It doesn’t matter if you are blind, I was blind before.

Category: AG, FG, HG, RG, MG, PG

Origin of the name

The English name for the plastic model of the Gundam series is Gundam Plastic Model. In Japan, plastic models are called pla-model; プラモデル. The abbreviation became GUNPLA? (ガンプラ?). (GUNPLA?) is already an authorized trademark, so the six English letters must be all capitalized. BANDAI's HOBBY Division is responsible for the manufacturing, sales and product development of GUNPLA, but "GUNPLA?" is Soton's registered trademark.

As for the translator Gunpla in Taiwan, this name is only a common name for some people. It does not yet have an official Chinese translation and is currently waiting for Bandai's official translation.

[edit] History

When "Mobile Suit Gundam" was released in 1979, the only toys related to it were traditional alloy toys.

In July 1980, Bandai launched the first 1/144 scale RX-78-2 Gundam after the release of the first generation Gundam. The original GUNPLA was not much different from the child-oriented plastic models of robots of the same period. However, since the modeler published a column "How To Build Gundam" in the supplement of HOBBY JAPAN magazine, GUNPLA immediately became a craze among elementary and middle school students.

In October 1981, COMIC BonBon "Comic BonBon", a comic magazine founded by Kodansha in October of the same year, also published Gunpla on the front of the magazine, thus accelerating the craze; it was even published by Shogakukan, unrelated The trendy magazine TEREBI KUN "てれびくん" also published GUNPLA for a while, which established GUNPLA's popularity.

At that time, the price of 1/144 scale GUNPLA was around 300 yen. Compared with ordinary robot models, it was a very affordable price for teenagers to buy. Therefore, it caused a rush to purchase, and there was a shortage of robot models at that time. The number of small shops selling goods continues to increase. It was not until 1982 that an accident occurred at the DAIEI Shinmatsudo store in Chiba Prefecture after about 250 elementary and middle school students were crowded and pushed on the escalator due to panic buying. At this time, the public realized that GUNPLA had caused a social phenomenon.

Taking advantage of this craze, GUNPLA also launched a new series - a weapon series that did not appear in this story, Mobile Suit Variation: MSV.

This GUNPLA craze continues to this day. The first product, the 1/144 Gundam, sold a total of 6 million units within 10 years of its release. The second batch of 1/144 MS-06S also sold 3 million units in 10 years. It is unprecedented for a rival phone, commonly known as an "enemy character," to achieve such sales.

As of March 2007, the total number of products shipped overseas by GUNPLA has reached 383 million. The old models released at that time are still reproduced today, and Japan calls the GUNPLA boom "GUNPLA BOOM'ガンプラブーム'".

[Edit] Classification

General plastic models require special adhesives to assemble parts and use special paints for painting, but GUNPLA began to break away from this model in 1988 .

The original adhesive-free mold used screws instead of adhesive, and then a glue-free clamp was developed.

Color-free molding has been around since 1983, when its development team announced "multi-color molding technology" at the Shizuoka HOBBY SHOW and created a buzz in the industry.

The technology is commonly known as "IROPURA いろプラ", and in October of the same year, 1/250 scale products were released to commemorate the completion of the development of this technology, ***4 models (out of print).

GUNPLA proportions can be roughly divided into

1/144...about 12.5 cm

1/100...about 18 cm

[edit] Early models

Models launched before the second half of 1990 are called early models.

A general term for Gundam models that do not have a fixed classification. The designs of these early models are relatively old, and they are generally molded in a single color and need to be painted by themselves. There is a lot of room for improvement in both mobility and styling. The early models are commonly known as "old models".

[edit] Work series classification

As the name suggests, it is divided by work series rather than by model. Therefore, early work series do not belong to any version of the model. . For example, Gundam SENTINEL, Gundam F90, SILHOUETTE FORMULA 91, etc. The mold opening ratio of the OVA version is also relatively fixed, and there is no model with special proportions. The TV series has models in other proportions.

