Gundam model
Encyclopedia
Gundam Models refers to plastic
and non-plastic model kits depicting the mecha
s, vehicles and characters of the fictional Mobile Suit Gundam
universe by Bandai
. These kits have become popular among anime
fans
and model enthusiasts, especially in Japan and in other nearby Asian countries since the 1980s. The popularity of Gundam models increased in the 1990s with North America and Europe being exposed to Gundam
through television
, video
and manga
. These Gundam Models are also called , a portmanteau of "Gundam plastic model". "Gunpla" more commonly refers to the practice of building Gundam models, rather than the models themselves.
Mobile Suit Gundam
debuted in 1979 and the first Gunpla kits came in 1980, following the show's cancellation. Nearly every mecha in the series was made into a model kit, from mobile suits to support aircraft and space battleships. Parts came in up to three different colored sprues. These kits lacked articulation and detail, and required glue and paint to build and finish.
Following the completion of the TV series line, Bandai introduced the MSV (Mobile Suit Variation) line, featuring alternate variants of the series' mobile suits. One of the highlights of the line was the RX-78 Perfect Gundam, which introduced System Injection (a process where one sprue—sometimes even one part—was molded in multiple colors), which minimized the need to paint the model.
Mid 1980s–1990s
Following a line of kits from the Round Vernian Vifam series, the 1985 Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam
kit line incorporated the use of polycaps (soft plastic, typically Polyethylene
) as connectors for better articulation of joints. The 1987 Gundam Sentinel
model line introduced the concept of snap-fit models, reducing the need to use glue. And starting from the 1988 Mobile Suit Gundam: Char's Counterattack
line, all Gunpla kits feature snap-fit assembly.
In 1990, Bandai introduced the High Grade (HG) line, which featured newer 1:144 scale versions the RX-78-2 Gundam, the RX-178 Gundam Mk. II, the MSZ-006 Zeta Gundam and the MSZ-010 ZZ Gundam. Each kit boasted exceptional detail and articulation, as well as features normally found in their larger-scale versions such as the Gundam's Core Block System and the Zeta's transformation feature.
Beginning with Mobile Suit Victory Gundam
in 1993, a unified set of polycap joints was created for smaller scale models that allowed easy mass production of models that all shared the same basic skeletal frame. This standardization allowed Bandai to release more models over a shorter period. As a result, the Gundam shows of the '90s usually received sizable 1:144 model lines. These were all of similar quality, with some attention to colors molded in the right area, a reasonable level of detail for their price point, and mobility as such that all major joints had at least some degree of mobility.
In 1995, the 1:100 Master Grade (MG) line was introduced. This line features more parts, better detail and improved articulation than past kits of the same scale. As of 2011, the MG line features the most sophisticated 1:100 Gundam model kits produced by Bandai.
Following the release of the Perfect Grade Evangelion
, Bandai introduced the 1:60 Perfect Grade (PG) line to the Gundam series in 1998. This line features extensive detail and articulation, as well as working skeletal systems and light-up features. The PG line is the most expensive among all Gunpla kits, and only a select few mobile suits have been released in this line.
To celebrate the 20th anniversary of the franchise in 1999, Bandai released 1:144 First Grade (FG) kits of mobile suits from the original series. Marketed as budget models, these snap-fit kits featured the simplicity of the original kits, but with more modern designs based upon the corresponding Perfect Grade kits.
2000s
Mobile Suit Gundam SEED
introduced a new type of a non-graded (NG) 1:144 model, with a completely different design plan. While these still feature snap-fit and color molding, they omit major joints, opting instead to only allow critical pieces to move—typically the neck, hips, shoulders, and feet. These are budget models, usually retailing much lower than other models; and this line was extensive, covering nearly every machine to be featured in the TV series. Gundam SEED also featured non graded 1:100 models, identical in quality to Bandai's High Grade offerings.
2010s
In 2010, Bandai released the 1:48 Mega Size Model RX-78-2 Gundam kit as part of the franchise's 30th anniversary campaign. This kit features many innovations that make it easy to assemble for first-time Gunpla collectors. For example, the parts are attached to sprue gates thin enough to break without the need to use of plastic cutters, and excess gate plastic can be removed from the parts without using a hobby knife. Some sprues have been designed to snap together for easy and quick removal of assembled parts. Also in the same year, Bandai introduced the 1:144 Real Grade (RG) line, which takes design elements from the MG line such as an inner skeletal frame. Bandai also released Ecopla, a series of HGUC and SD kits molded in black and made entirely out of recycled sprues.
