Once Bandai released new (and, sadly, Premium Bandai) High Grade Gunpla for both Gundam Rose and Gundam Maxter, it was bleedingly obvious that they were going to relase the entirety of the Shuffle Alliance. The only lingering questions were a) Which one would they release next?, and b) When would they release it?
Now we have our answers - the next one is Sai Saici’s Dragon Gundam, and it’s coming out this winter in Japan (though folks in the US will have to wait until January 2025):
I don’t know why, but I just always assumed that they would release Dragon Gundam before Bolt Gundam. And that’s even before I realized that they’re releasing it during the Year of the Dragon.
Anyway, the model looks great. It perfectly captures the color scheme and all the details: this is particularly noteworthy for Dragon Gundam, as it’s a bit more intricate than either Rose or Maxter.
And then there’s the matter of its accessories. Just like its siblings, Dragon Gundam is going to come with a colored Action Base and a whole bunch of extra goodies. But it actually seems to have even more goodies than them, including these (extremely large) effect parts for Dragon Gundam’s ultimate moves:
Seemingly as a result of all this extra stuff, this one is going to be the most expensive Shuffle Alliance High Grade so far. Maxter cost $31, and Rose was $35, but Dragon Gundam is a cool $40, and that’s before taxes and shipping.
Generally speaking, I’ve always thought that the prices of P-Bandai kits are fair. In some cases, I’d even say they’ve been cheaper than I expected. This is the first time where a price has given me pause. It makes me wonder if all these accessories are worth it - are people going to actually use them when posing the kit on the shelf? Or are they just going to use them once and then put them back in the box?
This is also where I truly came to understand just how much of a markup is placed on Gunpla when they’re imported into the US. When this kit was announced, the press release revealed that it will cost 3960 Yen in Japan. At current exchange rates that comes out to $27 USD, meaning we’re paying a $13 premium (no pun intended).
I’ve always known that US fans pay a little extra for our Gundam merch, but I never really thought all that much about it. But now I’m realizing that, at least in some cases, the markup is a lot higher than I realized.
It doesn’t make me angry per se. It’s just a gentle reminder that not everything revolves around the US, and that these really are specialty imported goods.
In any case, I do have the kit pre-ordered, and I am looking forward to it regardless of the cost. I just hope that future P-Bandai orders don’t feel like such a hit to the wallet.
Other Thoughts
The fact that this isn’t coming out in America until January 2025 means that there won’t be a G Gundam High Grade released here in 2024.