What is Gundam?

So in this entry, the question about the character that gunpla take on which is gundam will be further explain in this entry and its kinda a recap for the subjects actually. Enjoy your reading ^.^

Rx-78-2 Head Unit

Gundam (ガンダム) is a metaseries of Japanese anime created by Sunrise studios that features giant robots (or “mecha”) called “Gundam”. The metaseries started in April 7, 1979 as a serial TV show called Mobile Suit Gundam. That first TV series has since spawned a franchise that has come to include works released in numerous media. Titles have appeared in the form of multiple television series and OVAs, movies, manga, novels and video games, among other modes. The story from the original 1979 series has been considerably extended with sequels, prequels, side stories and alternate timelines. As a result, the title “Gundam” has become a collective term for the seven distinct but related timelines that can be pieced together from the stories that appear in the Gundam franchise. Generally speaking, the timelines do not intersect, but they do contain a few common elements such as the titular war machines called Gundam. However, all Gundam timelines/worlds long after their own anime series will eventually intersect and combine back to one in the series Turn A Gundam.

Design of Rx-178 Gundam Mk-II

The original timeline for the Gundam series was the Universal Century (UC) series, which included Mobile Suit Gundam (1979) and Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam (1985). Since the 1990s, alternative timelines have been produced and developed, including the Future Century, After Colony, After War, Correct Century, Cosmic Era and Anno Domini timelines.

As of January 21, 2008, the Gundam franchise is a 50 billion yen trademark. In the 2008 ranking of average sales figures for anime copies sold in Japan (1970-2008 total sales figures averaged by episode), Gundam series were in 4 of the top 5 places: Mobile Suit Gundam ranked second, with Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Destiny third, Mobile Suit Gundam SEED fourth, and Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam fifth. Also, Mobile Suit Gundam Wing ranked 18th and Mobile Suit Gundam ZZ ranked 20th. Gunpla’s (Gundam Plastic model) holds 90% of the Japan character plastic model market.

Academic fields in Japan have also viewed the series as a good inspiration in research fields, with the Gundam academy (or officially International Gundam Society) being the first academic institution based on an animated TV series.

Design of Rx-178 Gundam Mk-II

Mobile Suit Gundam is said to have pioneered the real robot era of mecha anime.

Unlike its super robot cousins, Gundam attempted a realism in the robot design and weaponry, by running out of energy and ammunition or breaking and malfunctioning. The technology is practical and is either derived from true science (such as Lagrange points in space and the O’Neill cylinder as a living environment) or at least well-explained, feasible technology, requiring only a few fictional elements to function (such as Minovsky Physics as a means of energy production from helium-3).

The necessity of developing humanoid robots is also explained, albeit fictional. The fictional Minovsky particle pervasive in Universal Century is depicted as interfering with radar-guided long-distance cruise missiles, anti-aircraft guns, missiles, and all early warning systems, with weapons systems having to rely on human eyes. In Universal Century, the space-based Principality of Zeon rebels against Earth Federation, requiring a weapons system that could function in zero and normal gravity, be able to open and close air locks, plant demolition charges, and engage with enemy tanks and planes; with a robotic giant being an excellent choice. Once mobile suits have been developed by one side, the opposing force had to develop a similar system, just as British invention of tanks lead to the development of tanks in Germany, and eventually lead to tank-to-tank battles.

Gundam’s realistic scientific setting has gained a reputation in the field itself as well. On July 18, 2007, when MIT’s Astronautics Department’s Professor Dava Newman displayed a biosuit, the suit was referenced as Mobile Suit Gundam’s Normal Suit is now real by various news agencies. On February 14, 2008, when NASA proposed research into nuclear thermal rockets, Technobahn, a scientific journal in Japan, referred to the usage of nuclear thermal rocket engines on mobile suits in the Gundam universe.

You can also check this site for more info's => What is Gundam?

Online Shop for Gunpla

Most modeler shops for their gunpla need online, go just get go from the nearest hobby shop. In this entry, I will enlisted the popular online gunpla purchasing sites which is most preferred by modeler to buy their needs for their gunpla built:

Gundam Toy Shop - Online Gundam model kits store promise to fulfil model kits & Gundam toys list from Bandai on our website for our supportive fans & customers. Provide great experience for our fans all things about Gunpla (ガンプラ) @ Gundam plasticMobile Suit Playset, news & updates related. Best place to get art hobby tool kits, Model Kits and hangout at our Gundam store. Tamiya Store for plastic and resin kits and accessories for the modeller.