In 2011, Bandai released the Entry Grade (EG) line, a low-cost model series similar to the 1:144 NG and FG lines and is sold only in parts of Asia. Unlike other kits of the same scale, all EG kits are made in China. Back in Japan, Bandai introduced the Advanced Grade (AG) line for Mobile Suit Gundam AGE
, a budget line that focuses more on the arrangement of colored parts; thus sacrificing more articulation than the previous budget lines.
, which has an exclusive license in manufacturing and marketing them around the world. The models are typical of Plastic model
s; sprues of injection-molded
Polystyrene
(PS) parts which must be cut out before assembly. The majority of post-1990 models have snap-fit parts, with models prior to that requiring an adhesive
such as plastic cement. Plastic Gundam models kits are typically supplied with stickers and sometimes waterslide decal
s to apply extra colors and markings as seen in popular media such as TV shows, movies, manga
or video games. Smaller or lower-grade kits often require paint to give the model a finished appearance, due to color discrepancies.
The kits range in different scales with the most popular scales
being: 1:550 , 1:220, 1:144, 1:100 and 1:60, and more recently the 1:48 Mega Size Model and 1:35 (UC HardGraph) lines. Generally in real world terms, kits range from 4~5 inches for small-scale models, 6 to 8 inches for mid-scale models, and 12 inches for big-scale models, although these sizes vary from model to model. With a few exceptions, all currently produced kits bear grade ratings that give a good idea about their final quality. The following lists the most well-known and common categories with humanoid
designs (very roughly) in their order of quality, from lowest to highest.
kits are often very easy to construct but offer very limited articulation and require paint and detailing to truly "finish" the kit. The most famous line is the BB Senshi (or "SD GUNDAM BB Warriors" in English). There are also separate product lines: for instance, Superior Defender Gundam Force
and Ganso SD Gundam (discontinued in the 1990s). Most kits of this line are from the Musha Gundam
series and the Knight Gundam series.
During the mid- to late-1980s, the quality of molding
improved and HG (High Grade) level kits were introduced in 1990, starting from the titular mobile suits of the first four TV series. These limited-run kits featured full snap-fit assembly, an "internal frame" (for the first two kits, which provides better range of motion and were more poseable), and utilized the molding technique known as System Injection, wherein multiple colors would be cast on the same part.
In 2010, RG (Real Grade) surpassed HG as the top-end series of the 1:144 Gunpla line. These kits feature extensive detail and articulation, as well as a poseable skeletal frame comparable to the 1:100 Master Grade kits. The first RG kit was the 1/144 RX-78-2 Gundam, followed by the 1/144 MS-06S Char's Zaku II, GAT-X105 Aile Strike, MS-06F Zaku II (Green), ZGMF-X10A Freedom, and FX-550 Skygrasper [Launcher/Sword Pack] . Additional releases in this line are planned through 2011.
Beginning with Victory Gundam in 1993, the HG line would shift to relatively well detailed larger scale kits in the 1:100 scale. There was little need for painting and detailing. These applied for the 1:100 scale models produced between 1993 and 1998, including Mobile Suit Victory Gundam
, Mobile Fighter G Gundam
, Mobile Suit Gundam Wing
, After War Gundam X
, and New Mobile Report: Gundam Wing Endless Waltz
. Each TV series would receive on average between six to eight models in this scale and grade.
Master Grade (MG) models were first introduced in the summer of 1995, designed and made to higher standards than most other models. These kits take much longer to construct and are often much more expensive than their lower-grade counterparts. More recent Master Grade plastic models typically feature a movable inner frame system which enables extensive movement and bending of joints. The popularity of this line was so great that a lot of old and new kits from non-graded series were cast as Master Grade models.
The vast majority of MG offerings are from Gundam, with the rest coming from mechas in Patlabor
and Dunbine
, as well as character figures of Dragon Ball Z, the Kamen Rider Series
, and One Piece
(under the name of MG Figurerise).
