HG GN Flag Review ― Graham's Union Flag Custom II

This is a hands-on review of the HG 1/144 Graham’s Union Flag Custom II (GN Flag) (グラハム専用ユニオンフラッグカスタムII). Appearing near the end of the first season of Mobile Suit Gundam 00, this is an ultra-rushed custom machine in which Graham Aker forced a pseudo-solar furnace (GN Drive) onto his Union Flag Custom II. This time I built it unpainted, straight from the box, with an assembly time of about 1 to 1.5 hours. The runner count is low and the silhouette is mostly straight lines, so it came together quickly and smoothly. Below I share what I discovered while building — the strange silhouette of a machine carrying a pseudo-solar furnace on its back, the fun and difficulty of posing thanks to joint articulation that departs from a normal humanoid, and the delicate face-mask deployment gimmick — along with points to watch, with photos.

1. Introduction ― About the GN Flag

The GN Flag is a custom MS that appears near the end of the first season of Mobile Suit Gundam 00. Driven by his obsession with the Gundams, the Union’s ace pilot Graham Aker forced a pseudo-solar furnace (GN Drive) onto his own Union Flag Custom II — in other words, an ultra-rushed machine. Its greatest characteristic is its extremely unbalanced, otherworldly design: the normally slim, straight-lined Flag saddled with a large pseudo-solar furnace on its back. This kit reproduces that silhouette of madness and obsession, including the head-mask deployment gimmick, making it a real one-of-a-kind kit with plenty of personality.

【Vol.56 Gundam Model Kit HG 1/144 Graham's Union Flag Custom II (GN Flag)】 Review

2. Product Information

Series: HG (HIGH GRADE) 1/144
Source material: Mobile Suit Gundam 00
Feature: Otherworldly custom machine equipped with a pseudo-solar furnace (GN Drive); head-mask deployment gimmick
Official: HG 1/144 Graham’s Union Flag Custom II | Bandai Hobby Site
Price: Fluctuates, so please check the official site or retailers

This kit reproduces the silhouette of a slim, straight-lined Flag body with a pseudo-solar furnace mounted on its back. The parts breakdown is refined and the runner count is relatively low. It’s a layout that also suits those who want to enjoy Gunpla casually.

3. Packaging

The box art depicts the otherworldly silhouette of the GN Flag carrying its pseudo-solar furnace. Spreading out the runners, you can see plenty of straight-lined parts and a clean, tidy layout. The molded-color separation is straightforward too, making it a layout that looks good even built straight from the box.

4. Assembly ― About 1–1.5 Hours Out of Box, a Quick-Building Oddity

This time I built it unpainted, straight from the box, with an assembly time of about 1 to 1.5 hours. The parts breakdown is refined and the runner count is low, so it moves along very smoothly. Combined with the sharp, mostly straight-lined shapes, you get a comfortable, brisk building experience. It’s the perfect kit for when you want to enjoy Gunpla casually. That said, there are a few points worth watching.

The face-mask deployment gimmick is delicate: The head has a mask deployment gimmick, but the parts themselves are very small, so getting the left and right to open evenly and click into place requires fine adjustment. When assembling, it’s reassuring to check that it stays left-right symmetrical as you go.
The unique joint articulation takes getting used to: As I’ll cover later, the joints move in directions that differ from a typical MS, so right after building you may be a bit puzzled about how to pose it. Once you grasp the quirks of the movement by working it, it becomes easier to handle.
Only clean up seam lines where they bother you: With so many straight-lined parts, seam lines are noticeable in some spots, but it still looks plenty good straight from the box. There’s no problem if only those who mind them do the cleanup.

The assembly itself isn’t very difficult, and you can move to completion at a good pace. It’s a kit well suited to “building it quickly and enjoying the otherworldly silhouette.”

