Throughout the 1970s, Japan produced multiple anime series featuring giant mechs. Some of the earliest examples were Mazinger Z. They gained fans across the nation, helping to launch popular toy brands like Chogokin. However, none of these early entries experienced the acclaim and success of Gundam.
In 1979, Sunrise Entertainment took a chance with Yoshiyuki Tomino’s concept for a new type of mech that could be realistically seen as a war machine. He landed on the portmanteau Gundam, combining the words Gun and dam, as the name of his mechanical units. Like many of the prior mech series, each Gundam was bipedal with a pilot cockpit in the machine’s chest. While the robots mostly had a touch of realism, several of the pilots were Newtypes that had extraordinary abilities including psychic senses that stretched across long spans of space.
Even though the 1979 series almost was the first and only entry into the Gundam series, the franchise reached its stride and took off after Bandai picked up the license. Deciding to embrace the series’ designs, Bandai designed detailed model kits of the robots. By combining the words “Gundam” and “Plastic”, Bandai developed the Gunpla toy line that let the series take off to new heights.
Decades later, Gundam is one of the largest franchises that came out of Japan. Its fame has made Banda’s Gunpla factory a tourist attraction. Meanwhile, the series has earned dozens of entries and shows no signs of slowing down.
Presenting the ten most expensive Mobile Suit Gundam collectibles that sold on online auction sites
With the longevity of Gundam, the franchise has become one of the most successful merchandise machines. While the brand gained popularity with the Gunpla model kits, it has expanded to include much more.
Some of the products stand as tall as a human while others are made of high-quality metals. Even though some fans enjoy hunting down these expensive, high-end products, others seek out treasures from the past. Thus, even the failed toy line from Clover, who was the first to produce Gundam toys, carries a high value on the second-hand market. Beyond toys, some fans seek out mementos from the anime series. This has made collectibles like animation cells unbelievably valuable.
All of these factors had made Gundam one of the franchises to watch on the second-hand market. Thus, we have set out to seek out and document the ten most expensive Gundam collectibles that have been sold on online auction sites. We took care to only take the highest price for each product. We also removed any listings that we could not verify as an actual product.
10. Clover Gundam White Base (1979)
Before the debut of Gundam, Clover and Sunrise had a healthy relationship. Clover had successfully created toys based on Sunrise’s previous robot anime series like Zambot and Invincible Steel Man Daitarn 3. Following the lead of Popy’s Chobokin toy line, Clover also produced die-cast figures for these robot series. As Clover had sponsored Sunrise’s prior productions, they eagerly signed on to sponsor Gundam’s first anime.
Unfortunately, Clover made a few judgment errors while preparing the toy line for Mobile Suit Gundam. While most other mech-centric anime appealed to children, Gundam had a more mature, war-themed story. Thus, the fan base came from teenagers and older viewers. Not realizing their target audience, Clover designed toys that would appeal to the child demographic. Furthermore, they worked off the in-production designs, so there were distinct differences between the toy line and the show’s robots. These added up to the failure of the toy line and the early cancelation of the 1979 Gundam anime.
Even though Clover’s toy line failed in the retail space, fans love to look back to this fledgling attempt at the license. Moreover, the early termination of the toy line made these toys rare. These elements have combined to create a valuable series of collectibles on the second-hand market.
On May 16, 2013, one of the die-cast toys from the Clover Gundam toy line, White Base, sold on eBay for $2,025.00. Notably, this listing incorrectly labeled the product as both a Godaikin and Popy product. Despite these errors, it became one of the most expensive examples of Gundam collectibles.
9. Bandai Tamashii Nations Robot Spirits Leo (Moss Green) (2013)
Bandai has been the home of the Gundam license since 1980. Their success at marketing Gundam to the public also led to them eventually buying Sunrise in 1994. Thus, Gundam is currently completely owned by Bandai.
Even though Bandai rose to prominence thanks to the Gunpla model kits, they have spread out to create many other toy lines for the series. One of these toy lines was Robot Spirits, which Tamashii Nations began producing in 2008. These toys aimed to provide complex articulation that would appeal to the adult collector. They also were pre-built action figures that required no snippers or assembly. These action figures were also often made out of materials like PVC and ABS.