HardGraph does not primarily center around the humanoids of the Gundam universe. Rather, it centers on military things on a more conventional scale such as land vehicles, tanks and troops. However, some kits do include detailed to-scale mecha parts which are particularly useful for the creation of dioramas. For instance, the Anti-MS Squad kit includes an articulated lower Gundam arm.
A 1:400 scale model line is designed for large mobile armours and battle ships in the Gundam Collection line, which the line's ordinary mobile suits are figures, not models. Only extremely large units like Mobile Armours and Warships need assembly. These models are pre-coloured models, and the warships need minimal assembly. An earlier line of model, the High Grade Mechanics, with a scale of 1:550 held a similar function in introducing large mobile units, but the line only consist of 3 mobile units from 0083.
Another high-detail line is the EX model, in scales of 1:144 and 1:100 (non-humanoid units like aircraft) and 1:1600/1:1700 (spaceships), ranging from the Universal Century to Cosmic Era productions. This series is not Gundam-exclusive, having models from other series like some of the jet aircraft
from Sentō Yōsei Yukikaze and at least one aircraft from Ace Combat 5.
has also released some Gundam garage kit
under their branch, B-Club. These models are composed of unpainted resin
with no decals provided, often needing modification by the modeler due to the inherent properties of the manufacturing process. While comparably more expensive (some surpassing $400) compared to plastic kits, they offer an unparalleled level of detail for the dedicated and experienced model builder.
A few select kits have also appeared manufactured from metal. These kits are offered by several different manufacturers and most commonly will result in a finished model of about MG level.
These types of models (real detail) usually take days to build.
Gunpla kits. The lawsuit states that Bandai demands 3.69 million RMB
(roughly US$540,000) compensation from the companies.
Plastic
A plastic material is any of a wide range of synthetic or semi-synthetic organic solids used in the manufacture of industrial products. Plastics are typically polymers of high molecular mass, and may contain other substances to improve performance and/or reduce production costs...
and non-plastic model kits depicting the mecha
Mecha
A mech , is a science fiction term for a large walking bipedal tank or robot, including ones on treads and animal shapes.-Characteristics:...
s, vehicles and characters of the fictional Mobile Suit Gundam
Mobile Suit Gundam
is a televised anime series, created by Sunrise. Created and directed by Yoshiyuki Tomino, it premiered in Japan on Nagoya Broadcasting Network on April 7, 1979, and lasted until January 26, 1980, spanning 43 episodes...
universe by Bandai
Bandai
is a Japanese toy making and video game company, as well as the producer of a large number of plastic model kits. It is the world's third-largest producer of toys . Some ex-Bandai group companies produce anime and tokusatsu programs...
. These kits have become popular among anime
Anime
is the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
fans
Fan (person)
A Fan, sometimes also called aficionado or supporter, is a person with a liking and enthusiasm for something, such as a band or a sports team. Fans of a particular thing or person constitute its fanbase or fandom...
and model enthusiasts, especially in Japan and in other nearby Asian countries since the 1980s. The popularity of Gundam models increased in the 1990s with North America and Europe being exposed to Gundam
Gundam
The is a metaseries of anime created by Sunrise studios that features giant robots called "Mobile Suits" ; usually the protagonist's MS will carry the name Gundam....
through television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
, video
Video
Video is the technology of electronically capturing, recording, processing, storing, transmitting, and reconstructing a sequence of still images representing scenes in motion.- History :...
and manga
Manga
Manga is the Japanese word for "comics" and consists of comics and print cartoons . In the West, the term "manga" has been appropriated to refer specifically to comics created in Japan, or by Japanese authors, in the Japanese language and conforming to the style developed in Japan in the late 19th...
. These Gundam Models are also called , a portmanteau of "Gundam plastic model". "Gunpla" more commonly refers to the practice of building Gundam models, rather than the models themselves.
History
Late 1970s–1980sMobile Suit Gundam
Mobile Suit Gundam
is a televised anime series, created by Sunrise. Created and directed by Yoshiyuki Tomino, it premiered in Japan on Nagoya Broadcasting Network on April 7, 1979, and lasted until January 26, 1980, spanning 43 episodes...
debuted in 1979 and the first Gunpla kits came in 1980, following the show's cancellation. Nearly every mecha in the series was made into a model kit, from mobile suits to support aircraft and space battleships. Parts came in up to three different colored sprues. These kits lacked articulation and detail, and required glue and paint to build and finish.
