Gundam Kit Grades Explained: EG, HG, RG, MG and SD for Beginners

A Gundam kit’s grade tells you its size, how many parts it has and how hard it is to build. For a first kit, buy an Entry Grade (EG) if the builder is young or nervous, or a High Grade (HG) if they want more choice; both are 1/144 scale and cost about $12 to $28. Save Real Grade (RG) and Master Grade (MG) for the second or third kit. We compared Bandai’s box details, ToyNoble’s review data and owner threads, and prices are list prices when we checked in October 2026.

What are the Gundam grades?

Gunpla is Bandai’s line of Gundam plastic models. The grade on the box is Bandai’s label for a kit family, and each family has a fixed scale and a level of detail. Scale is the size ratio to the “real” mobile suit, so a 1/144 kit of an 18-meter Gundam builds to about 12.5 cm, or roughly 5 inches.

This table covers the grades and lines you’ll meet in a US hobby aisle. Ages are Bandai’s Japanese box labels on the kits ToyNoble reviews.

For non-Gundam starter kits from several makers, our model kits for beginners collection filters by age and price.

Bottom line: EG and HG are the beginner grades, RG and MG are the step up, SD is its own small style, and PG is the top end.

What is Entry Grade, and who is it for?

The Entry Grade Wing Gundam builds without tools or stickers, per Bandai.

Entry Grade is Bandai’s easiest Gundam grade. The Entry Grade Wing Gundam is 1/144, labeled 8+, and $12.99. Bandai says it needs no tools or stickers because the parts twist off the runner by hand and colors are molded in.

That makes EG the lowest-risk pick for a nervous first-timer, though not the most detailed. EG suits have fewer color separations and simpler joints than an HG of the same suit. Owners still post their first EG builds proudly, and many keep them as the gateway kit.

In an r/Gunpla post from a parent whose 5-year-old built an EG alone, replies suggested HG kits from The Witch from Mercury as a step between EG and HG, along with 30 Minutes Missions kits and the newer “Revive” HGUC kits. One commenter warned that the HG Aerial’s thigh stickers are fiddly. That’s younger than Bandai’s 8+ label, so treat it as one family’s experience and follow the box age.

Bottom line: Buy EG for a first build at 8 or 9, or for an adult who just wants to try the hobby for about $13.

Why is High Grade the usual first kit?

The HG Gundam Aerial, a common first HG from The Witch from Mercury.

High Grade is the biggest Gunpla family, so it has the suit you want more often than any other grade. Kits stay at 1/144 and cost about $20 to $28 in our checks, but they add more parts, more color detail and some stickers. Most builders clip HG parts from the runners with a hobby nipper.

Four HG kits ToyNoble reviews show the range:

• HG Gundam Aerial, $19.99: a shield that splits into 11 bit staves; owners call the instructions easy.
• HGUC Zaku II (Revive), $20.99: a classic suit with three weapons and soft or hard skirt armor.
• HG GQuuuuuuX, $21.99: a 2025 design with swappable heads and hands.
• HGCE Rising Freedom Gundam, $27.99: a flight form by swapping parts.

The letters after “HG” only name the series. HGUC is Universal Century, the main Gundam timeline, and HGCE is Cosmic Era, the SEED shows. They’re all High Grade.

Model kit · 8+

Bandai HG 1/144 Gundam Aerial

Best for: Gundam fans aged 8+ ready for a step up

Researched

$17.99

Model kit · 8+

Bandai HGUC 1/144 MS-06 Zaku II (Revive) #241

Best for: New Gunpla builders who want a classic

Researched

$20.99

Model kit · 8+

Bandai HG 1/144 GQuuuuuuX

Best for: GQuuuuuuX viewers trying their first Gunpla

Researched

$21.99

Bottom line: If you know which Gundam you love, there’s probably an HG of it. Pick a newer kit, since newer HGs need fewer stickers.

What makes Real Grade harder?

The RG RX-78-2’s inner frame, molded before the armor goes on.

Real Grade keeps the 1/144 size of an HG but adds an inner frame, far more parts and water-slide decals. That’s why an RG costs about twice an HG and carries Bandai’s 15+ label. The RG RX-78-2 Gundam Ver.2.0 is $41 and includes a Core Fighter that converts, and the RG Shining Gundam is $42.99, with one owner counting more than 20 parts in a single foot.

Opinions split on RG as a first kit. In an r/Gunpla post titled “RG is a bad idea for a beginner”, a parent described finishing an RG Unicorn with their child after buying it on a whim, and said the tiny parts and stickers surprised them. Replies agreed the Unicorn is a hard kit in any grade, while others said a simpler RG can work as a first build and suggested HG Witch from Mercury kits next.

Heads up: RG parts are small enough to lose on carpet. Build over a tray and keep a pair of tweezers for decals.

Bottom line: RG is a great second kit. As a first kit it works only for a patient teen or adult who picks a simpler suit.

When is Master Grade worth it?

The MG Destiny Gundam with its anti-ship sword.

Master Grade is 1/100, so an 18-meter suit builds to about 18 cm, or 7 inches. MG kits have a full inner frame, more gimmicks and more weapons than an HG. The MG Destiny Gundam is $65, labeled 15+, and comes with five weapons, clear beam effects, a stand and two small pilot figures.