Gunpla Planet - Gundam Planet is a growing team of specialists who are all extremely passionate about the plastic model kits with regard to their collecting and professional constructing. Our goal is to eventually complete a perfect Gundam catalog on our website for Gundam fans, and that is also our commitment. Gundam Planet wants to share every precious experience with all of you in all things plastic model related, and we promise to deliver our great products to you from the office in New Jersey.

Gundam Store and More - Welcome to the page that should answer most, if not all, of the questions you may have about practically every topic we could imagine. We might have gone a wee bit overboard, but we’ve tried to list everything we could think of to help you. If your answer isn’t here, though, please don’t hesitate to click our Live Chat link during chat hours, give us a call toll-free at 1-877-4-GUNDAM.

Reference

References

Building your first gundam. (2014, August 22). Retrieved from Eviscerate: http://www.eviscerate.net/book/export/html/53

Choo, D. (2005, October 18). Gundam Modeling Tutorial. Retrieved from Culture Japan: http://www.dannychoo.com/en/post/213/Gundam+Modeling+Tutorial.html

Gundam Planet Catalogue. (2014, August 22). Retrieved from Gundam Planet: http://www.gundamplanet.com/

Gundam Store and More. (2014, August 22). Retrieved from Gundam Store and More: http://www.gundamstoreandmore.com/

Gunpla. (2009, February 14). Retrieved from Gundam Wiki: http://gundam.wikia.com/wiki/Gunpla

Gunpla Grade and Scale 101. (2014, May 4). Retrieved from Gunpla 101: http://www.gunpla101.com/gunpla-grade-and-scale-101/

How are Gundam Plastic Model kits made? (2009, October 10). Retrieved from Mech 9: http://www.mech9.com/blog/2009/10/how-are-gundam-plastic-model-kits-made/

How To Buy Gunpla. (2014, June 8). Retrieved from Gunpla 101: http://www.gunpla101.com/how-to-buy-gunpla/

Layman's Gunpla Guide and Tutorial. (2014, August 22). Retrieved from Otaku Revolution: http://otakurevolution.com/content/laymans-gunpla-guide

Love, C. (2011, June 11). What is Gundam? Retrieved from Gundam Planet: http://blog.gundamplanet.com/gundam/what-is-gundam/

Malaysia Model Kit Store. (2014, August 22). Retrieved from Gundam Toy Shop: http://www.gundammodelkitstore.com/gundam-model-kits.html

The Best Gunpla Kits for Beginners. (2014, May 17). Retrieved from Gunpla 101: http://www.gunpla101.com/the-best-gunpla-kits-for-beginners/

The History of Gunpla. (2014, May 5). Retrieved from Gunpla: http://www.gunpla101.com/the-history-of-gunpla/

Finale..

This will be the last entry that i will be writing, its quite unfortunate but at least from this blog I get to know how to do a java coding, html implementations on blog. For me this quite a new experience because I'm not familiar with blogs and to decorate it really makes my head turn upside down. I hoped that in the nearest future I will be able to write a better and more informative blogs for the reader to enjoy the savory of blogging..thank you for reading :D

Gundam Animation Series

The Gundam Series (ガンダムシリーズ Gandamu Shirīzu?) is a metaseries of space opera anime created by Sunrise studios that features giant robots (or "mecha") called "Mobile Suits" (MS); usually the protagonist's MS will carry the name Gundam.

The metaseries started on April 7, 1979, as a serial TV show called Mobile Suit Gundam. That first TV series has since spawned a franchise that has come to include works released in numerous media. Titles have appeared in the form of multiple television series and OVAs, movies, manga, novels and video games, among other modes.

The original timeline for the Gundam series was the Universal Century (UC) series, which included Mobile Suit Gundam (1979) and Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam (1985). Since the 1990s, alternate timelines have been produced and developed, including the Future Century, After Colony, After War, Correct Century, Cosmic Era, Anno Domini, Advanced Generation, and Reguild Century timelines. Generally speaking, the timelines do not intersect, but they do contain a few common elements such as the titular war machines called Gundam. However, all Gundam timelines and worlds, long after their own anime series, do eventually intersect and combine and create an alternate universe in the series Turn A Gundam.

