MG 1/100 New United Nations Earth Prototype Satellite System Loading Mobile Suit GX-9901-DX "Gundam Double X"
It's finally time for another MG build! The MG Double X (or DX) feels like a rather old MG, despite releasing in 2015. This is my fourth mainline Master Grade kit, coming fresh off the heels of my MG Freedom 2.0.
I'm not as familiar with the After War X series, having only had a chance to watch the first few episodes while building the HGAW X Gundam at the end of last year. The DX is the definitive upgrade to the X, featuring extra satellite reflector panels, a set of radiator fins on the arms and legs, and the Twin Satellite Cannon (part of the Satellite System Mk-II), alongside twin beam sabers and a dedicated "Defense Plate" shield. It's a much beefier and more intimidating mobile suit, resembling in some parts the sillhouette and narriative role of Freedom Gundam from Gundam SEED.
Just like other MG kits, the colour separation is complete, with separate parts to replicate even the triangular symbols on the knees and yellow detailing around the various vents. The overall design is detailled without feeling busy, with plenty of extra vents and panel lines but also a nice amount of simple flat surfaces to let the kit speak for itself.
I kept this build reliatively clean with a thorough metallic weathering to the inner frame and other grey parts, as well as some heat discolouration to the four chest vulcans, the two forehead vulcans, and the emitter of the beam rifle. All of the vent detail got a nice dirtying with my "oil stain" pigment powder to give the impression of soot/exhaust. I also made sure to give the gold radiation fins a heavy gold drybrushing with some edge highlighting using my gold marker, as the default gold is rather milquetoast. The various sensors on the kit as well as the microwave accumulator on the chest are repicated with trans-dark-green parts, and where feasible I added chrome marker behind them to help them look a lot shinier and more eyecatching.
One detail I really like with this build is the various scratching and crosshatching I added on the blue, red, and yellow sections. It's pretty subtle but I think it adds a nice 80s-anime-esque aesthetic while keeping the kit look a lot cleaner than it would with sponge chipping.
This kit includes one pilot figure of Garrod Ran, but for the standing figure includes one of Tiffa Adill (as both characters need to contribute equally when using the Satellite System. I found these a somewhat simpler painting process than Kira Yamato from the MG Freedom, as they have simpler colour blocking, and I was able to practise a little edge-highlighting to give the figures more pop. Unlike a lot of other MG kits, Garrod is even reasonably visible in the complete build when the cockpit is opened, although I wish they'd included a model of him in his pilot outfit as I don't think he really uses the DX much in his civillian clothes. Tiffa was an easier paint as she's mostly just pink and white with some skin-colour accents for her hands, legs, and face.
The kit includes a really nice collection of sticker decals, although there are no dry decals which might've looked a little nicer over the dark blue armour sections. I ended using up pretty much all of them, although there are some leftovers that should be good for customising future builds. I particularly liked the Gundam DX logo stickers included for the shoulders. There are also some foil stickers, which I only used for the eyes, the fore and aft auxillary head cameras, and the smaller targeting sensors on the Twin Satellite Cannons, as with the rest of the sensors I was able to adequately add chrome paint behind the trans-dark-green parts to give them more depth.
There are also a set of holographic/iridescent cardboard panels that are inserted into the six reflector panels on the backpack, behind a set of textured trans-yellow parts. Unfortunately the trans-yellow parts make it really diffuclt to actually see the iridescent effect when the kit is standing upright, unless you have really specific lighting angles.
This kit has decent articulation, with properly double-jointed elbows and a really nice range of knee-flexion. However the internal rotation of the hip is super limited. On top of this, almost all of the major joints in the kit use polycap parts. Usually I don't have an issue with this as it means I don't have to sand off the topcoat from my pegs, but the weight of the backpack makes a lot of the polycaps, particularly the hips, ankles, and two waist joints, woefully inadequate. I really think that these joints in particular needed the added friction of ABS to be stiff enough for the kit to stand and pose securely, although while it was incredibly annoying to get the kit to stand unassisted, it'd be way more annoying to get aftermarket replacement parts.
Despite this major fault you can still get the kit into some really dynamic and impressive poses.
The kit uses the usual MG hand system, with a single base hand with articulated thumb and swappable fingers. There are two closed fists, two open hands, and two open fists with tabs that can slot into the beam sabers, the beam rifle, and the shield. There's also a small action base adapter using the large peg, compatible with most MG capable bases.
The Hyper Beam Swords are stored neatly on the waist. The holster is articulated and can swing out/rotate for ease of removal, and there are two large jagged beam effect parts in Bandai's usual UV-reactive trans-green.
The "Defense Plate" shield is a little small, and includes an articulated arm that lets it swing out to different positions, as well as a small handle with a slot that lets it be held by one of the open "holding" fists like a buckler. The "swing out" feature allows you to create space for the radiation fins on the left arm to open up.
The radiation fins are nicely designed, with a small piece that chains them together with the covers so that when you open them up they automatically deploy. The accumulator panels are a lot simpler, simply unfolding by rotating around a peg in the backpack. The satellite cannons are a little more interesting. There's some interesting building techniques that let the cannon slide and expand when rotated into place, and be rotated slightly apart for better posing. When rotated into position, a set of extra targeting cameras can be folded up from inside the shoulders and clip around the cannons themselves, which is a super satisfying mechanism and helps the large cannons to sit very stably.
The Buster Rifle is visually pretty unremarkable, with a well designed but otherwise standard sillhouette. Lorewise, it's technically the Airmaster Burst's spare beam rifle. The rifle looks great, especially with some chrome behind its targeting sensor, and you can even fold up the handle to let it attach to the shield for storage.
Compared to my older HG Gundam X, it's clearly a more detailed and impressive build. I just wish that both kits weren't so heavily reliant on polycap parts for the joints.
Never speak to me or my son again.
Despite this kit's many drawbacks, I had a great time putting it together and it looks excellent on display. I would definitely reccomend giving it a chance if you're into the MG format, although there are a lot of other MG kits I'd reccomend above it.
Despite all my recent build my backlog doesn't seem to have noticeably shrunk!! Maybe I need to stop buying kits for a while...
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