Kit Review

Straight build
+ panel lining

Size comparison with a cigarette pack

Upper body close-up

HG Gundam Ver. G30th - Head section. Looking at the photos, the head is sitting a bit loose..(;;) I can't help but feel the f

Head section. Looking at the photos, the head is sitting a bit loose..(;;)
I can't help but feel the face is a bit plain compared to the rest of the body.

Arms and back

Weapons

Legs.

HG Gundam Ver. G30th - The panel lines are just wild. (1/3)

The panel lines are just wild.

Even the soles of the feet have detail that goes way beyond what you'd expect from a 1/144.

Full set of standard weapons.

The back of the shield follows the same design concept as the MG First 2.0.

Whoa!
It's a metal chain Gundam Hammer — something you won't even find in the MG!

One blemish.
The beam sabers come out just plain white with no soft parts..

The bazooka can of course be mounted on the rear.

The articulation is more average than I expected.

Using the latest polycaps from the 00 HG, the shoulders fold forward quite a bit.

The waist uses a double ball joint, but the actual range of motion is pretty minimal.

HG Gundam Ver. G30th - Action pose (1/5)

HG Gundam Ver. G30th - Action pose (2/5)

HG Gundam Ver. G30th - Action pose (3/5)

Action pose

Draw pose. Not bad at all for a 1/144.

Beam saber action

HG Gundam Ver. G30th - Gundam hammer action (1/3)

Gundam hammer action

HG Gundam Ver. G30th - Kneeling bazooka pose. Pretty impressive for a 1/144 as well. (1/3)

Kneeling bazooka pose.
Pretty impressive for a 1/144 as well.

HG Gundam Ver. G30th - Action poses using Action Base 2 (1/3)

Action poses using Action Base 2

HG Gundam Ver. G30th - Unlike the HGUC First, the stand action poses really suit it well. (1/4)

HG Gundam Ver. G30th - Unlike the HGUC First, the stand action poses really suit it well. (2/4)

Unlike the HGUC First, the stand action poses really suit it well.

Comparison with the HGUC First

The design concepts are quite different.

There's also a big difference in the weapon detail.

HG Gundam Ver. G30th - Together with the MG First 2.0. They came out around the same time, but the concepts are completely di

Together with the MG First 2.0.
They came out around the same time, but the concepts are completely different.

The 30th Anniversary HG First looks a lot like the MG PG-style.

To commemorate Gundam's 30th anniversary, a brand-new HG First — not an HGUC — has been released.
Since it's the first 1/144 in 8 years since the HGUC First came out, it's essentially a new version of the First built with the latest technology.

First off, the design concept is similar to the old Perfect Grade, with incredibly complex panel lines packed in despite being a 1/144. Because of this, the amount of panel lining work is actually more than most MGs, and just looking at the photos, it almost looks like a 1/100 rather than a 1/144.

The overall proportions are also very different from the existing HGUC — while the HGUC emphasized a clean, simple look, this one pairs the complex panel lines with long, slender legs and a slim body. The proportions honestly feel more like a 1/100 kit than a 1/144, and it definitely sets itself apart from the HGUC.

That said, the face... doesn't quite look great. Something about those upturned, close-set eyes makes me want to swap it out for the HGUC's cleaner head. On the plus side, the head armor is molded in one piece with the panel lines removed, which does give it that proper 30th anniversary new-release feel.

The articulation is more average than expected — a bit disappointing compared to the crazy range of motion we've seen from recent 00 HGs. The double ball-jointed waist also has a narrower range of motion than I thought, and overall this feels like a kit that prioritizes proportions and detail over articulation and functionality. On the bright side, the joint strength is quite solid thanks to the latest polycaps.

One of the bonuses of the 30th Anniversary HG First is the metal chain Gundam Hammer — something not even included in the MG. The Gundam Hammer itself is already a rare item at the 1/144 scale, so I was genuinely surprised they went with an actual metal chain instead of a plastic one. But despite this premium bonus, it's oddly surprising that the beam sabers come out as plain white one-piece parts with no soft parts. Plenty of other 1/144 HG kits include separate beam saber parts, so putting these washed-out white beam sabers in a 30th anniversary kit that even includes a metal chain... I'm not sure if this is another case of Bandai sabotage, but it feels pretty unbalanced. And the Core Fighter that was included as standard in the HGUC is also missing from this kit.

All in all, it definitely has that new-release feel with clean quality, wild detail, and modern proportions. But between the washed-out beam sabers, the surprisingly average articulation, and the missing Core Fighter, it's hard to feel like they really put their heart into it. It's just... clean, that's all.

Either way, it's been a very long time since we got a new 1/144 First, so it's definitely a worthwhile item for One Year War fans and old-school fans alike. But if you're going to slap on the grand title of "30th Anniversary," I really wish they'd paid a bit more attention to the finer details and delivered a truly perfect commemorative kit.. Oh well, the First is always the main character, after all.. :-)

HG Gundam Ver. G30th | 2009.7 | ¥1,200

AIThis page was translated by Claude Sonnet.