 

As of January 21, 2008, the Gundam franchise is a 50 billion yen trademark. A year 2000 press release stated that retail sales of Gundam items had totaled $5 billion. In the 2008 ranking of average sales figures for anime copies sold in Japan (1970-2008 total sales figures averaged by episode), Gundam series were in four of the top five places: Mobile Suit Gundam ranked second, with Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Destiny third, Mobile Suit Gundam SEED fourth, and Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam fifth. Also, Mobile Suit Gundam Wing ranked 18th and Mobile Suit Gundam ZZ ranked 20th. Gunpla's (Gundam Plastic model) holds 90% of the Japan character plastic model market.

Academics in Japan have also viewed the series as inspiration, with the International Gundam Society being the first academic institution based on an animated TV series matter how big!

The Best Gunpla Kits for Beginners

Some people will tell you that Gunpla is all about perfection. Striving for the most perfect detailing possible. Gunpla can be about that if you want. But there’s no point if there’s no love in it.

I get a lot of emails with questions like, “Am I ready for a Real Grade? I’m just a beginner, but there’s a kit I really want to build. I just don’t want to butcher it.”

I look at that email, and then glance over to my Gundam Unicorn Destroy Mode with a titanium finish. It was my first High Grade model ever. Titanium finish models are rarer and nicer than regular ones, and any wrong move will scratch that glossy shine.

I guess you could say I DID butcher this model. It’s certainly scratched. In two places, it’s held together with superglue where my amateur sidecutting made the connections weak. But I love it. I don’t look at it and remember “ruining” a Gunpla that I could do a better job of now, even though I could. I remember a younger version of me excitedly building a Gunpla she loved.

Listen, when you’re a beginner, it’s inevitable that you’ll make some rookie mistakes. That doesn’t mean you need to resign yourself to “inferior” models until you feel advanced enough to try one you love. The key is choosing Gunpla models that you love from the beginning, and not worrying about the little things. Even if the one you’re dying to build is slightly more difficult than your skill level, your love for that Gundam model will make it easier for you to motivate and challenge yourself.

This one is one of John’s first Gunpla, a Zeta 2005 special edition.

“You can see it’s not perfectly put together, but it was one of my first Gunpla because it was a model I loved, and that made it worth doing,” he says. “Some sites might tell you to start with the easiest possible Gunpla you can find so you don’t ‘mess one up’ during your first try, but that’s not our philosophy. There’s no point if you’re not having fun building a model you’re crazy about.”

Still want some “sensible” advice? Then start with a High Grade. High Grade is great because it’s the most common grade in existence and there are a ton to choose from no matter which series you’re looking to build from. We doubt you’ll have trouble finding one you like. They’re a little less detailed, but with a little bit of care in construction you can make them look really nice.

As you keep building Gunpla, you really will get better. But if you don’t start with Gunpla models you love, you’ll never stay motivated to progress far enough to get to that point.Gunpla is a learning experience. Don’t expect the first Gunpla you build to be perfect, and don’t give up if it isn’t. As my superglued first Gundam Unicorn model shows, mistakes can be fixed, no matter how big!

Tips On How To Buy Gunpla

Your gunpla hobby won’t get very far if you never get up the courage to buy one! Fortunately, it’s easier than ever to get imported Gunpla from Japan. We’ve bought Gunpla both online and in person, and we have tips for doing it right both ways:

At Conventions

Do shop around. Even at the same convention, different Gunpla sellers will have different prices. Before you make a single purchase, make your way through the entire dealer’s room to check out which vendors are there and what they’re offering.

Do haggle. When you’re shopping in person, vendors are more likely to cut you a deal if you just ask for it. If you see a $60 model, try, “Will you sell this for $50?” If you’re lucky, the vendor might agree to meet in the middle at $55. Make sure you know when to stop though! If a vendor isn’t budging, he or she probably won’t give in.

Don’t give into pressure. On the other hand, you also need to know when not to give in. Vendors can’t bring unlimited merchandise to conventions and they will turn that scarcity into a selling point. Don’t fall for “It’s the last one left!” if you still think the price is way too high. If that’s the case, you can always look at another booth or online.

Ask before you examine. It’s smart to open the box and check out the parts before you buy, and most vendors are OK with that. However, some vendors would rather you not touch the merchandise without buying anything, so be sure you always ask if it’s OK first. And honestly? It’s probably best not to buy from a vendor who won’t let you check.

On the Internet

Do verify the model. Sometimes a picture isn’t enough. For example, there are two different versions of MG Musha Gundam—Shin Musha Gundam and Gundam Shin Musha Sengoku No Jin. They come with totally different accessories, so in cases like this one, just verifying the grade and model isn’t enough! Verify the look and title of the model on a reference site like Gundam Planet. Try to buy from a seller with a picture of the box, which makes the differences clearer than just a photo of the model.