[Editor] First Grade (FG)

In 1999, this version was produced to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the birth of Gundam. This version of the model inherited the 1:144 scale monochrome molding and price (300 yen) at that time, but the shape design referred to PERFECT GRADE to achieve a low-priced high-end model without losing quality.

The structure of this series is simple and easy to assemble. Its customers also include younger age groups and model beginners; however, this model is also an excellent model used by professional modelers for large-scale modifications.

In October 2007, the four main units featured in the new work "Mobile Suit Gundam 00" were also FG-edited and released. This batch of FG GUNPLA has more movable joints, including the elbow and knee joints.

[Editor] High Grade (HG)

In March 1990, in order to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the release of GUNPLA, the most advanced molding technology at the time was assembled (up.to.date ), and the High Grade series was born.

The style designer at that time was the well-known Kunio Okawara. And limit the ratio to 1/144. HG's ground-breaking use of interlocking ball joints, glue-free clamping, multi-color molding technology, and variable systems greatly improves the model's appearance and mobility.

The HG-modified units at that time were Gundam, Gundam MK-2, Z Gundam, and ZZ Gundam 4, with prices ranging from 1,000 to 1,500 yen. Later, due to the deterioration of the special metal type of the mold, after the release of the HGUC version of RX-78-2 Gundam in May 2001, the HG version of Gundam was officially discontinued. Therefore, the HG version of Gundam has become the first in the history of GUNPLA It is also the only module that is officially out of print.

In addition, the 1/100 models released in TV animations starting from Mobile Suit G Gundam are also labeled HG.

[Editor] High Grade Universal Century (HGUC)

As the name suggests, this series is limited to the MOBILE SUIT that appeared in Universal Century. This series also inherits the combination steps and painting of HG. Features include reduced installation range. In terms of price, due to the development of molding technology, the price is higher than the previous 1/144, but the overall quality is slightly higher than HG, and some bodies have simple internal structures. In recent years, as technology has become increasingly mature, some newly molded products, such as Gundam Prototype Unit 2 Physalis and Hazel, have quite outstanding structures in terms of internal structure and mobility.

The characteristic of HGUC is that it attaches great importance to collectibility, so the body designer is Hajime Kazuoki, and the proportion is unified to 1:144, and the general price is 1,000-1,800 yen. However, there are many machines with special settings that make the price outside this range.

The 28cm PSYCO Gundam is priced at 5,250 yen

Including the gun body, the 1-meter-long Gundam prototype Unit 3 Dendrobium is priced at 29,400 yen including tax , and it is also the largest GUNPLA so far.

[Editor]HG MECHANICS

If the 1/144 or 1/100 scale is still a huge machine, we will commercialize the 1/550 scale series. From 2001 to 2002, this series launched a total of 3 models, namely: Gundam Prototype No. 3 Dendrobium, Neue Ziel, and VAL-VALO.

[Editor] SEED HG

A branch of the HG series, specially launched in the C.E. era.

Since the HG series represents the high-priced 1/144 series, compared with the low-priced series (COLLECTION SERIES), the movable parts are also increased and include a deformation mechanism.

This series includes all Gundam SEED series, so the number of products reaches 58, and it is one of the most popular series together with HCUC. But it is said that this series is a test product of BANDAI's new technology in recent years.

The general price of the SEED HG series is 1,000-1,600 yen, but some more special machines such as the "Akatsuki" No. 38 and 40 are 2,400 yen.

[Editor] HG Gundam OO

In addition to FG, "Mobile Suit Gundam 00" also has 1/144 HG, 1/100 series (without HG) and A 1/60 series (Exia). The general price of the HG series is between 1,000-3,000 yen, with some exceptions, such as the GN ARMS + Exia model, which is priced at 5,500 yen. The first MG of the 00 series - EXIA is scheduled to be released in July 2009.

[edit]Real Grade (RG)

In order to coincide with the 30th anniversary of the release of Gundam, BANDAI, in addition to launching a special edition of MG transparent parts, also released Launched Real Grade GUNPLA. The scale is 1/144 and the price is around 2,500 yen.

