I’m really excited for this one. I’m not sure if I should be, but I am. After all, it wasn’t that long ago that I built not one, but two Grandaddy Gundams. And while I hear nothing but good things about this Entry Grade kit, there’s still a possibility that it isn’t as great as I’ve been led to believe. As always, there’s only one way to find out.
About the Entry Grade
As the name implies, the point of the “Entry Grade” line is serve as a good entry point into the hobby of Gunpla. Bandai’s first attempt at the Grade was actually back in 2011. According to the Gundam Wiki, those original kits were intended for China and other “emerging Asian markets”, and cost roughly four dollars. Their articulation was limited to only a few joints, and as you can see in the photo below, they don’t look all that great:
For one reason or another, Bandai decided to bring the line back to life in 2020⁄2021, albeit with drastic improvements. I’ve read and watched many online reviews of this model, here are some of the highlights and key features of this “first” Entry Grade model:
- It only costs seven dollars/7000 yen
- It has full articulation (in the sense that all the joints work. I have no idea how good the range is)
- It uses no polycaps and no stickers
- Like a lot of smaller, cheaper kits, the parts can be pulled right off the runner, without the need for tools
- Due to the low cost, the kit is missing accessories. It has beam saber handles, but no blades. It also has no bazooka
- Bandai did a soft launch of this kit in the fall of 2020. Those ones were sold in a big canister, which also contained corn snacks. The version released in America, however, comes in a normal cardboard box. I’ve also seen photos that show them being sold in a simple cellophane bag
All in all, it sounds like a very interesting idea. If Bandai can make a halfway decent model kit for under ten bucks, which also requires no tools, they’ll have their hands on a hit. New builders will love them, of course, but if they can manage to make an Entry Grade Zaku (or really any other grunt), then veteran builders are going to scoop them up to build armies.
Why do This Now?
Why bring back the Entry Grade? Over the last year and change, I’ve seen rumblings online about how Bandai Spirits (the division/splinter part of Bandai that sells models) wants to expand their reach and their sales outside of Japan. To do that, they need to improve the visibility, availability, and accessibility of their products. And from what I can see, it appears as if this new Entry Grade kit is part of that push.
The price is a big part of that of course, but take a look at the back of the instructions:
There is a whole section on the history of Gunpla, a section about panel lining, and an add for two excellent High Grades for newbies to “graduate” to. If this isn’t a deliberately gentle introduction to the hobby, I don’t know what is. Perhaps most interesting thing is the link to Bandai Hobby Satellite, a new webpage for newcomers. It lists models (across multiple series, not just Gundam), and contains tips and tricks (including Youtube videos). It is shockingly well made, and very “English Language friendly”.
So yeah, I’m excited for this one. Let’s see if this is truly the game changer it is made out to be.
Other Thoughts
-
It looks like they also sell these in Japan in simple cellophane bags:
They should sell them like that here in the States. Imagine those bags hanging from an end cap, or being placed alongside the small, bagged Lego sets by a cash register (which, conveniently, are about the same price this kit). I know which I’d pick up as an impulse buy.
- Even though this is supposed to look pretty decent out of the box, I do plan on painting and detailing it like normal.
