Bandai releases their model kits through various channels.  The box design is often different to show what kind of release each kit is.  This guide will show you how to figure out what kind of release a kit is so you will know where to find the kit you want to buy.  These details are not set in stone.  There are exceptions to all of these and I will show some where relevant.

Retail Releases

• Box Description: Retail kits are what you would probably see most of the time.  Color artwork on the face of the box with info about the kits on the sides.
• MSRP on older printings of kits can be found over the barcode on the box.  The last string of numbers is the MSRP in Yen.
• When Bandai changed the logo on kits from red to blue they also removed the MSRP from boxes.
• There are special editions of retail releases that may be harder to find.  They usually include extras like an action base, extra parts, or waterslides.

Expo Kits

• Monochromatic Box with less info on the sides than a regular release.
• Has the Limited Item Logo.
• Are sold at the Gundam Base and at events
• Are sometimes carried at retailers after they have been sold at events for about a year.
• Often mistaken for P-Bandai kits due to the similar style box.
• Formerly had color boxes with the Gunpla Expo logo.

In the United States Bandai’s North American distributor, Bluefin Brands, attends conventions and sells these kits as well as regular retail kits.  You can find their convention schedule at bluefinbrands.com.

Premium Bandai

• Monochromatic Box without “Limited Item” logo.  No info on the sides of the box except the name of the kit.
• Countries available: Japan, Singapore, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau
• Japan P Bandai site will ship some merchandise internationally but not kits.
• Bluefin in the USA has started selling select P-Bandai kits to US addresses.
• If P-Bandai kits are not sold in your country your options to buy P Bandai kits from japan are proxy services and second hand stores.  Proxy services are companies within in other will purchase Items for you and have those items shipped to their company.  They will then package them and ship them to you abroad.  There are a lot of fees associated with these services so you should research them to make sure you are not surprised when the shipping cost is due.
• Second hand stores are just as it sounds people sell things to these stores and the stores resell them.  MSRP is not strictly adhered to at these stores so most P-Bandai kits are marked up to various degrees.
• Rarity depends on how many production runs Bandai has done of the kit.  If you use the second hand store option prices are usually higher for kits with fewer runs.
• Sometimes these are sold at Expos/Conventions
• P-Bandai was preceded by “B Club”, a mail order service in japan.

Hybrid Releases

• P Bandai in Japan but retail releases elsewhere
• Kits are not monochromatic.  They look like a retail release.
• Often marketed as P Bandai in the regions where they are retail releases.

Gundam Base Limited

• The box usually has a blue and white box with the Gundam Base logo.
• As the name suggests sold at Gundam Base stores.
• Can sometimes be found at second hand stores.
• The Gundam base was formerly called the Gundam Front.  The Gundam Front logo was red and white.

Promotional Kits

These are free items that are given away at expos, with magazines, or sent to retailers to give out with purchases.  They can also be from lotteries held by Ichiban Kuji.  Ichiban Kuji runs lotteries for various companies in Japan.  These are not free as you have to buy a lottery ticket for a chance to win.  Some second hand stores buy and sell these.  The prizes have a letter indicating the level of the prize on the box.

These are the packaging standards at this time.  Hopefully this helps.  A future blog will be about proxy services with an analysis on cost and evaluate if they are worth the cost.  Enjoy your kit shopping!