Do check the source and shipping. If possible, try to order your Gunpla from a seller based in your home country, not Japan. If you’re ordering Gunpla straight from Japan, not only will it take longer to get to you, the shipping will also be more expensive. There’s nothing wrong with buying from Japan, but know what you’re getting into. Don’t be caught off guard by the shipping time and cost.

Do know your return policies. It’s very rare, but sometimes you’ll get kits that are incomplete and/or have a defective part. This is only happened once to us ever, and we have more than 20 kits! By the time we noticed a problem, it was half built and too late to try and get it replaced. Check your Gunpla when you get it and make sure your return policy allows you to return an intact Gunpla to the seller if there’s an issue.

Essential Tools for Gunpla Building

Side Cutters

Gunpla modeling is certainly easier today than it’s ever been, and all you actually need to get started is a basic High Grade kit

and wire side cutters, like the kind that’s used for jewelry, to cut out the pieces.

Hobby or X-Acto Knife

Next, I use a hobby knife for cutting down the nub that gets inevitably left over after I cut out a piece.

It’s not just that your Gunpla will look better if you use a hobby knife. It’s also that the pieces will fit together more smoothly without any extra friction.

Tweezers 

Tweezers allows more precision than when applying decals to the gunpla.

Gundam Markers for Inking

Gundam markers

As pictured in the left, you can buy Gundam-brand markers specifically for inking your Gunpla, most frequently during panel lining. The fine tip of the pen is perfect for getting in the ridges of Gunpla parts so you can add lifelike detail and contrast. 

Gunpla Symbols Explained

Bandai model kits are written entirely in Japanese, but you don’t need to be able to read the language in order to enjoy Gunpla.

In fact, the language of Gunpla is nearly universal. Instructions are told through detailed images, numbered steps, and symbols.

The symbols are pictograms in their own right and you might be able to figure them out on your own. But if you’d like the definitive English translation, we’ve put it together here. Follow the numbers to figure out the corresponding symbol meaning:

1. Decal number. The rectangle with a flapped corner does resemble a sticker, doesn’t it? The (1) next to it indicates that the stickers in this kit are numbered, and in this case we’d use Sticker 1. Sometimes stickers are lettered A, B, C…

2. Symmetrical parts to be installed. Like most humanoids, Gunpla are symmetrical. When you see this symbol, you know that there is a corresponding similar part to the one you are currently working with, to be installed on the opposite side.

3. Pay attention! This means the part you are working with may have some subtle definition that will mean its orientation and direction upon installation are very important. Look at the corresponding picture of the part very carefully.

4. Repeat this step two times. Because of Gunpla symmetry, they tend to have two arms, two legs, etc. If you’re building an arm and see this symbol, you can rest assured that another arm is on its way, assembled with identical steps to the ones you’re following now.

5. Connect this part last. Sometimes it’s much easier to install Gunpla parts in a certain order due to their shape once connected. When you see this symbol, it means you’ll get the best result if you attach this part as the last step of the task.

6. Your choice. Sometimes kits come with a lot of accessories, more than the Gunpla can hold. This means there are multiple options for which of the parts you want to install. You’ll often see this on a Gunpla that comes with multiple hand orientations (designed to hold different kinds of weapons).

7. Opposite side will move in the same direction. Not sure if you accidentally swapped the feet for the left and right legs? If you see this symbol, don’t worry! It means the part will behave the same no matter which side it’s on.

Gundam Gashapon [Capsule Toys]

Gashapon (ガシャポン?) is a Bandai brand trademark (U.S.Registration Number.2864782) widely used throughout the world for their capsule toys. It is also referred to as gachapon (ガチャポン?). Both gashapon and gachapon are Japanese onomatopoeia, made up of two sounds: "gasha" or "gacha" for the turning of a crank on a toy vending machine, and "pon" for the sound of the toy capsule dropping into the receptacle. It is used to describe both the machines themselves, and any toy obtained from them. Tomy, another major player in capsule toy market, uses "Gacha" (ガチャ gacha?) instead of "Gachapon" for their capsule vending machines and toys. A third company popular for the types of toy sets is Kaiyodo. In America gashapon are generally referred to as "blind box" sets.

