The term Gunpla refers to mechanical models, characters, or plastic vehicles from the Japanese Gundam franchise and are offered by Bandai. It originated from the abbreviation of the words "Gundam plastic model". It appeared in 1980.

The philosophy of Gunpla: The model for everyone! No glue or paint required.

All Gundam models are characterized by two main features:

• the parts are fitted together
• they are molded in color.

Gunpla are classified by series (called "grade") according to their quality and/or size. The main series are:

• NG No Grade (1980), retroactively referring to the first models released in 1980.
• HG High Grade (1990), the first higher-quality series at a 1/144 scale.
• MG Master Grade (1995), higher quality than HG High Grade with, for example, fully modeled internal mechanical parts at a 1/100 scale.
• PG Perfect Grade (1998), the most technically advanced series at a 1/60 scale.
• FG First Grade (1999), the economical series with clips.
• HGUC High Grade Universal Century (1999), a popular reissue of the robots from the Universal Century.
• EX-model (2001), a series dedicated not to robots but to vehicles and related flying machines.
• MS Mega Size (2009), a 1/48 scale series.
• RG Real Grade (2010), similar to MG Master Grade with advanced internal skeleton but at 1/144 size like HG High Grade.
• RE/100 Reborn One Hundred (2014), a new gunpla series at 1/100 scale.
• Super Deformed Gundam or SD Gundam, a series with parodies of the Gundam saga, adopting the graphic codes of super-deformed characters.

However, the exhaustive classification is much more complex, as it depends on scale (from 1/550 to 1/35), improvements (the master grade series exists in versions 1.5, 2.0, and 3.0), and special events, such as the release of a Ver.G 30th series for the thirtieth anniversary of the franchise.