Following the completion of the TV series line, Bandai introduced the MSV (Mobile Suit Variation) line, featuring alternate variants of the series' mobile suits. One of the highlights of the line was the RX-78 Perfect Gundam, which introduced System Injection (a process where one sprue—sometimes even one part—was molded in multiple colors), which minimized the need to paint the model.
Mid 1980s–1990s
Following a line of kits from the Round Vernian Vifam series, the 1985 Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam
Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam
is a television anime, part of the Gundam series and a sequel to the original Mobile Suit Gundam. The show was created and directed by Yoshiyuki Tomino, with character designs by Yoshikazu Yasuhiko, while the series' mechanical designs is split amongst Kunio Okawara, Mamoru Nagano, and Kazumi Fujita...
kit line incorporated the use of polycaps (soft plastic, typically Polyethylene
Polyethylene
Polyethylene or polythene is the most widely used plastic, with an annual production of approximately 80 million metric tons...
) as connectors for better articulation of joints. The 1987 Gundam Sentinel
Gundam Sentinel
is a novel set in the Universal Century timeline of the Gundam universe, originally serialized in Model Graphix magazine between September 1987 and August 1988. Gundam Sentinel became a cult hit, due to its super-detailed mechanical designs and an intricate story by veteran writer Masaya Takahashi...
model line introduced the concept of snap-fit models, reducing the need to use glue. And starting from the 1988 Mobile Suit Gundam: Char's Counterattack
Mobile Suit Gundam: Char's Counterattack
is a 1988 anime film set in Gundam's Universal Century timeline of Gundam, specifically U.C. 0093.Making its theatrical debut on March 12, 1988, Char's Counterattack is the culmination of the original saga begun in Mobile Suit Gundam and continued through Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam and Mobile Suit...
line, all Gunpla kits feature snap-fit assembly.
In 1990, Bandai introduced the High Grade (HG) line, which featured newer 1:144 scale versions the RX-78-2 Gundam, the RX-178 Gundam Mk. II, the MSZ-006 Zeta Gundam and the MSZ-010 ZZ Gundam. Each kit boasted exceptional detail and articulation, as well as features normally found in their larger-scale versions such as the Gundam's Core Block System and the Zeta's transformation feature.
Beginning with Mobile Suit Victory Gundam
Mobile Suit Victory Gundam
, is a 1993 Japanese science fiction anime television series. It consists of 51 episodes, and was directed by Gundam creator Yoshiyuki Tomino. The series was first broadcast on TV Asahi and later by the anime satellite television network, Animax, across Japan and later its respective networks...
in 1993, a unified set of polycap joints was created for smaller scale models that allowed easy mass production of models that all shared the same basic skeletal frame. This standardization allowed Bandai to release more models over a shorter period. As a result, the Gundam shows of the '90s usually received sizable 1:144 model lines. These were all of similar quality, with some attention to colors molded in the right area, a reasonable level of detail for their price point, and mobility as such that all major joints had at least some degree of mobility.
In 1995, the 1:100 Master Grade (MG) line was introduced. This line features more parts, better detail and improved articulation than past kits of the same scale. As of 2011, the MG line features the most sophisticated 1:100 Gundam model kits produced by Bandai.
Following the release of the Perfect Grade Evangelion
Neon Genesis Evangelion
, commonly referred to as Evangelion, is a commercially and critically successful Japanese anime series that began airing in October 1995. The series was highly influential, and launched the Neon Genesis Evangelion franchise. It garnered several major animation awards...
, Bandai introduced the 1:60 Perfect Grade (PG) line to the Gundam series in 1998. This line features extensive detail and articulation, as well as working skeletal systems and light-up features. The PG line is the most expensive among all Gunpla kits, and only a select few mobile suits have been released in this line.
To celebrate the 20th anniversary of the franchise in 1999, Bandai released 1:144 First Grade (FG) kits of mobile suits from the original series. Marketed as budget models, these snap-fit kits featured the simplicity of the original kits, but with more modern designs based upon the corresponding Perfect Grade kits.
