Gundam Plastic models, Gundam Plamo, or Gunpla (ガンプラ, Ganpura) are model kits depicting the mecha machinery and characters of the fictional Gundam multiverse by Bandai Spirits. These kits became popular among mecha anime fans and model enthusiasts in Japan and nearby Asian countries beginning in the 1980s. Gundam modeling spread in the 1990s with North America and Europe being exposed to Gundam through anime and manga. They are extremely popular in Japan and other Asian countries but are gaining traction in the west. The name Gunpla derives from an abbreviation of "Gundam plamo" phrase, ‘plamo’ itself being a portmanteau of plastic and model, since most kits are made of plastic. Bandai sold over 100 million Gundam plastic model units between 1980 and 1984, and over 300 million units by May 1999. Recently, Bandai had sold an estimated 450 million units worldwide across nearly 2,000 different Gundam models. As of March 2021, Bandai Namco has sold 714.84 million Gundam plastic model units, including 538.24 million standard Gundam units (since 1980) and 176.6 million SD Gundam units (since 1987). By September 2024, cumulative worldwide shipments surpassed 800 million units.
History Late 1970s–1980s Gundam models are based on the Mobile Suit Gundam franchise, which debuted in 1979 as a television show. In 1980, Bandai obtained the rights to produce models based on the Gundam franchise. While Clover's models were produced in the style of most children's toys - fully assembled and ready for play - Bandai designed theirs as plastic kits to be assembled, similar to military vehicle models. While Clover's products targeted children, Bandai's approach was more appealing to the teenage and adult consumers that were more typical of Mobile Suit Gundam's audience, and was received extremely well. Nearly every mecha in the series was made into a model kit, from mobile suits to support aircraft and space battleships. Parts came in up to three different cast-in colors. These early kits are distinguished by their lack of articulation and low detail and, unlike later generations, require glue to assemble. A later development was System Injection, a technique which permitted a single "part" to be cast in multiple colors of plastic simultaneously, minimizing the need to paint the finished model.
Mid 1980s–1990s In 1985, Bandai introduced use of poly-caps (soft plastic, typically Polyethylene) as connectors for better articulation of joints. The 1987 model line for Gundam Sentinel introduced snap-fit models, which needed little or no glue to assemble. This would become standard in 1988, after which all kits use snap-fit assembly and no glue is needed. In 1990, Bandai introduced the High Grade (HG) line, which began an ongoing process of increasing model quality, and the creation of a grade system to describe the detail and quality of each kit. HG kits had much higher detail and articulation, as well as features normally found in larger-scale models, despite being 1:144 scale. One example is the 'Gundam Core Block System', in which the pilot sits in a "Core" which can be removed from the Gundam to become a distinct vehicle, and the Zeta Gundam's transformation feature. In 1993, a unified set of poly-cap joints was created for smaller scale models that allowed easy mass production of models that all shared the same basic skeletal frame. This standardization allowed Bandai to release more models over a shorter period. As a result, the Gundam shows of the 1990s usually received sizable 1:144 model lines. In 1995, the 1:100 scale Master Grade (MG) line was introduced. This line featured more parts, better detail and improved articulation than past kits of the same scale. In 1998, Bandai introduced the 1:60 Perfect Grade (PG) line. This line features extensive detail and articulation, light-up features, and a "body on frame" skeletal system in which the exterior panels of the model are separate components attached to a completely functional, articulated internal frame. This design element would later appear (sometimes in a limited form) in lower-grade models. The PG line is typically the most expensive among all Gunpla kits, and only a select few mobile suits have been released in this line. In 1999, to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the franchise, Bandai released 1:144 First Grade (FG) kits of mobile suits from the original series. Marketed as budget models, these snap-fit kits featured the simplicity of the original kits, but with more modern designs based upon the corresponding Perfect Grade kits.
2000s For the Mobile Suit Gundam SEED models a new type of non-graded (NG) 1:144 model was introduced, with a completely different design plan. While these still feature snap-fit and color molding, they omit major joints, opting instead to only allow critical pieces to move—typically the neck, hips, shoulders, and feet. These are budget models, usually retailing much lower than other models; and this line was extensive, covering nearly every machine to be featured in that TV series. Gundam SEED also featured non graded 1:100 models, identical in quality to Bandai's High Grade offerings. It was also during this decade that the term "Gunpla" was coined by Bandai.
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