Bandai Announces New and Exclusive Gundam Hathaway HG Gunpla Kit
Bandai has officially revealed a new Gunpla kit based on the Gustav Karl (00 Type) Commander Type from Mobile Suit Gundam: Hathaway.
The new “HG 1/144 Gustav Karl (00 Type) (Commander Type)” recreates the heavily armored Earth Federation mobile suit with newly molded parts for the features that distinguish it from the standard version.
The FD-03 Gustav Karl is a mass-produced Earth Federation mobile suit developed from the RGM-89 Jegan line, with earlier versions undergoing operational testing by U.C. 0096 before the improved 00 Type entered wider service by the time of Hathaway in U.C. 0105.
Its bulky armor and imposing proportions make the Gustav Karl one of the more recognizable Federation designs from this later period of the Universal Century, while its standard equipment retains familiar connections to the Jegan through weapons including a Beam Rifle and Beam Saber.
The newly announced Commander Type is based on the version that appears during the latter half of the second Mobile Suit Gundam: Hathaway movie, separating itself from the previously released Gunpla kit of the standard 00 Type units through several immediately visible additions.
The biggest change is the newly molded head, which adds the Commander’s asymmetrical blade antenna and gives the variant a clear visual difference from the standard Gustav Karl.
Bandai has also included a newly molded long-barreled Beam Rifle, providing the Commander Type with a larger firearm alongside the standard Beam Rifle and Beam Saber used by regular units.
The regular rifle can be mounted on the backpack when not in use, while the Beam Saber hilt can be stored inside the side skirt armor.
Its large shield remains attached to an articulated support arm extending from the backpack, allowing it to move around the left side of the mobile suit for a wider variety of defensive poses.
Outside of the newly molded Commander Type head and long-barreled rifle, the kit shares its updated Gustav Karl 00 Type body with the previously released standard version.
The design adapts Hajime Katoki’s revised appearance for Mobile Suit Gundam: Hathaway with reshaped armor proportions, more naturally sized shoulder and skirt sections, and cleaner separation across its large exterior panels.
Sliding hip connections also provide additional movement for the heavily armored legs, helping the finished model achieve more varied poses despite the Gustav Karl’s considerable bulk.
The HG 1/144 Gustav Karl (00 Type) (Commander Type) is now available to pre-order priced at ¥3,850 through Premium Bandai Japan, and orders are also open via Premium Bandai US
, where it is priced at $44.
Shipping is scheduled to begin in November 2026 in Japan, with US shipping scheduled for January 2027.
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