by The popularity that does not decline, like video works
The latest Gundam series, “Mobile Suit Gundam Witch of Mercury,” began broadcasting on October 2nd. At the time of the first broadcast, it became a big topic, with many Gundam-related words occupying the trend on Twitter. Although more than 40 years have passed since the broadcast of “Mobile Suit Gundam” in 1979, the popularity of the Gundam series is still alive and well. “Gundam Plastic Model,” commonly known as “Gunpla.”
Even after the gunpla boom of the early 80s, its popularity has not waned, and even today, many gunpla are traded at high prices among collectors.
This time, Mr. Koichiro Umegaki, the representative of the appraiser of “Purchase Collector” (https://kaitoricollector.com/), a significant hobby product purchase store, received the highest price ever in the company. As a result, I was introduced to the best 30 Gunpla. Initially, there was more expensive gunpla, but please understand that the ranking is only based on cards that the company has a track record of handling. * Gunpla has a brand name (series name). Below are the characteristics of the brands included in this ranking.
HG [high grade] = 1/144 scale. A brand that can be called the standard of Gunpla. Easy to assemble and ideal for beginners (*except for some). It is also characterized by the large number of variations of aircraft that are sold.
MG [Master Grade] = 1/100 scale. Compared to the HG, it is more elaborately built and reproducible, and the number of parts is also larger, making assembly a little more difficult.
PG [Perfect Grade] = 1/60 scale. A brand for advanced users maximizes perfection, such as range of motion and reproducibility. The number of parts is also huge enough to draw a line with other brands.
HY2M [Hyper Hybrid Model] = A brand that has already been discontinued. Features large-scale development of 1/12, 1/24, and 1/60. Due to its size, there was gunpla with list prices exceeding 300,000, but they were so popular that they sold out immediately.
Gundam Collection = 1/400 scale. Completed trading figures are the main brand, but some of the original work’s large aircraft (huge mobile armor and warships) are made into plastic model kits using this small-scale number.
“Original SD Gundam World” and “SD Gundam BB Senshi” = A series with two or three deformed bodies. “SD Gundam BB Senshi” is a brand that continues today. “Ganso SD Gundam World” is a brand that ended once, but it has been revived with the renewal of some aircraft.
Rare items are released by order only.
30th place MG 1/100 Wing Gundam Proto Zero EW Color Clear ver.
Price: 17,000 yen
A special edition kit of the MG Wing Gundam Proto Zero was sold exclusively at the “Mobile Suit Gundam Exhibition” held in 2015. Clear parts are mainly used, so you can enjoy the transparent Proto Zero (all commentary on the ranking below is Mr. Umegaki’s comment).
29th place MG 1/100 ∀ Gundam Turn X nano skin image
Price: 17,500 yen
A set of MG∀ Gundam and MG Turn X was released in the past, each with a metallic molding color. It was released as a limited order from Premium Bandai.
28th place MG 1/100 The O
Price: 19,000 yen
A kit for the giant mobile suit “The O” that appears in “Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam.” Although it is MG, the size of the package on par with PG is eye-catching. When completed, it will be about 25cm tall, and you will be overwhelmed by the volume, just like the atmosphere of the original aircraft.
27th place Char’s exclusive Rick Dom HY2M 1/60
Price: 20,000 yen
The HY2M series is the only 1/60 scale Char’s exclusive Rick Dom. In addition, illumination parts are included, so you can enjoy lighting up the mono-eye and vernier.
No. 26 White Base Gundam Collection 1/400
Price: 21,500 yen
The white base has been made into a kit for multiple plastic model series, but this white base is characterized by its most enormous scale ever, with a total length of over 60 cm. In addition, Gundam, Guncannon, and Guntank figures of the same scale are included, and you can enjoy the worldview as a diorama.
Image of the armor of Tokugawa Ieyasu
No. 25 Mega Size Model 1/48 S-Cup x Gundam Char’s Zaku Premium Coating Silver
Price: 22,000 yen
This product won a collaboration campaign between the drink “S-Cup” and Mobile Suit Gundam. This is a silver Char’s Zaku, but there is also a gold version.
