Every Gunpla box carries a two-letter grade, and that grade tells you more about the build than the price does. Here is what each grade means, how big the finished kit is, and how to choose the right one for you.
- First build? Start with an EG or an HG. They are quick, affordable and look great.
- Most detail at small size: RG packs Master Grade detail into a 1/144 kit, but the small parts need patience.
- The classic hobby experience: MG at 1/100, with a full inner frame and the best balance of detail and buildability.
- The centrepiece: PG at 1/60 is a multi-weekend project with exceptional engineering.
- All grades are snap-fit and color-separated: no glue or paint required.
All grades at a glance
| Grade | Scale | Typical height* | Inner frame | Difficulty | Rough build time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EG · Entry Grade | 1/144 | ~12.5 cm | No | Very easy | About 1 hour |
| HG · High Grade | 1/144 | ~12.5 cm | Rarely | Easy | 1 to 3 hours |
| RG · Real Grade | 1/144 | ~12.5 cm | Yes | Intermediate+ | 4 to 8 hours |
| MG · Master Grade | 1/100 | ~18 cm | Yes | Intermediate | 6 to 15 hours |
| RE/100 · Reborn-One Hundred | 1/100 | ~18 cm | Partial | Easy to intermediate | 3 to 6 hours |
| FM · Full Mechanics | 1/100 | ~18 cm | Partial | Intermediate | 4 to 8 hours |
| MGSD | Non-scale (SD) | ~11 to 12 cm | Yes | Intermediate | 3 to 5 hours |
| PG · Perfect Grade | 1/60 | ~30 cm | Yes | Advanced | 15 to 40+ hours |
*Heights are for an 18 m mobile suit such as the RX-78-2 Gundam. Larger designs, like the Sazabi or the Nu Gundam, build taller. Build times are rough guides for a straight build without painting.
Each grade in detail
EG · Entry Grade
Designed for complete beginners. Parts can be removed from the runners by hand, so you can build one without tools, and the result still has good color separation and articulation. A great gift or a relaxing one-evening build.
HG · High Grade
The backbone of Gunpla since 1990 and by far the largest range. HG kits cover almost every series, from the original Mobile Suit Gundam to the latest anime, which makes them ideal for building a lineup. Modern HGs are well articulated and show surprising detail for their size.
RG · Real Grade
Real Grade, introduced in 2010, aims to put Master Grade realism into 1/144 scale. You get a detailed inner frame, very fine color separation and many tiny parts. The finished kit is stunning on a shelf, but it is fiddly. Many builders treat RG as a step after a few HGs or MGs.
MG · Master Grade
Launched in 1995, Master Grade is what many fans picture when they think of Gunpla. The 1/100 scale gives room for a full inner frame, moving armour panels and realistic mechanical detail, while parts stay large enough to handle comfortably. Variants marked Ver.Ka follow the designs of mechanical designer Hajime Katoki, and MGEX is a premium extension of the line.
RE/100 and FM
Both are 1/100 kits that skip the full inner frame. RE/100 focuses on mobile suits that rarely get Master Grade kits, while Full Mechanics brings 1/100 kits to series such as Gundam SEED and Iron-Blooded Orphans. They are a quicker route to a big, impressive model.
SD, SDCS and MGSD
Super Deformed kits are the chibi-style Gunpla. Standard SD and SD Cross Silhouette kits are fast and fun, while MGSD applies Master Grade engineering, including an inner frame, to SD proportions for a surprisingly detailed little kit.
PG · Perfect Grade
Introduced in 1998, Perfect Grade is Bandai's flagship. At 1/60 scale, PG kits feature extensive inner frames, opening hatches, and in many cases light-up options. The PG Unleashed line pushes the engineering further. Expect a long, rewarding build and plan display space in advance.
What the scale means for size
Scale tells you how many times smaller the model is than the "real" mobile suit. The RX-78-2 Gundam is 18 metres tall, so:
- 1/144: 18 m ÷ 144 = about 12.5 cm (EG, HG, RG)
- 1/100: 18 m ÷ 100 = 18 cm (MG, RE/100, FM)
- 1/60: 18 m ÷ 60 = 30 cm (PG)
Kits in the same scale stand next to each other in proportion, which is why collectors often stick to one scale for a display.
Reading a Japanese Gunpla box
Japanese boxes are mostly in Japanese, but the key information is easy to find:
- Grade and scale are printed in large letters on the top, for example "MG 1/100".
- The kit number shows its place in the grade line-up.
- プレミアムバンダイ (Premium Bandai) marks a limited kit originally sold through Bandai's own online store. These are often harder to find later.
- The instruction manual is in Japanese but almost entirely illustrated, so you can build without reading the text.
Which grade should you buy?
- Your first kit
- An EG or a recent HG of a suit you love. You will finish it in an evening and learn how the parts and runners work.
- Building a collection
- HG, for the range and the shelf space it saves.
- A weekend project
- MG. It is the most rewarding balance of engineering, size and price.
- Maximum detail, small footprint
- RG, once you are comfortable with small parts.
- A centrepiece or a gift for a seasoned builder
- PG or PG Unleashed.
Tools worth having
- Side cutters (nippers). A sharp pair designed for plastic leaves a clean cut and less white stress mark.
- A hobby knife or sanding sticks. To clean up the small nub left where a part was attached.
- A panel-line marker. Running fine ink into the moulded lines is the easiest upgrade you can make.
- Matte or gloss topcoat (optional). Evens out the plastic shine and protects stickers or decals.