Gundam Model Kits: Choose Your First Grade and Scale

Start your search for Gundam model kits with Entry Grade or High Grade if you want an approachable first project. Then choose a design you actually want on your shelf. A more involved grade can suit a patient beginner, but it helps to choose that extra work deliberately.

Before comparing boxes, decide what would make the first build satisfying: assembling a recognizable character, studying the mechanics, or making a display with a strong pose. Those goals lead to different choices. You do not need to pick the most elaborate kit to give the hobby a fair try.

Grade and scale answer different questions

Grade identifies a model line and gives you clues about its approach to construction. Scale expresses the model’s size relative to the subject it represents. Read both labels; a small scale does not automatically mean a simple build.

Bandai’s Gundam model-line overview separates its ranges by their features. Use the comparison below to narrow your search, then check the exact kit. The choice guidance is a starting point, not a difficulty guarantee for every release.

You can start with an MG if that is the model that interests you and you are comfortable learning gradually. For a first purchase made mainly to find out if you enjoy assembly, however, EG or HG is the more focused shortlist.

Measure the shelf and the pose

Scale comparisons work best when the subject stays the same. A representation at 1/100 is mathematically 1.44 times the linear size of the same subject at 1/144. That does not mean every MG is exactly 1.44 times taller than every HG: different machines have different proportions, and the kit’s stated dimensions still matter.

Measure the available height, width and depth of your display space. Then think about the pose you want. A raised weapon, extended wings or a display base can change the space you need. If a product page gives only the model’s standing height, do not treat that as the full footprint of a posed display.

Also decide where the unfinished project will rest. If your dining table needs to be clear each evening, plan somewhere to keep the instructions, parts and partially assembled sections together. That practical detail can matter more to your first purchase than moving up a grade.

Choose a finish goal before promising yourself a deadline

Bandai describes its model-kit construction as assembly without glue using molded colors. That is a useful introduction to the hobby, but consult the exact kit’s instructions for its requirements. A product photograph alone is not a checklist of included accessories or finishing steps.

For an initial goal, aim to assemble the model and understand how its parts fit. Painting and additional finishing can be separate decisions. Avoid choosing a kit around a promised number of hours: the time you want to spend studying diagrams or tidying the finish belongs in that decision too.

Bandai’s assembly guidance starts with checking the contents and reading the manual. Previewing the exact manual before buying, where available, can also help you judge whether the sequence looks inviting. Some Entry Grade kits allow parts to be removed by hand; that feature should be checked for the specific kit, not extended to every Gundam box.

Read the exact box details before buying

The Bandai HGBF #004 Build Gundam Mk-II kit illustrates the smaller-scale choice: its listing specifies 1/144 and required assembly. It also says the Action Base is sold separately. If a suspended pose is part of your plan, that accessory note belongs in your buying decision.

The Bandai MG Sengoku Astray Gundam kit is listed at 1/100 and also requires assembly. These are different subjects, so compare their stated scale and construction information without using the names alone to predict exact finished height or build time.

Keep the full kit name on your shortlist. A grade label helps you compare model lines, but the listing for that particular version is where you need to confirm assembly and accessories. For a first purchase, an appealing photograph should lead to that check before it leads to the cart.

Leave with a shortlist you can explain

As you browse MuncleMikes’ Bandai model kits, figures and accessories, keep three answers beside your shortlist: why you like the design, where the finished model will go, and what kind of building session you want. Check that the selected item is a complete model kit. When those answers fit the exact box, you have a reason to choose it.

For the next stage of the build, return to the Plastic Model Guides for related model-making guidance.

Questions before you choose

Is HG always easier than RG?

The lines give a useful starting point: HG is a sensible first shortlist, while RG emphasizes intricate mechanical detail at 1/144. The exact kit still matters. Compare its instructions and small parts with the kind of assembly you want to do.

Will every 1/144 Gundam fit the same display space?

No. The size of the fictional machine, its equipment and the pose all affect the finished footprint. Measure the shelf and allow space for anything extending beyond the standing model, including a base if you plan to use one.

Does a Gundam model kit need paint?

Many modern Bandai kits use molded colors and snap assembly, so building in the supplied colors is a practical first goal. Follow the specific kit’s instructions. Optional painting is a separate finishing project, not a requirement for enjoying the build.

Compare two actual model-kit choices

For the next part of your project, plan your first Gunpla session or read a Gunpla assembly diagram.