2000s
Mobile Suit Gundam SEED
Mobile Suit Gundam SEED
is an anime series developed by Sunrise and directed by Mitsuo Fukuda. As with other series from the Gundam franchise, Gundam SEED takes place in a parallel timeline, in this case the Cosmic Era, the first to do so...
introduced a new type of a non-graded (NG) 1:144 model, with a completely different design plan. While these still feature snap-fit and color molding, they omit major joints, opting instead to only allow critical pieces to move—typically the neck, hips, shoulders, and feet. These are budget models, usually retailing much lower than other models; and this line was extensive, covering nearly every machine to be featured in the TV series. Gundam SEED also featured non graded 1:100 models, identical in quality to Bandai's High Grade offerings.
2010s
In 2010, Bandai released the 1:48 Mega Size Model RX-78-2 Gundam kit as part of the franchise's 30th anniversary campaign. This kit features many innovations that make it easy to assemble for first-time Gunpla collectors. For example, the parts are attached to sprue gates thin enough to break without the need to use of plastic cutters, and excess gate plastic can be removed from the parts without using a hobby knife. Some sprues have been designed to snap together for easy and quick removal of assembled parts. Also in the same year, Bandai introduced the 1:144 Real Grade (RG) line, which takes design elements from the MG line such as an inner skeletal frame. Bandai also released Ecopla, a series of HGUC and SD kits molded in black and made entirely out of recycled sprues.
In 2011, Bandai released the Entry Grade (EG) line, a low-cost model series similar to the 1:144 NG and FG lines and is sold only in parts of Asia. Unlike other kits of the same scale, all EG kits are made in China. Back in Japan, Bandai introduced the Advanced Grade (AG) line for Mobile Suit Gundam AGE
Mobile Suit Gundam AGE
is a 2011 Japanese science fiction anime television series and the twelfth incarnation of Sunrise's long-running Gundam franchise. The series is first announced in the July issue of Shogakukan's CoroCoro Comic, and has gaming company Level-5's President Akihiro Hino in charge of the story...
, a budget line that focuses more on the arrangement of colored parts; thus sacrificing more articulation than the previous budget lines.
Plastic
Plastic Gundam model kits are manufactured in Japan or China by BandaiBandai
is a Japanese toy making and video game company, as well as the producer of a large number of plastic model kits. It is the world's third-largest producer of toys . Some ex-Bandai group companies produce anime and tokusatsu programs...
, which has an exclusive license in manufacturing and marketing them around the world. The models are typical of Plastic model
Plastic model
thumb|300px||4-year-old boy starts painting a plastic model he has assembled of the South Goodwin LightshipPlastic models, often called scale models, are models manufactured as kits which are assembled by hobbyists, and intended for static display....
s; sprues of injection-molded
Injection moulding
Injection molding is a manufacturing process for producing parts from both thermoplastic and thermosetting plastic materials. Material is fed into a heated barrel, mixed, and forced into a mold cavity where it cools and hardens to the configuration of the cavity...
Polystyrene
Polystyrene
Polystyrene ) also known as Thermocole, abbreviated following ISO Standard PS, is an aromatic polymer made from the monomer styrene, a liquid hydrocarbon that is manufactured from petroleum by the chemical industry...
(PS) parts which must be cut out before assembly. The majority of post-1990 models have snap-fit parts, with models prior to that requiring an adhesive
Adhesive
An adhesive, or glue, is a mixture in a liquid or semi-liquid state that adheres or bonds items together. Adhesives may come from either natural or synthetic sources. The types of materials that can be bonded are vast but they are especially useful for bonding thin materials...
such as plastic cement. Plastic Gundam models kits are typically supplied with stickers and sometimes waterslide decal
Decal
A decal or transfer is a plastic, cloth, paper or ceramic substrate that has printed on it a pattern or image that can be moved to another surface upon contact, usually with the aid of heat or water. The word is short for decalcomania...
s to apply extra colors and markings as seen in popular media such as TV shows, movies, manga
Manga
Manga is the Japanese word for "comics" and consists of comics and print cartoons . In the West, the term "manga" has been appropriated to refer specifically to comics created in Japan, or by Japanese authors, in the Japanese language and conforming to the style developed in Japan in the late 19th...
or video games. Smaller or lower-grade kits often require paint to give the model a finished appearance, due to color discrepancies.
