-- Series Common 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 — these are entry-level Gunpla. They use system injection to achieve up to 5-color color separation, but 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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<Individual Kit Notes>
This kit is No. 21 in the series, the 1/144 M1 Astray. It comes in 3 molded colors combined with stickers, and it doesn't reuse any parts from the previous 1/144 Astray. Outside of the ability to mount the shield on the side of the backpack, there's nothing particularly special about it — though looking at the proportions, the chest does come out noticeably wider compared to the HG M1 Astray or the 1/144 Astray. Either way, as the final kit in the series, it's a pretty straightforward No Grade kit with solid overall quality. :-)
AIThis page was translated by Claude Sonnet.
