the palm behind the finger tips. If you were to emulate that fist pose, it would feel incredibly awkward; and if you were to make a natural fist (or even just compare the RG closed fist to a HG closed fist), you would notice how much further the thumb extends "to the side" so that it rests against either the knuckle joints or the middle digit segments. The moment I noticed it, I could never again _not_ notice it.
The articulated hands aren't much better, but you can at least contort them into two or three half-decent poses.
To make you feel better, they aren't human hands. They're robotic manipulators and can look unnatural.
Westerners weren't exposed to early HG and MG kits so you won't hear much complains about them. When they hear HG RX-78-2 they think the Revive one, not the 2001 one, or even the 1990 one which got discontinued.
But the RG line is fairly new and recognizable, and now thanks to social media people can just spread buzzwords like "early real grade syndrome" without even trying it for themselves or understanding what they say. Same people should go try building old kits from early 90s. Then the early RGs would start feeling like a technical marvel from the future in comparison. Everything evolved with time, not just the RG line. In 10 or 20 years from now the kits we consider the best today would be considered old in obsolete compared to what's gonna be out during that time. Everything is relative.
Forget the First Grade, people still buy those vintage retro kits that came even before that in 1980s. They build, paint and customize them to barely look like a vintage kit.
Old =/= bad.
Old == requires more skill from the builder.
I've built two RG RX-78s, one of them in just the last couple of months, and I think it's a great kit. Yes, posing it can be annoying. The thruster bells, skirt armor, and hip joints like to pop out, and the elbows are a bit scary to bend. Shallow details are a little disappointing as you mentioned. All that said, it's a beautiful kit once built. I'm a pose it and forget it guy, so I've never had a real issue with it, RG Zeta, GP01, etc. that others complain about endlessly. I'm excited for the 2.0 just because I love the RX-78, but if I had my way I'd have preferred the Shining Gundam. The HG and MG are both really nice, but I'd have been really interested in seeing what they could've done with the transformation.
Perfect timing review 😉 thanks Zack.
This was my first RG and my hated kit that I've ever built among all of my rx-78-2 collections. But the design is beautiful. Just don't ever touch it from the shelf.
Those pre molded inner frames were revolutionary but very complicated and loose. Oob I never liked messing with that frame and unfolding it
Great timing on this video haha
Yea. Those skirts were such a pain. Other than that and super tiny parts but beautiful kit
Oh, those copper color stickers were horrible too
I think ERGS was coined due to Zeta Gundam. I hear that thing will self-destruct in your hands. Always wanted it, though.
Ok, just finished building it. It's nice in its parts and a nightmare in the end. Legs, arms, skirts, thrusters shoulder pads - all flying around. It can hold the pose but bending it - nightmare. Left articulated arm kept losing fingers so no shield for me. Love the look but I so so so glad Zgok was my first kit and Rx-78 - second. Otherwise Ginpla and I would went separate ways.
I'm a big fan of Gundam
I definitely prefer the look of this kit to any other 1/144 scale RX-78. This is easily one of my favorite looking 1/144 scale gunpla flat out, incidentally alongside the RG RX-178 Mk2 and the Sazabi. The only reason I don't feel the same way about the 3.0 MG that it mirrors in design is because I love the 2.0 MG the most. I'm not a huge fan of the way the RG 2.0 looks so far or the way they changed up the design. The original is a pitch perfect representation of the original Shizuoka life size Gundam, which was a very tasteful "realistic" recreation of the RX-78, and therefore a very apt design language for the first real grade since it was literally based on a "real life" Gundam. The RG 2.0 is clearly meant to look entirely different, they scrapped the look completely and in fact the RX-78-2 completely - it not only doesn't look anything like the original "Shizuoka" Gundam, it looks nothing like any of the line art of the RX-78 nor its appearance in any other medium. It's basically a completely new Gundam design made ad hoc, as radical a departure from the design as the Beyond Global. It's not just a 2.0 model kit of the RX-78, it's a 2.0 of the RX-78 design itself...I prefer the Okawara design, personally. So this kit still has plenty of value in my mind. For one thing, I personally prefer the recessed chest vents, and I don't understand why Bandai refuses this part of the design when it flat out looks better with a cleaner silhouette.