24th place Gundam Collection Neo 1/400 Musai-class light cruiser
Price: 23,000 yen
A warship of the Principality of Zeon appears in “Mobile Suit Gundam.” Like the white base of the same series introduced earlier, the volume, when completed, is overwhelming, and the total length is about 58cm. A Zaku figure of the same scale is also included and can be stored in the hangar.
23rd place PG 1/60 Gundam Astray Green Frame 7-Eleven Color
Price: 24,000 yen
“This is a limited order product from Seven Net.” The contents of the kit are the different colors of the PG Astray Red Frame, and for that reason, the red frame-specific equipment that the green frame does not initially have is also included so that you can enjoy a different side.
22nd place MG 1/100 Musha Gundam Mk-II Tokugawa Ieyasu Ver.
Price: 27,000 yen
“Musha Gundam Mk-II limited version.” Released exclusively for Premium Bandai orders. The armor is said to have been worn by Ieyasu Tokugawa during his first battle.
21st place PG 1/60 Gundam Exia LIGHTING MODEL
Price: 28,000 yen
This kit’s LED unit lights up the Gundam Exia body by default. For the first time in a Gunpla, the color-changing LED unit maximizes the reproducibility of the setting that appeared in the original work.
The Gunpla that Became the Beginning of History
20th Ganso SD Gundam 0074 Golden God Superior Kaiser
Price: 29,000 yen
The Superior Kaiser appears in “New SD Gundam Gaiden Golden Myth” and is the combined form of the Super Superior Dragon and Kaiser Wyvern. This is an item from the 90s, but this character is still popular and has been made into a three-dimensional figure in the new series SDX.
19th Best Mecha Collection No.4 1/144 Gundam / First Edition
Price: 29,500 yen
“The history of Gunpla began here.” This is the very first product that made Gundam into a plastic model. It has been retold many times, but this is the first edition released in 1980.
18th place HG 1/144 Gundam GP03 Dendrobium
Price: 30,000 yen
A 1/144 scale kit of the giant Dendrobium that appeared in “Mobile Suit Gundam 0083”. Even HG boasts the same package size and number of parts as PG. When completed, the total length will be about 100 cm, and the overwhelming sense of size is a must-see.
17th place PG 1/60 Unicorn Gundam Unit 2 Banshee Norn Final Battle Ver.
Price: 31,000 yen
A PG kit for the Unicorn Gundam 02 Banshee that appears in “Mobile Suit Gundam UC.” This is a version of the previously released regular version with a different color for the part where the main body emits light and is a product exclusive to Premium Bandai.
16th place PG 1/60 scale Gundam Astray Red Frame Kai
Price: 32,000 yen
“Premium Bandai exclusive product.” The Astray Red Frame, not Kai, is also made into a PG kit and is a famous aircraft.
Unparalleled Height in Gunpla History
15th place Ganso SD Gundam 106 Fire Blazer
Price: 35,000 yen
A rare trailer-type kit allows you to board and combine separately sold aircraft and containers. The trailer and the separately sold container have a high rarity value and are traded at a high price.
14th place Gundam Collection 1/400 Ptolemaios with the first edition limited clear version container
Price: 36,000 yen
A multi-purpose MS (mobile suit) transport ship appears in “Mobile Suit Gundam 00”. When assembled, it has a total length of about 63 cm and is powerful. Several were introduced in this ranking, but all the Gundam collection warships are famous and traded at high prices.
13th place HG 1/144 Neo Zeong + Psycho Shard
Price: 36,500 yen
The Neo Zeong is a giant mobile armor that appears in the “Mobile Suit Gundam UC” series. Even on the HG scale, when completed, it will be approximately 86cm in height, unprecedented in the history of Gunpla, and its appearance is just a word. We also received the separately sold part, “Psycho Shard,” which is only made to order, so we sold it as a set.
12th place HG 1/144 Maganak 36 machine set
Price: 37,800 yen
A set of 36 Magnacks that appear in “Mobile Suit Gundam Wing” is a Premium Bandai exclusive. Various Maganakku can be reproduced by combining each part. By adding the separately sold individual pilot specification Maganak, you can multiply the original 40 Maganak corps.
