Kit Review

Straight build + Panel lining

Underside

EX Model Gundam Trailer Truck - The basic setup is a combination of the Gundam Trailer Truck body on the left and the MS hang

The basic setup is a combination of the Gundam Trailer Truck body on the left and the MS hangar on the right.
That hangar is totally optional — take it or leave it..

EX Model Gundam Trailer Truck - Detail shots. Those skinny ladder parts are fragile, delicate pieces you rarely see in regula

Detail shots. Those skinny ladder parts are fragile, delicate pieces you rarely see in regular Gunpla.
In that sense, it gives off a bit of a military model vibe — or just a more niche, enthusiast feel compared to your average Gunpla.

EX Model Gundam Trailer Truck - This kit is pretty much aimed at painting enthusiasts.. but you can still see some effort put

This kit is pretty much aimed at painting enthusiasts.. but you can still see some effort put into color separation here and there.

To get the most out of this kit, you'll need the HGUC RX-78. (Sold separately, of course.)

A bed for First.. ;;

The foot pegs fit together perfectly.

The arms hang roughly like this.

Gundam, standing on the earth!
Recreating this scene is the whole point of this kit.

Back in 2001, a rather peculiar product line showed up in Bandai's lineup. It's called the Ex-Model series, and true to the name, it's something a bit special. The concept is "taking mechs from Gundam that would normally only appear as resin or garage kits, and turning them into injection-molded kits." In other words, it means releasing mechs that were too minor to sell in large numbers and too costly to recoup development expenses on.

At first glance it sounds like a great idea, but this product line comes with two problems. First, the price is way too high for what you get.. (feels like more than triple the value). And because they used inexpensive soft molds to keep production costs down, reprints are difficult — meaning these kits effectively end up being limited releases. It's not that reprints never happen, but quality tends to drop with each reprint, so you can't really count on them.

Anyway, the thought of "well, it's expensive but at least it exists..." does cross your mind.. and as the very first entry in the Ex-Model line, the Gundam Trailer Truck from the first episode of Gundam was released. Despite the SD-sized box and contents, it comes in at a steep ¥3000. ;;;;;

Being a minor item that would normally only show up as a garage kit basically means it's aimed at the painting enthusiast crowd. So Ex-Model kits generally don't put a huge amount of effort into color separation — though they do cover the basics. This Gundam Trailer Truck is no exception, and thanks to decent parts breakdown, the straight build coloring actually comes out looking pretty good.

Detail-wise it's a really solid kit — with fine, delicate details that you just don't see in regular Gunpla, giving it the feel of a military model. Those thin little ladder parts especially make it feel like a military kit. (Which also means they break easily, so watch out..!!) And just like recent Gunpla releases, despite being a niche military-style kit, it's actually a snap-fit kit, so no glue needed whatsoever.

To recreate the "Gundam, standing on the earth" scene, you'll obviously need a 1/144 First, and the kit is designed to work nicely with the HGUC RX-78. Of course, the HGUC First needs to be purchased separately. ^^;

As the first release in a new product line, this kit pretty much cements the stereotype that you're paying way too much for what you get (^^;) — but it can still be appreciated as a nice Gunpla accessory with excellent detail. If anything.. think of it this way: it's easier to find than a resin or garage kit version, and relatively cheaper too.

EX Model Gundam Trailer Truck | 2001.7 | ¥3,000 | 1/144

AIThis page was translated by Claude Sonnet.