On the other hand, there was certainly plenty of amazing kits in 2010....most of the best 2.0 master grade kits were already on market by that time, including the 2.0 RX-78, the Zaku II 2.0, Gouf, Gelgoog. And the high grades from that period are some of the nicest ones on my shelf - I particularly like the HGUC Re-GZ, Geara Doga, and the Kampfer. So I think it's still fair to point out the limitations of the design and how they ended up affecting the structure of the product. It's not like Bandai didn't know how to make both excellent clamshell HGUC models with polycaps and simplified ABS joints, or full ABS MG 2.0 style inner frames with plenty of mechanical wizardry, miniature telescoping pistons, linkage systems, gears for mono-eyes and so forth. In fact, new real grades aren't any kind of new technology, they are basically just using the exact same construction of a master grade 2.0, except with polystyrene and without polycaps. The RG Sazabi and Nu Gundam are constructed pretty much the exact same way as a master grade from 2008....I think if they had simply made 1/144 scale master grades in 2010 like they're doing now instead of using the premolded inner frame, this would have been a perfect kit like its contemporary 1/100 scale MG 2.0s...
I think the reason there's no "early HG" or "early MG syndrome" is mainly just due to how old those kits actually are. The first HG is as old as I am, so there's almost some expectation that they're going to be lackluster, or in the most charitable situation, it bleeds into the territory of "this was good for the time", if anyone even thinks about them at all - you certainly don't see many reviews of HG or MG kits from the early years of their release, but when you do see reviews for (as an example) MGs from the early 2000s, you get hit with things like "as you'd expect" or "of course since its from 200X" to justify poor color separation, lacking articulation, or floppy joints and loose connections.
Likewise, I'd assume recency bias has a lot to do with "early RG syndrome" - there's an expectation that after 30 years of gunpla, they could have easily produced a line of 1/144 scale kits with this level of detail that were just as solid (figuratively and literally) as their MG counterparts. The fact that they did end up making RGs with full inner frames that rely very little or not at all on the pre-molded floppy frame just ends up "proving" the point that "this is what it should have been the whole time".
Lastly, I think consistency is part of the issue. I haven't built a whole ton of HG kits, but the ones I have built have been all over the place in terms of overall quality. the HG Hygogg from 2003 kicks ass - its as solid as a rock, dominates the shelf and looks great, even just snapped together. Meanwhile, the recent HG Deathscythe Hell (which I love, don't get me wrong) has some color accuracy issues and surprisingly weak joints, which isn't something I've encountered in comparable HGs... Which, the fact that while writing this I have had to stop myself from going down the rabbit hole of drawing more and more kits into the comparison sort of proves the point. Compare that to just being able to sum up the issues with the RX-78-2 or the Zeta with "early RG syndrome" and everyone just gets it.
all i remember is that the RGs used to have black inner boxes
The kit is a victim of bandai's success. Military, and zoid kits require glue. We're just spoiled. Glue goes a long way with these kits. Find a pose, stick with it, and it's going to look amazing in photos and on the shelf.
I just bought one but I'm planning to use replace the hands with fixed posed ones. Any recommendations on where I could get ones that fit?
Mine is standing proud next to me, right on top of my pc case.
It is GORGEOUS and so stunning in design and presence, the level of detail is insane to the point it kinda ruined HGs and MGs for me and made me obsessed with the RG line, specially since it was my first Real Grade kit.
It's definitely floppy, but I fixed most lose parts with Plastic Cement and plan on tightening the joints in the future.
Definitely recommend it for anyone still on the fence, on looks alone it is one of my favorites, it just needs a little bit of tlc.
Newer kits are generally better, especially if you just snap build and stick it on a shelf. If you paint your kits, though, older kits are just an extra challenge and extra practice, and are usually cheaper.
HG GTO Rx78 was a better kit than the first RG Rx78 - The first RG Rx78 was simply more difficult and not worth the extra labor (and fragility) for some better articulation.
I got the gft version when I visited Odaiba.
I think ERGS is in regards to the flimsyness of the inner frame, I built the mark 2 aeug last week and straight out of the box the inner frame can’t support his arms out to 90 degrees. But besides that I’ve never had any issues with early real grades
The MKII is super sturdy, I've had mine for 4 years and it hasn't loosened up one bit. The early RGs only get loose if you play with them a ton, much like new kits without polycaps they'll get loose and floppy that way. I have built 3 early RGs the MKII, Aile Strike, and GPO1FB not had a single issue with loose joints.
Even the mg 3.0 feels like this rg…i threw mine back in the box. While the one yr war version chilling with the rest of my MGs on shelfs and displays
i kinda remember the bottom part of the box being black too.
