MG 1/100 Turn X

The Turn X is a machine that appears in Turn A Gundam. In the story it is said to be the existence that destroyed Earth’s civilisation, and in the closing stretch of the series it is piloted by Gym Ghingnham. It is depicted as the sibling unit paired with the hero machine, the Turn A Gundam — or as something even beyond that — and it is given a special position within the work.

The shape of this machine was designed by Syd Mead, the industrial designer known for his work on film art design. It is put together with a way of thinking completely different from ordinary robot design: the legs are built from straight, flat surfaces, while curves increase the further up the body you go. On top of that, the silhouette is asymmetric, with different shapes on the left and right, so it never shows the same expression from any two angles.

This kit turns that machine into a 1/100 scale MG (Master Grade) released in June 2014. It reproduces the back-mounted weapon platform “Charapas” (キャラパス) and even the mechanism that separates sections of the body to attack. At 7,040 yen (tax included) it sits on the higher side within the MG line, but the contents are substantial to match.

The Turn X is shaped less like a robot and more like an industrial product, and it had been on my mind for a while. I chose the MG because I wanted to confirm with my own hands how that shape is made to work at 1/100 scale.

Product name

MG 1/100 Concept-X 6-1-2 Turn X

Scale

1/100

Series

MG (Master Grade)

Release date

14 June 2014

Price

7,040 yen (tax included)

Target age

15 and up

Distribution

General release

Main accessories

Dedicated display stand, weapon platform “Charapas”, Hand Beam Gun and other weapons

Source material

Turn A Gundam

Within the MG line, the Turn A Gundam (Moonlight Butterfly Ver.) from the same work has also been kitted, and there is a set that finishes the Turn A Gundam and Turn X in a nano-skin image as well. It’s a line where you can enjoy lining up the two machines that form a pair in the story.

The biggest characteristic of this kit’s contents is the sheer number of parts that differ in shape between left and right. Because the asymmetric design is reproduced as-is, there are places where you simply can’t work the way you would on a normal kit — “build two of the same thing for both sides” doesn’t apply. That is one of the reasons the build takes time.

Among the accessories, the one you shouldn’t overlook is the dedicated display stand. Despite this being a large machine with an unusual body shape, a base for displaying it is included as standard. For armament you get items such as the Hand Beam Gun, and they are designed to be mounted on the back-mounted weapon platform “Charapas”.

The part count is on the high side, so spreading out the runners (the frames the parts are attached to) and checking the whole lot before you start building will save you from getting lost later on.

Build time was about 240 minutes. Difficulty is four stars out of five, which puts it among the more demanding MGs. You’ll feel more comfortable if you set aside a proper block of time to settle down with it.

The process itself is long, but following the manual I never hit a point where my hands stopped and I was stuck. The time it takes comes down to the part count and to being careful about left and right.

The first thing I felt once it was finished was how complete the standing pose itself is. The view from directly in front is especially good, as is the three-quarter angle where you can see the whole leg, and you can clearly savour the way the straight-surfaced legs give way to more and more curves as you move up the body. This is the type of kit where you end up spending longer looking at it on the shelf than playing with it.

What helps on the display side is that the dedicated display stand comes as standard. A large machine with an unusual body shape tends to be hard to balance, but since the base is provided from the start, you can leave it on display for a long stretch without worrying about the centre of gravity. Not having to buy a separate stand was, quite simply, welcome.

The point I’d raise as a concern is the holding power of the Charapas on the back. Small weapons like the Hand Beam Gun are fixed by what amounts to hooking them onto a catch. It isn’t so bad that they fall off the moment you touch them, but it doesn’t feel firmly secured either. When carrying the model around or changing its angle, I had to handle it with a little care.

There’s one more thing I noticed about displaying it. While this kit looks good from the front and from a three-quarter angle, the angles that really show it off turned out to be fairly limited. Viewed from directly to the side or directly from behind, the flow of shapes you feel at the front becomes harder to read, and the impression drops a notch. Where in the room you’ll put it, and which way it will face — deciding that first before choosing the display spot made this machine look far better.

1. Relationship with the MG Turn A Gundam (Moonlight Butterfly Ver.): the two machines that form a pair in the work have both been kitted at the same MG, 1/100 scale. Where the Turn A Gundam has a rounded, cohesive form, the Turn X is asymmetric and changes expression depending on the angle. Standing them together makes the difference in direction obvious, so it’s worth considering on the assumption that you’ll collect both.
2. Difference from the nano-skin image version: there is also a set that finishes the Turn A Gundam and Turn X in a nano-skin image. Even for the same machine the direction of the moulding colours changes, so it looks different from the standard version.
3. More “display” than “posing”: this kit is the type where you look at the form itself rather than show it off through articulation. Partly thanks to the included dedicated stand, it suits being set at a chosen angle and displayed for a long time.

Even if you don’t paint, here are the places where a little extra effort changes how it looks.

1. The price is 7,040 yen (tax included). That’s on the higher side within the MG line, so it’s worth weighing against your budget.
2. The build takes about 240 minutes. With the left/right checking around the arms on top of that, I’d recommend starting when you can secure a decent block of time.
3. There are many asymmetric parts, and the structure makes it easy to mix up left and right. Don’t skip checking the manual as you go.
4. A dedicated stand is included as standard. There’s no need to buy a separate stand.
5. Since it’s a large kit, securing display space in advance will put your mind at ease.
6. This is a kit released in 2014. Shop stock varies depending on the period, so when you spot one, that’s your chance to get it.

【Good】

1. The standing pose looks great from the front and from a three-quarter angle, letting you fully enjoy the distinctive shift from straight lines to curves.
2. A dedicated display stand is included as standard. Even with a large body that’s hard to balance, you can display it long-term with peace of mind.
3. The asymmetric design is reproduced exactly as it is, so the expression changes with every viewing angle.
4. The block construction includes a separation mechanism, so it can also recreate the attack scenes from the show.

【More (points of concern)】

1. When a small weapon is attached to the Charapas on the back, the fixing amounts to hooking it onto a catch, and it feels a little loose.
2. The angles that show it off are limited. The front and three-quarter views are good, but from directly to the side or directly behind the flow of shapes is hard to read, so you need to commit to a set way of displaying it.

In a wordIt has the presence of a piece of art, and the design still feels advanced even seen with today’s eyes. The flow of shapes from the front and from a three-quarter angle is nothing short of superb. Assembling the asymmetric arm parts takes concentration, and the small weapons on the Charapas feel a little loose, but with the dedicated stand included you can immerse yourself in the form with confidence — a highly satisfying kit.

The MG 1/100 Concept-X 6-1-2 Turn X is a kit that takes about 240 minutes to build and asks you to keep checking left and right around the arms. Even so, the standing figure you get at the end carries a real sense of reward for the time you put in. It was a build that let me feel as though I’d assembled a sculpture rather than just a Gunpla kit. It suits anyone who loves the world of Turn A Gundam, of course, but also anyone who wants to handle a design unlike any other Gunpla. If you’re going to display it, I recommend using the included stand and fixing it at a “front, slightly angled” pose, where the flow from the legs up to the torso is seen at its best.