Bandai SD Gundam EX Standard Gundam Exia
A posable Exia in SD EX-Standard form
This is Gundam Exia (GN-001) from Mobile Suit Gundam 00 in Bandai's SD Gundam EX-Standard line, a range Bandai describes as a big step up in movement from conventional SD kits while keeping the stylish proportions. This is number 003 in the series. The box carries a 2015 date and this version of the kit was reissued in July 2016. The line is designed so its parts can be borrowed for HG kits.
Build difficulty
Skill Level 1. Bandai rates the kit for ages 8 and up. One builder describes it as a tool-free touch-gate kit, though they still preferred nippers and a hobby knife for a cleaner finish. Plan for the stickers: the same builder found that applying them took far longer than cutting and assembling the parts.
Technical highlights
- Three solid weapons in the box: GN Sword, GN Short Blade and GN Long Blade, plus the GN Shield.
- The GN Sword is a simple three-part build that unfolds from rifle mode to sword mode and has two grips, so it can be held two different ways.
- The GN Blades can be stowed on the waist, and the GN Drive on the back is a separate part.
- A 3 mm hole in the crotch takes display stands (stand not included).
What makes this kit special
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SDEX movement: Bandai's line was built for a far wider range of movement than older SD kits, so it poses more like a smaller HG.
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Original weapon combinations: the sword, both blades and the shield can all be mounted on the GN Drive to make one giant sword, or the blades can sit on the ends of the shield as a naginata-style weapon.
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HG-compatible line: Bandai says SDEX kits can swap parts with HG kits for customising.
What's in the box
- Four runners moulded in the main colours
- Polycaps
- Sticker sheet (colour detail on the head, chest and shield is done with stickers)
- GN Sword, GN Shield, GN Short Blade and GN Long Blade
- Instruction manual
Not included: a display stand and the beam-type swords from the full design (only the scabbard shapes are moulded).
Compatible accessories
No stand is included, but the crotch has a 3 mm hole that suits standard display stands, sold separately.
Build your SD Gundam collection
In stock at Mecha Express at the time of writing: Bandai SDCS Mighty Strike Freedom Gundam and Bandai SDBB Gundam Barbatos Lupus DX.
Build specifications
- Line: SD Gundam EX-Standard (SDEX) No. 003
- Series: Mobile Suit Gundam 00
- Design: GN-001 Gundam Exia
- Manufacturer: Bandai
- Release: reissued July 2016 (box dated 2015)
- Retail box weight: approx. 120 g (box approx. 20.5 x 15.2 x 5.2 cm)
- Barcode: 4573102656179
- Skill Level: 1 (Beginner)
- Assembly: Snap-fit, no glue needed
- Paint required: No, parts are moulded in colour and finished with stickers
- Recommended age: 8 years and up (Bandai)
Perfect for
- Gundam 00 fans after a small, affordable Exia for the shelf
- First-time builders wanting a quick, low-fuss kit
- Builders who like to mix SD parts onto HG kits
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.
What to watch for
Drawing on two Japanese builder blogs and a Reddit thread on the SDEX line. Coverage of this exact kit is modest, so treat the points below as individual builder notes rather than confirmed patterns:
- Stickers carry a lot of the colour work, especially the chest and head, and one builder found sticker application took longer than the build itself. One r/Gunpla thread on the SDEX range names stickers as the main thing people complain about.
- There are no clear parts, and one builder who painted the kit found the chest block, which has fairly complex colour separation, moulded in plain blue and fiddly to paint.
- One builder noticed slightly odd moulding on the head side protrusions and a melted-looking area on the shin condenser, and trimmed the back ribbing on the head to tidy it.
- One builder noted the waist mount for the GN Blades holds them in a fixed, unfolded position.
Both Japanese write-ups were broadly positive about the movement and proportions.
Build notes
No glue is needed, and Bandai positions the kit for ages 8 and up. Parts can come off by hand, but nippers and a hobby knife will give a cleaner result. Set aside time for the stickers.
Last updated: 14 October 2026 (AEST)