Gunpla Ver.Ka Explained: 58 Items, Not Always the Pricier MG

Ver.Ka isn't a new grade, and a Gunpla Ver.Ka kit isn't always the expensive box. On Bandai's Japanese list, the 2002 MG RX-78-2 Gundam Ver.Ka costs ¥1,430 less than the regular MG Ver.3.0 from 2013, both with tax. If a suit you like has both versions, you are choosing a designer's take and a price, so compare the two item pages before you compare box art.

TL;DR: Ver.Ka means Version Katoki: 1/100 Master Grade kits whose design Bandai credits to mechanical designer Hajime Katoki. Bandai's Japanese list files 58 items under MG Ver.Ka, but only 28 are regular-release kits. In 3 of the 9 suits we paired, the Ver.Ka lists for less than the regular MG; the Full Armor ZZ Ver.Ka costs 1.9 times its 2000 MG. Gundam Planet had the RX-78-2 Ver.Ka at $38.95 and the Ver.3.0 at $62.95, both in stock. Checked Oct 17, 2026.

Gunpla Ver.Ka? (quick answer)

A Gunpla Ver.Ka kit is a 1/100 Master Grade whose design Bandai credits to Hajime Katoki. Bandai's English site files the line as "MG Ver.Ka [MASTER GRADE Ver.Katoki]". It isn't a separate grade or scale, and every Ver.Ka page we read carries the same 15+ age mark as the regular MG beside it. If you just want to try one, start with the MG RX-78-2 Gundam Ver.Ka: $38.95 in stock at Gundam Planet.

Key Takeaways

• Ver.Ka = Version Katoki. Bandai's Japanese label reads マスターグレード バージョンカトキ.
• Still MG: 1/100 scale, age mark 15+ on every Ver.Ka and regular MG page we read.
• 58 items, 28 regular kits. The rest are Premium Bandai, Gundam Base, event and SIDE-F editions, plus add-on parts and one decal sheet.
• Price is not a rule. The RX-78-2, Unicorn and Banshee Ver.Ka list below their regular MG in Japan; the Full Armor ZZ Ver.Ka costs ¥5,940 more.
• Newer kits add waterslide decals: the Wing Gundam Zero EW, Zeta and Full Armor ZZ Ver.Ka pages list one, and the Zeta page says Katoki designed it.
• US stock is patchy: 11 of the 33 Ver.Ka listings in our Gundam Planet searches could be ordered on Oct 17.

Overview: what Bandai means by MG Ver.Ka

Bandai's English brand page is titled "MG Ver.Ka [MASTER GRADE Ver.Katoki]". Katoki is Hajime Katoki. Wikipedia describes him as "a Japanese mecha designer" who works "quite frequently with Bandai, often doing touch-up designs for the Master Grade model kits". The Ver.Ka line is where that work carries his name on the box.

The first kit set the rule. Bandai's Japanese page for the MG 1/100 RX-78-2 Gundam Ver.Ka, dated December 2002, says Katoki drew the RX-78 anew as an MG kit, and that everything from the weapons and marking stickers to the manual is his production (our translation). Later pages say the same thing in English. The MG Nu Gundam Ver.Ka of 2012 credits Katoki's "details and markings". The MG Wing Gundam Zero EW Ver.Ka of 2020 was made "under the complete supervision of Hajime Katoki", and the MG Full Armor ZZ Gundam Ver.Ka of 2026 "under the full supervision".

For where Ver.Ka sits among HG, RG, MG and PG, our Gunpla grades explained guide has the full ladder.

Diagram: PlamoDesk. Source: Bandai Hobby Site (Japan) item list, MG Ver.Ka brand filter, our copy of Oct 11.

Desk note: Our copy of Bandai's Japanese list has 58 items under the MG Ver.Ka filter, but only 28 are regular-release kits. Ten more are Premium Bandai kits, six are Premium Bandai add-on parts such as the Nu Gundam Ver.Ka HWS expansion set, and 13 are Gundam Base, event or SIDE-F editions. A US builder shopping regular stores is really choosing from the 28.

