Back in the fall, I wrote a lot of words about how Gundam model kits were being sold at Target. It was a pleasant surprise, but I wondered whether it was a one-time deal, or whether they would continue to bring in new product over time.
Here now, in the middle of 2021, I can confirm that Target is not quite done with Gunpla. In addition to restocking a few of the “old” models from the fall (I’ve personally seen resupplies of the Revive Gundam and the Wing Zero), they’ve added at least two new kits to store shelves. Once again, I did my duty and showed my support through my patronage:
What we have here are two kits from 2020 - the High Grade “Revive” model of Char’s Zaku II, and the Entry Grade Gundam.
If you ask me, these are both great picks. The models being sold at Target are extremely “safe”, in that they are arguably the mobile suits that are most likely to be recognized by casual Gundam fans and/or people who only know of Gundam in passing. We’re talking the OG Gundam (recognizable by everyone), the Wing Zero (recognizable by young adults who grew up watching Gundam Wing), and the Gundam Barbatos (recognizable by newer, younger anime fans who watched Iron Blooded Orphans within the last few years). Adding the Zaku II to that line up is a smart choice (it is arguably just as recognizable as any mobile suit in the franchise).
As for the Entry Grade Gundam, it may feel redundant given that they already sell/sold the Revive Gundam, I still think it is a good addition. The Entry Grade is a fully functional, easy to assemble model kit that only costs seven dollars, and the Internet has been going nuts all year about how good it looks for that price. In theory, it should garner interest both from existing builders who want to check it out, and new builders who want something cheap and easy to help them break into the hobby.
Despite already having a backlog of kits to build, I think I’m going to move these two to the front of the line. I need a palette cleanser after the debacle that was the Leo build, and either of these would be great choices.
Other Thoughts
- The prices on these new kits are still excellent. The Entry Grade costs $6.99, and the Zaku II is 17 or 18. Both prices line up perfectly with what the big online model kit stores are charging.
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I've been checking the Target app every few days for the last week or so. I wanted to see if I could get an idea for how well these kits were selling. There have been a few stores that didn't have them in stock a week ago, but now do. There have been some stores that _did_ have them, and now don't. And there have been some that allegedly had only a few left, but when I got there they were nowhere to be found.
All of which is to say that I genuinely don't know what any of this means. It might be that the kits are extremely new arrivals, and most stores are only now getting them out onto shelves. _Or_ it may mean that they are selling so well that Target is reordering inventory.
- I'm 99.9% certain that they started stocking these kits this very month. I say that because the Gundam Wiki [claims](https://gundam.fandom.com/wiki/Entry_Grade) that the Entry Grade Gundam was released this month.