HG Gundam Aerial Kit Spotlight: Bit Staves, Shell Unit and Build Tips

Few modern Gunpla kits have been as popular as this one. The HG 1/144 Gundam Aerial is the hero suit of Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch from Mercury, piloted by Suletta Mercury, and Bandai released it as a High Grade kit in October 2022. It's affordable, it builds in an evening, and its shield splits into a swarm of remote weapons. Here's what's in the box, how it compares to the Aerial Rebuild, and how to get the best result from it.

Where the Aerial comes from

The Witch from Mercury is set in its own timeline, away from the Universal Century, so you don't need to know any older Gundam story to enjoy it. Suletta transfers to a school run by a giant mobile suit corporation and brings the Aerial with her. The show made Gundam feel new to a lot of first-time fans, and this kit was how many of them got into Gunpla.

Visually, the Aerial is clean and bright: mostly white with blue and a little yellow, a slim build and that big shield. The glowing shell unit panels across the body are its signature detail, and the kit puts real effort into them.

What's special about this kit

The shield breaks into 11 bit staves

The Aerial's shield isn't one piece. According to Bandai, it separates into 11 bit staves, and they can connect to different points on the suit. Keep them together as a shield for a classic pose, or spread them out around the Aerial for an action display. This is the feature that makes the kit fun to play with after it's built.

The shell unit, lit or unlit

The shell unit panels use a mix of in-mold parts, clear parts and a double-sided sticker. The sticker has its pattern printed on the adhesive side, so you apply it from the inside of a clear part and the pattern shows through with real depth. Bandai lets you choose to assemble the shell unit in its "light-emitting" look or its normal, unlit look.

Clear beam parts

The beam sabers are molded in clear plastic, and the beam rifle comes with a clear effect part for a firing pose.

What's in the box

• Beam saber x 2
• Beam rifle x 1, plus a clear beam rifle effect part
• Shield x 1 (the 11 bit staves)
• Shell unit clear parts (1 set)
• Joint parts and a sticker sheet

HG Aerial vs HG Aerial Rebuild

The show's second season brought an upgraded Aerial, and Bandai made it as a new kit in March 2023. Both are great. Here's the difference:

If you're choosing one, start with the original Aerial. It's the version most people picture, and it costs less.

Building it

As a High Grade, plan on 2 to 3 hours, a bit more if you take your time with the shell unit. A few tips:

1. Use nippers, not fingers. Twisting parts off the runner leaves stress marks, and they show up on white plastic. Even a basic pair like the Entry Nipper makes a big difference.
2. Take care with the shell unit sticker. Line it up before you press it down, since it goes on the inside of a clear part and is hard to move once it sticks. Clean, dry fingers help.
3. Cut clear parts in two steps. Cut a few millimeters away first, then trim close. Clear plastic shows white stress marks easily. Our guide to removing nub marks covers the rest.
4. Panel line in gray. The white armor has lots of lines that disappear without a little shading. A gray marker gives a soft look that suits the Aerial. See how to panel line Gunpla.
5. Add a stand for bit stave poses. Once the staves are spread around the suit, an action base keeps it steady and lets you pose it mid-flight.

Want more detail? Add decals

Water-slide decals add markings and caution text that make the build look more finished. The Witch from Mercury multiuse decal sheets are a nice match for this series. New to decals? Read stickers vs water-slide vs dry transfer first.

Who it's for

• First kit? Yes. It's a modern HG with a fair price and a clear manual, and it's one of the picks in our best first Gunpla kits guide.
• Fans of the show: it's Suletta's Gundam, so it's the center of any Witch from Mercury shelf. Browse the rest in our Witch from Mercury collection.
• Not sure about grades? Our HG vs RG vs MG vs PG guide and the Grade Guide explain how High Grade compares. If you're brand new, start at New to Gunpla.
• More High Grade kits: see everything in High Grade and the tools you need in Tools.

Shipping

The HG Gundam Aerial is in stock in our Fort Lauderdale shop as we publish this, and in-stock kits ship in 1 business day. The cards above always show live stock. Imported items arrive in 3 to 4 weeks (4 to 5 weeks to Puerto Rico and outside the continental US). Economy shipping is free over $75 in the continental US, Standard is $10, and Florida residents pay $5.

FAQ

Is the HG Gundam Aerial good for beginners?

Yes. It snaps together without glue, the parts come molded in color, and most builders finish it in an evening. A pair of nippers is the only tool you really need.

How many bit staves does the shield make?

Eleven. The shield separates into 11 bit staves that can attach to different points on the suit.

Should I buy the Aerial or the Aerial Rebuild?

Get the original Aerial for the season 1 look and the lower price. Get the Rebuild if you want the season 2 design and the gambit rifle, where all the bit staves connect to the rifle barrel.

Do I need to paint it?

No. The colors are molded in, and the shell unit uses in-mold parts and a special sticker to get its look. Panel lining and decals are easy upgrades if you want more detail.

How tall is it?

It's 1/144 scale, like other High Grade kits, so it stands around 13 cm.