What Kinds of Gunpla Kits Are There?

There are four major categories of Gunpla:

HG, or High Grade – The most common line of Gunpla. They’re 1/144, making an average build roughly 6-7 inches tall when finished, and while they can be overall simple kits to build, they’re still very detailed and posable. These sets retail in Japan for about $10-15, so are great entry point kits, and pretty much every Gundam series, from the original to the latest, Witch From Mercury, is represented to varying degrees.

RG, or Real Grade – While the same 1/144 scale as HG Gunpla, Real Grade kits favor less anime accuracy in designs, imagining more detailed, realistically armored renditions of kits. Unlike HG Kits, Real Grades are also defined by having an internal skeleton that the exterior armor is built upon, allowing more intricate poses. A more advanced line, these retail for around $30 in Japan.

MG, or Master Grade – Now we get a little bigger. Master Grades are 1/100 scale, or about another 50% taller than RG and HG kits on average. Most MG kits, like RGs, have internal skeletons and are of a similar complexity to build; they’re just larger in size and can range from more anime-accurate, simpler aesthetics or complex, detailed renditions. More expensive at around $40 to $50 on average, these kits are usually best saved for when you’ve gotten a few smaller kits under your belt—newer MGs are actually not as daunting to build as some of the older kits in the line, but still, as the name implies, these are not intended for beginners.

PG, or Perfect Grade – Now we get even bigger! PG kits are 1/60th scale, so about 50% bigger than the average MG kit. There aren’t many of these, but what is in the line is big, expensive, and a challenging build. You’ll want to take your time, not just to build, but to save up: PGs can range around $150 and up.

There are some variations beyond these of note. SD kits, or Super-Deformed Kits, are chibi-fied takes on Gundam designs that are smaller in size and simpler to build, and there are also SDEX versions, which keep the chibi aesthetic and provide more articulation. Meanwhile the 1/144-scaled lines have recently been joined by a new EG, or Entry Grade line, modern starter-style kits that take some of the series’ most iconic hero suits and use modern engineering techniques to offer simple yet highly poseable basic builds at a low starting price.

The Master Grade line also has two smaller sub-lines: the RE/100, or Reborn 100 series, and the MG Ver. Ka series. RE/100 kits are the same scale as usual MG kits, but with more simplistic builds in comparison. The Ver. Ka, or “Version Katoki” kits are also 1/100-scaled kits and of similar complexity to standard MG kits—they’re just named for their set’s designer, mecha designer Hajime Katoki, who takes iconic Gundam designs and gives them realistic, detail-oriented makeovers.