OLD First Gundam 1/144 Core Booster

Release 1982.8

Price ¥300

BANDAI BANDAI Japan product info

Runners

Parts diagram

Manual

Size comparison with a cigarette pack

This kit includes a separate Core Fighter alongside the 1/144 Core Booster.

OLD 1/144 Core Booster - Core Booster (1/4)

OLD 1/144 Core Booster - Core Booster (2/4)

Core Booster

Bottom view

OLD 1/144 Core Booster - You can remove the landing gear covers and attach the landing gear, but it's an optional assembly th

You can remove the landing gear covers and attach the landing gear, but it's an optional assembly that requires glue.

Core Fighter

Underside

Together with the Core Block that attaches to the Core Booster.

One landing gear wheel ends up as a leftover part.

OLD 1/144 Core Booster - Alongside the EX Core Booster released in 2002. Not only is the size different, but the design is qu

Alongside the EX Core Booster released in 2002. Not only is the size different, but the design is quite different too.

OLD 1/144 Core Booster - Alongside the Core Fighter included in the HGUC First Gundam. The one in this kit came out a little

Alongside the Core Fighter included in the HGUC First Gundam. The one in this kit came out a little bigger.

OLD 1/144 Core Booster - Alongside the Core Fighter from the 1/144 G-Armor. They're both supposed to be 1/144, but the size d

Alongside the Core Fighter from the 1/144 G-Armor. They're both supposed to be 1/144, but the size difference is way too extreme;;

This is the 1/144 Core Booster released in 1982, and it comes bundled with a same-scale Core Fighter. The molded color is a single light sky blue, but the overall proportions and detail are actually pretty solid for an old-school kit.

The Core Booster was also released as an EX model in 2002, and the design is quite different. This kit has more of that original, classic look and feel, which makes it all the more charming — and honestly, the quality holds up surprisingly well compared to the EX Core Booster released 20 years later. The review photos are all single-color, but with a good paint job, this thing could easily pass for a modern kit.

The bundled 1/144 Core Fighter also holds its own against the HGUC version in terms of sculpt, and being slightly larger actually gives it even better detail. It's especially refreshing compared to the Core Fighter in the 1/144 G-Armor, which had some serious scale issues — this one looks far more realistic in both size and shape.

The landing gear can be assembled either exposed or covered, but since both options require glue, you'll want to decide upfront before committing.

Personally, this kit genuinely surprised me with its excellent sculpt and detail, so I'd highly recommend it to anyone looking to build original Gundam mecha with a paint job in mind. As a kit meant for painting, this might just be one of the absolute best bang-for-your-buck options out there. :-) [ Updated at 2016.2.13 ]

AIThis page was translated by Claude Sonnet.