Grading is important when it comes to Gunpla, and each is a step up from Super Deformed (SD), Entry Grade (EG), High Grade (HG), Master Grade (MG) and finally Perfect Grade (PG) illustrating an increase in quality and complexity.
The big jump in difficulty however, is when you go from HG to MG, where there are significantly more components, better articulation thanks to an inner-frame system, and tiny models of the pilots that can be stood up and sat down.
But did you know that Master Grade has many other sub model kit lines that focus on or specialise in different aspects? Well one such line of MG kits are Version Katoki kits, or better known amongst the Gunpla community as Ver Ka.
He also worked on the mecha designs for the Hideo Kojima video game Policenauts, the arcade game Virtual On and the anime Patlabor, but his biggest contribution to mecha came in 2002 when he worked on the Ver. Ka Gunpla models.
His signature style aims for 'what would this look like in real life beyond what we see in the anime?'. Ver Ka kits are MG model kits in terms of scale, but have details, accessories and gimmicks more commonly seen in PG kits, such as hydraulic parts, opening hatches and even LED lights.
The results are his reimagination of mechas that aim for realism along with his design sense of tall sleek legs, smaller bust and head and large broad shoulders. A great example of this is the MG Wing Zero Endless Waltz, which shows off these features to great lengths and is among one of the more popular and eye-catching Ver Ka kits to date.
You can also find a lot of Katoki's thought process and design notes directly on the official website for Ver Ka kits, such as the recently released Narrative Gundam C Packs, in which he outlines the small details around various parts of the kit.
But there is also one unmistakable thing that makes a Ver Ka kit immediately noticeable: its signature packaging. Katoki himself designs and illustrates the artwork covers of each Ver Ka kit, where his distinctive art style shows a white background with a central illustration of the hero product in a painterly style. It is often seen as premium and even something fans like to collect too.
His kits, when built, certainly make a statement and are often regarded as among the best Gunpla kits you can buy, in some cases even supplanting Perfect Grade kits.
However, with all the extra parts and details comes many more runners in the box; they are also particularly complex and difficult to make even by the standards of Master Grade. So be prepared to make a commitment almost as large as you would for a PG kit!
