-- Series-Wide Notes ---------------------------------
The Gundam SEED 1/144 No Grade series ran from 2002 to 2004, with a total of 22 kits released, priced between 300 and 600 yen — making them entry-level Gunpla. They use system injection to achieve up to 5-color color separation, and due to simplified parts construction, the elbows and knees are fixed in place. Six ball-type polycaps handle the remaining joints, so there is some movement, but there aren't really that many poses you can pull off. On the flip side, with fewer moving parts, joint strength issues are pretty much a non-issue.
Given when these came out, the detail is a bit soft as you'd expect from a No Grade kit, but the proportions are on par with HG. The parts count is simple enough that you can usually put one together in about 10 minutes, and considering the price, the build feel and overall look are pretty decent. These are a great entry-level Gunpla for anyone who just wants a quick, affordable build or is looking for something to practice painting on — just don't go in with sky-high expectations.
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<Kit-Specific Notes>
This kit is the 1/144 Strike Gundam, the very first release in the series. It manages to cover the basics with 4-color separation and no seals, but the molding is noticeably softer compared to the HG. Being the main character's unit and an early release, the detail quality sits toward the lower end of the series. That said, the backpack hole is compatible with the HG, so you can actually mount the HG Aile Pack on it. :-)
AIThis page was translated by Claude Sonnet.