Compared with RG, MG parts are larger and easier to handle, so many builders find MG less fiddly despite the higher part count. The trade-off is price and time: plan for several evenings, not one. Bandai also sells MG variants: Ver.Ka kits with Hajime Katoki’s designs, like the $105 MG V2 Assault Buster Ver.Ka, and MGEX kits such as the $184 MGEX Strike Freedom Mechanical Clear.

Bottom line: Go to MG after one or two HGs, when you want a bigger model and a longer build.

What are SD kits?

SD kits shrink a Gundam into a chibi shape with a big head.

SD stands for Super Deformed, the chibi style with big heads and short bodies. SD kits aren’t a step on the ladder; they’re a side path. The SD EX-Standard Wing Gundam Zero is $11.99, labeled 8+, and needs a nipper and a foil sticker, per USA Gundam Store.

At the other end is MGSD, which adds an MG-style inner frame to the chibi shape. The MGSD Gundam Aerial is $50.99, about 4.5 inches tall, and labeled 15+. In r/Gunpla threads, owners warn that some SD lines lean on stickers, while others praise SDCS kits for using colored plastic instead.

Bottom line: Buy an SD EX-Standard for a quick desk build or a young fan, and an MGSD for an adult who likes detail in a small package.

How much does each grade cost, and what tools do you need?

Prices are list prices on ToyNoble’s review pages in October 2026. Tool costs are not included.

The tool list grows with the grade:

• EG and 30MM: nothing. Bandai’s touch-gate runners let parts come off by hand.
• HG and SD: a hobby nipper, plus a fingertip or tweezers for stickers.
• RG and MGSD: a sharp nipper, tweezers, and patience with water-slide decals.
• MG and up: the same, plus a tray or parts bowls and several sessions of free time.

The 30 Minutes Missions line is worth knowing. The 30MM Iglight 01 is $14.99, uses touch gates so no nipper is needed, and has 3 mm ports for swapping weapons.

Bottom line: Plan $12 to $28 for a first kit and a small nipper only if it’s HG or SD.

What do the ages on Gundam boxes mean?

Bandai prints 8+ on EG, HG and SD EX-Standard kits and 15+ on RG, MG, MGSD and PG kits, based on the Japanese label. Non-Gundam Entry Grade kits like Kirby and Naruto say 6+. These labels reflect small parts and the skill a kit needs, not the theme.

In the US, the CPSC fact sheet on the Child Safety Protection Act sets the small-parts warning for toys meant for children 3 to under 6. Gunpla is sold as a hobby kit with its own labels, so follow Bandai’s age and warnings on the box and keep runners and cut parts away from children under 3.

Bottom line: For a child under 12, stay at EG, HG or SD. Use the 15+ grades once the builder can handle small parts and decals.

Which grade should a beginner start with?

The HGUC Zaku II, a classic first HG.

Gunpla is growing, and more first-time builders are adults. Bandai Spirits CEO Hiroshi Sakakibara said in the Bandai Namco Integrated Report 2025 that Gundam model kits did especially well with the “mature fan base.” Automaton reported, citing The Nikkei, that 26.34 million Gunpla units sold in a year, half of them outside Japan. In the US, Circana’s first-half 2026 report found toy sales for adults 18+ up 25% and for teens up 33%.

“We’re seeing toys increasingly function as hobbies, fandom ecosystems, and social experiences rather than traditional children’s products.”

Kristen McLean, vice president of client insights, Circana

A child aged 8 to 10

Start with the Entry Grade Wing Gundam or the SD Wing Gundam Zero. Sit nearby for the first build.

A teen or adult trying the hobby

Pick an HG of a suit they like. The HG Gundam Aerial and HGUC Zaku II are both about $20.

A builder who already has one or two HGs

Try the RG RX-78-2 Ver.2.0 or the MG Destiny Gundam, depending on whether they want small and dense or big and roomy.

A fan of other robot kits

If they came from Blokees or Yolopark, our Blokees vs Bandai vs Yolopark comparison explains how the build styles differ. Bandai’s Real Grade is roughly the scale Geek Culture compared to Blokees’ larger Evangelion kit. We keep more Gunpla and model kit reviews across brands.

Bottom line: EG or HG first, then RG or MG. Don’t pick a grade by price alone; pick the suit the builder will want to finish.

A Blokees alternative if character posing matters more than Gunpla

If the reader mainly wants a recognizable Transformers figure to assemble and pose, Classic Class 09 Optimus is an alternative to starting with Gunpla. It follows Transformers (2007) and carries a 12+ label in our researched listing.

Blokees line names do not map to Bandai's EG, HG, RG or MG grades. Use the kit's own parts, instructions and age guidance to assess it. Keep Gunpla in the decision when Gundam designs, panel lining or the Bandai building system are the main reason for starting the hobby.

Affiliate disclosure: We may earn a commission when you buy through the Blokees links on this page. ToyNoble does not add a fee for using these links. The seller sets the final price, shipping and any discounts. How our links work.

Blokees Transformers Classic Class 09 Optimus Prime

Ages 12+. Transformers fans after a quick, light-up build.

• Series: Transformers Classic Class 09
• Film: Transformers (2007)
• Pieces: 88

Check the named edition and included parts on the selected listing before buying.

Keep in mind: The lights use batteries; Blokees says to keep them away from young kids

Check current price at Blokees our review Affiliate link

Read our researched review

Read the listing for the selected package, local availability, shipping and returns before paying. Price and stock can change after our research date.

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