New to Gunpla?
Start here
Gunpla are Bandai's Gundam plastic model kits. They snap together, come molded in color, and look great straight out of the box. No glue, no paint, no experience needed.
Mira-Chan put together everything you need for your first build.
Why builders love it
Why Gunpla?
Snap-fit
Every part clicks together. No glue, no mess, no drying time.
Molded in color
Runners come in the right colors, so your kit looks finished without any paint.
Relaxing builds
A first kit takes 1 to 3 hours. Screen-free, satisfying, and you end up with a cool display piece.
Compare the grades
Which grade should I start with?
Start with Entry Grade or High Grade. Tap a grade to compare size, piece count and build time.
SD · Non-scale
Super Deformed
Chibi-style mobile suits with big heads and short bodies. Small, affordable and fast to build, with lots of character.
Shop SD kits- Height
- about 8 cm
- Pieces
- 30 to 80
- Build time
- About 1 hour
- Inner frame
- No
- Difficulty
- Best for
- Quick, fun builds and collectors
EG · 1/144
Entry Grade
Made for your very first build. Parts can be popped off by hand, so you don't even need nippers, and they still look great.
Shop EG kits- Height
- about 13 cm
- Pieces
- 40 to 80
- Build time
- About 1 hour
- Inner frame
- No
- Difficulty
- Best for
- Absolute beginners and kids
HG · 1/144
High Grade
The most popular line, with almost every mobile suit ever made. Good detail and poseability without a big time commitment.
Shop HG kits- Height
- about 13 cm
- Pieces
- 100 to 200
- Build time
- 1 to 3 hours
- Inner frame
- No
- Difficulty
- Best for
- First kits and the widest variety
30MM · 1/144
30 Minute Missions
Bandai's own mecha line built for mixing and matching. Quick builds with standard 3 mm ports for weapons and option parts.
Shop 30MM kits- Height
- about 13 cm
- Pieces
- 80 to 150
- Build time
- 1 to 2 hours
- Inner frame
- No
- Difficulty
- Best for
- Customizers and parts swappers
RG · 1/144
Real Grade
HG size with Master Grade detail: a pre-built inner frame, tiny parts and lots of decals. Small kits that build big.
Shop RG kits- Height
- about 14 cm
- Pieces
- 250 to 400
- Build time
- 5 to 10 hours
- Inner frame
- Yes
- Difficulty
- Best for
- Detail lovers who like a challenge
FM · 1/100
Full Mechanics
1/100 scale with sharp detail and fewer parts than a Master Grade. A great step up from HG.
Shop FM kits- Height
- about 18 cm
- Pieces
- 200 to 300
- Build time
- 4 to 8 hours
- Inner frame
- Partial
- Difficulty
- Best for
- A bigger kit without a full frame
MG · 1/100
Master Grade
Full inner skeleton, moving pistons and great articulation at a size that really stands out on a shelf.
Shop MG kits- Height
- about 18 cm
- Pieces
- 350 to 600
- Build time
- 8 to 15 hours
- Inner frame
- Yes
- Difficulty
- Best for
- The classic next step
PG · 1/60
Perfect Grade
Bandai's flagship. Huge, incredibly detailed and often with LED options. A weekend, or a month, of building.
Shop PG kits- Height
- about 30 cm
- Pieces
- 500 to 1,000+
- Build time
- 20 to 40 hours
- Inner frame
- Yes
- Difficulty
- Best for
- Showpieces and long projects
Field manual
Your first build in 5 steps
Find your runners
Open the box and match the lettered plastic frames (A, B, C...) to the picture manual. No Japanese needed.
Cut twice
Cut a few millimeters away from the part first, then make a second clean cut close to it. This avoids white stress marks.
Clean the nub
Shave or sand the little leftover nub until it's flush. A sanding stick or hobby knife does the job.
Snap it together
Follow the manual step by step. Parts press together with a firm click.
Finishing touches
Add the stickers with tweezers and run a panel line marker along the grooves for instant detail.
Starter toolkit
The 3 tools you actually need
You can start with just nippers. These three make every build cleaner.
Nippers
Cut parts off the runner cleanly. A single-blade or Bandai Entry Nipper is perfect for beginners.
Panel line marker
Flows ink into the panel lines for that anime-accurate, detailed look.
FAQ
New builder questions
Do I need glue or paint?
No. Modern Gunpla snap together and come molded in color. Paint is optional if you want to customize later.
Which grade is best for a first build?
Entry Grade (EG) or High Grade (HG). EG needs no tools at all; HG has the biggest selection of mobile suits.
How long does a kit take?
About 1 hour for EG or SD, 1 to 3 hours for HG, and longer for RG, MG and PG. Check the grade guide for details.
Why do some kits arrive in 3-4 weeks?
Kits marked Imported are ordered from our distributor after you buy and arrive in 3-4 weeks (4-5 weeks to Puerto Rico and non-continental US). Kits with the neon In stock: ships now badge ship right away.
What if a part is missing?
Email sales@hobbygundamusa.com with your order number and a photo of the runner where the part should be. We'll review it within 1 business day.
Ready?
Pick your first kit
Entry Grade for zero tools, High Grade for the biggest selection. Either way, you're about to have a lot of fun.