I admire these first grade kits. They are so cheap, but they have details in some places that even HGs don't have. I feel the passion of the designers. But they are a misplaced product. The price is entry level, but they are so hard to paint despite requiring painting, that they are not suited for beginners. At least they are good practice fodder for learning to mod, because of the low price.
I could see a universe where these are like officially made resin kits,highly detailed like resin kits,the Gundam Artifact line,or B-Club,but only really for experienced builders who actually know what they’re doing
This looks primitive but look at it from the perspective of a westerner in the early 2000's, your uncle brings you this from his work trip to japan and you have only seen revell model kits, suddenly you build a kit with this much articulation and no need for glue, it would be absolutely mind blowing for a westerner the amount of thought that the japanese put into model kits.
This is just one of the many kits I have collected over the years. I dug this out because of the new MG ver 2.0 I just finished has revived my fondness for the RX-78-2.
@yauyuso No, the original kit lineup from the 1980s weren't called "First Grade". They were just "1:144 Gundam" and so on - "Grades" weren't introduced until the first HGs in the early 1990s. First grades are hott - they're not really suitable for most Gundam builders' expectations these days, but they're dirt cheap and they look great (way better than HGUC anyway) They also make a good source of extra parts for other kits.
This kit doesn't suck. The first grade kits have loads to offer if you want to paint/customise. Okay the articulation is dated but I collect RX-78-2 kits and this one's pretty important in the evolutionary lineup. And for £6.99 at Forbidden Planet it's a great introduction to Gunpla in general. That's what you should have said in this review and it took me a minute to type just saying.
i agree, these look great and nowadays they're a bit more of a collectors item, like dont get me wrong i do love my perfect grades, but i can definitely appreciate the history of something like this. Im about to buy some FGs and im contemplating whether to paint them or leave them stock, how they were meant to be as it were.
A little history about First Grade 1:144 model kits. These are based on a earlier line of 1:144 models which were also labeled as First Grades back when Gundam models were first made. The new FG are more like update ver. of the old one. As mentioned, the new FGs has a similar to Perfect Grade sculpt and possible some new weapons. I think the original lacks a the beam saber or rifle. Overall, sculpt is great and at cheap price you get a great looking Gundam. Old school action figure articulatio
@333444ize Actually, the First Grade kits have their strengths, and their uses. The strength of these kits is that they're dirt cheap and they look really nice.. Better than the HGUCs. Mixing FG parts (backpack, beam saber handles, etc.) into a HGUC build can make for a nice little upgrade. Their low cost, simplicity, and great looks make them a great choice for dioramas, for instance. 10 Gundams vs. 10 Zakus, for instance? $60 in FG, or $200 in HG.
Thats why it is fun! if you could just throw it together and have it look like the box right off what would be the challenge? 2old4toys: So this is the first 1st grade. You dont happen to have one of the FIRST gumdams do you? P.S. Just finished my ZZ
@mastermanchief21 Yep, I'm actually building a FG Char's Zaku now. The First Grades are the only decent-looking Zaku kits available in 1:144 scale these days...
there are worse looking kits. like the gundam Tristan. and I think I much rather a project to practice painting than start on a large kit. If you want to get something that looks closer to the pg in 1/144 scale just etch in the details with a small blade of some sort
yah u can go to hobbywave its better prime 92 and i shop there always! just click to the part where it has a picture of a red zaku and it says first grade there a 3 first grade char zaku green zaku and this one all have one colors
10:45 - 10:46 it sucks! xD maybe you're right. but i like the model of this kit because its too simple for a first grade kit and it has only 1 color even it has no PC parts.
I don’t think you understand. This line is actually called “First Grade”. This is not the first ever grade of Gundam, nor is it the first line of Gunpla. But it was called “First Grade” as it is a beginner line of models, with simple construction and design. Also, this wasn’t for the 30th anniversary of Gundam either, but was instead for the 20th anniversary, in 1999.
