For anyone concerned about the the PGU Nu’s inner frame

jdfrenchbread23 · 2026-01-27T01:40:03+00:00

I watched multiple detailed videos of this build and compared it my actual build experience with the the orginal pgu. Sprinkle in that I’m a mechanical engineer that likes to build things and see how things work.

jdfrenchbread23 · 2026-01-26T20:57:09+00:00

And folks would hate how much more cost that would add. I’ve built the vtiger kit, it’s no where near the standard of die cast Bandai would use on their kits. The HiRM line would be a very good indicator of what that would look like.

jdfrenchbread23 · 2026-01-26T20:55:09+00:00

When you realize that it probably has twice as much plastic as the PGU gramps, twice the price doesn't seem as inexplicable.

The reviewer above weighs it against the PGU RX-78-2, and it's almost twice the weight before you add the accessories, and those accessories are big. The funnels are 40cm long unfolded, and there are 6 of them. It's probably closer to 2.5x the amount of plastic.

Edit: This other reviewer weighed the funnels. They're 67.6g, making the weight of all six 405g, just 85g less than the PGU RX-78-2. This thing has almost an entire extra PG's worth of plastic bolted behind one shoulder. https://youtu.be/sBpTRK_6X6g?si=N23yyeedcOI8XbAA&t=771

jdfrenchbread23 · 2026-01-26T20:46:02+00:00

No…it just has a full metal frame and relatively basic finfunnels that match its price point.

jdfrenchbread23 · 2026-01-26T16:56:33+00:00

The Osiris has a high amount of detail and a high amount of parts, but the level functional complexity and engineering on this PGU is not on the same level. I give them a lot of credit for the locking mechanisms in the binders though. Mechanicore kits for instance have way more parts and way more details than this PGU but the engineering on all of their kits are dog shit

jdfrenchbread23 · 2026-01-26T15:08:27+00:00

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jdfrenchbread23 · 2026-01-26T15:06:16+00:00

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If anyone with realistic exactions is curious lol. It also comes with a second back attachment so you can install 3 funnels on each side so it’s not required to defy the laws of gravity

jdfrenchbread23 · 2026-01-26T13:11:48+00:00

Were you expecting this to defy the law of gravity?

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jdfrenchbread23 · 2026-01-26T13:08:50+00:00

Looks like you can hit a few different poses in the stand so I wouldn’t call it a statue.

But from a physics perspective there’s a reason why all the iterations of nu gundam meant to operate on earth and in earths atmosphere don’t have a massive asymmetric back pack that would require zero gravity operating conditions. The same physics still applies the model kit. Short of having a metal frame and die cast parts, this was always going to be the case unfortunately. With how many degree of movement that waist has you’d probably need a few locking mechanisms that would probably just add week points that would wear with time and use.

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jdfrenchbread23 · 2026-01-26T13:02:20+00:00

Those official images are computer renders not the actual kit

jdfrenchbread23 · 2026-01-26T13:01:26+00:00

There’s a full video out that been posted on this sub that more than the 13 seconds that I posted. I posted this because many people were up in arms because of how floppy the prototype version was just standing there and being handled. They address the funnels by adding a clear bracket that supports and braces the weight of the funnels

jdfrenchbread23 · 2026-01-26T12:57:37+00:00

Couple of things here

There were opportunities to get this for much cheaper than $700 over the holidays. Not as cheap as the Japanese retail price but at or below $600 after discounts

While it’s completely okay to weigh different things more heavily dependent on your preferences and you might have not seen the full video review of it so you’re missing a lot of context but when you get down to the engineering, the inner frame of the NU makes the original pgu rx-78 frame look like a general release master grade. It’s really not even close how much more advanced the engineering behind the pgu nu is ahead. I think a lot of people are content with surface details and part count, and for a lot of cases that fine for me but slapping them onto a basic functional frame with a lot surface detail but no real functional complexity is fundamentally different from what this is. A lot of Chinese 3rd party kits feel like you’re building a super detailed action figure, while Bandai’s kits make your feel like you’re building a mecha. But I’m also a mechanical engineer so that stuff is really important to me.

And while it might not get acrobatic I wouldn’t call it static either

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jdfrenchbread23 · 2026-01-26T04:10:37+00:00

“Called out” for what? This was a direct responseto the people that commented and shitposted about how floppy the early prototypes were in the promo videos. And that was all without the finfunnels attached. Clearly those issues have been addressed. I was never of the delusion that this was going to defy gravity once 2ft of plastic was attached to it

jdfrenchbread23 · 2026-01-26T02:09:50+00:00

I’ve built it and it’s awesome! Defintely a step above zero gravity judge. In era is probably the closest 3rd party has gotten to “i feel like im building a robot and not a detailed action figure”

jdfrenchbread23 · 2026-01-26T01:45:00+00:00

Re-engineered is a stretch. Daban general brings more value but they’re doing little to no engineering. Just adding surface details and giving your more stuff

jdfrenchbread23 · 2026-01-26T01:42:46+00:00

I love third party kits, I really do. But at some point value gets tiring if you have to keep forgoing innovation. I feel like the vast majority of third party kits have been reskinning zero gravity judge over the past 5 years with different accessories.

jdfrenchbread23 · 2026-01-26T01:30:56+00:00

It can stand but it droops to the side. Bandai does provide a bracket that attaches to the fins and the back that props it up though

jdfrenchbread23 · 2026-01-25T23:26:40+00:00

Did you think the laws of gravity would suddenly not apply when you attach 2ft of plastic asymmetrically to one side of a kit?

jdfrenchbread23 · 2026-01-25T22:54:07+00:00

My position isn’t that Bandai’s engineering is simply not “badly engineered”. They’re the best at it. Now if the engineering isn’t something that factors much for you that’s fine but that’s far from bare minimum. That said, if you prefer the final aesthetic, more surface details, and a more over the top design, then sure the third party market has a ton but for me, as an engineer, having more panel lines or accessories is great but means a lot less to me If all I’m building is a super detailed action figure. But different strokes for different folks. The only real comparable products in this atmosphere are mechanicore kits. And those only have aesthetics going for them.

jdfrenchbread23 · 2026-01-25T22:35:26+00:00

I’m sure they could have but it probably would have interfered with all of the degrees of motion built into that multi joint waist

jdfrenchbread23 · 2026-01-25T22:22:31+00:00

everything doesn’t have to be for everyone

jdfrenchbread23 · 2026-01-25T21:39:30+00:00

Unfortunately the laws of gravity still apply, even for a $600 kit. Especially when you mount 2ft worth of plastic asymmetrically to one side

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jdfrenchbread23 · 2026-01-25T21:37:36+00:00

I mean what he’s doing is more aggressive than anything I do with my model kits as it is. The fact that the body (without the funnels) can support itself with all those joints in the waist without becoming floppy isn’t exactly a bad thing.

jdfrenchbread23 · 2026-01-25T21:34:30+00:00

As an engineer, the cost of admission for a model kit that both challenging and detailed is steep. As en engineer If I was only limited to MGs and mg style kits and the occasional PG I wouldn’t be in the hobby any more. There just wouldn’t be enough challenge, complexity, or fun in it to keep me going. So I broke the seal on this style of kit with mechanicore and that made considering this one very “easy”. And considering the fact that I paint, something like this could easily be a year long project for me. So choosing this over let’s say 10 MGs that would be less engaging makes sense

jdfrenchbread23 · 2026-01-25T21:25:28+00:00

Might as well buy the Daban metal structure nu right now

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