Gundam Models

Bandai is the official company for Gundam kits. Lots of "alternative" versions around. But most of those greatly differs in quality. So, I recommend original Bandai kits if you want value for money and less frustration with flash and stuffs. Although if you're in US...it'll be pretty steep.

With the exeption of the garage kits Bandai is it for Gundam kits. Within the Bandai line there are several "grades".

At the bottom are the No Grade kits. These usually have little articulation and are quickie snap together kits. They are 1:144 scale (usually). They're also rather cheap.

Then you get into the High Grade, which feature articulation and are 1:144 scale.

HGUC, or High Grade Universal Century are a finer version of the HG kits with (again) more moving parts.

The come Master Grade. 1:100 scale, lotsa parts, way fun. Also starts to get pricy.

Perfect Grade is the best Bandai produces. At 1:60 scale they are big hurking kits with a price tag to match.

You will also find a number of older Bandai Gundam kits still being made which usually have no "grading" on the boxes. They're good kits and can often be found at a discount.

Then there's the chinese kits. When molds start to show wear Bandai sells them off to Chinese companies who then run out a coupla million more kits that techically are to be only sold in China. Thanks to the internet (and eBay) this isn't always true. Are they cheap knock-offs? Well that depends on the kit.

There are three usual scales: the big 1/60's are usually close to $200. There are 1/100's which have greater range of subjects since there probably aren't more than 25 different 1/60's out there. What I mean is: shopping for 1/60's is a rather short venture because there isn't a whole lot to find. The 1/100's are fairly low priced compared to 1/60's. Then there are the 1/144's which are the 5 inch tall ones. The 1/144's are in the $10 to $30 range, and almost every Gundam imaginable can be found in 1/144 scale.

The new High Grade 1/144's from Gundam Seed are such incredibly nice models to be only about 5 or 6 inches tall. Everything HG by Bandai is great, but I wanted to point out that it applies to those little ones too.

Gundam models is a vast subject. There are older models of extremely high quality, newer ones with the HG, MG and PG grading system.

frell, forgot to add one thing.

If you're curious as to what the heck a "Kampfer" or "Dendrobium" is head over to http://www.mahq.net/mecha/gundam/index.htm

I'm actually going back to Japan and then Taiwan this summer and I'll probably pick-up some kits there. The specific model my friend requested - I'm going to quoate him on this - is: "The biggest HeavyArms there is". I know there are at least three different versions of HeavyArms (original, improved, and a conversion). It seems like the 1/60's are a tad bit too expensive for beginners, so I'll probably stick to 1/100.

Oh and one more thing, do any of these "kits" require paints or glue? It would be best if they did.....

biggest Heavyarms...tat'll be the 1/100 scale. And it's a HG version. and that itself has 3 versions, which you pointed out...tat's the original, improved (both fr the series) and the Custom (fr the OVA movie). I personally prefer the Custom version. looks more aggresive and way cooler.

painting the kit will definitely improve the overall look. all gundam kits are snapfits but once again, glueing it will make it better.

QUOTE: Originally posted by davelcm I personally prefer the Custom version. looks more aggresive and way cooler.

Yeah I must agree the Custom has a much cooler design and the change in colour was great! I checked out a few sites and it seems the 1/100 Heavyarms Custom stands at 31.0 cm (12.21in.) in height. I had hoped it was at least 40 cm (15.75in.) in height but I guess this will have to do! Thanks for all the info guys.

um... Heavyarms only has two...

The origional Heavy Arms never got a 1/100 kit (Besides resin ) The Endless Waltz one does have a 1/100, and is also much cooler looking

There is a thrid Heavyarms, but it's resin only... (The Katoki re-design )

All Bandai kits are snap together, and molded in color, so no worries about painting or glue (well, some small parts don't like staying in place... Nothing major, not sure if that kit has any problems.. )

Also, MAKE SURE it says Bandai on the box, otherwise it's a bootleg (Examples: Ben Di, 1/100 Scale ect are not Bandai, obviously... )

My brother models Gundams. Myself, I have no interest, preferring the Macross series. Anyway, I think the HG line are the "best" models types for the Gundams.

