I'll start with the positives: it looks great. Moving on to the negatives, it's fragile, falls apart constantly, the build experience is miserable, parts like to fly off to the extent that cement is a requirement, pieces are frequently held on with hopes and dreams and little else. While this version of the grandfather looks great, I can't justify anyone to get it with looks alone. I actually went into this kit with an open mind, filtering the negative press out thinking it probably won't be that bad, maybe everyone who had issues with it were just scrubs who didn't know what they were doing. Maybe they're exaggerating. But no, it is actually that bad. This is the first kit I've built that I hated so much I won't even detail it. Almost none of it is undergated as well, in contrast to more modern RGs. I understand that for the time it was probably a really cool idea, and I see how it set the stage for RG kits to evolve and it is historically important for that reason. But for the love of all you hold dear, just wait for the 2.0 to come out, or if you're reading this review after it's been released, just get that instead. I can't speak to that one's quality, but the bar is pretty low so I'm assuming it clears at least this hurdle. I'm going to repurpose its accessories for other kits and pose the (very fiddly) core fighter on its own and call it good from there.

This is the very first Real Grade kit ever released, so it's obviously got some quirks and some caveats. The detail is absolutely incredible - which means lots of tiny little parts. You'll need to be patient and careful. There's a few bits you're almost-certainly going to want to glue. And I'd strongly recommend getting some decent waterslide decals to use instead of the stickers in the box. But, ultimately, it's still a great kit.

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Let's get this out of the way quickly: This is a fiddly kit to build. Those teeny-tiny parts just really want to fly off at a moment's notice. The build process is very fiddly with very small parts, and those parts have a tendency to just pop right off the frame, so some cement might not be a bad idea. That said, this is a gorgeous RX-78-2. Once you've soldiered through the build, the kit looks absolutely stunning! The color separation on the panels look great and the articulation is pretty fantastic too. I love how the panels separate when the knee joint bends. Throw some panel liner on the legs and *chef's kiss*, so good. The included accessories are great too, with very nice detailing on the bazooka. Let's talk stickers: There are a lot of them. Personally, not worth putting all of them on. The ones that do make the biggest difference are the shoulder decals, and some of the larger leg decals. The rest can safely be ignored unless you love torturing yourself. As for the gold stickers (face, vents, and joints), get the metallic marker set and paint those parts instead. It is far easier and a lot less painful. Where things start to get really ugly really fast: The articulating hands. They are a great idea, but the execution is abysmal. If you so much as look at them weird, the fingers pop out of their sockets. The included base adapter is completely useless as well. Overall, not a bad kit if you are willing to suffer through a finicky build process. It is a phenomenally good looking kit. But seriously, get the metallic paints and see about some replacement hands. TL;DR Pros: - Great color separation and panel detailing. - This thing can strike a pose! - Once painted, looks sharp. - Great accessories. Cons: - Those hands. Oh sweet lord, those hands are awful. - Little parts tend to be loose and fall off. - The base adapter is completely useless. - Lots and lots of little stickers are a PITA to apply.

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