The machine they built to see if a Psycho-Frame could be understood
The Narrative Gundam was never meant to be a hero unit. Anaheim Electronics put it together as a Psycho-Frame test machine, and Jona Basta flew it in Mobile Suit Gundam NT carrying more guilt than confidence. That is the whole appeal. It is a Gundam with a job to do and something to prove, not a legend arriving on schedule.
Katoki Hajime designed it, and this Master Grade is the Ver.Ka treatment of that design. If you have a Unicorn on the shelf, this is the machine that shares its bloodline without borrowing its swagger.
Build difficulty
Bandai print 15 and over on the box. This is a proper Master Grade sitting: high part count, a full inner frame, waterslide decals, and a build order that has you finish the bare body first and then fit the Psycho-Frame over it piece by piece. Two independent Japanese reviewers describe it the same way, complex but never fiddly, because every step is well signposted and nothing needs forcing. Set aside a couple of sittings rather than an evening. One Japanese reviewer flags that the KPS inner frame is deliberately tight, so go gently when you pull the arms off during the Psycho-Frame swap.
Technical highlights
The headline is the Psycho-Frame itself. Clear parts are cut with detail on the face, the sides and the back, so the light bounces around inside them instead of just sitting on the surface. A full second set is included in grey for the NT-D deactivated look, and because the kit is engineered as a bare body with the frame added on top, you can switch between the two after the build is finished without pulling the model apart. The Core Fighter is a separate model in its own right: it transforms, the canopy opens, the landing gear goes on and off, and it docks into the torso. Colour is moulded in throughout, the 60mm vulcans are separate parts, the face slits are opened up, and the twin eyes use 3D metallic stickers, a first for a Master Grade. The beam rifle rebuilds into the Jegan-type rifle by swapping parts, and its grip lifts out and clips into a tab in the palm so the hand actually locks onto it.
What makes this kit special
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Switch the Psycho-Frame whenever you like: clear for NT-D active, grey for inactive, changed on a finished model with nothing dismantled.
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A Core Fighter that really works: transforms between fighter and core block, opens, takes landing gear, and docks into the chest.
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Two rifles from one: parts-swap the beam rifle into the Jegan-type rifle it was built from, with two spare E-Paks.
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A grip that will not drop the gun: the rifle handle detaches, pegs into the palm, then reattaches, and two independent reviewers single this out.
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3D metallic stickers on the camera eyes: the first Master Grade to use them, and they catch light in a way a flat foil sticker does not.
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Two Jona Basta figures: one standing at 1/100, one seated for the Core Fighter cockpit.
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Cross-kit compatibility: the deactivated Psycho-Frame parts swap with the MG Unicorn Ver.Ka's.
What's in the box
- RX-9/C Narrative Gundam, snap-fit, with full inner frame
- Core Fighter with landing gear parts
- Psycho-Frame parts for C-Packs, activated (clear)
- Psycho-Frame parts for NT-D not activated (grey)
- Base body reproduction parts
- Beam rifle, plus reproduction parts for the Jegan-type rifle
- Two beam sabers with a rear-waist saber rack
- Shield with Psycho-Frame inserts
- Hand parts, fists and poseable pairs
- Two 1/100 Jona Basta figures, standing and seated
- 3D metallic sticker sheet
- Waterslide decal sheet
No display base is included.
Compatible accessories
No display base is included with the kit. For dynamic poses of the Narrative Gundam's Psycho-Frame, pair it with the Bandai Action Base 4, the standard 1/100 display stand. Open the lower hatch on the rear waist and the 3mm socket is underneath. The Core Fighter has its own 3mm hole in its belly if you want to fly that separately.
Build your Universal Century collection
The Narrative sits between the Unicorn era and what came after. These are the ones that share the shelf with it, and all of them are in stock now:
Build specifications
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Series: Mobile Suit Gundam NT (Narrative)
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Timeline: Universal Century
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Grade: Master Grade, Ver.Ka
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Scale: 1/100
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Mobile suit: RX-9/C Narrative Gundam, C Equipment
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Pilot: Jona Basta
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Designer: Katoki Hajime
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Manufacturer: Bandai, Japan
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First released: April 2024
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Built height: approximately 210 mm
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Kit packaged weight: approximately 1070 g, retail box approximately 39.2 x 31.2 x 11 cm
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Barcode: 4573102663085
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Skill level: Skill Level 3, rated 15 and over on the box
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Assembly method: snap-fit, nippers needed to remove parts from the runners
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Paint required: no, optional on small details
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Special features: selectable clear or grey Psycho-Frame, transforming and docking Core Fighter, parts-swap beam rifle, 3D metallic stickers, waterslide decals
Perfect for
- Universal Century collectors who want the machine that bridges Unicorn and Narrative
- Builders who like a gimmick they can keep playing with after the build is done
- Ver.Ka followers after the most recent entry in the line
- Anyone who enjoys a long, well-engineered build more than a quick one
- Decal and panel-line practitioners, since the waterslide sheet is generous
- Gift buyers looking for a substantial Master Grade rather than a starter kit
Fast Australian shipping
Dispatched same day from Brisbane if ordered before 2pm AEST on weekdays. Free shipping Australia-wide on orders over $199. Packed securely in a sturdy outer box with water-soluble cornstarch void fill that dissolves cleanly in the sink.
What to watch for
These are the points that came up repeatedly across independent builder reviews in English and Japanese, plus our own verified customer reviews.
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No display base is included. There is a 3mm socket under the rear waist hatch and another under the Core Fighter, but you supply the stand. Worth adding to the order if you want it airborne.
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The Psycho-Frame swap takes longer than you expect the first time. One reviewer timed it at about twenty minutes on the first pass, faster once you know the sequence. It gets quicker, it is just not a thirty-second job.
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One reviewer warns the KPS joints are tight by design. The arms have to come off during the swap and the connection shafts do not have much give. The same reviewer broke a small part on the shield frame during the changeover. Go slowly at that step.
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One reviewer found the nub mark positions awkward on an otherwise excellent kit, so a sharp pair of nippers and a sanding stick earn their place here.
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Waterslide decals, not stickers, for the markings. Better result, more patience needed. Setting solution helps.
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The shield is fixed to its own frame and comes off the arm using a joint part rather than lifting away, which catches people out the first time.
Builder tips. Build the bare body first and enjoy it in that state for a bit before you commit to a Psycho-Frame colour, because that is exactly what the engineering is inviting you to do. When you swap frames, work one limb at a time and support the joint with your other hand rather than levering. If you only panel line one thing, do the head, since the face slits are already open and the shadow reads properly. And leave the grip tab gimmick on the rifle rather than gluing it, because it is the reason the hand holds the gun so well.
Build notes
No glue needed. Bring nippers, a hobby knife, a sanding stick and tweezers for the decals. Most builders take two sittings. Rated 15 and over by Bandai. The kit builds body first, Psycho-Frame second, which means you can stop at the bare body, take photos, and carry on later.
Last updated: 29 July 2026 (AEST)
