Category: Gunpla

  • Where to Buy HG Gundam Aerial in the U.S.: 3 Stores Compared

    Buying one kit? Check a U.S. store’s delivered total first.

    If you’re already building a larger Japan order, compare what adding Aerial does to the shipping total.

    Compare three listings for the original Aerial

    Listings checked November 7, 2026. These are item prices before shipping, taxes, and any applicable import or payment fees. All three pages showed an Add to Cart button when checked. That signal can change and does not confirm fulfillment or shipping to your ZIP code.

    Hobby Gundam USA

    $22.00 · U.S.

    Check price and stock at Hobby Gundam USA
    Anchorage House of Hobbies

    $24.99 · U.S.

    Check price and stock at Anchorage House of Hobbies
    Plaza Japan

    ¥1,780 · Japan

    Check price and stock at Plaza Japan

    Check the box before comparing prices

    Look for Bandai HG 1/144 Gundam Aerial, product barcode 4573102630308. The Aerial Rebuild and other variants are separate kits. See the official Gundam product page for the original version.

    Compare the delivered cost for your ZIP code

    1. Add one kit at each store and use the same delivery ZIP code.
    2. Compare the item price plus shipping and any taxes shown. For the Japan order, convert to the same currency and check whether import fees or currency conversion charges are included.
    3. If you need it by a certain day, compare the shipping estimate and dispatch timing. If you are combining kits, compare the whole basket rather than multiplying the one-kit shipping price.

    We verified the listing prices and order buttons. ZIP-specific totals were not verified, so there is no confirmed cheapest store.

    Still deciding on the kit? See our Entry Grade vs. High Grade comparison. The retailer links on this page are standard links.

  • Entry Grade vs. High Grade Gunpla: Which Should You Build First?

    An open Gunpla box with parts still on their runners
    Real Grade Zaku II runners shown as an example · Gravis · CC BY-SA 4.0

    Choose the Entry Grade RX-78-2 for a tool-free first build. Choose the High Grade Gundam Aerial if you want to clip parts from the runners and have more ways to configure the shield.

    Entry Grade RX-78-2

    The quickest route from box to first pose. This kit has touch gates, so you can remove parts by hand.

    High Grade Gundam Aerial

    A first build with more to explore. Set out plastic model nippers and try different configurations for the shield’s 11 Bit Staves.

    Same scale, different experience

    Both examples are 1/144 scale. The choice is about what you want to do at the table. If you want to finish a first model with minimal setup, try the RX-78-2. If you’re excited about arranging the shield pieces or building the mobile suit you saw on screen, try Aerial.

    Before you order

    Compare the exact kit name, delivered price and stock. If you’re buying Aerial, check whether you’re looking at the original Gundam Aerial or the separately named Rebuild. For a tool-free start, read our first RX-78-2 build guide.

    Ready to buy Aerial? Compare three HG Gundam Aerial listings for U.S. buyers.

    Sources

    Bandai’s Entry Grade instructions · Bandai’s HG Aerial specifications · HG Aerial instructions

  • Your First Gunpla: From Box to Battle Pose

    Build brief · 01One kit. First pose.Entry Grade · 1/144 · RX-78-2
    Plastic runners in an open Gunpla kit box
    Real Grade Zaku II runners, shown as an example. Photo: Gravis · CC BY-SA 4.0

    Do you need tools for your first Gunpla kit?

    No tools are required for Bandai’s standard Entry Grade 1/144 RX-78-2 Gundam. Its touch-gate parts detach by hand and snap together, and the plastic is molded in color. Check the instructions for any other kit before buying tools.

    The first little click is when a pile of plastic starts to feel like a Gundam. A few steps later, there’s a tiny arm on the table. Keep going and the RX-78-2 from Mobile Suit Gundam is standing in front of you, ready for its first pose.

    If that sounds like a good evening, Bandai’s Entry Grade 1/144 RX-78-2 Gundam is a good place to start. The standard kit is designed so you can remove the parts by hand and snap them together. The red, white, blue, and yellow are already molded into the plastic. You can build it straight from the box without nippers, glue, or paint.

    Open the box and build one piece at a time

    Clear a patch of table, open the instructions, and find the first part on its runner, the plastic frame that holds the pieces. Free the parts for the step you’re working on and set them on a shallow tray. Leaving the rest on their runners makes it easier to match the part numbers as you go.

    When the model is standing, try one pose with the shield forward and another with the rifle held across the body. A small change in the angle of the head can give the whole pose a different feel. That’s a good moment to grab your phone and take the first photo of something you built yourself.

    Pick the box for the pose you want

    01 · Classic loadoutStandard kit

    Beam rifle and shield

    02 · More display optionsFull Weapon Set

    Adds a Hyper Bazooka, Gundam Hammer, and beam saber effects

    The standard kit gives you the beam rifle and shield for the classic silhouette. The Full Weapon Set adds a Hyper Bazooka, Gundam Hammer, and beam saber effects. If you can already picture that hammer on your shelf, look for “Full Weapon Set” in the listing.

    Before ordering, match three things in the title: Entry Grade, 1/144, and RX-78-2. The same mobile suit appears in other model grades and finished figures, so the name by itself can lead you to a different box.

    Where to shop in the U.S.

    For the standard kit, check Newtype and Gundam Planet. If you want the extra accessories, see Newtype’s Full Weapon Set listing. Compare the delivered price for your ZIP code and check whether the item is in stock or on preorder.

    Save the toolbox for your second build. If you decide to try a kit whose parts need clipping, start with a pair of plastic model nippers. For this first one, the box and a clear table are enough.

    Guide sources: Bandai’s standard kit instructions and Bandai’s Full Weapon Set product page. Retailer links are standard links.