5. Out-of-Box Review ― An Otherworldly Silhouette That Radiates Obsession

Once completed, the first thing that grabs your eye is the distinctive silhouette carrying the pseudo-solar furnace. The imbalance of a large GN Drive mounted on the slim, sharp Flag body creates a menace unique to the GN Flag. Just displayed, it has a presence that seems to convey Graham’s obsession. The edgy, mostly straight-lined sculpt has a coolness a cut apart from a normal humanoid MS, and it stands out especially well when placed on a shelf.

And a big part of this kit’s personality is its distinctive posing that departs from a humanoid. Because the joints move in unique patterns that differ from a typical MS, it takes a little getting used to before you can lock it into exactly the cool action pose you have in mind. Even so, that unique range of motion is precisely what makes it feel like the GN Flag. Understanding the quirks of the articulation and searching out the way of showing it off that suits the machine — that process itself is the real appeal of this kit.

6. Place in the Series ― Its Appeal as a Character Kit

Difference from the standard Flag line: The base Union Flag is a highly versatile mass-production machine, whereas the GN Flag is a one-off custom carrying a pseudo-solar furnace. Even within the same Flag family, against the neat bearing of the mass-production model, the GN Flag competes with its “otherworldly silhouette.” Line them up and the difference in personality is obvious.
As part of a Gundam 00 MS collection: Placed next to lead-class Gundams like Exia and Dynames, the GN Flag’s strangeness stands out all the more. For anyone attached to the Graham battles, it’s a machine you can’t leave out of your collection.
Combining ease and personality: The casual ease of a low runner count that builds quickly, plus a truly one-of-a-kind otherworldly design. That combination makes this a good kit that’s “full of personality yet easy to build.”

7. One Tip for a Cleaner Finish

This build is out of the box and unpainted, but for those who’d like to add one more step, here are finishes that pair well with it (these are general recommendations).

Panel lining: Adding panel lining to the straight panel lines greatly increases the contrast of the sharp sculpt. It’s a perfect match for the edgy design.
Painting the mask area: Partial painting to separate the colors around the delicate face tightens up its expression.
Flat top coat: A light coat suppresses the sheen of the molded color and pulls the look together with the dense feel unique to this otherworldly machine.

8. What to Check Before Buying

With its low runner count that builds quickly, it suits those who want to finish one Gunpla in a short time.
The joints move in unique directions, so it takes a little getting used to before you can nail wild action poses exactly as you want.
The face-mask deployment gimmick has small parts, so deploying it left-right symmetrically requires careful fine adjustment.
Posing it with the GN beam saber makes it easy to create a highlight moment, so imagining how you’ll display it before building will boost your satisfaction once it’s done.

9. Good & More

【🙆‍♀️ Good 🙆‍♂️】

Few runners and a comfortable pace. The refined parts breakdown gives you a brisk, smooth building experience.
A highly faithful, otherworldly design that radiates obsession. The silhouette carrying the pseudo-solar furnace matches the slim body beautifully.
The mostly straight-lined, sharp sculpt conveys the menace unique to the GN Flag just by displaying it.

【💁‍♀️ More 💁‍♂️】

Because the joints move in directions that differ from a typical MS, it takes a little getting used to before you can lock it into the pose you want.
The face-mask deployment gimmick has small parts, so getting it to click open left-right symmetrically requires fine adjustment.

10. Score

11. Conclusion

This is a character kit that lets you thoroughly enjoy both the ease of assembly and the strange, sharp coolness unique to the GN Flag at a high level. While the low runner count means it builds quickly, the unique joint articulation and mask gimmick require careful adjustment — but that effort, too, is part of the fun that’s unique to this machine. It’s a recommended kit for anyone with a strong attachment to the Graham battles in Gundam 00, and for users who want to quickly enjoy a slim machine that builds at a fast pace. Carefully adjust the distinctive joint movement and pose it holding the GN beam saber, and you can enjoy a fierce, imposing display worthy of Graham’s machine, as if it’s slicing through space.