Where to Buy Gundam Replacement Parts?

If you’ve lost individual parts or broke some of it, you may be looking for replacement parts for your Gundam model kit. You’d be happy to know that Bandai actually offers replacement parts for your gunpla but international support for this replacement service has been somewhat limited as of late. That said, many replacement parts service have actually popped up offering some way to replace your model kit’s parts. I actually requested Bandai a few parts before but have never needed to do so until recently. I decided to make this post just to quickly share which methods I use to get my individual replacement parts for my Gundam model kits.

UPDATE FEBRUARY 6, 2023: I threw away my Kotobukiya Frame Arms kit which contained hands and clear parts. Now I’m really stuck on where to get one of those.

UPDATE DECEMBER 7, 2022: There hasn’t been much change in the market since I wrote this article and that continues to nearly the end of 2022. Bandai has made many changes in their structure and market strategy and is now known as Bandai Namco predominantly in many of their businesses. But the most glaring change is the apparent limited quantities of kits being sold.

While it may be attributed to the hobby growing in popularity or Bandai Namco themselves pulling a Jordan Brand and limiting production to artificially increase demand, it has seen the growth of a reseller market in gunpla that sees 200% price inflation. As of this moment, the MGEX Strike Freedom is a very rare sight despite its November release date.

This however has hurt the hobby in some way as we’ve learned that as of September 2022, Mecha Parts Guy has now gone out of business. This is sad news for those in the west as but as Blair from Mecha Parts Guy shares in an earlier interview that diclosed his sources, you can get scrap kits from Ebay as well as person to person as a start. For those in Asia, our e-commerce sources are still operational to this day with a few more popping up. Hopefull they do expand to shipping in more regions to cater to our western hobbymates.

I Broke/Lost my Gundam Part

We’ve all been there: lost parts on your model kit and sometimes you can live with it like a lost thruster bell or a optional weapon handle but there are cases where you absolutely need it. In my case, I was doing a commission work for an PG RX-78-2 when I lost the handle for one of its thermal blades. Now in cases where a Gundam doesn’t display the handle in visible places and thus is a totally optional part, this is ok. But this is the RX-78-2 we’re talking about. It prominently displays its sword handles on its backpack which dons its  shoulder. It basically makes the silhouette of the unit.

The last time I lost a part was during the launch of the Nu Ver Ka and I had to recast the missing wrist armor I lost because Bandai was not offering free international parts replacement for their Gundam model kits then. Apparently, some people abused this privilege and the company just stopped making it readily available to international buyers. This was really frustrating and I had to weigh my options.

Gundam Replacement Parts

For those who are just new to Gunpla and building Gundam model kits, Bandai actually offers free parts replacement but its not as smooth as it used to be. Back before the 2010s, one can openly contact Bandai and they will send the required parts to you regardless of territory. This has changed dramatically over the years and now in 2021, options have substantially changed as Bandai now sells replacements instead of offering them free. This is actually how Kotobukiya has done it ever since. Still, options have changed. Now, aside from recasting or scratch-building lost or missing individual Gundam parts, there has emerged a little economic segment that focuses on selling replacement parts.

From what I recall, this originated in Japan but a store in South Korea also sells parts but not just individual parts, entire module assemblies like a complete MG kit’s waist or head unit as well entire wings set for the Strike Freedom or Wing Zero Custom from HG all the way to PG. I have tried finding online ways to reach these stores but have been in vain.

This is where middleman services come in. If you’re for this right now, chances are you’ll see results in Google of “parts replacement service” wherein individuals or businesses (like this one) will source the part you need and they will charge you for those part, the shipping cost as well as their liaison fee or handling fee. As Bandai now sells them, many have taken to building a business around offering replacement services but these people operate more as a side hustle rather than a full operation.

Don’t even waste your time contacting some of these proxy Japan buyers that offer to buy you official gunpla replacement parts in Japan as they take weeks to reply or have already abandoned their have abandoned their business. In the global scene, there is currently two active stores I’ve encountered who keep a healthy supply of Gundam replacement parts for your builds.

Where to Buy Gundam Replacement Parts

IMPORTANT: Mecha Parts Guy has stopped operation since September of 2022 and has told us that there are currently no plan to return to the business.