In 2013, Robot Spirits introduced the Leo unit from the Gundam Wing series. The OZ-06MS Leo was one of the most prevalent stock robots in the series since they were the standard mass-produced mech. They came in a variety of colors and had a few variants. One of the most common units was the Moss Green colored Leo Unit.
On December 10, 2013, a Tamashii Nations Robot Spirits Leo (Moss Green) sold on eBay for $2,233.57. This product appealed to both the fans of Tamashii Nations as well as the fans of Gundam Wing, which was the entry series for many Americans.
8. Z/Zeta Gundam Anime Cel of Char Aznable
Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam began airing on Japanese television stations in 1985. As a direct sequel to the original 1979 Mobile Suit Gundam series, many characters reappeared in the Zeta series. However, the series was set 8 years after the end of the 1979 series, so any returning characters were older and more mature. One of these returning characters was Char Aznable, who took on a new identity: Quattro Bajeena.
Originally, Char Aznable was the main antagonist from Mobile Suit Gundam. Born as Casval Dem Deikun, he had to flee his home, the Republic of Zeon, after the death of his father, one of its founders. He later changed his name to “Char Aznable” after he infiltrated the Zeon Military Academy. To help keep his identity a secret, he donned a mask that he always wore in public. As the “One Year War” broke out, he gained fame as the “Red Comet” for his feats in the Battle of Loum. He also made his mech stand out by painting the Zaku II red, his signature color.
Even though Char served as an antagonist in the original series, he became one of the protagonists in Zeta. Once again, he took on a new name to hide his identity, Quattro Bajeena, and announced that he was the heir to Zeon’s legacy. By the end of the series, he fought against his long-time rival, Amuro, in hopes of settling the score between the two.
Char Aznable is one of the most popular characters from Mobile Suit Gundam. Thus, animation cels featuring him easily gain traction on the second-hand market. One of these cels went up on eBay, where it sold for $2,480.00 on May 07, 2011. Notably, the seller believed that because the character was popular with the J-Rock singer, Gackt, it would be worth over $30,000. However, the final sales price does not reflect this sentiment.
7. Mobile Suit Fighter G Gundam (Shining Gundam) Production Anime Cel
Sunrise introduced the fifth Gundam anime series, Mobile Suit Fighter G Gundam, in 1994. This was the first series to introduce a new timeline to the franchise. While the prior series had been part of the “Universal Century” timeline, Fighter G Gundam was the start of the “Future Century”. In this universe, the colonies had avoided wars by hosting “Gundam Fight” tournaments every four years. These tournaments were a series of one-on-one battles until a final, single victor stood triumphant over the rest.
The hero mech unit that appeared in Fighter G was the GF-017NJ Shining Gundam, piloted by Domon Kasshu. This unit represented Neo Japan in the 13th Gundam Fight, which was the focus of the series. Even though Kasshu fought to win the tournament for his nation, he had an ulterior motive. He wished to locate his wayward brother, Kyoji, who killed their mother and framed their father as he stole the Devil Gundam. Even though Kyoji never harmed his parents, the Devil Gundam corrupted him, forcing Domon to battle against him anyway.
One of the animation cels depicting the Shining Gundam in one of its battles was available on eBay in 2021. Aside from being an original cel from the 1995 series, it was also framed and matted. Thus, this animation cel sold for $2,500.00 on December 21, 2021.
6. BE@RBRICK 400% Pepsi Gundam RX-78-2 (2011)
Following the legacy of Ty toys beanie babies, many toy companies have produced lines that featured fan-favorite limed edition runs, including licensed products. One of the most notable brands that emerged in the 2000s was BE@RBRICK. Created by Medicom Toy in Japan in 2001, this brand used a standard bear template to create multiple themes and characters. By changing elements like the heads of these figures, Medicom was capable of creating hundreds of different characters.
