Do you love Japanese robots and have you always wanted to build your own Goldorak, Gundam or another mecha? When you look at a model kit box, you may wonder what’s inside and whether the assembly process is something you can tackle yourself.

Don’t worry! Some models are specifically designed to be beginner-friendly. To show you just how accessible they can be, let’s open a High Grade model kit together and discover what’s inside!

The Bandai Packaging

To illustrate this, I’ve chosen a High Grade model from the Goldorak range (UFO Robot Grendizer in the original Japanese version).

Bandai deserves credit for the attention given to the box design, featuring a stunning illustration of the character.

This attention to presentation is a consistent feature throughout the range.

Let’s take a closer look and open the box…

The sprues of plastic model parts

The parts are grouped by type on plastic sprues, which makes them easier to identify during assembly.

Assembly is done by snapping the pieces together, without the need for glue. Since the parts are already coloured, you can achieve a very satisfying result without having to paint the model.

This makes these kits accessible to people with no previous modelling experience.

You’ll also notice that each sprue is identified by a letter, while every part on the runner is identified by a number.

The Assembly Instructions

The instructions are written in Japanese and English, but this isn’t a problem. The assembly process is broken down into simple steps, each illustrated with a detailed diagram showing exactly which parts to use.

Stickers and Decals

This particular model comes with relatively few stickers and decals compared with other kits in the range.

Here too, the instructions show you exactly where to place them.

And Now…

All that’s left is to choose your range, your model and your preferred difficulty level!

Feel free to check out the other articles in the Mecha Lab section.