Unbox the Gundam RGM 109 (Gundam F91) and Gelgoog (Stardust Memory):
The world of Gunpla is vast, encompassing not only the famous Gundams but also the countless mass-produced mobile suits that give the Universal Century its rich, lived-in feel, and two such suits representing very different eras and design philosophies are the RGM-109 Heavygun from *Mobile Suit Gundam F91* and the iconic MS-14 Gelgoog from the original *Mobile Suit Gundam*. Bandai has released model kits for both of these classic designs, though the experience of building each is a journey into entirely different periods of Gunpla history, with the Heavygun offering a charming glimpse into the early 1990s and the Gelgoog standing as a testament to the incredible evolution of the hobby over the decades.
The RGM-109 Heavygun is a product of the late Universal Century, a mass-produced general-purpose mobile suit developed by Anaheim Electronics for the Earth Federation Forces and featured in the 1991 theatrical film *Mobile Suit Gundam F91*, and its design represents a natural evolution from the earlier Jegan, featuring well-balanced performance and a similar standard armament which includes head-mounted vulcan guns, a beam rifle, and a shield. While its performance was considered solid, if somewhat mediocre by its pilots, the Heavygun is notable for its longevity, with many surplus units finding their way into various local defense forces for decades after its initial deployment, a testament to its reliable if unspectacular design. Bandai’s model kit of the Heavygun is a vintage piece, first released in April 1991 as part of the 1/100 scale Gundam F91 Model Series, and this is a classic old kit from an era before the modern Master Grade and High Grade standards were fully established. With a retail price of just ¥800, it was an affordable and straightforward build, and the kit accurately reflects the Heavygun’s clean and utilitarian design, featuring sharp proportions and a clear camera guard for the head sensor. It also includes some interesting gimmicks for its time, such as a rear armor rack that opens to hold the beam rifle, articulated fingers for natural posing, and a shield, though as one Japanese reviewer noted, the kit’s colors are a product of its age, featuring a bright melon green and gray that do not quite match the anime’s portrayal. This kit, sometimes found under the catalog number 0032645, is a fascinating time capsule for builders interested in the history of Gunpla, though its simple construction and color scheme may feel dated compared to modern releases, offering a direct connection to the design aesthetic and manufacturing standards of a bygone era.
In stark contrast to the Heavygun’s vintage roots, the Gelgoog is one of the most celebrated mobile suits in the entire Gundam franchise and has been the subject of numerous, highly advanced Gunpla kits that showcase the very best of modern engineering. As the Zeon’s final mass-production mobile suit of the One Year War, the Gelgoog was a formidable machine that matched the performance of the Gundam itself, and its popularity has ensured that Bandai has revisited this design time and again, with kits that span the full spectrum of the hobby from simple High Grade releases to the pinnacle of Master Grade engineering. At the pinnacle of Gelgoog model kits is the Master Grade MS-14S Char’s Gelgoog Ver. 2.0, a 1/100 scale kit that is a masterpiece of engineering featuring a highly detailed structural frame with multiple layers that emphasize the mechanical aspects of the suit, right down to the surface detail on the outer armor. The build is satisfying and, while not overly finicky, yields a solid and imposing model that looks fantastic on the shelf, and it includes the Gelgoog’s signature beam rifle, shield, and the iconic beam naginata. A charming bonus is the inclusion of a car with Char and Lalah mini-figures, which provides a great sense of scale for the massive mobile suit, and the Ver. 2.0 is widely considered one of the best-looking Master Grade Zeon mobile suits from the One Year War, with excellent surface detailing that surpasses even the venerable Zaku 2.0. While some builders have noted minor issues, such as parts of the arm armor not holding onto the frame perfectly and a slightly limited ankle joint due to the large shin armor, the overall consensus is that this is a phenomenal kit and a must-have for any fan of Zeon or the original series.
For builders who prefer the 1/144 scale, Bandai offers a wide variety of High Grade Gelgoog kits that are equally impressive in their own right. The HGUC 076 MS-14A Gelgoog or MS-14C Gelgoog Cannon is a solid and versatile release that comes with an impressive arsenal, as this kit can be built as the standard Gelgoog or the cannon-armed variant, and it includes a beam rifle, a twin beam sword, a shield, a three-barrel missile launcher, and a remarkable four types of optional heads. Despite its age, reviewers have noted that it holds up beautifully, requiring no painting to look good out of the box, and the only concessions to its vintage are a maximum 90-degree bend in the elbows and a few minor fitment issues with accessories, minor compromises that do little to diminish its appeal. The Gelgoog’s enduring legacy has also led to its appearance in modern series, resulting in even more kit releases, such as the HGUC Gelgoog Sleeves Ver. from *Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn*, a limited reissue kit that features newly sculpted parts to accurately reproduce the distinctive Sleeves design and gives the classic Gelgoog a unique Neo Zeon identity, complete with a dedicated beam machine gun alongside the classic beam naginata and shield.
Most recently, the *Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX* series has reimagined the Gelgoog with a bold new aesthetic, resulting in kits like the HG 1/144 gMS-01 Gelgoog Bocata Custom, which faithfully recreates the suit’s distinctive new color scheme with color-molded parts and features dynamic articulation along with unique gimmicks like lead wires to recreate dramatic wire ejection effects. This kit comes with a full set of customized weapons, including a beam lance, shoulder shield, and dual thruster units, along with water-slide decals for the pilot’s personal insignia, and reviews have been highly positive, with builders praising it as an extremely awesome kit that brings the classic design into the modern era with style and flair.
In the end, the RGM-109 Heavygun and the MS-14 Gelgoog represent two very different paths in the Gunpla hobby, with the vintage Heavygun kit being a charming relic of the early 1990s, a simple and affordable build that offers a direct connection to the design aesthetic of that era, and the Gelgoog, in its many forms, standing as a testament to the evolution of the hobby with Master Grade and High Grade kits that showcase the incredible engineering and attention to detail that modern Gunpla is known for. Whether you are a fan of the obscure and historical or the iconic and refined, both of these mobile suits offer a rewarding building experience that captures the spirit of their respective eras and celebrates the enduring legacy of the Universal Century.
