Easily the most iconic alternate universe Gundam anime, at least in the West, New Mobile Report Gundam has had a plethora of model kits made in the likeness of mecha derived from its anime and the OVA sequel. Now, Bandai is adding to this lineup with a new kit based on one of the After Colony timeline’s spinoff works.
The new HGAC 1/144 Hydra Gundam model kit comes after years of anticipation, and its design alone makes it certainly worth the wait. As a completely original mold, it also has newly engineered transformation elements to match this status. Putting the spotlight back on a fairly forgotten spinoff, the Hydra is expected to raise its head by the end of the year.
Gundam Wing’s Most Forgotten Spinoff is Getting a New Model Kit
Bandai’s HGAC 1/144 Hydra Gundam uses a design that might not immediately be recognizable to fans of Gundam Wing, which makes sense given its origins. The mecha was seen in the manga Mobile Suit Gundam: The Last Outpost, which was known in Japan as New Mobile Report Gundam Wing Dual Story: G-UNIT. This was a spinoff manga that ran concurrently with the anime, though it had a completely original cast, which largely extended to the mobile suits.
Mechanical designer Junichi Akutsu updated the design for the Hydra Gundam to fit with the modernized HGAC (High Grade After Colony) model kits. It is heavily armored and completely armed to the teeth. It can also transform into various configurations to accommodate many weapons and accessories.
These different forms are the MS Combat Mode and High-Mobility Mobile Armor Form, the former of which is the “base” mode. A Buster Cannon can be attached to the right shoulder, with the shield being able to be held or attached to the left shoulder. Likewise, the Armor Form can extend additional arms and retract the legs to achieve flight (with a stand included to pose the kit in this form), and the four Beam Sabers can be wielded in each arm.
Conversely, the hands on the extra arms can either be deployed as claws or blasters. True to the many-headed beast that inspires its name, the Hydra Gundam’s head has multiple faces. The front is a traditional V-finned Gundam face, while the sides resemble the Zaku II and the Gelgoog, and the back resembles a Zeong. Expected to be released in November 2026 through Premium Bandai, the HGAC 1/144 Hydra Gundam model kit will run for 5,500 yen, or around $35 USD.