The kits range in different scales with the most popular scales
Scale (ratio)
The scale ratio of some sort of model which represents an original proportionally is the ratio of a linear dimension of the model to the same dimension of the original. Examples include a 3-dimensional scale model of a building or the scale drawings of the elevations or plans of a building. In such...
being: 1:550 , 1:220, 1:144, 1:100 and 1:60, and more recently the 1:48 Mega Size Model and 1:35 (UC HardGraph) lines. Generally in real world terms, kits range from 4~5 inches for small-scale models, 6 to 8 inches for mid-scale models, and 12 inches for big-scale models, although these sizes vary from model to model. With a few exceptions, all currently produced kits bear grade ratings that give a good idea about their final quality. The following lists the most well-known and common categories with humanoid
Humanoid
A humanoid is something that has an appearance resembling a human being. The term first appeared in 1912 to refer to fossils which were morphologically similar to, but not identical with, those of the human skeleton. Although this usage was common in the sciences for much of the 20th century, it...
designs (very roughly) in their order of quality, from lowest to highest.
Super Deformed
Not based on any particular scale, the super-deformed style features comically-proportioned models, the most noticeable features of which are their very large heads. Super Deformed GundamSuper Deformed Gundam
is a series that spawned from the Gundam series. This series takes the mobile weapons and characters and express them in super deformed style.-Origins:...
kits are often very easy to construct but offer very limited articulation and require paint and detailing to truly "finish" the kit. The most famous line is the BB Senshi (or "SD GUNDAM BB Warriors" in English). There are also separate product lines: for instance, Superior Defender Gundam Force
Superior Defender Gundam Force
is a Japanese anime series. The scenario was created by Yūichi Abe.-Overview:A Japan/America co-production, SD Gundam Force initially aired on Cartoon Network in the U.S...
and Ganso SD Gundam (discontinued in the 1990s). Most kits of this line are from the Musha Gundam
Musha Gundam
are Gundam units modelled after samurai, ninja, or other forms of feudal Japanese warriors. Inheriting the base SD Gundam design, typical design element include changing beam sabre into katana, sheath that act as a gun, removable armour suits...
series and the Knight Gundam series.
1:144 scale
The very first kits have been running for 30 years (starting with RX-78-2 Gundam) and are routinely re-released by Bandai. As these kits are limited in articulation and require glue (for the early kits) and paint to assemble, these have retroactively been categorized as NG (No Grade), to differentiate them from FG (First Grade).During the mid- to late-1980s, the quality of molding
Molding (process)
Molding or moulding is the process of manufacturing by shaping pliable raw material using a rigid frame or model called a pattern....
improved and HG (High Grade) level kits were introduced in 1990, starting from the titular mobile suits of the first four TV series. These limited-run kits featured full snap-fit assembly, an "internal frame" (for the first two kits, which provides better range of motion and were more poseable), and utilized the molding technique known as System Injection, wherein multiple colors would be cast on the same part.
In 2010, RG (Real Grade) surpassed HG as the top-end series of the 1:144 Gunpla line. These kits feature extensive detail and articulation, as well as a poseable skeletal frame comparable to the 1:100 Master Grade kits. The first RG kit was the 1/144 RX-78-2 Gundam, followed by the 1/144 MS-06S Char's Zaku II, GAT-X105 Aile Strike, MS-06F Zaku II (Green), ZGMF-X10A Freedom, and FX-550 Skygrasper [Launcher/Sword Pack] . Additional releases in this line are planned through 2011.
1:100 scale
Just like the 1:144 scale model kits, these kits started about the same time with the very first 1:144 model kits, again starting from RX-78-2 Gundam. "Generic" 1:100 kits may also be called "No-Grade" (NG 1:100) to differentiate from other specific 1:100 kits. Later kits (from Turn-A Gundam onwards) are clearly inspired from the post-HG 1:100 kits and features a similar (or greater) level of quality and detail.Beginning with Victory Gundam in 1993, the HG line would shift to relatively well detailed larger scale kits in the 1:100 scale. There was little need for painting and detailing. These applied for the 1:100 scale models produced between 1993 and 1998, including Mobile Suit Victory Gundam
Mobile Suit Victory Gundam
, is a 1993 Japanese science fiction anime television series. It consists of 51 episodes, and was directed by Gundam creator Yoshiyuki Tomino. The series was first broadcast on TV Asahi and later by the anime satellite television network, Animax, across Japan and later its respective networks...
