Gundam’s China Exclusive Clear Color Gunpla Kit Gets First-Ever US Release for Gundam Winter Fest 2026

Image by Charlotte Davis

A Gundam Base-exclusive version of Gundam SEED’s Freedom Gundam is now available online for a limited time, with a clear-color Gunpla kit based on the life-size statue in Shanghai joining Bandai’s latest major promotion.

The “RG 1/144 THE GUNDAM BASE LIMITED ZGMF-X10A FREEDOM GUNDAM Ver.GCP [CLEAR COLOR]” is among more than 200 Gunpla kits and related accessories included in Gundam Winter Fest 2026, a Premium Bandai US event featuring a large selection of returning models and normally store-exclusive Gundam Base editions.

Freedom Gundam appeared in the original 2002 Mobile Suit Gundam SEED anime as one of ZAFT’s most advanced Mobile Suits, eventually becoming the personal machine of series protagonist Kira Yamato.

Originally developed for ZAFT’s military forces, the ZGMF-X10A incorporated a nuclear-powered propulsion system and an extensive arsenal of powerful weapons that allowed it to engage multiple opponents simultaneously.

Kira received the Freedom Gundam through Lacus Clyne, subsequently using the machine to intervene in the conflict between the Earth Alliance and ZAFT in an effort to bring the fighting to an end.

The Mobile Suit became one of the most popular designs in the Gundam SEED franchise, eventually inspiring a life-size Freedom Gundam statue that was unveiled in Shanghai, China, in 2021.

Standing approximately 18 meters tall outside the Mitsui Shopping Park LaLaport Shanghai Jinqiao shopping mall, the installation marked the first time a life-size Gundam statue had been constructed outside Japan.

The statue’s design introduced several modifications to the original Freedom Gundam, including changes to its armor, backpack, and wing configuration, alongside a special landing gear system that allowed the machine to be displayed in a dramatic standing pose.

Bandai subsequently recreated the installation with the Gundam Base-exclusive “RG 1/144 ZGMF-X10A Freedom Gundam Ver.GCP,” originally released in December 2023.

The Ver.GCP designation refers to the Gundam China Project responsible for the Shanghai statue, with the Real Grade model reproducing the installation’s revised proportions and mechanical details.

The new Clear Color edition was originally released through Gundam Base stores in August 2026, introducing an alternative version of the statue-inspired Real Grade with transparent armor components.

Much of the original kit’s solid-colored exterior has been replaced with translucent plastic, preserving Freedom Gundam’s familiar white, blue, red, and yellow color scheme while allowing parts of its internal structure to remain visible.

The transparent finish also emphasizes the model’s detailed panel lines and layered armor, particularly around the chest, shoulders, and large wing assemblies.

Like the original Ver.GCP kit, this edition incorporates newly molded parts that distinguish it from the standard Real Grade Freedom Gundam, including revised sections of the head, torso, waist, and backpack.

The wing arrangement has also been modified to reproduce the appearance of the Shanghai statue, with changes to the way the individual sections fold and connect to the backpack.

One of the kit’s main features is its specially designed landing gear, which is incorporated into the backpack’s Balaena Plasma Beam Cannons and can be deployed without replacing parts.

Combined with the included open-handed accessories, this allows builders to recreate the pose of the life-size Freedom Gundam statue, including the extended landing gear and positioning of its arms.

The model retains the articulated internal frame of the Real Grade series, with movable shoulder, arm, and leg joints providing flexibility for both standing and airborne displays.

Its weapons include the Lupus Beam Rifle, a pair of Lacerta Beam Sabers and a laminated anti-beam shield, alongside the Gundam’s built-in Balaena Plasma Beam Cannons and Xiphias Railguns.

The two Beam Sabers can also be connected to form a double-ended weapon, providing an additional option for recreating Freedom Gundam’s close-combat attacks.

Realistic Decals are included for applying markings and metallic-looking details to the completed model, complementing the transparent armor and mechanical features of the special edition.

Gundam Winter Fest 2026 runs from November 6 at 5:00 PM PST until November 30 at 11:59 PM PST, with Premium Bandai US temporarily offering a large selection of returning Gunpla kits, limited editions, and building accessories through its online store.

The “RG 1/144 THE GUNDAM BASE LIMITED ZGMF-X10A FREEDOM GUNDAM Ver.GCP [CLEAR COLOR]” is currently in stock through Premium Bandai US for $53, although quantities may be limited and the kit could sell out before the promotion concludes.

Premium Bandai US also offers free shipping on qualifying orders over $99 independently of Gundam Winter Fest, so builders purchasing the Freedom Gundam can combine it with other eligible kits or accessories to reach the required threshold.

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