Gunpla Stands: Action Base 1 to 8, From $7.95 in the US

Most Gunpla stands on a US shop shelf are Bandai's own Action Base line, and the number on the box matters more than the color: US shops sell Action Base 1 and 4 as 1/100 stands and 2, 5, 6 and 7 as 1/144 ones. Pick the number for your kit's scale first, then decide whether a two-stand pack is the better buy.

Gunpla stands? (quick answer)

A Gunpla stand holds a built kit up, so it can keep a flying pose; GUNDAM Official says Bandai's Action Base is built for "aerial pose displays". It is the stand most US shops stock. For an HG or RG kit, start with an Action Base 2 ($7.95) or a two-pack of Action Base 6 or 7; for an MG, start with an Action Base 1 or 4 ($9.95).

Key Takeaways

• Eight numbers and a Mini: Action Base 1 (2006) to Action Base 8 (2024) in Bandai's Japanese list.
• Scale by number: US shops title 1 and 4 as 1/100, and 2, 5, 6 and 7 as 1/144.
• Big HG kits use the 4: Bandai includes an Action Base 4 with the 270mm HG Psycho Gundam Mk-II.
• Cheap in Japan: ¥462 (Mini) to ¥880 (Action Base 7) with tax for plain stands.
• Two-packs: Action Base 6 and 7 sell as two-stand sets in the US, $10.95 and $11.95 at Gundam Planet.

Overview: Bandai's Action Base line

GUNDAM Official describes the line in one sentence: "The Action Bases have sturdy structures to create aerial pose displays, and can even be used to stably support large kits." The stands are general Bandai hobby items, not tied to one grade, and Bandai adds colors, sticker sets and shop-limited versions on top of the plain ones.

Desk note: Our copy of Bandai's Japanese item list holds 42 Action Base stand items, the first an Action Base 1 in black from December 2006 and the newest numbered one an Action Base 8 [Clear Color] from April 2024. Action Base 1 alone has 13 versions. For a US buyer, that means the same number can come in several colors at slightly different prices; the number, not the color, decides the fit.

Diagram: PlamoDesk. Sources: our copy of Bandai Hobby Site Japan's item list (prices with 10% tax as listed Oct 11); Gundam Planet and USA Gundam Store search results, Oct 24.

What we could not read is Bandai's own fit chart. Bandai's English and Japanese item pages were offline for maintenance on Oct 24, so the scale labels below are the shops' titles, not Bandai's words. We say so wherever it matters.

GODEEPER: The shops behind these prices and how they compare. Where to buy Gunpla in the US →

Step-by-Step: choosing a Gunpla stand

1. Check your kit's scale. HG, RG and Entry Grade kits are 1/144; MG kits are 1/100. Our Gunpla grades guide lists them all.

2. Match the number to the scale. Gundam Planet's titles read "1/100 Display Stand Action Base 1 BLACK", "1/144 Display Stand Action Base 2 BLACK", "1/144 Display Stand Action Base 5 CLEAR" and "1/144 Display Stand Action Base 7 Clear (2 set)". USA Gundam Store titles Action Base 2 "(1/144 Scale)", Action Base 1 "(1/100 Scale)" and Action Base 6 "(1/144)".

3. Treat Action Base 4 as the flexible one. Gundam Planet lists it as a 1/100 stand; USA Gundam Store's title says "1/144 & 1/100 Scale". Bandai's own choice is telling: GUNDAM Official says the HG Psycho Gundam Mk-II, "a massive kit that is approximately 270mm tall," comes with an Action Base 4 and a Weapon Display Base.

4. Use a small stand for small kits. Gundam Planet's copy for Action Base 6 calls it "Ideal for small plastic model displays!" and says two come in the set.

5. Count the stands in the pack. Action Base 6 and 7 come as two-stand sets in both shops' listings; GUNDAM Official's GQuuuuuuX sticker set is "a pair of Action Base 7 [Clear Color]s." Per stand, that makes them the cheapest new stands we found.

6. Decide whether you want a limited color. Bandai's list tags 10 stand items as limited, such as the Gundam Base Action Base 5 in Witch from Mercury image colors (October 2022, ¥770 with tax, with marking stickers) and the Action Base 4 in Char's custom color (July 2019). They hold the same kits; only the plastic color differs.

Diagram: PlamoDesk. Sources: Gundam Planet search results, Oct 24, 2026; per-stand price is the set price divided by two.

Action Base 1 vs 2 vs 4 vs 5: the main four

Action Base 1. The original, December 2006, ¥605 with tax for the plain colors. US shops title it 1/100: $9.95 at Gundam Planet, $9.99 at USA Gundam Store in black, clear, gray and white.

Action Base 2. Released from June 2007, ¥495 with tax, the cheapest numbered stand. Both US shops title it 1/144: $7.95 at Gundam Planet, $7.99 at USA Gundam Store in black, gray and sparkle red.

Action Base 4. December 2017, ¥660. Gundam Planet: $9.95 in clear or black, titled 1/100. USA Gundam Store: $9.99, one listing titled "1/144 & 1/100 Scale."

Action Base 5. December 2017, ¥550. Gundam Planet titles it 1/144 at $7.95, but its clear version was sold out on Oct 24. One r/Gunpla builder uses it for HG kits in tabletop games (quote below).

Winner on value for an HG: Action Base 2, the cheapest single stand in both shops.

Diagram: PlamoDesk. Sources: Gundam Planet and USA Gundam Store titles, Oct 24; GUNDAM Official (HG Psycho Gundam Mk-II, March 2025).