The official GUNDAM CHANNEL INTL posted a product video for the Zeta Gundam Ver.Ka, the kit whose item page opens with "MASTER GRADE Ver.Ka 20th Anniversary!"

Video: GUNDAM CHANNEL INTL on YouTube (official), embedded.

Step-by-Step: choosing between a Ver.Ka and a regular MG

1. Check whether your suit has both. Many suits do. The Nu Gundam has a regular MG from 2000 and a Ver.Ka from 2012; our Nu Gundam kit comparison lays out every grade of it. Others don't: on Bandai's Japanese list, the V Gundam and V2 Gundam MGs exist only as Ver.Ka.

2. Compare today's list prices, not the badge. Bandai's English pages give yen before tax and the Japanese pages give yen with tax. Use one side for both kits. The table further down does this for nine suits.

3. Read the contents line. Newer Ver.Ka pages list a "Waterslide Decal × 1" next to a foil seal: the Wing Gundam Zero EW (2020), the Zeta (2023) and the Full Armor ZZ (2026). The Zeta page says the decal was "designed by Hajime Katoki". Older Ver.Ka pages list seals only: "seals ×3" on the Nu Gundam Ver.Ka, "seal ×2" on the Sazabi Ver.Ka. Decals aren't a Ver.Ka exclusive, though. Bandai's page for the regular MG RX-78-2 Ver.3.0 calls its realistic decals "the first to be used in MG".

4. Check how it is sold. A Premium Bandai, Gundam Base or event edition isn't the same item as the regular kit, even with the same name. Our Premium Bandai exclusives guide explains how those reach US buyers.

5. Check the US listing and the date. Stock moves. On Oct 17 the regular Wing Gundam Zero EW was in stock at USA Gundam Store for $43.99, while its Ver.Ka was sold out at $72.99.

Ver.Ka vs regular MG: nine same-suit pairs

The Ver.Ka costs more in six of the nine pairs below and less in three. The gap runs from ¥550 to ¥5,940 with tax. Release year explains most of it, but not all: the 2018 Banshee Ver.Ka lists ¥550 below the 2012 MG Banshee.

Diagram: PlamoDesk. Source: Bandai Hobby Site (Japan) item pages, read Oct 17.

"Regular MG" here means the standard release of the same suit, not a coating, clear or titanium version. The Full Armor ZZ pair is the odd one out. ¥12,540 against ¥6,600: same suit, 1.9 times the plastic budget. Bandai's page says the Ver.Ka armor can come off to show the Enhanced ZZ underneath, and that the Hyper Mega Cannon can be attached to the backpack in place of a missile pod.

GODEEPER: Want the same suit across HG, RG and MG instead of two MGs? HG vs RG vs MG →

Which Gunpla Ver.Ka kits can you buy in the US?

About a third of them, on Oct 17. Our searches at Gundam Planet found 33 Ver.Ka listings, and 11 could be ordered. USA Gundam Store showed 26, with 9 open to order, two of them as preorders. Prices are dated snapshots from the shops' own pages.

The Japanese pattern holds in the US. The RX-78-2 Ver.Ka was $24 cheaper than the Ver.3.0 at Gundam Planet, and the Banshee Ver.Ka $4 cheaper than the regular Banshee. Gundam Planet names the EW kits "Wing Gundam Zero Custom", so search both names. For shop rules on preorders and sold-out listings, see where to buy Gunpla in the US.

The 2004 MG Wing Gundam Ver.Ka on display at GUNPLA EXPO Taiwan 2013. Photo: othree / Flickr, CC BY 2.0.

