A prologue Gundam with a shield that comes apart
The Bandai 1/144 High Grade Gundam Lfrith is the mobile suit Elnora Samaya pilots in the prologue of Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch from Mercury. The big shield splits into seven bit staves that can sit on the backpack or plug into the receiver gun, and the glowing chest comes as an in-mould part straight out of the box. It is the first Gunpla from the series, released in August 2022.
Build difficulty
This is a snap-fit kit with no glue and no painting needed, and we rate it Skill Level 1, which matches the Assembly Points badges on this page. Bandai lists the kit for ages 8 and over. There are no polycaps: the knees and ankles use C-shaped hinge joints, so the joints feel firm rather than loose and are worth handling gently. Reviews were mostly positive on ease: one builder finished it in about two hours with no real pain points, and another said it feels like building an Entry Grade kit with more refined parts. One builder found the build miserable at times and made several mistakes, so take your time with the shield and the knee joints.
Technical highlights
Bandai's parts breakdown gives you a colourful finish straight off the runners. The chest shell unit is selectable: use the in-mould part for the glowing look, or the clear part for the unlit look. There is no skirt armour, which leaves the hips free to move, and the arms and legs carry a partial skeletal-style inner frame. The receiver gun takes two bit staves to become the Gunbit Rifle, or the included effect part to become a large beam blade.
What Makes This Kit Special
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Prologue Mobile Suit: Elnora Samaya's Gundam from the Witch from Mercury prologue
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Bit-Stave Shield: The shield separates into seven bit staves that mount on the backpack and the receiver gun
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In-Mould Chest: The glowing chest piece is moulded in, with a clear chest part as the alternative
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Beam Blade Effect: An effect part plugs into the receiver gun for a large beam blade
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No Polycaps: C-hinge joints at the knees and ankles, with a partial inner frame in the arms and legs
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Colourful Straight From The Box: Parts are split by colour so you get a finished look without painting
What's In The Box
- HG 1/144 Gundam Lfrith plastic runners
- Receiver gun x1 (takes two bit staves, or the beam blade effect part)
- Beam sabers x2
- Shield x1 (separates into seven bit staves)
- Clear shell unit parts (chest, alternative to the in-mould part)
- Beam blade effect part x1
- Joint part x1 (for mounting the combined shield on the arm)
- Sticker sheet x1
- One pair of closed fist hands
- Instruction manual
No display stand is included.
Compatible Accessories
Bandai's own product photos show this kit posed on an Action Base, which is sold separately. These stands suit 1/144 scale High Grade kits:
Build Specifications
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Series: Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch from Mercury (PROLOGUE)
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Grade: High Grade (HG)
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Scale: 1/144
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Mobile Suit: XGF-02 Gundam Lfrith
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Pilot: Elnora Samaya
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Organisation: Vanadis Institute
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Timeline: Ad Stella
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Manufacturer: Bandai Spirits
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Release: August 2022
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Retail box weight: 290g (retail box 30 x 19 x 6.5cm)
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Barcode: 4573102629449
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Skill Level: 1 (Very Easy)
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Recommended age: 8 years or older (Bandai)
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Assembly: Snap-fit construction, no glue required
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Special Features: No polycaps, in-mould glowing chest part, bit-stave shield
Perfect For
Newer builders who want a clean, quick first Witch from Mercury kit. Fans of the prologue who want Elnora Samaya's Gundam. Builders who enjoy a shield gimmick that does something, with bit staves you can move between the shield, the backpack and the receiver gun. If you want open hands, plan on picking up a hand set, since the kit includes one pair of closed fists.
Fast Australian shipping
Dispatched same day from Brisbane if ordered before 2pm AEST on weekdays. Free shipping Australia-wide on orders over $199. Packed securely in a sturdy outer box with water-soluble cornstarch void fill that dissolves cleanly in the sink. Genuine Australian stock in hand, not ordered through an overseas proxy.
What to Watch For
These points come from independent builder reviews of this kit. Where only one reviewer mentioned something, it is marked as such.
Closed fists only: The kit includes a single pair of closed fist hands (two reviewers noted this). If you want open palms you will need a hand set. One reviewer found the slightly purple-tinged plastic makes borrowing hands from other HG kits less of a clean match, so check the colour before you buy.
Feet and ankles: The feet connect on a C-shaped hinge with very little side-to-side movement, and two reviewers found the footing less stable on a flat shelf (one pointed to the lack of side-to-side tilt, the other to the front of the foot moving independently), so wide poses can be hard to hold. Bandai's own photos show the kit on an Action Base, and one reviewer recommended a stand for dynamic poses. On joint wear the reports differ: one reviewer worried the C-hinge joints could loosen with repeated posing, while another reported nothing loose after a lot of posing.
Torso movement: The chest swivels a full 360 degrees but bends only a little forwards and backwards (two reviewers). Plan on upright or flying poses rather than deep lunges.
Shield assembly: One reviewer found the bit staves take some care to slot together, but all three reviewers who covered the shield said it holds firmly once assembled. One reviewer also reported the backpack popping off when several bit staves were mounted on it (single report).
Parts that fit the wrong way round: One reviewer said the knee joint piece looks almost the same upside down, and another flagged the shoulder parts as easy to snap in backwards. Check the manual orientation at those steps.
Builder tips: Check part orientation at the knees and shoulders. Take the shield pieces together slowly. Treat the C-hinge ankles gently. Display on an Action Base if you want flying or wide-stance poses.
Build Notes
Snap-fit plastic model kit, no glue or paint required. No polycaps, with C-hinge joints at the knees and ankles. A pair of nippers makes removing parts from the runners easier. One sticker sheet is included. Action Base and any extra hand set are sold separately. Bandai recommends ages 8 and over.
Last updated: 14 October 2026 (AEST)