🗣️ Articulated hands are fine
Fine, yes! 👍
Bandai releases RG 2.0 to fix their flaws in the past 10 years. I hope they will remake RG Z'Gok and Zeta.
I don’t believe in early real grade syndrome. I believe in plastic varying with temps and clear coating lol
I loved my rg #1 and the justice rg back when I got back into the hobby. It is a rough kit compared to the newest real grades. I wish that phrase didn't meme so hard, the early entry's definitely have to be handled as models, not as toys.
Honestly, ignoring the moveable hands and just getting a set of Builders Parts hands for it will go a long way.
I think they removed black lower box when bandai turned blue.
It's not obsolete because of the 2.0 but because of the HG origin.
my very first kit
Just got this one
If you really love this particular design and feel unhappy with this model get the true "2.0"...which is the Master grade 3.0. This particular design definitely feels favourable in that scale considering the detail. Both the PGU and the upcoming RG 2.0 have a different more generalized design that feel like a combination of the old statue, THE ORIGIN and the KA design. The 3.0 is very much worth picking up if you enjoyed that particular and unique look of the statue.
Also for the people who love an interesting build, The 3.0 is definitely that. Had me scratching my head with how such a small Gundam could have that many runners. Tighten up up the waist joint and skirting balljoints, glue the wrist guards and it may as well is a perfect Master Grade that showcases that Nu and Sazabi ver.Ka complexity that a lot of people love.
People give the 3.0 a lot of crap but honestly it's a solid enough kit. Hands are awful Nu Gundam ones but otherwise it's a nice kit
@@sanictheedgehog It's just a result of a lot of people coming from simpler kits at the time such as the seed and wing kits. On the figure to model kit spectrum the 3.0 is much more a model kit than a figure. Get THE ORIGIN instead if you want something closer to a figure. Anyway the reason these same people don't complain about the Nu or Sazabi ver.Ka is because..those kits are very expensive! Definitely a way to gatekeep those model kits haha.
Also as the local 3.0 hand defender, I've done the song and dance about 7 times now? Once you sort of get the hang of it and successfully unlock the joints without messing up they are quite nice! It's just that when you do mess up that they are forever ruined lol. also fun fact, the zeon 3.0 manipulators are actually 3.5s. Introduced with the Sazabi which came out later results in them having much nicer molding and two tone colors! the 4.0 of these hands can be found with the RG GaoGaiGar sort of.
@@BrandonTjon Tbh the hands were the only thing I didn't like about my MG 3.0, I think the kit looks really cool but I wish I had the option for fixed pose hands just to make holding the Rifle/Bazooka a bit more stable.
@@SaltySpaghetti27 I think just a set of closed holding hands along with manipulators would solve a lot of the problems people have
Regardless of it ERGS is real or not, it’s really stupid how people in the Gunpla discord and Reddit will get super mad at you and insult your building skill for even mentioning it
Early real grade syndrome is real lol, more so than other grades. A lot of early real grades have a big tendency to drop pieces without glue, and they lose any stability absurdly fast, within a few reposes if you have a bad print. And sure, you might be good at building kits, but a new or intermediate (ie the average builder) is going to very easily have a terrible experience with the kit. I like to think that I am pretty good at building gunpla, and I love the early real grade kits, but im not gonna pretend ergs isnt real
Nah ERGS just for spoiled builders
@@nizalmuhammad9689wrong.
I started building the RG G-3 Gundam THE DAY before they announced the 2.0. Part of me feels insulted, and part of me is excited for the inevitable RG 2.0 G-3 Gundam.
Built this kit a month ago and it's absolutely not as bad as people say it is. That said it ain't good either. The hands suck. The hands make me feel things no human ever should. I despise the hands and the shield literally does not tab in for me. Maybe I did something wrong. Maybe that's my fault, but I don't know how to fix it
Ah yes, the first Stielhandgranate
I think the term was coined because it's the recent line.
after changing the posing of my RG zeta a couple of times, it is now a loose mess and broken parts sadge.
ERGS is subjective. It's basically a term of laziness except for the Sinanju. The older RGs before the Unicorn CAN be fixed rather easily. Anyone who's built 3rd party kits IMOO are basically pros, especially since they know how difficult 3rd party kits are to make presentable. That said, basically the pre-unicorn RGs aren't as bad as some difficult 3rd party kits aside from Sinanju.
Newer third party kits are really good, I built the Supreme Evolution Glory and the SNAA Blade king and they are both easy and really good looking oob. I also bought the Solomon Physalis but haven't built it.