Gundam Video I Gundam Models I Reference Books
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Gundam Models I: One Year WarThe following list catalogs every Gundam plastic model kit released to date, all of them produced by Bandai. With 400 kits released to date, Gundam plastic models constitute an industry unto themselves; they even have a nickname, "Gunpra" (itself derived from another bit of Japanese shorthand, "pramo" as in "plastic model"). The spellings used here are those given on the model boxes (in order to minimize confusion), and may not match those used elsewhere on this Web site. Fortunately, Gundam plastic models are frequently re-released. With few exceptions - limited-edition metallic versions, the Gundam character collection, the Z Gundam editions of selected MSV kits - they're seldom out of stock for long. If your local hobby store doesn't have a good supply, check out the ads in your favorite anime magazine or see the online vendors listed on our links page. This page of our Gundam Models listings covers series set during the One Year War era of the original series, including The 08th MS Team, Gundam 0080, and Gundam 0083. See Gundam Models II for other Universal Century series, Gundam Models III for series set in alternate universes, and Gundam Models IV for model lines that span multiple series. Mobile Suit GundamThe classic model series was launched in July 1980, six months after the original series was off the air. These kits required glue and paint, and often suffered from poor mobility and proportioning. The smaller, cheaper kits in the line were released as part of Bandai's "Best Mecha Collection" series, which also included robots from contemporary series such as Ultraman 80, Gold Lightan, and Godmars. The final five kits in the series - four mobile suits and the G-Armor, all in 1/250 scale - used a color molding technique variously referred to as "System Injection" or "iro-pra," which combined different colors of plastic on the same parts tree (sometimes even on the same piece). While near-perfect color fidelity can be achieved simply by grouping parts of the same color on the same tree, this color molding technique makes it much more likely that the end result will present the proper colors without the use of paint. Though these first color-molded kits appeared in 1983, Bandai didn't use the technology again until 1987's Char's Counterattack series. See also: High Grade RX-78 Gundam; High Grade Universal Century RX-77-2 Guncannon and YMS-15 Gyan; Master Grade RX-78-2 Gundam, RGM-79 GM, MS-05 Zaku I, MS-06F/J and MS-06S Zaku II, MS-09 Dom, MS-14A and MS-14S Gelgoog; Perfect Grade RX-78-2 Gundam and MS-06F Zaku II.
Chara Colle (Character Collection)This line of non-posable figure kits has now been re-released in see-through crystal form. This reissue is packaged as a single ten-pack.
Real TypeThese were repackaged, re-colored re-issues of some of the original 1/100 models. They included decals for extra realism.
Full Color ModelThis one-shot reissue of some vintage Gundam kits applied the new System Injection technology to the original molds, yielding full-color versions of the otherwise antiquated kits. Produced in 1988, these have apparently never been reissued.
Mobile Suit Gundam: Mobile Suit VariationThough they required glue and paint, like the original model line, these mobile suit variants were more detailed and better proportioned (apart from the squatty Zaku) than the classic kits. This popular line was released from April 1983 to December 1984, and the Perfect Gundam models that appeared at the end of the series were the first Gundam kits equipped with "polycaps" - rubber washers that protect the joints from wear and tear. See also: High Complete Model FA-78-1 Gundam Full Armor Type, MS-06R Zaku II, MS-06R-2 Johnny Ridden's Zaku II, YMS-09 Prototype Dom, MS-14C Gelgoog Cannon; Master Grade RX-78-3 Gundam, MS-06R-1 and MS-06R-2 Zaku II, MS-06R-1A Black Trinary Version, MS-14B/C Gelgoog Cannon.
Mobile Suit Gundam: The 08th MS TeamAll kits in this series are designated "High Grade" - in some cases for no readily discernable reason, as the Zaku II didn't even feature color molding. The first kit in the 08th MS Team series combined the RX-79[G] Gundam and MS-06J Zaku II, the latter of which was later re-issued separately. Each kit came with a selection of alternate weapons. See also: Limited Model RB-79K Ball.
Mobile Suit Gundam 0080These kits were fully snap-together. The Zugok E and Gundam NT-1 featured color molding, and the latter also sported removable armor parts. Though the other kits didn't use System Injection technology, most were molded in three or more colors and featured gimmicks like transparent visors and mono-eyes.
Mobile Suit Gundam 0083The Gundam GP01-Fb and Gundam GP03S featured color molding. The former model, incidentally, also included the parts from the original GP01 kit. The Gundam GP02A from this series was probably the single worst Gundam kit released within the past decade. See also: Master Grade Gundam RX-78GP01, Gundam RX-78GP01Fb, Gundam RX-78GP02A.
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