Tips: buying Gunpla stands in the US

• Search "Action Base" plus the number. Shop titles mix "Display Stand" and "Action Base", and Gundam Planet puts the scale first ("1/144 Display Stand...").
• Sticker sets cost double. Gundam Planet listed "Action Base 7 Clear Mirror Seal (2 Set)" at $19.95 against $11.95 for the plain Action Base 7 two-pack.
• The option box is a different product. "Action Base 7 & Option Box 1 [White]" was $20.95 at Gundam Planet; Bandai's list dates it January 2026 at ¥1,595.
• Check kit bundles first. Some kits include a stand. Besides the HG Psycho Gundam Mk-II, an r/Gunpla reply says the MG Strike Gundam remastered kit "comes with a custom action base too."
• Watch the "pre-order" URLs. USA Gundam Store's Action Base 4 Black page has "pre-order" in its address but showed as available on Oct 24; read the button, not the link.

GODEEPER: A stand shows off a finished kit; a top coat protects it. Best Gunpla top coat for beginners →

What builders say

Two r/Gunpla comments from October 2026, read through the Arctic Shift archive:

"I actively use my hg kits in OPR using a custom book for gundam wing! Action base 5 is perfect for this." u/Nyxu on r/Gunpla, October 2026

"definitely get it on an action base (I recommend the AB4, but the 5 should do the trick too)." u/Matias_Backwards on r/Gunpla, on an RG Unicorn, October 2026

One HG on a 5, one RG on a 4. The numbers overlap more than the shop titles suggest.

Common Mistakes with Gunpla stands

• Buying by color. The number sets the size; a clear and a black Action Base 1 are the same stand.
• Putting a large kit on a small stand. Bandai paired its 270mm HG Psycho Gundam Mk-II with an Action Base 4, not a 2.
• Paying for stickers by accident. Sticker and mirror-seal sets cost $18.95 to $19.95 at Gundam Planet, close to double the plain two-pack.
• Assuming the shop's scale label is Bandai's. It is the shop's title; Bandai's fit notes were offline when we checked.

What we don't know yet: Bandai's official fit for each number. Bandai's item pages were in maintenance on Oct 24, and GUNDAM Official's news posts give prices and dates, not kit compatibility.

Our take

Buy an Action Base 2 for one HG; buy the Action Base 7 two-pack if you own two or more. The 2 was $7.95 at Gundam Planet on Oct 24, and the 7 two-pack works out to $5.98 a stand. For MG kits, pick an Action Base 1 or 4 at $9.95; Bandai's own bundle puts a 4 under the 270mm HG Psycho Gundam Mk-II. We recheck stands and prices when Bandai's item pages are back.

How we checked this

On Oct 24, 2026 we counted Action Base items in our copy of Bandai Hobby Site Japan's item list (read Oct 11; Bandai's site was in maintenance), read four GUNDAM Official news posts (2019, 2022 and two 2025 lineups), searched Gundam Planet and USA Gundam Store for "Action Base", and read r/Gunpla comments through Arctic Shift. A research assistant gathered the pages; we re-read the Psycho Gundam Mk-II and Action Base 7 passages. We have not used these stands.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which Action Base is best for MG Gunpla? US shops file Action Base 1 and Action Base 4 under 1/100, the MG scale. Gundam Planet titles both 1/100 Display Stand at $9.95 on Oct 24. Bandai bundles an Action Base 4 with its 270mm HG Psycho Gundam Mk-II, a hint that the 4 suits big kits.

Which Action Base is best for HG Gunpla? US shops file Action Base 2, 5, 6 and 7 under 1/144, the HG and RG scale. On Oct 24 Action Base 2 was $7.95 at Gundam Planet and $7.99 at USA Gundam Store; Action Base 6 and 7 came as two-stand sets at $10.95 and $11.95.

What is the difference between Action Base 1 and Action Base 2? Scale, by US shop titles: Action Base 1 is sold as a 1/100 stand and Action Base 2 as a 1/144 stand. In Japan the 1 lists at 605 yen and the 2 at 495 yen with tax. Bandai's English pages, which would give the official fit, were offline on Oct 24.

Do Gunpla kits come with stands? Some do. GUNDAM Official says the HG Psycho Gundam Mk-II (11,000 yen with tax, March 2025) includes an Action Base 4 and a Weapon Display Base. Most kits do not, which is why Action Base stands are sold separately from 462 yen in Japan.

How many Action Base versions are there? Eight numbered ones plus a Mini. Bandai's Japanese list in our Oct 11 copy holds 42 Action Base stand items since December 2006, from Action Base 1 to Action Base 8 (April 2024), including colors, sticker sets and 10 limited versions.

How much is an Action Base in the US? From $7.95 on Oct 24. Gundam Planet had Action Base 2 at $7.95 and Action Base 1 and 4 at $9.95; USA Gundam Store had Action Base 2 at $7.99 and 1 and 4 at $9.99. Two-stand Action Base 6 and 7 sets ran $10.95 to $11.95.

Related Reading

• How to Spot Bootleg Gunpla: checks before you pay for the kit that goes on the stand.
• HG vs RG vs MG: what 1/144 and 1/100 mean on the shelf.
• Gunpla Tools for Beginners: what to buy before the stand.
• Best Beginner Gunpla Kits by Budget: kits to put on it.

References

• GUNDAM Official: HG Psycho Gundam Mk-II and March 22, 2025 lineup, Action Base 7 GQuuuuuuX sticker set and May 2025 lineup, Action Base 5 Witch from Mercury image color, Action Base 4 Char's custom color
• Bandai Hobby Site (Japanese): item list, Action Base 8 [Clear Color], Action Base 7 [Clear Color]
• Gundam Planet: Action Base 2 Black, Action Base 1 Black, Action Base 4 Clear, Action Base 7 Clear (2 set), Action Base 6 Clear (2 set)
• USA Gundam Store: Action Base 2 (1/144) Black, Action Base 4 (1/144 & 1/100) Black, Action Base 1 (1/100) Black