, Mobile Fighter G Gundam
Mobile Fighter G Gundam
Mobile Fighter G Gundam, known in Japan as , is a Japanese animated television series directed by Yasuhiro Imagawa . Created to commemorate the 15th anniversary of the franchise in 1994, it is the first of the Gundam series to be set in an alternate continuity from the original "Universal Century"...
, Mobile Suit Gundam Wing
Mobile Suit Gundam Wing
Mobile Suit Gundam Wing, known in Japan as , is an anime series in the mecha genre, and is one of the alternate universe Gundam series, taking place in the After Colony timeline. It is the second alternate universe in the Gundam media franchise, following Mobile Fighter G Gundam...
, After War Gundam X
After War Gundam X
After War Gundam X, known in Japan as , is an anime television series from Japan. It is a part of the Gundam franchise that started in 1979, but takes place in an alternate universe called After War Era. The series has 39 episodes, aired in Japan from April 5, 1996 to December 28, 1996 across TV...
, and New Mobile Report: Gundam Wing Endless Waltz
Gundam Wing: Endless Waltz
Gundam Wing: Endless Waltz, known in Japan as , is the sequel to Mobile Suit Gundam Wing, both of which are set in the After Colony timeline, an alternate universe to that of the original Gundam series...
. Each TV series would receive on average between six to eight models in this scale and grade.
The vast majority of MG offerings are from Gundam, with the rest coming from mechas in Patlabor
Patlabor
Patlabor also known as , is an anime and manga franchise created by Headgear, a group consisting of director Mamoru Oshii, writer Kazunori Itō, mecha designer Yutaka Izubuchi, character designer Akemi Takada, and manga artist Masami Yūki.The popular franchise included a manga, a TV series, two OVA...
and Dunbine
Aura Battler Dunbine
is an anime television series created by Yoshiyuki Tomino and produced by Sunrise Studios.Dunbine is set in Byston Well, a parallel world that resembles the countryside of medieval Europe with kingdoms ruled by monarchs in castles, armies of unicorn-riding cavalry armed with swords and crossbows,...
, as well as character figures of Dragon Ball Z, the Kamen Rider Series
Kamen Rider Series
The is a metaseries of manga and tokusatsu television programs and films created by manga artist Shotaro Ishinomori. The various Kamen Rider media generally feature a motorcycle-riding superhero with an insect motif who fights supervillains often referred to as...
, and One Piece
One Piece
is a Japanese shōnen manga series written and illustrated by Eiichiro Oda. It has been serialized in Weekly Shōnen Jump since August 4, 1997; the individual chapters are being published in tankōbon volumes by Shueisha, with the first released on December 24, 1997, and the 64th volume released as...
(under the name of MG Figurerise).
1:60 scale
Bandai released 1:60 scale versions of the main mecha of major TV series. These are Non-Grade or TV-Grade models, and are the main line of the 1:60 scale kits. Early 1:60 kits, like other scales, were simply larger versions of the smaller scales. In the early to mid 1990s, three High Grade EX models of V2 Gundam, Shining Gundam and God Gundam were released, featuring more details and gimmicks than their smaller counterparts. Bandai also created a much more detailed series of figures called Perfect Grade (PG). These kits come in standard 1:60 scale but are superbly detailed in terms of color and its inner frame, as well as normally possessing more points of articulation, such as hands that articulate at the knuckles. Perfect Grade kits were mainly used for developing new plastic model technologies, a function currently taken over by the Master Grade series, and typically need a few years to develop each kit.1:48 scale
Bandai released the 1:48 Mega Size Model line in 2009 to commemorate the 30th anniversary of Mobile Suit Gundam. Available in three models - the RX-78-2 Gundam, the MS-06C Zaku II and the MS-06S Char's Zaku II, these kits are essentially larger versions of their 1:144 HGUC counterparts, but priced much lower than the 1:60 PG line.1:35 scale
Universal CenturyUniversal Century
is the original timeline of the Gundam anime metaseries. The official English name U.C. is often used instead in recent production like MS Igloo and Master Grade model instructions and official pages is the original timeline of the Gundam anime metaseries. The official English name U.C....
HardGraph does not primarily center around the humanoids of the Gundam universe. Rather, it centers on military things on a more conventional scale such as land vehicles, tanks and troops. However, some kits do include detailed to-scale mecha parts which are particularly useful for the creation of dioramas. For instance, the Anti-MS Squad kit includes an articulated lower Gundam arm.
