HG 1/144 Destroy Gundam - Release Info, Box art and Official Images

HGCE 1/144 Destroy Gundam

Release Date: March 2024

Price: 14,300 Yen

Bandai Spirits has yet unleashed another massive GunPla in the 1/144 scale lineup! The Destroy Gundam from the Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Destiny will be coming to dominate the GunPla collection shelves in 2024!

The prototype was first seen at the 61st All Japan Model and Hobby Show.

This release celebrates the 20th anniversary of the Mobile Suit Gundam SEED series and the release of the upcoming Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Freedom film, releasing in January 2024.

The kit measures approximately 390 mm (approx. 15 inches) when assembled. Additionally, just like the anime, it includes a transformation gimmick.

As the name suggests, the GFAS-X1 Destroy Gundam was built for one purpose: mass destruction. Its model number GFAS-X1 stands for “Gressorial Fortress Armament Strategic – EXperimental”. This giant mobile suit is equipped with a large number of weapons, allowing it to destroy large cities and other smaller mobile suits that attempt to block its path.

Unlike its predecessor, the YMAG-X7F Gells-Ghe, the Destroy Gundam only needs one pilot, despite its massive size. The pilot must, therefore, be a biological CPU or possess comparable enhancements. As a transformable mobile suit, the Destroy Gundam often launches in its MA mode, which uses thrusters installed in its backpack to hover above the earth at low heights. By turning its lower body 180 degrees, lowering its arms, and flipping the backpack to the rear, it can change into MS mode.

Three weapons are installed on the suit's backpack: four 6-tube multifunctional missile launchers, 20 thermal plasma composite cannons positioned around the backpack's perimeter, and two twin barrel high-energy beam cannons. Three chest-mounted 1580mm multi-phase energy cannons, four 75mm CIWS, a head-mounted 200mm energy cannon, and two detachable arms with a beam cannon and a five-barrel hand beam gun are among the other weaponry. The suit can attack its target at any range and through any obstructions because the detachable arms work similarly to DRAGOON Pods. In addition to its extensive armament, the Destroy Gundam is equipped with three positron reflector shields for defense: two on the detachable arms and one in the backpack that can only be used in MA mode.

The Destroy Gundam is mostly used as a mobile gun platform because of its large size, which limits its movement. Enemy forces frequently take advantage of this weakness, especially high mobility mobile suits flown by ace pilots, to close in and use close combat beam armament to destroy the Destroy Gundam. On the other hand, DRAGOON Pods equipped with beam spikes—like the massive DRAGOON Pods of the ZGMF-X666S Legend Gundam—can swiftly rip through the Destroy's Positron Reflectors.