Tips

• Reissues cost more in early 2027. Bandai's reissue list for January to March 2027 moves the MG Unicorn Gundam Ver.Ka from ¥5,500 to ¥6,270 with tax (our transcription of the notice's price tables), which would put it ¥110 above today's regular MG Unicorn. The MG Sinanju Ver.Ka goes from ¥7,700 to ¥8,580. Our Gunpla price increase 2027 tracker has the full list.
• Titanium Finish is a separate item. Bandai's Japanese page lists the MG Nu Gundam Ver.Ka Titanium Finish at ¥17,600 with tax, more than twice the plain Ver.Ka's ¥8,140. Gundam Planet had it at $200.95, sold out.
• MGEX is not MG Ver.Ka. The MGEX Unicorn Gundam Ver.Ka sits under Bandai's MGEX brand at ¥25,300 with tax. Our MGEX list keeps it apart.
• Add-on parts are not kits. The Premium Bandai HWS expansion set is named as a set for the Nu Gundam Ver.Ka, at ¥2,640 with tax.
• Use the hub. Our Ver.Ka kit list shows every item with its Japan price and sales channel.

Common Mistakes

1. Treating Ver.Ka as a grade. It is a Master Grade sub-line at 1/100. The scale and age mark match the regular MG.
2. Assuming Ver.Ka always costs more. Three of our nine pairs say otherwise in Japan, and at Gundam Planet the RX-78-2 and Banshee Ver.Ka were cheaper too.
3. Mixing up the two Wing kits. The MG Wing Gundam Ver.Ka (2004) and the MG Wing Gundam Zero EW Ver.Ka (2020) are different suits and different kits.
4. Comparing yen across labels. The Zeta Ver.Ka is 6,500 yen before tax on Bandai's English page and ¥7,150 with tax on the Japanese one. Same kit, same price.
5. Reading "sold out" as "gone". Bandai reissues Ver.Ka kits; the Unicorn and Sinanju Ver.Ka are on its January to March 2027 reissue list.

What builders say

From Gunpla 101's "Version Ka 101" comment thread and a Gundam Planet review:

• C. L. (December 2014): "one added note: Ver Ka models usually have way more decals than a normal versions."

• LingeringCritic (September 2015): "Depending on the kit, they tend to be exceptionally pointy. Sinanju, I’m looking at you. >.>"

• Richard (November 2023), in a Gundam Planet review of the MG Zeta Gundam Ver.Ka: "The transformation is a little finicky but as long as you go slow and are careful with some of the smaller parts you are not gonna have any issues with this kit."

Three builders, one theme: more detail, and more care. Bandai's contents lines back the decal point for the newer kits.

GODEEPER: Not ready for a 1/100 kit yet? Best beginner Gunpla kits by budget →

Our take

Buy a Ver.Ka for the design, and check the regular MG's price first: sometimes the Ver.Ka is cheaper. The RX-78-2 Ver.Ka was $38.95 at Gundam Planet against $62.95 for the Ver.3.0, both in stock. At the other end, the Full Armor ZZ Ver.Ka lists at ¥12,540, 1.9 times its 2000 MG. If your suit only comes as a Ver.Ka, as the V2 Gundam does, the price question is moot. We recheck US stock when the January 2027 reissues reach the shops.

What we don't know yet

Bandai hasn't dated a new Ver.Ka. The newest general release on its Japanese list is the Full Armor ZZ of February 2026, and the schedules through March 2027 show reissues only. US arrival months for the January 2027 reissues are not set either: USA Gundam Store's Sinanju Ver.Ka preorder said "Arrival date to be confirmed".

How we checked this

On Oct 17 we read Bandai's English MG Ver.Ka brand page and the Japanese and English item pages of all 18 kits in the pair table, plus the Nu Gundam, Sazabi and Wing Gundam Zero EW Ver.Ka. Counts by sales channel come from our copy of Bandai's Japanese item list (Oct 11). Reissue prices come from Bandai's reissue price notice. US prices come from Gundam Planet and USA Gundam Store searches with sold-out items shown, read the same morning. On Oct 19 we reread every shop listing in the US table and the quoted Bandai pages; only the USA Gundam Store RX-78-2 Ver.Ka had changed. Katoki's background comes from Wikipedia. We haven't built these kits.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Ver.Ka mean on a Gunpla box? Version Katoki. Bandai's English site files these kits as MG Ver.Ka [MASTER GRADE Ver.Katoki], and its Japanese label reads マスターグレード バージョンカトキ. They are 1/100 Master Grade kits whose design Bandai credits to mechanical designer Hajime Katoki, from the details and markings to the manual on the first kit in 2002.