11th place SD Gundam BB Senshi Goen Bui Taishogun
Price: 38,000 yen
A combined set of 2 BB warriors, “Buuiou Taishogun” and “Gandamu Goenoh.” A resale version with a different coloring was later released, making it a popular product. Unfortunately, this was an article at the time of the first edition and was in an unassembled state, so it was a high-priced transaction.
Premium due to a limited color
10th place PG 1/60 Char’s Zaku full-color coating ver. Gunpla EXPO limited
Price: 39,000 yen
“This is an event-limited kit that was sold at past Gunpla EXPO.” It is a color change version of the previously released PG Char’s Zaku, and it will be a coloring version with an increased metallic feel.
9th place PG 1/60 RX-0 Unicorn Gundam Luminous Clear Seven-Eleven Color
Price: 41,000 yen
A Unicorn Gundam PG kit based on the coloring of Seven-Eleven. It is the first PG to use phosphorescent parts, and its presence stands out even in dark places. It was sold exclusively at 7-Eleven stores and Seven Net.
8th place Ganso SD Gundam 95 First generation Gundam Taishogun
Price: 42,300 yen
The first Gundam Taishogun is a popular character that has also been made into a kit for the BB Senshi version of another series. Unfortunately, the original SD Gundam version, which has ended the series, has a higher rarity value and is traded at a high price.
7th place PG 1/60 RX-78-2 Gundam 30th anniversary limited model extra finish ver.
Price: 42,500 yen
A limited color version of the previously released PG RX-78-2 Gundam was made to commemorate the 30th anniversary of Gunpla. Although it is a product that was generally distributed, it is now a premium product because it is a little color and the distribution volume was small.
6th Ganso SD Gundam 85 General Gundam
Price: 42,700 yen
This is a relatively large kit in the Ganso SD Gundam series, and when completed, it will be more than twice the size of the average Ganso SD Gundam. The legs of the main body are caterpillars, and it runs electrically. However, the distribution volume was small due to its size, and it is traded at a high price even in an assembled state.
1st place is over 200,000!
5th place: Ganso SD Gundam 81 Fuhrer Zatarion
Price: 44,000 yen
The unassembled state of the original SD Gundam series is valuable, so it was traded at a high price. This “Furer Zatarion” can be combined with another “Sauer R. Jaja” kit to reproduce another form.
4th place PG 1/60 RX-0 Unicorn Gundam Unit 3 Phenex
Price: 46,000 yen
A PG kit for the Unicorn Gundam 03 Phenex that appears in the “Mobile Suit Gundam UC” series. This is a limited-order item from Premium Bandai. The entire body is almost gold-plated, giving it a lovely and luxurious feel.
3rd Place: Ganso SD Gundam Shinsei Gundam Castle Tenchi Castle
Price: 66,000 yen
A large castle-shaped kit can be enjoyed by installing the separately sold SD Gundam. It can also be transformed into a fortress mode that deploys turrets and castle towers. Unfortunately, a diorama kit that is not a character’s aircraft has a high rarity value, and although it is in an assembled state, it was traded at a high price.
2nd place MG 1/100 RX-78-2 Gundam Ver. ONE YEAR WAR 0079 Club MG Limited Chrome Plated Ver.
Price: 72,000 yen
This highly rare gunpla can be obtained by accumulating the points that come with purchasing the MG series of gunpla during the campaign period. Furthermore, it is a unique specification that the whole body of Gundam shines with chrome plating.
1st place HY2M 1/24 RX-78-2 Gundam with first production limited original T-shirt
Price: 235,000 yen
This plastic model of the RX-78-2 Gundam is approximately 75cm tall when assembled. The list price is also non-standard at 78,000 yen. Due to its size and price range, the distribution volume is small, and has become a premium product.
We’ve introduced the top 30 most expensive “Gunpla” of all time, but there’s one thing you should be aware of here. For these products, the purchase price varies greatly depending on the condition of scratches and dirt. In addition, there are many types, such as limited-edition editions and limited-edition editions, so if you can’t tell the difference by yourself, it’s a good idea to ask a professional appraiser for an appraisal.