SD Gunpla

Super Deformed Gundam or SD Gundam originated from a contributed illustration of a junior high school student from Nagoya by the name of Koji Yokoi to the "Model News" magazine that Bandai was issuing in the 1980s. The illustration is of a Gundam but with the weird proportion where the overall height of the Gundam is equal to 2 of its heads. This illustration interested the chief editor and so leading to Koji Yokoi serializing SD Gundam in 4 frame comics in "Model News".

The super deformed design was suitable for capsule toys and so SD Gundam started merchandising with the Gashapon series "SD Gundam World" in 1985. By the 90's SD Gundam spawned many spin-off series, SD Sengokuden (SD Warring States, Musha Style), SD Gundam Gaiden (Knight Style) and SD Commando Chronicles (Military Style) to name a few.

With its popularity, SD Gundam merchandise expanded to include manga, trading cards, anime and video games. Several games based on the SD Series were also made ranging on consoles from the SNES to the GBA. The SD Gundam G Generation game series features the SD Gundams in a turn-based strategy game.

The SD Gundam designs were also used throughout the earlier Super Robot Wars games (up through SRW F and F Final, stopping at SRW Alpha for the PS1), as can be seen by the pupils present in the eyes of the various Mobile Suits that appeared. From SRW Alpha and beyond, however, the eyes of Mobile Suits remain blank, though the robots themselves are still super-deformed (just as all mechs represented in typical SRW games are).

Gunpla World Expo

Last year was the Gunpla Expo at the UDX in Akihabara and lots of great Gunpla being display actually, and in my humble opinion, this was the best Expo yet. Much more exciting than last year’s. It seemed there was something for everyone at this year’s show and most everyone has already seen the pictures and videos that started popping up almost immediately after the Expo kicked off. Be that as it may, I still want to share my thoughts about Gunpla Expo 2013.

The first thing that attract me was Gundam UC HG kits. Soon the final episode of Unicorn will hit theaters and that means lots of UC Gundam kits as well. Here was a wall of HG.

 

And then this thing!

Another HG Kshatriya?! Oh my! Allow me to who you what Bandai allowed everyone to see.

We tried taking a picture from above but Bandai had cleverly blocked that off.

Now a Silver Vault.

.

Looks kind of bulky. I like it

Norn Destroy Mode.

And a Destroy Mode FA Unicorn!

After UC was Thunderbolt and Bandai had up box art and runners and a diorama.

Big draws for me were the FA Gundam

The Zaku and ‘Big Gun’

And a High Mobility Zaku!

The MG Nu Gundam Titanium Finish was out again and this time they showed off the runners. This kit was quite popular and it was difficult to get close to get a good picture.

That's all for now, I hope that this post will enlighten you about the environment in the expo and what to expect from it. Can't wait for the next expo and what surprises will BANDAI serve for us next time.

How are Gundam Plastic Model kits are made?

A great video from youtube uploaded around 2007 which details how Gundam model kits are made. The video was taken at the Bandai Shizuoka Works in Shizuoka Japan. This is the factory where Bandai designs, creates and manufactures Gundam Plastic model kits, now they do that at the Bandai Hobby Center in Shizuoka. The video specifically shows how a 1/100 Aile Strike Gundam (ガンダム SEED 1/100 エールストライクガンダム) from the Gundam Seed series was made. Considering how old the Gundam Seed Series is already (2002~2003), i could also surmise that the video is a lot older than its youtube upload date.

The documentary uses a 1/100 Aile Strike Gundam Box for dramatic effect, where one speaker passes it to another to signify the next step.

Bandai Hobby Center at Shizuoka

In the first part, Kikuchi-san from the Design Development (企画開発) team explains that they first receive the line art from the animation company for them to base the design of the model on. They then enhance the drawing to bring out the details further as well as to fill in the missing details for the areas that cannot be seen. This section also handles the design of how the model kit breaks up into individual parts.

Bandai Hobby Center at Shizuoka

The second speaker is Oda-san from the the same section. They convert the drawing to a CAD design to produce the interior data of the model kit in 3D.

The 3rd speaker is Watanabe-san from the Metal Mold （金型） Team. The 3D data from the design team is fed into the center milling machine to make the Mold Masters.　Although the process is automated and done by a machine it still takes skilled workers to polish, finish and enhance the detail of the Mold Masters.

The next person is from the Manufacturing Team (生産), sorry but I can’t understand his name. They handle the injection plastic molding machines which make the actual plastic model parts of the kit using the mold master from the Metal Mold team.

Kobayashi san from the Design Development (企画開発) team again is the next speaker and explains the next step which is concept packaging and manual design. The design of the package is once again taken from the lineart and the 3D data.

