Full Mechanics Gunpla Explained: FM vs MG, and Which to Build

Full Mechanics (FM) is a 1/100 scale Gunpla line from Bandai that aims for dense mechanical detail with a build that stays easy and low on part count. It is not Master Grade: Bandai builds MG around an elaborate inner frame, while it describes Full Mechanics in terms of detail and an easy, low-part-count build at the same 1/100 scale.

If you have seen "FULL MECHANICS" on a box next to Master Grade and wondered whether it is a cheaper MG, a big HG, or something else, this guide sets out what Bandai says the line is, how it compares with MG and HG, and which kits it currently covers. You can browse the kits in our Full Mechanics collection.

Full Mechanics vs Master Grade vs High Grade at a Glance

What Full Mechanics Is

Bandai's Japanese brand page describes Full Mechanics as a brand that balances high-density detail, rooted in mechanical design, with ease of assembly. The development blog that introduced the first kit says the series concept is a kit that is easy to build with a small number of parts while still carrying high-density detail. On the Gundam Aerial product page, Bandai calls Full Mechanics its "standard series" at 1/100 scale.

That last phrase is the key to the line. Bandai uses the same idea for HG, which it describes as the brand you can call the standard of Gunpla at 1/144 scale. Full Mechanics plays a similar role one scale up: a straightforward 1/100 kit with plenty of surface detail, rather than a frame-first engineering showcase.

The name is older than the current line. For the second season of Mobile Suit Gundam: Iron-Blooded Orphans, Bandai renamed its 1/100 IBO kits "1/100 Full Mechanics", and that run included Gundam Barbatos Lupus, Gundam Vidar, Gundam Barbatos Lupus Rex and Gundam Bael. When Calamity Gundam arrived in 2021, Bandai's blog described FULL MECHANICS as a newly relaunched series, and Calamity was its first release.

The Full Mechanics Lineup

The modern line is short, and so far it covers suits from outside the Universal Century: Mobile Suit Gundam SEED, The Witch from Mercury and Iron-Blooded Orphans.

Calamity Gundam (June 2021)

The first kit of the relaunched line, and Bandai's blog notes it was the first time Calamity had been made as a 1/100 Gunpla kit. The head pulls up out of the torso to clear the collar, the abdomen swings front-to-back and side-to-side, and the front skirt tilts with the waist when the kit leans forward. The arms use a shoulder swing, double-jointed elbows and double-jointed wrists. It comes with the Todesblock bazooka and the Kafer Zwei shield, along with foil and marking stickers.

Raider Gundam (May 2022)

Raider transforms from mobile suit to mobile armor form using slide mechanisms and pivot points, and the shoulders convert without swapping parts. The Mjolnir's chain is reproduced with lead wire that winds back inside the ball. Bandai also includes parts so a separately sold FM Calamity Gundam can ride on Raider; that display uses several Action Bases, sold separately.

Gundam Aerial (April 2023)

Bandai says the Aerial's shell units get detail the HG version did not reproduce, using plated parts layered under clear exterior armor. The shield splits into 11 blocks that deploy as GUND-Bits. It comes with two beam sabers, a beam rifle and a beam rifle effect part.

Forbidden Gundam (August 2023)

With Forbidden, the three Earth Alliance Boosted Man suits were all in the Full Mechanics line, as Bandai put it on the product page. The kit transforms into its high-speed assault form, the energy cables from the backpack are made from the included varnish tubes, and the Nidhogg scythe blade uses two different surface finishes.

Graze Ein (scheduled for January 2027)

The next general-release kit brings Iron-Blooded Orphans back to the line. It has an opening face guard, pile bunkers with an ejection gimmick, swap-in hands for the Screw Punch, articulated toes for the Drill Kick, and an included Action Base.

Limited Variants

Bandai has also released Full Mechanics variants through its online shop, The Gundam Base and events: Freedom Gundam Ver.GCP (The Gundam Base, 2021), Aile Calamity Gundam (2022), Calamity Gundam [Clear Color] (event release, 2024), Sword Calamity Gundam (2024), Gundam Aerial Permet Score Six (2024) and Boost Raider Gundam (2024). Most of them are parts or color variants of the regular kits above.

Beyond Gundam

The Full Mechanics name also appears outside Gundam. Bandai released MAILeS Kenbu and MAILeS Kenbu ZAN from Kyoukai Senki (Amaim Warrior at the Borderline) as 1/48 Full Mechanics kits in 2022, so not every FM kit is 1/100.

Master Grade: Where FM Differs

Bandai's MG brand page puts it plainly: Master Grade starts from an elaborate inner frame and builds the proportions and articulation around it. Most MG kits feature a skeletal inner frame, and the line has been running since 1995. That is where the two lines split. Bandai's descriptions of Full Mechanics never mention an inner frame; they focus on detail and an easy build with fewer parts.

The lineups differ too. The FM Calamity was the first time that suit had been made as a 1/100 Gunpla kit, so Full Mechanics can cover suits MG has not. If the suit you want exists in both lines, compare the two product pages. Browse the Master Grade collection to see what MG covers.

High Grade: The 1/144 Relative

HG is 1/144 scale, so an HG suit is noticeably smaller than the same suit as an FM kit. Our Gundam scale guide shows what that difference looks like on a shelf. The two lines can overlap on suits: the Aerial exists as both HG and FM, and Bandai points to the shell-unit detail as something the FM adds over the HG. If you like a Witch from Mercury or SEED suit as an HG and want a bigger, more detailed version, FM is the natural step up. See the High Grade collection for the 1/144 side.

Which Should You Build?

• You want a 1/100 kit of Calamity, Raider or Forbidden: Full Mechanics has all three at 1/100. Start with Calamity, then add Raider, which includes parts for Calamity to ride on it. Our Gundam SEED collection has the rest of the cast.
• You want a bigger Aerial than the HG: the FM Aerial adds the plated shell-unit detail and the 11-piece GUND-Bit shield.
• You want to build a full inner frame and then armor it: that is MG's job. Pick an MG of your suit if one exists.
• You are new to Gunpla: an HG is the easiest place to start. FM is a reasonable second kit when you want something larger without the longest build. Our Gunpla grade guide walks through HG, RG, MG and PG in more detail.

FAQ

What is full mechanics in Gunpla?

Full Mechanics is a 1/100 scale Gunpla line from Bandai. Bandai describes it as a balance of high-density mechanical detail and ease of assembly, with a low part count. The current line began in 2021 with Calamity Gundam.

What is the difference between a Full Mechanics Gunpla and a Master Grade Gunpla?

Both are 1/100 scale. Master Grade is built around an elaborate inner frame, with proportions and articulation designed around it. Full Mechanics focuses on surface detail and an easier build with fewer parts, and Bandai does not describe it as a frame-based line. The lineups also differ: the FM Calamity was the first 1/100 Gunpla kit of that suit.

Is full mechanics Master Grade?

No. Bandai lists FULL MECHANICS as its own brand, separate from MG, MG Ver.Ka and MGEX. The two share a scale but not a design philosophy.

Are all Full Mechanics kits 1/100 scale?

The Gundam kits are 1/100. The MAILeS Kenbu and MAILeS Kenbu ZAN kits from Kyoukai Senki also carry the Full Mechanics name, but at 1/48.