Gunpla, or gundam plastic models, are extremely fun to build for anyone interested in gundam or mecha models. There are several types of gundam models available, so let’s see what they are. ## Sizes Gundam models come in various sizes, the two most popular being 1/144 and 1/100 scale. 1/144 scale is approximately 4-5 inches tall, and 1/100 scale is around 8-9 inches tall generally. At first, 1/144 scale seemed small when I read it was only 4-5 inches tall, but you would be surprised at how nice they can be. 1/100 scales feel twice as big. There are also 1/60 scale models, which are even larger, although there are not as many of them available. I have also seen a few 1/35 scale kits available on the web, which are absolutely huge (and very costly). ## Grades In addition to size, gunpla come in different grades as well. The grade determines the quality or detail of the kit. The commonly seen grades are: NG = No Grade HG = High Grade RG = Real Grade MG = Master Grade PG = Perfect Grade Generally, NG kits are the least detailed and PG kits are the most detailed. Most 1/144 kits are either NG, HG, or RG, and most 1/100 kits are either HG or MG. I believe all PG kits are 1/60 in size, although there are some 1/60 kits that are not PG. When I first began, the NG kits were more common for 1/144 than they are now. I think RG kits launched in 2012 and grown quite a bit in popularity for the 1/144 size. ## Pricing In terms of pricing, NG kits are pretty affordable, especially the 1/144 sizes. These are the kits I originally started on, and they can be found for as low as $3. Most 1/144 NG kits I have seen are less than $15. HG kits cost a little more, although they are still pretty affordable as well. Depending on the size of the kit, HG kits are generally $15 – $30. RG kits are around $30 as well and contain a lot of the details you may find on a MG kit, but in the smaller 1/144 size. MG 1/100 scale kits are usually in the range of $30 – $70 depending on the kit. Finally, PG kits all seem to be in the range of $100 – $200, although a few cost even more. > [!WARNING] > This pricing guide was also written around 2010 give or take a few years (added details of RG after the fact). These values are probably no longer as relevant because in 2022 it's actually pretty rare to find a PG for $100-200. The older ones, maybe (although usually out of stock). Most newer PGs are now $200+. They also have recently launched PG Unleashed kits which are yet another level, and another price range (only one available currently RX-78-1) ## Recommendations for New Modelers Naturally, I recommend starting with some 1/144 NG kits and then work up in both size and grade. Starting with a 1/144 NG kit allows you to build one or two kits and practice some of the most basic techniques on them first. After learning the couple basic techniques, advance to 1/144 HG kits and 1/100 HG kits. Next go to RG kits. After building some of these and practicing more advanced techniques on them, move on the MG and PG kits. You could start with a RG kit if you like because the price isn't bad and the details are much better than a NG or HG kit. However, note that because they are the 1/144 size yet still contain some fairly detailed parts, they can be a little trickier to build (and in some cases I think they are harder to build than a MG kit for my aging hands). Doing this will allow you to quickly focus on practicing techniques without worrying about ruining a costly gundam. 1/144 NG kits are pretty cheap, so they are great to practice on. For me, I purchased two 1/144 NG kits because I always wanted to build a gundam model. I had never done any modeling before (nor even watched the TV shows for that matter). After building those, I knew I was hooked and took a bigger step.