Other/Mixed Scales
There are other, less common scales, like the Mega Grade's 1:48, the Speed Grade's 1:200.A 1:400 scale model line is designed for large mobile armours and battle ships in the Gundam Collection line, which the line's ordinary mobile suits are figures, not models. Only extremely large units like Mobile Armours and Warships need assembly. These models are pre-coloured models, and the warships need minimal assembly. An earlier line of model, the High Grade Mechanics, with a scale of 1:550 held a similar function in introducing large mobile units, but the line only consist of 3 mobile units from 0083.
Another high-detail line is the EX model, in scales of 1:144 and 1:100 (non-humanoid units like aircraft) and 1:1600/1:1700 (spaceships), ranging from the Universal Century to Cosmic Era productions. This series is not Gundam-exclusive, having models from other series like some of the jet aircraft
Jet aircraft
A jet aircraft is an aircraft propelled by jet engines. Jet aircraft generally fly much faster than propeller-powered aircraft and at higher altitudes – as high as . At these altitudes, jet engines achieve maximum efficiency over long distances. The engines in propeller-powered aircraft...
from Sentō Yōsei Yukikaze and at least one aircraft from Ace Combat 5.
Special Editions
Over the years, Bandai released special limited editions of various kits, usually as competition (such as the yearly Bandai Action Kits Asia (now Universal) Cup held in Hong Kong) prizes, or as an event-limited (such as Japanese toy expos, movie launch premieres) item, although sometimes these kits are sold as limited web-shop items or discreetly sold by Bandai. These kits usually come in clear plastic, metal-plated (certain kits are in so-called 24-k gold finish), "gloss-finish", "pearl-finish", "titanium-finish", or any combination of these. Their prices are usually much higher than their regular-release counterparts.Non Plastic
BandaiBandai
is a Japanese toy making and video game company, as well as the producer of a large number of plastic model kits. It is the world's third-largest producer of toys . Some ex-Bandai group companies produce anime and tokusatsu programs...
has also released some Gundam garage kit
Garage kit
A garage kit or resin kit is an assembly scale model kit most commonly cast in polyurethane resin. They are often figures portraying humans or other living creatures. In Japan, kits often depict anime characters, and in the United States depictions of movie monsters are common...
under their branch, B-Club. These models are composed of unpainted resin
Resin
Resin in the most specific use of the term is a hydrocarbon secretion of many plants, particularly coniferous trees. Resins are valued for their chemical properties and associated uses, such as the production of varnishes, adhesives, and food glazing agents; as an important source of raw materials...
with no decals provided, often needing modification by the modeler due to the inherent properties of the manufacturing process. While comparably more expensive (some surpassing $400) compared to plastic kits, they offer an unparalleled level of detail for the dedicated and experienced model builder.
A few select kits have also appeared manufactured from metal. These kits are offered by several different manufacturers and most commonly will result in a finished model of about MG level.
These types of models (real detail) usually take days to build.
For display only
For trade shows and toy fairs, Bandai displays some extremely large models in 1:6 or 1:12 scale. True to the scaling, some of these models are well over 5 feet (1.50 m) tall. Although most of these are one off promotional models used for display purposes, Bandai has produced a few of these for commercial purposes under their HY2M line. Notably, these are MS-06S "Zaku II Commander Type" (Char Aznable custom), which is now out of production, and the RX-78-2 "Gundam". These generally retail for approximately $2,000 and are intended to be sold primarily to store owners as display fronts.Chinese copy controversy
On April 2010, Bandai sued two Chinese toy manufacturers for manufacturing and selling counterfeitCounterfeit consumer goods
Counterfeit consumer goods, commonly called knock-offs, are counterfeit or imitation products offered for sale. The spread of counterfeit goods has become global in recent years and the range of goods subject to infringement has increased significantly...
Gunpla kits. The lawsuit states that Bandai demands 3.69 million RMB
Renminbi
The Renminbi is the official currency of the People's Republic of China . Renminbi is legal tender in mainland China, but not in Hong Kong or Macau. It is issued by the People's Bank of China, the monetary authority of the PRC...
(roughly US$540,000) compensation from the companies.