The last person to talk is Kazuchi-san(?) from the business strategy (事業戦略) team. He says that in a Gundam box you will see the plastic parts used to build the kit and mentions something about how long it will take to build a kit. In front of him were some other sized Gundam kits and he said that the method of production is basically the same for the different sizes.

History of Gunpla

It all happen when first ever of the Gundam series arise which is the Mobile Suit Gundam that aired in 1979. 

Less than a year later, the first Gunpla kit appeared. And for the past 30 years, people of all ages have continued to enjoy this unusual hobby.

Here are some interesting milestones in Gunpla’s decades-long history:

• The word “Gunpla” was coined at the same time as the first kit. Like “cosplay,” it’s a Japanese amalgamation of two English words—“Gundam” and “plastic,” as in “plastic model. English speakers will interchange this with “Gundam models,” but we usually say Gunpla because it’s shorter.
• The first Gunpla, released in July 1980, cost just 300 yen, or about $3. Obviously, it was a kit for making the very first Mobile Suit Gundam model.
• The earliest Gunpla kits, released between 1980 and 1989, are nothing like the Gunpla we build today. Instead of snapping together, you had to glue them together with cement. Even trickier, they were all one color, and you’d need to paint them first! You’d get a rigid, hardly poseable model for your reward. Today these are called FG (First Grade) kits.

  

  First Grade kit

• The first High Grade was released in 1990 and cost 1000 yen, or about $10. As would become a tradition, the first model of any grade was the original Mobile Suit Gundam. Today High Grade is synonymous with “cheap and easy,” but in 1990 it was considered a more detailed, poseable grade of Gunpla.

  

  High Grade kit

• The first Master Grade was released in 1995 and cost 2500 yen, or about $25. It is the first time the original Mobile Suit Gundam was named correctly, as the RX-78-2. The grade was originally designed to be used for a select number of models to commemorate Gundam’s 15th anniversary, but the popularity of these more accurate models is why they’re still being manufactured to this day.

  

  Master Grade kit

• The first Perfect Grade Gunpla appeared in 1998 and cost 12,000 yen or about $120. Today’s Perfect Grades make this look cheap, often topping $200 or more. Perfect grades come in 1/60 scale and include so much detail that they can take weeks to build. They may even come with wiring for LEDs or other electronic features.

  

  Perfect Grade kit

• In July 2009, Bandai built a 1/1 scale RX-78-2 to commemorate Gundam’s 30th anniversary . This true-to-scale Gunpla now stands tall in Odaiba, Tokyo.
• The first Real Grade showed up just recently, in 2010. It was designed to be a step up from High Grade in terms of realism, without being as complicated as a Master Grade. In terms of difficulty, we consider them to be somewhere in between the two.

  

  Real Grade kit

Today it’s easier than ever to pick a Gunpla grade that fits your skill level and budget. 

Introduction to Gunpla World

Have you ever heard about Gunpla which is famous in the country of the rising sun?

You have never heard of it? Worry not, i will enlighten you about what the hell is Gunpla and why it is famous in Japan. :D

 

Gunpla masterpiece at Gunpla Expo in 2013

So basically Gunpla (ガンプラ Ganpura, a Japanese portmanteau of “Gundam” and “plastic model”) refers to plastic and non-plastic model kits that have become popular among anime fans and model-lovers, especially in Japan and in other nearby Asian countries since 1980s. The popularity of Gundam models increased in 1990s with North America and Europe being exposed to Gundam through television, video and manga.

Plastic Gunpla

Plastic Gundam model kits are manufactured by Bandai in Japan (or China) which has an exclusive license in manufacturing and marketing the kits around the world. The first plastic Gundam model kits were sold in 1980 in Japan.

Plastic Gundam model kits consist of several trays of parts or "runners" that either snap-fit (most post-1990 models) or require glue (older models prior to 1990) to put together. The cover image on the box, or box art, is usually done by an illustrator with a picture illustration of the subject mecha design in action. All plastic Gundam models kits are supplied with stickers and sometimes decals to apply extra colors and markings as seen in the show, movies, manga or video games. Smaller or lower grade kits often require paint to give the model a finished appearance.

The kits range in different scales with the most popular scales being: 1:144 (approx 13 cm tall), 1:100 (approx 16–19 cm tall) and 1:60 (approx 30 cm tall).

You can visit Gundam Wiki for more information on gunpla many more.