RX-78-2 Gundam Ver.3.0 Master Grade - Bandai 1/100 Scale Model Kit [Unboxing and Pre-Assembly Review]

Being the sentimental fool that I am, there was perhaps only one choice of model kit to kickstart my journey into Gunpla, the hobby of assembling and painting Gundam models. Be that as it may, there were still many versions of the iconic RX-78-2 Gundam to choose from, seeing that it was arguably the most widely represented mecha in Bandai's model kit product line. After a fair bit of research, I finally settled upon the 1/100 scale RX-78-2 Gundam Version 3.0 Master Grade kit. Here then is a quick unboxing and pre-assembly review of the granddaddy of all Gundams ... the RX-78-2.   

Bandai 1/100 scale Master Grade RX-78-2 Gundam Version 3.0

Right off the bat I'm was already quite taken with the main box art. It depicted the RX-78-2 in a realistic manner, for a make-believe robot, versus the anime version which mainly has flat primary colors. Moreover, side box art showing the assembled model kit in various poses suggests a great looking Gundam can be build without having to paint it. But as tempting as it may seem, the thought of an unpainted kit isn't an appealing one. There are rare instances where painting isn't required but even then a clear coat is needed to remove the plasticky toy look of an unpainted model kit.

Side box art displaying the RX-78-2 Gundam in various poses as well as its gimmicks 

For a handier painting reference, the main box art is reproduced in full color on the front cover of the instruction booklet. Apart from this, there is a fully colored center spread showcasing the various gimmicks of this particular version of the RX-78-2 as well as a Mr.Hobby paint color guide for the Gundam and its pilot Amuro Ray. Meanwhile the rest of the booklet comprised a short history of the RX-78-2, a parts listing, assembly instructions and decal/foil sticker application guide was done in black and white only. While the language is mainly in Japanese, the diagrams are self explanatory. Assembly was divided into sections such as the core fighter, the head, body, legs, etc.

Center spread on the instruction booklet contains the painting color guide to the model kit

Instructions were in Japanese but the diagrams seem easy to follow and understand

From the number of sprues included in the kit, I was expecting a fairly high part count. While the number was nothing compared to the 1000+ parts found in some AFV model kits, it's still high enough to be a challenge and definitely higher than most Bandai Star Wars kits. Also included is a set of decal and foil stickers for use on the RX-78-2 Gundam. As I understand it, only the Master Grade Gundam model kits under the Version Katoki (Ver.Ka) product line have water slide decals. This is a bit of a downer as decal stickers are inferior to water slide decals in terms of realism.   

Lots of sprues/parts means the RX-78-2 Gundam won't be a quick project, especially if painted

Bandai has created a model kit that should look great without a single drop of paint. This is clearly evident from the sheer number of colors the molded parts come in, ranging from pure white to dark gray and two off-white shades in between i.e. light brownish gray and light bluish gray. There are also two shades of red, two variants of blue, three types of gray as well as clear red/transparent parts - everything needed to build the RX-78-2 without having to paint it save perhaps a final clear coat. But as I've mentioned earlier, tempting as it is, I do not intend to leave the RX-78-2 unpainted.

Sprue A and B: Core fighter parts (white, red, blue, gray and clear); Sprue C: Clear parts for the head and body unit

Sprue D: Weapons, shield and waist unit parts (pure white)

Sprue E: Head, body, waist, leg units and shield parts (red, yellow and yellow)

As mentioned above, there is an incredible amount of tonal variations for just the white/off-white molded pieces which form the main outer armor of the RX-78-2. And the existence of such subtly varied hues has two implications for a modeller who intends to paint the model kit. Firstly, having parts already molded in different colors greatly helps in the organization of parts during the painting process. Second and more importantly, with so much contrasting hues already present, the modeller then has to decide whether to add more contrast via post- or pre-shading. On this I'm still undecided.  

Sprue F1: Head, arm, waist and leg unit parts (pure white)

Sprue F2: Arm, waist and leg unit parts (pure white)

Sprue G1: Head, body, arm, waist and leg unit parts; Sprue G2: Arm, waist and leg unit parts (off-white)

Sprue H1: Arm, waist and leg unit and weapon parts; Sprue H2: Arm, waist and leg unit parts (light brown)

Design of the kit necessitates an inner frame be built first before the outer armor is piled on. A quick glance at the instruction leads me to believe that the modeller could either build the entire inner frame before starting on the outer armor or just build each section (e.g. head, body, etc.) to completion (i.e. with the outer armor attached) before the separate sections are attached together. As I plan to paint everything and keep things as simple as possible, I'll likely go the latter route. Having an inner frame allegedly increases freedom of movement hence poseability of the finished kit. 

Sprue I: Inner frame parts for the head, body and waist units; and parts for the weapons (dark gray)

Sprue J1: Inner frame parts for the body, arm, waist and leg units; and parts for the weapons (dark gray)

Sprue J2: Inner frame parts for the body, arm, waist and leg units (dark gray)

Sprue K: Parts for the weapons (dark gray)

Clockwise from left - Sprue PC-202A: Poly-caps and other joint articulation parts; Sprue MP1: Finger parts; Sprue L: Inner frame parts for the body and waist units and parts for the hand (dark gray) and Sprue SB1: Beam sabre clear red part

Adding to an already well contrasted piece, Bandai also includes plenty of decal and foil stickers to enhance the level of detail on the model kit. Just looking at the instruction booklet boggles the mind as to the decal placement options available (see below). As for the foil stickers, they comprise mainly metallic copper sheets meant for the joints. Because I intend to paint up the RX-78-2, these stickers will be of no use to me. But it's a nice touch for modellers who don't want to paint it.    

If one is so inclined, there are many ways in which to spruce up Grandpa Gundam via decals

Decal and foil stickers for the Master Grade RX-78-2 Gundam v3.0

To get a rough idea of the color separation inherent in the molded parts, one should first take a look at the paint color guide provided by Bandai for the Master Grade RX-78-2 Gundam Version 3.0. Three shades of white and gray respectively, two for the reds and two variants of blue. Only the yellows are of a single shade. This guide is perfectly replicated in the color molded parts (see below). 

Painting Guide for the RX-78-2 Gundam v3.0 is excellent in terms of color separation

White/Off-White molded parts are color separated into white, light gray and light brown

Red molded parts are color separated into a darker (left) and brighter (right) hue

Blue molded parts are color into a light blue with violet hues and a standard bright blue

Even the gray parts are color separated into three shades, two of which are shown above

Clear sprues comprise the beam sabre red and body/head transparent parts

Yellow was the only main color in which the parts were not color separated

So my first Gundam project is ready for launch. But before I even begin, there's lots of planning involved because this will be the first time I've attempted to paint so many small parts separately before assembling them. Previous experience with Bandai Star Wars kits that require less parts to be painted separately have frequently ended in part-fit problems, and therefore broken joints when forced together. Though I approach this project with trepidation, I also see it as a new challenge. Brave words, eh? Nah, forced bravado is more like it. Still, there's no stopping this project now.