Beyond their typical limited runs, BE@RBRICK also released a few editions that were truly limited and rare. One of these instances was the 400% Pepsi Gundam RX-78-2 that they released in 2011. Unlike typical toys, this one was not available at retail stores. The only means to obtain one of the 250 available figures was to win a special lottery involving Coca-Cola points. This made the toy one of the rarest Gundam and BE@RBRICK collectibles around.
Some of the most expensive collectibles are those that resonate with multiple fandoms. With two fandoms or fans of both, seeking out these items, their value begins to skyrocket. This explains how the 400% Pepsi Gundam RX-78-2 sold on eBay for $3,199.99 on July 02, 2018.
5. Bandai HY2M Hyper Hybrid Model 1/12 RX-78-2 Gundam (2006)
On average, the fictional Gundam machines stand at around 18 meters or around 59 to 60 feet. This means that most Gundam collectibles are created around the 1:144, the 1:100, or the 1:60 scale. In general, most of these toys stand at around 5” to 12” tall. However, Bandai decided to entertain fans with a special line that offered Gundam figures at a massive 1:12 scale. The HY2M Hyper Hybrid Model figures towered over most children as they stood at 5’ or 1.5 meters tall.
The first HY2M figure that hit the market was a model of the iconic MS-06S Zacku II that Char piloted in the 1989 series. The prestige of this model allowed the line to last for years to come, eventually adding 1/24 scale and 1/60 scale models into the mix. In 2006, Bandai added the hero robot from the 1979 series, the RX-78-2 to the HY2M Hyper Hybrid Model line.
Beyond towering over most other Gundam collectibles, these models had several extra elements. Notably, most of the toy line featured eyes that lit up and sound effects. As a trade-off for their immense size, these figures only featured limited articulation in their arms. Still, their accessories, like shields, could easily be held by humans.
When the Bandai HY2M Hyper Hybrid Model RX-78-2 Gundam was released in 2006, it was sold for ¥350,000, which would have been around $3,500.00. Despite the high entry price, this figure only sold on eBay for $3,250.00 on March 29, 2017. As the figure maintained or lost value over the years since its release, it may be a victim of its own value. As the figure is both massive and expensive, it requires effort to even locate the right buyer.
4. G-System The Real “EX-S” Ver 2.0 (2014)
A few different companies have risen to create new Gundam merchandise, whether they are licensed or not. One of these companies is G-System, which specialized in creating resin model kits that featured the franchise’s robots. While the Hong Kong-based company offers these resin models, the company has not been officially sanctioned by Bandai. In turn, the G-System has been copied with GBS or Grand System Models.
One of the resin models created by G-System is The Real “EX-S” Ver. 2.0 which came out around 2014. This massive figure was created at a 1/35 scale, with its height reaching 120 cm (47.2”) without the stand and 180 cm (70.8”) with it. It also has extending wings, which reach 36 cm (14.1”) normally and 41.5 cm (16.3”) when extended. All of this adds up to a weight of over 100 kg or 220 lbs.
Whether because of the expenses of creating a resin model of this size or because of their unofficial status, G-System only created 2000 of The Real “EX-S” Ver 2.0 models. Beyond the limited quantity, this product originally sold for around $2.517. So, only dedicated fans ever picked it.
As G-System’s resin kit originally was expensive, there is little surprise that it came up in our search. On April 14, 2020, one of these resin kits sold for $3,600.00 on eBay.
3. Bandai Metal Structure RX-93 vGundam, Option Parts Londo Bell Engineers, and Option Parts Fin Funnel (2020/2021)
While Bandai began the Gundam toy line with plastic model kits, they have expanded their operations to include multiple other lines. Some of these toys have been die-cast robots, appearing in the Chogokin toy line. Meanwhile, Bandai introduced the Metal Structure Kaitai-Shou-Ki line in 2019.
Like some of their high-end Gunpla kits, the Metal Structure toys are made at a 1/60 scale. However, they feature more details and metal parts. In exchange for these features, the Metal Build figure had limited articulation. Still, they have become some of the most desirable Gundam collectibles.
