REVIEW MS Mechanical Bust 08: XXXG-00W0 Wing Gundam Zero EW, Bandai

From Mobile Suit Gundam Wings: Endless Waltz, this is the review of Bandai MS Mechanical Bust 08: XXXG-00W0 Wing Gundam Zero EW.

Bandai MS Mechanical Bust 08: XXXG-00W0 Wing Gundam Zero EW Review

Focusing on the Color Version and Internal Mechanics (Luminous Unit) from Bandai’s ongoing Mechanical Bust series.

Overview of the Wing Gundam Zero EW Bust (Color Ver.)

As the 8th entry in the popular Mechanical Bust series, this model features the usual three variants: Color, Clear, and Internal Mechanics. In this review, we’ll highlight the Color Version and the Internal Mechanics, skipping the Clear version due to availability.

The sculpt stays true to the anime's iconic design, with a sharp finish, especially noticeable in the antenna detail. However, there are a few small issues:

The head position seems slightly off even when the parts are fully assembled.
The blue part of the left ear tends to detach easily, which might vary by unit.

Internal Mechanics – With Luminous Unit Included

This version comes with a Luminous Unit, allowing the internal components to light up from within. Just like past releases, you can combine it with the Color Exterior to complete the look.

The unit is designed to illuminate both the chest and head, but only one Luminous Unit is included. If you want both areas to light up simultaneously, you’ll need to get an additional one.

Lighting and Display

With the chest and head both lit up, the model has a striking appearance. The light reaches the main camera area better than previous versions, enhancing the display quality.

When placing the Color Exterior next to the Internal Mechanics, you can see how they complement each other. In the past, these models were often sold as a set of three, but this time, I obtained them individually—pulling Color and Internal from capsule machines—and skipped the Clear version.

Combined Mode – Color Exterior Installed on Inner Frame

Once combined, the ducts and chest lens—previously hollow—are now fully detailed. The once-gray eyes and camera are now bright green thanks to clear parts. The transformation is visually impressive.

Additionally, the machine cannons, which were exposed in the internal model and covered in the exterior, now deploy via a clever mechanism when the two versions are combined. However, the movement is a bit restricted due to interference from the ear parts unless you temporarily remove the head for a full opening.

Final Touches & Build Notes

When fully lit up, the internal mechanics fix the alignment issue seen in the Color Version’s head. While the left ear and chin parts are still a bit loose, I glued them since I don’t plan to disassemble it again.

Lining up five busts from the series creates a stunning visual, especially with this model’s metallic-painted antenna, which adds an extra flair not seen in previous entries.

Summary

Despite minor flaws like loose parts, this bust delivers a faithful representation of the anime design, with sharp detailing and an eye-catching metallic finish. The model is not only visually appealing, but also introduces a rare feature for this series: the deployable machine cannons, made possible by combining the internal and external parts.

There’s no official news yet about Volume 9, but as busts, they line up beautifully in a collection, and the more you collect, the more striking your display becomes. Looking forward to what comes next in the Mechanical Bust lineup!