The 'ENTRY GRADE' series, a beginner-friendly model kit line from Japan's BANDAI SPIRITS company under its BANDAI HOBBY brand, has announced the latest product from "Mobile Suit Gundam," the "1/144 RX-78-2 Gundam [Ukiyo-e Package Ver.]", slated for release in August 2026.
Following the broadcast of last year's NHK Taiga drama "The Daring Rogue: The Story of Tsutaju's Fleeting Prosperity," topics related to Ukiyo-e have once again garnered significant attention. The drama's protagonist, Tsutaya Juzaburo, was not only the most influential publisher of literary and visual art works during Japan's Edo period but also fostered several Ukiyo-e masters, including Katsushika Hokusai. Hokusai's "Thirty-Six Views of Mount Fuji," created in his later years and already considered a representative work of Ukiyo-e, has seen even greater popularity and is now being integrated with a Gundam model product.
The Gunpla kit serving as the base for this release is the "ENTRY GRADE 1/144 RX-78-2 Gundam", launched in 2020. This kit is suitable for children aged 8 and above, featuring an intuitive runner layout where parts from the head to the feet are arranged sequentially. The gate design allows parts to be easily snapped off by hand without the need for nippers, making the assembly process simpler and safer. Although the kit has a low part count, it boasts 5 different molded colors, excellent part separation, and well-designed joint parts. It's easy to assemble and faithfully reproduces the RX-78-2 Gundam's colors without painting, while also offering impressive articulation in the waist and legs.
What sets this product apart from the standard version is its special Ukiyo-e style outer box and decals, adapted from "Rainstorm Beneath the Summit" from the Thirty-Six Views of Mount Fuji. Not only does it depict the RX-78-2 Gundam standing on a cherry blossom-filled landscape beneath a black Mount Fuji, but it also includes special decals featuring black Mount Fuji, cherry blossoms, and more for the shoulder armor and shield. The box also features a Mount Fuji-shaped logo, paying homage to the "Tsutaya" trademark, brimming with rich Japanese aesthetic elements.
ENTRY GRADE 1/144 Wing Gundam [Ukiyo-e Package Ver.]
Reference Price: 1,760 JPY (Tax Included)
Scheduled Release Date: 2026/08
Product Specifications: 1/144 Scale Model Kit
(C)SOTSU・SUNRISE
via： BANDAI HOBBY SITE