Gunpla Scales Explained: 1/144, 1/100, 1/60 and 1/48

A Gunpla scale is the ratio between the model and the mobile suit in the series: a 1/144 kit is 1/144 the suit’s height. High Grade, Real Grade and Entry Grade kits are 1/144 (about 4 to 5 inches), Master Grade is 1/100 (about 6 to 8 inches) and Perfect Grade is 1/60 (about 12 inches).

Wikipedia gives those height ranges for small, mid-scale and large-scale kits. The exact height of any kit depends on how big that suit is in the series, because each scale model is a scaled-down version of the design’s stated size.

Scales and the grades that use them

Scales are from Bandai’s product names on its grade pages; heights from Wikipedia; Mega Size from Wikipedia and Gunpla 101.

How tall is each scale? A worked example

The RX-78-2 Gundam is a useful yardstick: it is 18 meters tall, the height of the full-size statue Bandai Namco put up in Tokyo. Divide 18 m by the scale:

1. 1/144: 18 m ÷ 144 = 0.125 m = 12.5 cm (about 4.9 in).
2. 1/100: 18 m ÷ 100 = 0.18 m = 18 cm (about 7.1 in).
3. 1/60: 18 m ÷ 60 = 0.30 m = 30 cm (about 11.8 in).
4. 1/48: 18 m ÷ 48 = 0.375 m = 37.5 cm (about 14.8 in).

These are estimates for one suit. Gunpla 101 shows several 1/144 High Grades side by side at very different heights, because the suits themselves are different sizes in their series.

Scale is not difficulty

Gunpla 101 is clear on this: grade decides how many parts a kit has and how hard it is; scale only decides size. Its own example is a 1/60 High Grade that is far easier than a 1/100 Master Grade. So always read the grade code (HG, RG, MG, PG) before the scale.

This also works the other way. A Real Grade is the same 1/144 size as a High Grade but, according to Gunpla 101, about as hard as a Master Grade. Small does not mean simple.

1/100 Master Grade kits

Shop master Grade (MG) 1/100 kits→

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What is 1/48 Mega Size?

1/48 is the largest common Gunpla scale. Wikipedia describes the Mega Size Model line as 1/48 kits, three times the size of their High Grade counterparts. They were designed to be simple for their size: Wikipedia notes a parts separator, joint parts that connect without being removed from the runner, and gates thin enough to break without cutters on the first kit. Gunpla 101 lists 1/48 as Mega Size too and notes only a few kits exist.

Using the worked example above, an RX-78-2 at 1/48 stands about 37.5 cm, so a Mega Size kit needs a deep shelf.

Choosing a scale for your shelf

• Limited space: 1/144 kits fit almost anywhere, and you can display several together.
• One standout model: 1/100 shows mechanical detail clearly without taking over a shelf.
• A centerpiece: 1/60 Perfect Grade kits stand about a foot tall and need room around them for weapons and poses.

Mixing scales on one shelf makes a 1/144 kit look small beside a 1/100 one, so many builders group kits by scale.

Scale and stands

Stands are sized by scale too. Wikipedia notes that Bandai’s Action Base line covers 1/144, 1/100 and SD kits, with an adapter or peg that fits most models. See our Gundam stands guide before buying one.

For how the grades differ beyond size, read Gunpla grades explained, the HG vs RG vs MG comparison and Perfect Grade.