Gunpla History and Variation Models

byOm3ga062012 •
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Gunpla (Gundam + Plastic Model)  is the common name for plastic models of Mobile Suits, Mobile Armor and other robots or battleships that appear on the "Mobile Suit Gundam" anime series.

Image credit: Wikipedia

Over 473 million Gunpla models have been sold in the past 37 years since the first released gunpla in 1980.

In 1979 the first Gundam toys which produced by Clover did not sell well at that time. Even though they were fully assembled and ready for play, because their target market were only children.

Until a year later, Bandai obtained the rights to produce models based an the Gundam franchise. Bandai design their toys as plastic kits that needs to be assembled, just like military vehicle toys.

Bandai strategy more successful than Clover, because their new design more appealing to the teenagers and adult consumers which more typical of Mobile Suit Gundam anime series fans.

Gunpla models are now made domestically in Japan from planning & development to production at the Bandai Hobby Center in "Hobby City Shizuoka" in order to maintain high quality and accurately meet market demand while ensuring uniformity in design.

Size comparison gunpla model kits. Image credit: Quora


Gunpla Variation Models
  • First Grade (FG)
Image credit: Gundam Wiki

First release: 1980
Scale: 1:100
The original line of Gundam models with limited articulation, and some parts require glue to assemble





  • High Grade (HG)
Image credit: Gundam Wiki
First release: 1990
Scale: 1:144
Size: approximately 13 cm
Number of parts: 150+
Japan Price: 1,000-2,000 JPY
A collectable series featuring a broad lineup of easy to assemble kits


  • Master Grade (MG)
Image credit: Gundam Wiki
First release: 1995
Scale: 1:100
Size: approximately 18 cm
Number of parts: 260+
Japan Price: 3,000-5,000 JPY
Precise details and gimmicks in 1:100 scale. With best proportion and details realized along with the wide movability and docking gimmicks.

  • Perfect Grade (PG)
Image credit: Gundam Wiki
First release: 1998
Scale: 1:60
Size: approximately 30 cm
                                                  Number of parts: 510+
                                                  Japan Price: 12,000-25,000 JPY
  Embodies the ultimate form of gunpla with much more details inner frames and mechanics

  • Mega-size Model
Image credit: Gundam Wiki
First release: 2009
Scale: 1:48
Size: approximately 38 cm
Number of parts: 220+
Japan Price: 7,880-8,800 JPY
Huge size gunpla with big piece of parts and easy to assemble




  • Real Grade (RG)
Image credit: Gundam Wiki
     First release: 2010
     Scale: 1:144
     Size: approximately 13 cm
     Number of parts: 250+
     Japan Price: 2,500-3,000 JPY
     The size same as High Grade (HG) models however the design more                                                               details with pre-built inner frames.

  • Reborn One Hundred (RE/100)
Image credit: Gundam Wiki
     First release: 2014
     Scale: 1:100
     Size: approximately 18-30 cm
     Number of parts: 280+
     Japan Price: 3,500-8,000 JPY
     Sharp design equal to the quality of  Master Grade (MG) model. However these kits are not as complex as the MG line, and most of the RE/100 kits do not have a full inner frame. 

            
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