Kit Review

Straight build

Size comparison with a cigarette pack

Upper body

Head

Weapons

The unique backpack

Legs

There's a seal meant to go on the chest,
but it actually looks pretty good without it too.

The rifle can be split into front and rear halves for separate use.

The front of the rifle rotated 90 degrees with the handle pulled out

The 2 beam saber handles are stored in the side skirts.

4 beam parts are included.

2 standard hands and 1 open hand are included — the open hand has great proportions.

HG Gundam AGE-1 Normal - You can change the shield's mounting orientation by rotating the forearm parts that hold it 90 degre

By rotating the forearm parts that hold the shield 90 degrees,
you can change the shield's mounting orientation.

HG Gundam AGE-1 Normal - There's a weapon mounting gimmick in the center of the rear skirt.. but it looks like it's meant for

There's a weapon mounting gimmick in the center of the rear skirt..
but it looks like it's meant for versions other than the Normal.

The arm and leg articulation is excellent.

The shoulder's up/down and forward/back range of motion is narrower than you'd expect.

The ankle's forward/back range of motion is quite good.

HG Gundam AGE-1 Normal - Kneeling pose (1/3)

Kneeling pose

HG Gundam AGE-1 Normal - Rifle firing pose (1/3)

Rifle firing pose

HG Gundam AGE-1 Normal - Half-rifle action pose (1/4)

HG Gundam AGE-1 Normal - Half-rifle action pose (2/4)

Half-rifle action pose

HG Gundam AGE-1 Normal - Dynamic firing pose using Action Base 2 (1/4)

HG Gundam AGE-1 Normal - Dynamic firing pose using Action Base 2 (2/4)

Dynamic firing pose using Action Base 2

HG Gundam AGE-1 Normal - Beam saber/beam dagger action pose (1/3)

Beam saber/beam dagger action pose

HG Gundam AGE-1 Normal - Alongside the original HGUC First Gundam. You can really feel how much things have changed over the

Alongside the original HGUC First Gundam.
You can really feel how much things have changed over the years..

In the fall of 2011, the AGE-1 Normal was released as an HG kit — the very first kit from the new Gundam AGE anime. When the anime was announced, it drew a lot of complaints for its story and design, which were clearly aimed at a younger audience, but I guess that's what happens when most of the fanbase are old-timers. Regardless of the story, us Gunpla fans tend to care more about the mecha side of things anyway.. and honestly, the suit design did feel a bit awkward and somewhat childish at first glance.

But as always, Bandai works its magic! The good old tradition (?) of the plastic model looking way cooler than the original design sheets held true once again. The design might be a love-it-or-hate-it thing, but once it's out as an actual kit, it somehow comes together into something much sharper-looking.

Being the first release from a new anime series, you can tell they put extra care into the engineering — the panel edges are remarkably crisp for a 1/144 scale kit. It definitely feels like a step up from the 00 era.

The articulation is great too — the arms and legs fold up nicely of course, but the ankle articulation is also very flexible both forward/back and side to side, and the joint strength is solid all around. It's a really fun kit to pose. No matter what pose you put it in, it looks natural, the feet have great ground contact, and the poses hold really well.

All in all, this kit came out as a top-tier HG — easily a 100 out of 100. Personally, I think the design turned out way less childish and much more refined than the original concept art, so I'm pretty satisfied with it as a new Gunpla release. Sure, being invested in the anime helps when building Gunpla, but a kit can absolutely stand on its own merits in terms of design and quality alone. Anyway, as long as the design doesn't put you off, this is a fantastic kit that really shows off the best of what Bandai's HG lineup can do. :-)

HG Gundam AGE-1 Normal | 2011.9 | ¥1,500

AIThis page was translated by Claude Sonnet.