Kit Review

Straight build
+ light panel lining

Size comparison with a cigarette pack

Upper body

Head

Arms

Back section

Beam sabers have been added to the side skirts as well.

Legs

Weapons

The biggest feature of the Beginning 30 Gundam is
the whopping 18 ifs units.

HG Beginning 30 Gundam - The ifs units come in 4 different sizes and colors, and are mounted all over the place — shoulders,

The ifs units come in 4 different sizes and colors,
and are mounted all over the place — shoulders, arms, legs, backpack, you name it.

And there are a ton of beam parts included.

HG Beginning 30 Gundam - You can freely attach 2 types, 8 beam parts total to any of the 16 ifs units. (The 2 ifs units mount

You can freely attach 2 types, 8 beam parts total to any of the 16 ifs units.
(The 2 ifs units mounted on the knees cannot have beam parts attached.)

With the field shield attached.

The base body with the ifs units removed.

Leftover parts for the Beginning Gundam.

HG Beginning 30 Gundam - When holding the rifle, if you don't make sure the hand parts are properly connected, the rifle can

When holding the rifle, if you don't make sure the hand parts are properly connected,
the rifle can droop downward like shown above, so watch out.

The articulation is similar to the Beginning Gundam. Not great, not bad..

HG Beginning 30 Gundam - The triple beam saber action that was also in the Beginning Gundam (1/3)

The triple beam saber action that was also in the Beginning Gundam

HG Beginning 30 Gundam - Beam saber twin-type action (1/4)

HG Beginning 30 Gundam - Beam saber twin-type action (2/4)

Beam saber twin-type action

HG Beginning 30 Gundam - Flying pose with beam parts attached to the ifs units. Once you put them on, it looks surprisingly f

Flying pose with beam parts attached to the ifs units.
Once you put them on, it looks surprisingly flashy..

HG Beginning 30 Gundam - Beam rifle firing pose (1/4)

HG Beginning 30 Gundam - Beam rifle firing pose (2/4)

Beam rifle firing pose

HG Beginning 30 Gundam - Beam saber pose (1/4)

HG Beginning 30 Gundam - Beam saber pose (2/4)

Beam saber pose

HG Beginning 30 Gundam - Together with the normal Beginning Gundam. So much stuff has been added, it's practically dripping w

Together with the normal Beginning Gundam.
So much stuff has been added, it's practically dripping with accessories..

Straight build

Following the Beginning Gundam from Gunpla Builders, the Beginning 30 Gundam has also been released as an HG. It's a version where some of the armor from the original Beginning Gundam has been changed, and 18 ifs units have been added all over the body.

The ifs (I-field Control System) works similarly to the old I-field, and out of the 18 ifs units, you can freely combine 8 beam parts across 16 of them — excluding the 2 on the knees. Honestly, maybe it's because there are just so many accessories crammed on, but it feels less flashy and more like a cheap toy. Then again, it's not a Gundam that appears in the main canon, so I guess that's just how it is, right?

But then when you actually attach the beam parts to that design that looked kind of cluttered... it surprisingly gives off quite a flashy vibe. The combinations for attaching the beam parts are pretty complex, which means you can mix and match to add accents wherever you want. The beam parts also have a slightly chameleon-color feel when light hits them, unlike regular beam parts. On top of that, the newly added twin-type beam sabers and field shield look pretty stylish too, so overall this is a kit that really comes alive thanks to the beam parts.

On the flip side, with all those bits and pieces hanging off it, it's a bit more fragile compared to the original Beginning Gundam. The ankles already looked a little weak to begin with, and even though it's 1/144, the kit is starting to carry some weight, so you'll need to balance it carefully when standing it up. Though honestly, the way it looks, it seems like it was practically designed to be displayed on a stand anyway..

Anyway, the design may look a bit cluttered, but when displayed with the beam parts, it actually looks surprisingly good. Setting aside its origins, I'd say it's a kit worth recommending to anyone who wants something cute and compact with lots of little details. :-)

HG Beginning 30 Gundam | 2011.1 | ¥2,200

AIThis page was translated by Claude Sonnet.