Is Ver.Ka a different grade from MG? No. A Ver.Ka is a 1/100 Master Grade. Every Ver.Ka item page we read carries the same 15+ age mark as the regular MG of the same suit. What changes is the design: Bandai's pages credit Katoki with details and markings, and newer kits such as the 2023 Zeta Gundam Ver.Ka add a waterslide decal he designed.

Are Ver.Ka kits more expensive than regular MG kits? Not always. Of nine suits with both versions that we compared on Bandai's Japanese pages, three list the Ver.Ka for less: the RX-78-2 Gundam (¥3,960 against ¥5,390 for the Ver.3.0), the Unicorn Gundam and the Banshee, all with tax. The Full Armor ZZ Ver.Ka is the outlier at ¥12,540, 1.9 times its 2000 MG.

Which Ver.Ka should I build first? Of the Ver.Ka kits in stock at the two shops we checked, the cheapest was the MG RX-78-2 Gundam Ver.Ka: $38.95 at Gundam Planet on Oct 19. USA Gundam Store had it at $36.99 on Oct 17 but sold out by Oct 19. If you want a current Ver.Ka, the 2023 Zeta Gundam Ver.Ka was $88.95 in stock at Gundam Planet and includes a waterslide decal Bandai says Katoki designed.

How many Gunpla Ver.Ka kits are there? Bandai's Japanese item list files 58 items under its MG Ver.Ka brand filter, from December 2002 to February 2026. Only 28 are regular-release kits. The rest are Premium Bandai kits and add-on parts, Gundam Base and event editions, one GUNDAM SIDE-F edition and one decal sheet.

Is there a new Ver.Ka coming? None is dated yet. The newest general Ver.Ka on Bandai's list is the MG Full Armor ZZ Gundam Ver.Ka of February 2026, at ¥12,540 with tax. Bandai's Japanese schedules through March 2027 add reissues at new prices, such as the Unicorn Gundam Ver.Ka at ¥6,270 with tax, but no new Ver.Ka kit.

Related Reading

• Gunpla Tools Guide: nippers, tweezers and decal aids for a bigger MG build.
• SD Gundam Kits Explained: the other end of the size range, from SDEX to MGSD.
• Gunpla Release Schedule 2026: how Bandai's monthly schedule works, and where reissues show up.

References

• Bandai Hobby Site (English): MG Ver.Ka brand page, MG Nu Gundam Ver.Ka, MG Sazabi Ver.Ka, MG Wing Gundam Zero EW Ver.Ka, MG Wing Gundam Zero EW (2004), MG Zeta Gundam Ver.Ka, MG Full Armor ZZ Gundam Ver.Ka, MG RX-78-2 Gundam Ver.3.0
• Bandai Hobby Site (Japan): MG Ver.Ka item list, MG RX-78-2 Gundam Ver.Ka, MG Full Armor ZZ Gundam (2000), MG Unicorn Gundam Ver.Ka, MG Banshee Ver.Ka, reissue price notice
• Wikipedia: Hajime Katoki
• Gundam Planet: MG RX-78-2 Gundam Ver.Ka, MG RX-78-2 Gundam Ver 3.0, MG Zeta Gundam Ver.Ka, MG Full Armor ZZ Gundam Ver.Ka
• USA Gundam Store: MG RX-78-2 Gundam (Ver. Ka), MG Wing Gundam Zero (EW), MG Sinanju (Ver. Ka)
• Gunpla 101: Version Ka 101, comments
• GUNDAM CHANNEL INTL: MG 1/100 Zeta Gundam Ver.Ka PV