We’ve talked about the manga, and we’ve talked about the mobile suit, but now I want to talk some about the actual model kit itself.
Because here’s the thing about the High Grade Moon Gundam. It was - and still largely is - considered the King of the High Grades. That is quite an honor to be bestowed, and it’s worth looking into why - and what the consequences are.
No Particular Reason
Sometimes Bandai will use a given model kit to do something special, like experiment with a new technology, or to achieve some sort of engineering or artistic goal. And when they do so, they’re usually pretty explicit about it.
For example, when they did the “Gunpla Evolution Project”, those kits had special branding on their boxes. And Bandai put out marketing material to let people know that they made Gunpla Kun out of Limex instead of regular plastic.
At other times, Bandai is a bit more subtle with their intentions. For example, the Real Grade and Master Grade 3.0 Grandaddy Gundam models were both made to look like the 30th anniversary statue they built:
I don’t believe they made a big stink about this, but it wasn’t hard to connect the dots.
Or consider the High Grade Revive versions of the Grandaddy and the Zaku II, which were designed to replicate how each mobile suit looked when they debuted on screen in 1979.
Again, I don’t think this was heavily promoted, but diehard fans could pick up on it.
But the Moon Gundam is a little different. They did something unusual with it, and as far as I can tell there is no particular reason why. They did it simply because they could.
About the Model Kit
Most, if not all of the reviews and opinions I’ve seen on this Gunpla have been overwhelmingly, gushingly positive. And there are still a lot of folks who believe that it is, pound for pound, the best High Grade ever made.
This is because (allegedly) the level of quality on this kit is so high that it looks and feels closer to a Real Grade model than a High Grade. It has an almost-full inner frame, and an extremely high degree of surface detail.
Also, allegedly it’s (almost) completely color accurate, without the use of a single color correcting sticker. Not even the eyes use stickers, but rather green colored plastic (this is a common enough practice nowadays, but was basically unheard of when this kit came out in 2018).
But that’s not all. Similar to many Real Grades, it uses two different tones of white/grey plastic, rather than just one. It also uses a mix of matte and glossy plastic.
And on top of all that, it also comes with its own Action Base 5, which is something you usually only see on certain Premium Bandai kits.
Pretty much the only thing it doesn’t steal from the Real Grade line is the copious amount of marking stickers. But still, this is all extremely impressive.
However, as awesome as all this sounds, there is a catch …
About the Cost - and Price Sensitivity
The Moon Gundam is not cheap for a High Grade. Its MSRP is $36, with some shops selling it for up to $40. From what I can gather, this gives a lot of builders (and even some reviewers) a serious case of sticker shock - myself included. The only reason I finally pulled the trigger on it is that I had a gift card lying around. If I had to pay for it out of pocket, I still don’t know if I would have gotten it. Which, the more I think of it, is kind of weird.
Price sensitivity is, of course, a very personal thing. What might be too pricey for me may be reasonable to you, or vice versa. For that reason alone, it’s difficult to say whether or not the Moon Gundam is too expensive, or whether it is a good value. That’s really all up to you.
But consider this - your perception of price or value can change based on how you frame it. For example, at $36 MSRP, this kit costs as much or more as many Real Grades, and is encroaching on the price of low end Master Grades (I’ve purchased at least one Master Grade for $37, and another for $34). From this perspective, the Moon Gundam looks quite overpriced.
But what if we look at it through a different lens? The Moon Gundam also costs much as the High Grade Gundam Rose, which also comes with a full Action Base 5 and a bunch of accessories. And that’s a kit I didn’t hesitate to buy.
Furthermore, it’s only a couple bucks more than some other weirdly expensive HGs, like the Zeta Plus.
That one is $30-$32 MSRP (for reasons I still don’t understand). That’s only $4-$6 less than the Moon Gundam, and it doesn’t even come with an Action Base 5!
And yet … I still came extremely close to getting a Zeta Plus on more than one occasion, despite its weirdly high price.
So here’s the question - if I’m willing to buy kits like Gundam Rose or the Zeta Plus, then why should I have sticker shock over the Moon Gundam?
Ultimately, I now think the problem with the Moon Gundam’s pricing isn’t the price itself, but rather that some of the aspects that drive up its cost are not immediately obvious. For example, I had no idea until I got it that it comes with an Action Base. That alone makes up a huge chunk of the price.
Furthermore, it’s also not immediately obvious that the Psychoplates are not just for show. They’re also fairly versatile accessories that can be used in a lot of different ways.
When you consider these factors, as well as its incredible level of detail, it starts to seem like it’s actually a pretty good value. That’s not to say that it still isn’t pricey. I’m just no longer convinced that it’s some sort of ripoff.