Bandai Reveals New Retro-style Hyaku-Shiki Gunpla Kit Inspired by Its Original 1985 Release
Image by Charlotte DavisBandai has revealed a new Gundam Base exclusive Gunpla kit that turns the clock back more than four decades by recreating the bright yellow armor of Hyaku-Shiki’s original 1985 model kit.
The “HG 1/144 The Gundam Base Limited Hyaku-Shiki (OLD KIT TRIBUTE Ver.)” takes the modern High Grade version of Quattro Bajeena’s Mobile Suit and replaces its familiar gold-colored exterior with a retro finish inspired directly by the early days of Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam Gunpla.
Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam originally aired in 1985 as the direct sequel to the first Mobile Suit Gundam anime, following Kamille Bidan and the AEUG during their conflict against the Earth Federation’s increasingly authoritarian Titans.
Char Aznable returns during the series under the identity Quattro Bajeena, becoming one of the AEUG’s senior pilots and eventually taking control of the MSN-00100 Hyaku-Shiki.
The Mobile Suit originated from Anaheim Electronics’ Zeta Project and was initially developed around the idea of a transformable machine, but structural problems with its movable frame led to that transformation system being abandoned.
Its completed design instead became famous for the anti-beam coating covering its armor, giving Hyaku-Shiki the gold appearance that has remained one of the most recognizable color schemes in the Universal Century.
Bandai’s new version deliberately moves away from the polished gold finishes used by many modern Hyaku-Shiki kits and recreates the much simpler appearance of the original 1/100 model released alongside Zeta Gundam in October 1985.
That vintage kit molded the Mobile Suit’s exterior armor in bright yellow plastic rather than attempting to reproduce its metallic coating, creating an appearance that became instantly familiar to builders collecting Gunpla during the series’ original broadcast.
The new release uses Bandai’s 2016 “HG 1/144 Hyaku-Shiki” as its foundation, retaining the proportions, articulation, and engineering of that modern kit while replacing its gold-colored armor with the retro yellow parts.
Its dark blue torso, red details, and black sections remain in place around the yellow armor, allowing the finished build to closely echo the color separation of the older model without reproducing its much more limited 1980s construction.
The kit retains Hyaku-Shiki’s standard Beam Rifle and Clay Bazooka, alongside a pair of Beam Sabers that can be stored around the rear waist when they aren’t being used.
Bandai showed the first prototype of the new release at the 64th All Japan Model & Hobby Show, which was held at Tokyo Big Sight from October 2 through October 4.
The retro-themed kit joins a growing collection of Gundam Base exclusives that deliberately look back at Gunpla history rather than simply giving existing models clear parts or alternative finishes.
Earlier in 2026, Bandai released a Gundam Base version of the “Best Mecha Collection 1/144 RX-78-2 Gundam (REVIVAL Ver.),” using modern molding technology to recreate the proportions and construction style of the original 1980 Gunpla that started the entire model kit brand.
Image by James RichardsonHyaku-Shiki itself has also received a far more elaborate Gundam Base treatment, with the “MG 1/100 Hyaku-Shiki Ver. 2.0 [Mechanical Core Plating]” using layered clear parts, metallic plating, and transparent color to produce a much more premium interpretation of its golden armor.
Other Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam kits have continued returning throughout 2026, including the “HG Rick Dias” and “Quattro Bajeena Custom Rick Dias,” while Bandai has also reopened orders for the transformable “HGUC Zeta Gundam (Wave Shooter)”.
Image by Charlotte DavisThe “HG 1/144 The Gundam Base Limited Hyaku-Shiki (OLD KIT TRIBUTE Ver.)” is scheduled for release exclusively through Gundam Base locations in Japan during January 2027, priced at ¥3,300 (approximately $21 / £16).
No US release has been announced, although Gundam Base limited kits regularly receive temporary availability through Premium Bandai US during special campaigns, meaning an international release could follow at a later date.
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