The first RG model is RX-78-2. The second model is the MS-06S Char's dedicated Sac. The third RG bomb was launched in April 2011, model Aile Strike GAT-X105 Strike + AQM/E-X01. The fourth bomb is the MS-06F mass-produced Sark, which was launched in July 2011. The fifth ZGMF-X10A Free Gundam was released in November 2011. The sixth Grade FX550 Air Dominator/Weapon Set corresponds to the third Grade Aile Strike GAT-X105 Strike + AQM/E-X01 Assault Gundam. The seventh and eighth RX-178 Gundam Mk-II Titans/Ogan models were launched simultaneously in April 2012. The ninth bullet, ZGMF-X09A Justice Gundam, was launched in July 2012. The tenth MSN-006 Zeta Gundam Z Gundam was launched in November 2012.

[Editor] Master Grade (MG)

In the summer of 1995, MASTER GRADE was born as the "GUNPLA 15th Anniversary Project". The main product planning cooperation was the well-known magazine HOBBY JAPAN and well-known professional Modeler MAX Watanabe. At that time, it was accompanied by the slogan "Make the ultimate GUNPLA" (until PG appeared and replaced it), which has made all Gundam fans crazy since the beginning.

MG’s initial development philosophy is to use the latest technology at a 1/100 scale, while pursuing a high range of motion and a handsome POSE. Beginners can easily get started without any manipulation. It can achieve a very high degree of finish with any coating. For this reason, the MG series has been rated as "the easiest Gundam model to make".

The biggest feature of MG is that it uses the same parts on different bodies to achieve the purpose of body connectivity, or to develop different bodies. The best example is the RGM-79Q (GM QUEL), an aircraft that had not yet appeared in any video works at that time. Its parts were borrowed from RGM-79N and RX-78 NT1; as well as all MS-06ZAKU series from the initial release of MG. Same components.

In addition, the MG-conforming units are also very diverse. It is not limited to the Gundam part, but other series of units have also been MG-conformed. Not only are the highly popular units, but there are also highly customized units and All famous machines are also included in the plan to become MG.

With the advancement of molding technology, the completion of MG components has also improved, and the same airframe does not exclude the need to re-mold it. The most obvious example is RX-78. So far, Ver1.0, Ver1.5, Ver.Ka, PERFECT Gundam unarmored version, Ver.OYW (One Year War), Ver.2.0, 1** *6 types of molds.

MG No. 100 Gundam is also the first GUNPLA in history to have accessories other than humans (cow).

[Editor] Perfect Grade (PG)

At the end of 1998, in conjunction with the "Gundam BIGBANG PROJECT" and the "20th anniversary of GUNPLA", PG Gundam was born.

In fact, the first version of the PG series was the "EVANGELION Unit 1" released on December 12, 1997. As early as the summer of 1998, there were already rumors of a PG version of Gundam. All the secrets of the trial product were published in the November 1998 issue of "Monthly HOBBY JAPAN".

The release of PG Gundam at the end of 1998 was actually very sudden. Because before the official release, the PG Gundam shown in almost all information magazines in Japan, as well as the three-dimensional posters that have been distributed to stores for promotion, is slightly different from the officially released version. This may just show that its revision has been hasty.

The design of the PG series breaks away from the design of the original video works and is the first to design Gundam models from a realistic perspective. The goal required by PG is not only to replace MASTER GRADE with "the ultimate Gunpla", but also with the slogan "the ultimate plastic combination model". And set the ratio to 1:60.

PG is for people over 15 years old, and the price is over 12,000 yuan. Although it has a precise design and uses metal parts such as LED bulbs, the careful assembly instructions allow even beginners to assemble the model. The number of components is so large that the Gundam has more than 600 components, the Z Gundam has more than 900 components, and the Gundam Prototype Unit 1 has more than 1,200 components.

[Editor]HYPER HYBRID MODEL (HY2M series)

A series for high-end model enthusiasts, usually expensive and limited-sale large-scale models, such as 1:24 RX-78-2 Gundam, 1:12 MS-06S ZAKU II, etc. The latest HY2M model is limited to 1,000 units. It is a 1:12 scale RX-78-2 Gundam with a height of 1.5 meters. The price has also reached an astonishing 350,000 yen.