I took a break from building armour and bought a few Gundam kits to try out. Kept my fingers crossed that there would be some english translation in the instructions but ......

Anyway, it would be a great if anyone can explain what those instruction diagrams ( cut, repeat, etc) means.

Thanks in advance.

Master Grade Bandai 1/100 Gundams are nice but the newer the model year the better the kit quality. In resin the FSS series kicks butt. It also takes some serious modeling skill to build and paint along with some serious cash to acquire.

QUOTE: Originally posted by Swanny Master Grade Bandai 1/100 Gundams are nice but the newer the model year the better the kit quality. In resin the FSS series kicks butt. It also takes some serious modeling skill to build and paint along with some serious cash to acquire.

FSS and the resin Dunbine kits and you have a winner there :p

Some Super Robots look cool, too (Mazinger ect... )

If someone will know. It will be F91.. Ask him....

Chris in Japan

QUOTE: Originally posted by kylwell frell, forgot to add one thing. If you're curious as to what the heck a "Kampfer" or "Dendrobium" is head over to http://www.mahq.net/mecha/gundam/index.htm

Yeah i build Gundams (obviously ) and I keep that site saved in my favorites. If your frien likes the Heavy arms he will also love both versions of the Gundam Leoopard from the series Gundam X. Though i have never seen the series (I live in the US) I do have 3 of the Gundam Leopard kits (One of which is the 1:00 HG original Leopard) and one of the 1:44 original Heavy Arms. Big bot with big guns can't be beat! You can often find a lot of the 1:100 scale kits for around $20 at House of Anime...

I can vouch for HOA, they're awesome! (and in person, too... $22 for one of the new Seed D Zakus, tell me that's not great! )

hoaoutlet.com is their site

I've built the Master Grade Zaku-II AND Nu Gundam, but there expensive.

Well, Amazon.com has MG kits for $10-$20

Even had the PG Wing Zero Custom for $20.... needless to say, that didn't last long....

Just matters where you buy the kits for how expensive they are...

If you want large quality kit and I mean big like in 1/35 and 1/48 and also 1/60 scale,but they
are in the 300$ to 2500$,you can get these models from G-System Models.Here is there website,WWW.G-SYSTEM-SHOP.COM

Yup, I know all about those huge kits

(Bandai had some huge plastic RX-78-2s and Zakus, probably can still find them if you look hard enough )

Though the reason G-Sys is so expensive is because it's resin, there's a huge difference between resin and plastic, although I'm still not sure why it's so expensive (I'm sure someone does )

The most I ever spent on a single kit was a resin kit at $70 or so... (which was really about half of what said kit should have cost, and it was an origional also... )

I'm sure I'll get atleast one 1/72 resin Gundam to go with my jet kits (I like to have things in scale ) or 1/48....

the 1/35 EX-S was around $1000, too... Awesome kit though, but just a bit too big for my tastes... and room

QUOTE: Originally posted by Akuma I can vouch for HOA, they're awesome! (and in person, too... $22 for one of the new Seed D Zakus, tell me that's not great! ) hoaoutlet.com is their site

Yeah I have bought from them in person as well on seveal occasions at an Anime convention in Atlanta. I buy at least one kit from them every time I go. I will be paying their table a visit again this summer!

QUOTE: Originally posted by MartianGundamModeler QUOTE: Originally posted by Akuma I can vouch for HOA, they're awesome! (and in person, too... $22 for one of the new Seed D Zakus, tell me that's not great! ) hoaoutlet.com is their site Yeah I have bought from them in person as well on seveal occasions at an Anime convention in Atlanta. I buy at least one kit from them every time I go. I will be paying their table a visit again this summer!

