Gunpla 101

Gunpla Pre-orders and New Releases for August-September 2018

It was so awesome to see so many of you at our Otakon panels last month! We really appreciated all of you who came to our midnight panel “39 Years of Gundam Anime” to joke about funny Gundam moments after dark.

Now summer is over and there’s a hurricane on the way. I’ve powered up the flashlights so even if we lose power, we can spend some screen-free time building Gunpla. There certainly is no shortage of choice when it comes to new kits to build this fall! Take a look at the releases we got at the tail end of summer, and what’s in store for September pre-orders:

New Releases for August 2018

HGBC Build Hands Square Type

This is the first of two aesthetic styles when it comes to Gunpla hands for custom kitbashes. The “Kaku” type hands are more angular and mechanical-looking.

HGBC Build Hands Round Type

Meanwhile, the “Maru” or “round” type hands are softer around the edges. Choose closed fists or open palms to add expressive gestures to your Gundam Build Divers kits.

RG Sazabi (pictured above)

Char’s iconic red suit from Mobile Suit Gundam: Char’s Counterattack finally comes to the Real Grade line. This detailed representation should be one of the most poseable iterations of the classic kit yet.

HGBC Machine Rider

You might remember this Gunpla motorcycle from the Nadeshiko-athlon episode. You can build it to use with any HG kit or with the new Nami figure.

HGBD Gundam 00 Sky

Riku’s latest Gunpla from Gundam Build Divers, this model has exaggerated shoulders from incorporating the Destiny Gundam’s wing unit into its design. As a Protagonist Gunpla, it’s pretty standard but comes with a lot of weapons and interchangeable parts.

HGBD Gundam 00 Sky (Higher Than Sky Phase)

And here’s another version of the same kit with bright turquoise details and clear plastic accent parts. Definitely the prettier of the two.

HGBC Skyhigh Wings (pictured at top)

These Wing Zero-looking feathers are meant to attach to Riku’s Gundam 00 Sky, but imagine the possibilities for kitbashing! You could make any kit look positively angelic. For example, check out Momo’s Kapool in the sample photo!

SDBD RX-Zeromaru (pictured above)

Here’s a Cross Silhouette that comes with both inner frames, so you can make Ayame’s mobile suit look cute or action-ready, depending on your preference. This kit also includes Ayame’s birdlike flying support mecha, so there’s a lot going on here.

SD Cross Silhouette Zeta Gundam

Another classic joins the Cross Silhouette line. Keep in mind that this comes with the SD inner skeleton and the interchangeable parts, but you need to buy the Cross Silhouette frame separately. I wish it just came with each of these!

HGBD Gundam Astray No-Name

Tsukasa Shiba is the closest thing Gundam Build Divers has to a villain, and this is expressed through his edgy mobile suit. The most stylistically interesting part of the kit is its tattered, cloak-like shield that can also transform into a winged backpack.