For now I advise those looking for parts to communicate with their local Bandai distributor or for US addresses, you may contact Bandai directly via their Returns & Replacement portal here.  You will need to provide proof of purchase when requesting parts replacements from Bandai Namco USA.

You may request of the 6 Gundam replacement part pieces from Bandai Namco USA but is subject to other terms. See below for outlined details of replacement conditions from Bandai Namco:

Replacement services may be provided for the following circumstances:

• Defects-missing components from the package, duplicate components, item broken-in-package

• Wrong paint colors (e.g. blue instead of red)

• Broken / Lost / Defective model kit components (maximum of 6 parts per model kit purchase)

• We cannot provide replacements for any of the collectible items if the items have been on the market for 8 months or longer.

• Item replacement is subject to manufacturer availability

This service is only for US mailing addresses. There may be similar services from your Bandai Namco in your area if you are outside the US. Contact your Bandai Namco distributor to find out.

Where to Buy Gundam Replacement Parts in the Philippines?

I kind of made it sound like the Gundam parts replacement middleman service is bad in our opening but as Mecha Parts Guy shows, having it in inventory is infinitely better its more efficient. For my folks at home though, I just spotted this seller in Shopee Philippines that offers this exact service.

I found the shop while looking for spare parts or 3rd-party replacements for my missing PG RX-78-2 sword and he was offering a single individual part of the OG Gundam. I messaged the seller and got a prompt response:

I specifically listed the runner numbers of the individual parts needed. Lo and behold, a few hours later he said yes, and we were in business.

He made a listing of the parts I needed so I can buy it. The total cost was Php798 and Php40 for shipping.

Asia Online Sellers: Butcher Parts and Scraps

If you’re from Asia, the rise in online sellers that offer model kits be it Bandai (now Bandai Namco) or Kotobukiya, there has also been a rise in buyer return scams. Some kits may be returned built but incomplete or frames totally emptied.

You may find scrap parts being offered for low prices from these stores which may also serve as a cheap alternative for parts replacement. It may not recover the full amount but it helps these sellers recover the cost from these scams.

Got my replacement part!

I’m sorry to the seller in advance but I have to say I had reservations about this purchase so I was really not expecting them to push through or screw up. So here’s the box that my parts came in. Its around 3 inches wide and an inch thick. They could’ve wrapped in a plastic pouch but I was really surprised about the care taken here. Inside, we have a scrunched-up roll of news paper with a decent amount of bubble wrap covering the actual plastic case where the parts are housed.

The parts are inside this plastic container. I assume they provide larger ones or least find a way to protect parts when shipping them. The metal upgrade label seems to be meant for metal parts the seller also sells.

Here’s the missing parts as sent by the seller. The built sword handle is the original Bandai one I have, the parts on the right are the ones sent as replacement. I like that they did not cut all the way to the part but the biggest question I have is if these are original Bandai parts.

To be honest, I have no idea or way to prove that these are original Bandai parts. Comparing them closely and basing off the seamline depth and cuts with a magnifying glass, they could pass off as legit. I have built TT Hongli PGs before and I don’t recall them being this sharp. The seller does say these are legit parts and he does send photos of the manuals citing the parts you need in Japanese.

They don’t send spare plastic or the sprues themselves so I can check closer via a cross section.

But in closing, these are good enough for me and I don’t want to buy another kit just to be pile in spares so paying the Php798 (around $20US) is fair enough for me. The shipment was sent within a week so really cool and the seller responds literally round-the-clock so very impressive.

So there you have it, if you don’t want to deal with a middleman buying service to get your parts from Japan or South Korea, you can check out this store in Shopee Philippines. If you’re in Malaysia or another Shopee region, the page could be there but I have not checked. I’ve also checked if the seller is in Aliexpress but couldn’t find them. If you’re somewhere else other than the Philippines, you may want to contact your Bandai Namcoi distributor first for Gundam replacement parts for your model kit, otherwise there’s no global service that currently no other global service that offers this so you may want to try looking for built kits or 2nd-hand spares from Facebook marketplace, Ebay or the likes. If you’re a member of any gunpla group whether in Facebook, Discord or Reddit, try to help a brother out as well and if you got parts you’re not using, please consider helping out and making them available.