You don't mean AWA, do you? Damn.... we don't have the money to go -__- (I've got a bunch of people it Atlanta I need to meet, too... )

Sure as heck do! I have entered ther model contest for the past 3-4 years. i didn't get to last year. Year before last I did a Lupin dio with lights and sounds! A freind of mine just shot me an e-mail a few mins ago to ask was I going!LOL
My first trophy at AWA was for a 1:44 original gundam Heavy arms with missiles firing. I won "Most Original Concept". In fact at the versame convcention i also won Best Comedy piece becasue i kit bashed a Gundam Ashtron into "Marvin the Martian". A Martian Gundam. That explains why my name is "Martian Gundam Modeler".lol

Dude, I need to start saving for next year... I'd love to meet ya ^__^

Course, then I'd have some competition.... Ah well :p All part of the fun, right? ^__^

MartianGundamModeler, can we see some pics of your award winning models? i've been ignoring my unbuilt gundam kits (I build armor for the most part) so I need some inspiration!

If anyone is looking for some cheap Gundam models, I have a heap to get rid of.. They are built, but as they are Bandai models, can be pulled apart and re-done.. I am happy to let them go at a half the cost I paid+ postage.. I have...

1/144...
Mobile Suit GuAIZ Model Kit $2
Force Impulse Gundam$2
Zaku Warrior (Green)$2
Zaku Warrior (Red)$2
Phantom Zaku (White, Purple)$2

1/144 HG
HG Aile Strike Gundam..$5
HG Freedom Gundam..$7
HG Dreadnought Gundam..$5
HG GINN Type High Meneuver$7
HG Mobile CGue Gundam HG$5
HG Miguels Mobile GINN$5

1/100 HG
Aile Strike Gundam..$12
Blitz Gundam..$10

You can see some of them here..
http://groups.msn.com/ChrisinJapan2004/shoebox.msnw

They are all not on that site. But a few...

PM me, if interested... I have more, but cant think of them off the top of my head...

Chris in japan

I've got one of the older MG RX-78-2 Gundams sitting around; I still have to strip off the old, uneven handbrushed paint job from some of the parts before doing a proper one.

As for ones to get in the future, I've got my eye on the MG GM Sniper. I love the look of it--very basic and military-looking; it's just begging for a camouflage paint scheme. Though I'd also like to get my hands on that behemoth 1/144 Dendrobium.

I really like the Mater Grade series of kits over anything else. I built several HGUC ones and the assembly was nice and easy. the HGUC series has a lot of kits that were never realized before as models. Anyway, if you want all hit and go type of mechas, i'd recommend the MG MS-18 Kampfer in 1/100. The older 1/144 one was crap. The design for that actually makes the machine look so aerodynamic and the firepower it packs were just incredible to a rather realistic sense. It has two bazookas lodged on the backpack sticking above its shoulders, two panzer fausts on the knees, and has two close range shotguns. The stance itself overall just look downright MEAN. anyway it took out 5 or 6 GMs before getting its ****** kicked by the Gundam RX78-NT1 Alex. [alrite, i got too much into it. =P]

For a clean assembly the newer Master Grade RX79[G] ground type gundam is recommanded as the armors are casted in one piece so you don't have to do any filling at all. Same applies to the GM and RX79[G]-EZ8.

Working on the old 1:100 Nu Gundam. So far I've made two modifications: One was to add weight to the feet (buckshot works wonders! ), and the other was to modify the assembly of the upper and lower chest so that I can build them seperatly, and then assemble them together later to make painting easy.

So far this ought to look good.

You can get Gundam Models cheap on ebay. I am currently working on the MG 1/100 Zeong. I paid $33 for it and the price sticker on the box says $87. It's a great kit with no flash and very small parting lines. Everything is molded in color and there is no painting or gluing required, of course I'm going to paint everything and glue everything else. I made a bunch of custom paint colors for it using MM enamels.