The red perfection.

Hello and a very good day to all of our awesome readers here! I’m back Finally with the full review of the MS-06R-2 Zaku II Johnny Ridden Custom Unit (MG) Ver.2.0 kit! It has been a week full of me falling in and out of sickness (am still quite sick in time of writing tbh), learning and relearning new building and painting techniques, overall it has been quite a week for me. I do want to take the time here to apologize for the lateness of this review.

Hopefully, the next one will be on time and with no issues what so ever……. hopefully haha….

Regardless, coming back to an another Zaku MG build so fast after I the last one, the MS-06S Zaku II Char Aznable’s Custom unit to some of you might think that might be a chore, but honestly after coming off this? I came off this build with a fucking big smile on my face.

Before I say anything further, lets first get into the history of this awesome Mobile Suit that its based on.

The History and development of the MS-06R-2 Zaku II High Mobility Type

The history of the R-2 Zaku II’s is a very interesting one because it was a mobile suit that was born in the final years of the One Year War, one that would be the Mobile Suit of choice to the Legendary Johnny Ridden, the Principality’s famous but mysterious Ace pilot of the war.

The R-2 Zaku II’s are developed to be replacement unit for the R-1 Zaku II’s, it was made upon the urgent request made by the Principality of Zeon’s to modernize its current fleet of space-borne MS-06F Zaku II’s. Unfortunately, due to the priority mostly to the development and as well with the allocation of the limited technological, material and manpower resources given to the newer and a much more technologically advanced MS-14 Gelgoog the improvements made on the R-2 Zaku II’s wasn’t as extensive as intended except for one R-2 Zaku II unit under the ‘Living Dead’ Division.

The upgrades that were made on the R-2 Zaku II High Mobility type was upping the armour up on the chest unit, new armour set on the leg section of the mobile suit (Unfortunately it’s still using Super-Hard Steel Alloy as it armours composition which was found really insufficient against beam-based weaponry) and increased the storage for its propellant as versus to the R-1 unit. Despite all that Zeonic managed to make the R-2 Zaku II’s a lot lighter Mobile Suit as compared to the R-1A versions.

Unfortunately, for most of the R-2 Zaku II’s there wasn’t changes made to its reactor core so for most of them, it couldn’t make use the new beam weaponry, which in turn made the Principality favoring the Rick Doms over the R-2 Zaku II’s. Regardless 4 Units was made (this is not including the R-2 unit used for the Living dead division because technically it’s quite different than the standard R-2 Zaku II’s and a lot of things are still quite unknown about it *baiting you guys for the future review of the Psycho Zaku II hahaha*) that made it to some of the ace pilots and one of the R-2 Zaku II made it to the hands of Johnny Ridden.

The R-2 Zaku II’s only seen combat during the final stages of the war one during the Battle of Solomon and the other during the battle at A Baoa Qu. The R-2 Zaku II’s was proven to be a quite effective Mobile Suit, it was even told that in one instance the R-2 Zaku II was seen overpowering the Federation’s famed Gundam. Unfortunately, the numbers made was too small and far too little to have made a difference in the war.

With that concludes the History and now let’s get into the Review

The Review

When I started with this build I was really expecting it to be less the same as the MS-06S Zaku II Char’s Custom kit but understandably a much redder kit. Well even though it is true for the most part of the build, but in certain areas, it felt like a whole different kit all together.

Let’s first talk about the overall build of this kit, at first when I started I thought to myself yeah this kit looking to be more like all the other Zaku II’s (MG) Ver.2.0 but with a different backpack unit. It’s not in anyway bad because I still had a blast building it. It’s just that I wasn’t feeling that this kit is a mind blower yet.

So understandably I was slogging it through quite quickly, well up until I started off with the LEG units. Then everything just changes for me.

The R-2 Zaku II has the most detailed leg molds ever given on any MG kits that I’ve built thus far and one that I had the most fun with. It really took me awhile to complete the leg section of the kit and as well really, I was taking my time just marveling at how detailed and beautiful the leg was completed.

The articulation on this kit is also really good, you can do a lot of poses, with or without the stand. Even with the huge up-armored leg unit, it still able to stand well with it having a full set of weapons attached to it. Although as I mentioned before, that you do not need a stand to make full use of this kit but this is one of those kits that I feel would be best to have the action stand to really highlight on how good this kit really is.

And MY GOD the colors of this kit, yes, I admit there are certain parts of the kit that I have to paint over because I can’t stand using them stickers on some of the parts and me generally want to make use of all of the new acquired Gundam markers. Overall without it, even the kit looks amazing. The darker shades of red were wowing me throughout and I had to take a bit to just to sit down and have it all sink in.

I’m starting to feel like scarlet red is my new favorite color now.

Though, towards the end of the day as I was taking a break and just marvel at the completed kit. I realize how much this kit feels like building the Zaku II, no I take that back. Though it feels and looks like the Zaku II (MG) Ver.2.0, even though it may share the same parts like the Zaku II (MG) Ver.2.0 but this is definitely not the same kit. It made me feel like this is the perfect MG kit, this is a masterpiece indeed.

Though I can’t say the same for the weapons sets, the nubs are still a bitch. Even for the Giant Bazooka.

Haha. Damn, it’s not THAT perfect in the end.

Would I recommend this kit though? OH, HELL YES, I would recommend this, it’s a good kit and one that would make your day better for have built it indeed. So, go out and buy this for those that haven’t owned a Zaku and even for those that have, really, in my opinion, it is a buy that you would be happy with and one that makes me really looking forward to the RG version.

With that ends my review of this awesome kit, what are your thoughts on the review and the kit? Have you had a similar experience building this awesome kit? Do let’s know through the comment section and we look forward to hearing from you guys again soon!

I will be back with a new unboxing soon and we will be back this Wednesday with a new Let’s Talk Gunpla segments we’ll look forward to seeing you guys again soon! Have an awesome weekend ahead and have an awesome Gunpla building time there as well! Till next time!

Ciao!