In addition to having electro-optical components like PG, some HY2M models also have sound-producing components, which can be powered on to make sounds such as weapons firing and machine starting. The extensive use of metal parts also ensures excellent mobility.

[Edit] SD Gundam Series

The SD Gundam series launched in 1987 is the earliest model of the series, with only six models (Original Gundam, Z, ZZ, and Masa only) launched Zaku, Da Mo, Dressen). Although movable joint parts were already available when it was launched, they are not used in this series. In addition, a major feature of this series is that each character comes with a cannon that can fire BB bullets and an independent standard rake. The price is generally around 500 yen.

[Edit] BB Fighter Series

After the first six models of SD Gundam were released, Mobile Suit Gundam Masa's Counterattack was being painted, and Bandai also launched the SD with movie-related mechas. version model. At the same time, in response to the launch of the SD Gundam animation OVA, the character modeling has also been significantly changed. In addition to compressing the proportion of the three-headed body into a two-headed body, the biggest change is to add eyes to the NU Gundam and Re-Zel. Since it inherited the previous work and also used BB bullet cannons, this series was called "SD Gundam BB Fighter" to distinguish the two games. Even though the BB bullets were later changed to long bullets for safety reasons, to "super maneuverable" After "General", the projectile design has been almost completely cancelled. Model enthusiasts will still regard "BB Warrior" as another name for "SD Gundam". Initially, it was simply a Q-version of the original body, and later it was derived from the SD Warrior Sengoku Mu series model, which was a Sengoku-style SD body.

The design of BB warriors is also constantly being improved. Movable joint parts have been added to the "Seven Warriors" series, and polygonal designs have been added to the "SDV Knights of Light" series. The hip joints of "SD Gundam Gaiden: Knights of the Round Table" have been replaced with ball-type designs, and "New SD Sengoku" has "Den Legend: Daishogun Edition" reproduces kicks, movable wrists and waists for the first time. "New SD Sengokuden Seven: Super Shogun Edition" in addition to the original scale characters "Mobile Warrior Ogang" and "Domineering Warrior Demon Kill" appear for the first time "Drive", the debut character uses cloth texture stickers, chains, gold and silver electroplating parts and other materials. "And the LOGO of "SD Gundam GENERATION-ZERO" is added to the packaging. The new BB warrior's head-to-body ratio has changed from the previous 2.5 The head and body became three heads and body. Not only the color separation was further strengthened, but also some parts began to have internal structure. Later, due to the differentiation of SD Gundam GENERATION-ZERO into another SD model series, the BB Warrior was changed to "SD Gundam G GENERATION-F". Starting from 2002, the BB Warrior series began to use the design with legs again. At this time, the packaging LOGO changed to "SD Gundam G GENERATION NEO" until GAT-X207 Blitz No. 264 in 2004 changed to "SD Gundam G GENERATION SEED" "until. The SEED Destiny series of BB fighters launched in 2005 stopped using the SD Gundam G GENERATION logo.

[Edit] SD Gundam G Century ZERO Series

With the revision of BB Fighter, the 2.5 head and body style SD Gundam G Century Zero series of the old BB Fighter has been continued to be used since 1999. When it started to go on sale, the first part of the products in this series were replicas of early BB fighters, so both the structure and component quality were relatively low. Later, new technologies began to be used to launch bodies that were not included in the early BB fighters. But the head-to-body ratio is still 2.5 head-to-body. Therefore, the "body" of the G Century ZERO series appears to be slimmer compared to that of the BB Warriors.

[Edit] Finished models

Including 1:144 FIX, 1:170~1:200 HCM pro, Robot soul and other series, they are finished models that do not need to be assembled. The advantage is that the appearance is painted and the weapon configuration is relatively rich. Usually the buyers of this series of versions are mainly social groups, especially the FIX version that is targeted at sales.