The first figure created for the Metal Structure toy line was the Rx-93v Gundam which received two expansion sets to complete the robot. The base figure stood around 37 cm (14.5”) tall. This figure came with multiple accessories including a Shield, Beam Rifle, two sizes of Beam Sabers, a base set, and more. It also had light-up features that required batteries. This figure came out in 2019 and originally sold for ¥102,300 or approximately $1,023.00.
Beyond the base set, there were two expansions created: the Option Parts Londo Bell Engineers and the Option Parts Fin Funnel. The Londo Bell provided optional settings that allowed collectors to create an impressive diorama for their RX-93v figure. Released in 2021, it sold for around ¥22,000 or approximately $220. Meanwhile, the Fin Funnel completed the figure with 6 fin funnels that could be attached to the base or to the figure. Bandai released this add-on in 2020 with an original price of ¥27,500 or around $275.00.
All three parts were collected and sold as a complete set on eBay. This 3-piece set reached a final sales price of $5,000.00 on July 10, 2021. Despite the former sales price, this product is currently slotted for rerelease in 2024. While its value will drop while the re-release is available, it may return to such high sales prices in the future.
2. Bandai HY2M Hyper Hybrid Model MS-065 Zaku II (2001)
When Bandai introduced the HY2M Hyper Hybrid Model kits in 2001, they decided to feature one of the most popular mechs from the series. Thus, they introduced the MS-065 Zaku II that Char Aznable piloted as the first figure at the 1/12 scale in 2001. They depicted the iconic red unit as it appeared in the 1979 Mobile Suit Gundam series.
Even though the MS-065 Zaku II Commander Type was not unique, it was the preferred vehicle for many veteran pilots, including Char Aznable. Its high-performance specs made it a reliable machine on the battlefield. However, Char decided to make himself stand out from the rest of the units. Rather than the standard colors, like grey and blue, Char decided to paint his unit red. His feats also garnered him the title “The Red Comet”.
Bandai originally sold this massive 1/12 model kit for ¥198,000 or about $1,980.00. It stood at around 155 cm or over 5’ tall. While it featured a shield on the unit’s right arm, there were few accessories or weapons included in the set.
One of the Bandai HY2M Hyper Hybrid Model MS-065 Zaku II kits sold on eBay for $6,999.99 on June 21, 2018.
1. Bandai Tamashii Nations Metal Structure Mobile Suit Gundam: Char’s Counterattack MSN-04 Sazabi (2022)
Often when a new product is announced and not available to the public, a phenomenon known as FOMO sweeps through some collectors. Believing that they would have no chance of owning products, they become enticed to pay exorbitant prices at sites like eBay. Likewise, some sellers capitalize on these people by offering new products for overinflated prices, often multiple times above the MSRP.
The most expensive product that appeared in our search is a clear example of this phenomenon. Bandai prepared to launch the MSN-04 Sazabi as part of their Metal Structure Kaitai-Shou-Ki line in 2022. While it was originally available for around ¥189,200 or approximately $1,300.00 at current conversion rates, the figure was only available through a timed lottery. Thus, it quickly became a part of some holy grail sites.
A limited number of these figures were available to US sites, with some selling for around $1,999.99. However, their limited quantities did not meet the demand from fans. This all added up to an extraordinarily high sales price for pre-orders on sites like eBay.
On August 27, 2022, one of these figures sold for $7,999.00 on eBay, even though the seller labeled the listing as a pre-order. These listings are always a risk since eBay does not properly track pre-orders, nor sanction them. The site’s policies also state that the product should ship within 40 days, which would not have been possible at the time of this sale. So, we cannot confirm whether the buyer received the figure that they paid for.
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Chris Ingledue
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Bio: I am the founder and owner of Wheeljack’s Lab pop Culture and Toy Shop. My vision has always been to reunite customers with their favorite childhood toys and pop culture, triggering fond memories, and reigniting their imaginations. Every day, I work in the “lab” where it’s Christmas 365 days a year. I scour the internet, like when we had the Sears Catalog of yesteryear, for the next great treasure. Then, I await the arrival of the postman as if he were Santa Claus himself and helping collectors worldwide with their versions of Christmas. Every day as a vintage toy buyer is an absolute joy!