Original 1980 1/144 Gundam Model Kit Returns

A 1/144 revival of a plastic model kit of the original 1980 Gundam is available on display at the Shizuoka Hobby Show. The kit should be available for consumers to purchase and build some time in the future.

While the kit itself will allow us to build a model very similar to the original 1980 Gunpla, there are some improvements to the 2024 version. For starters, the parts are of higher quality and have color to them, making them easier to recognize and removing the necessity of painting. The parts also click together, reducing the need of glue. This makes the Gunpla a lot more approachable for even amateur hobbyists. Some more hardcore hobbyists may dislike this change, as some builders paint their own models to personalize them.

It is also a way to see how Bandai’s technology has advanced since the 1980s. An ad for the set mentions this as well, stating that the Gunpla does not contain a miniature Amuro, but it contains Bandai’s 45 years’ of technological experience and progress. This revival kit is to commemorate the 45th anniversary of Mobile Suit Gundam, which came out in 1979.

The 1980 Gundam Gunpla kit is available as a display at the Shizuoka Hobby Show. Other kits you can check out there include an Armored Core 6 Steel Haze Model kit and a Yu-Gi-Oh Winged Dragon of Ra.