High Grade Universal Century

High Grade Universal Century (HGUC) (ハイグレード ユニバーサルセンチュリー) is a line of 1/144 scale Gunpla kits of the Mobile Suits from the Universal Century timeline in the Gundam meta series. First produced in 1999, the line supplanted normal HG kits such as the HG RX-78-2 Gundam. The kits are known for their ease of construction and generous use of polycaps and tinted plastic for details such as visual sensors, monoeyes and Beam Saber effect parts.

Starting in 2010, the HGUC line extended to the After Colony, After War, Future Century, Cosmic Era and Correct Century timelines with the HGAC, HGAW, HGFC, HGCE, and HGCC lines, respectively, as part of the "HG All Gundam" project. Whereas the HGUC box packaging uses a gold stripe on the side panels, the alternate timeline kits are distinguished by the silver stripe on their boxes.

In June 2015, Bandai initiated the "Revive" project to celebrate the 35th anniversary of Gunpla. Starting with the RX-77-2 Guncannon, previous HG releases are given a complete redesign using newer technology with improved detail, articulation, and proportions.

To prepare for the 40th anniversary of Gunpla in 2020, the "Gunpla Evolution Project" was initiated in April 2017. Showcasing improvements/innovations in specific areas, this project involves Gunpla from multiple lines, and the first kit released was the HGUC MSZ-006 Zeta Gundam [Gunpla Evolution Project].

Following reorganization of the Bandai Namco Group, box covers of reissue and future releases of kits from September 2018 onward feature a blue Bandai logo instead of the original red logo.

List
1999 = 2000 = 2001 = 2002 = 2003 = 2004 = 2005 = 2006 = 2007 = 2008 = 2009 = 2010 = 2011 = 2012 = 2013 = 2014 = 2015 = 2016 = 2017 = 2018 = {| class="wikitable sortable" ! HGUC # ! Model ! Series ! Yen Price ! Release Date ! Notes 2019 = Special Editions = Exclusives = Other =
 * 209 HGUC Blue Destiny Unit 3 EXAM.jpg
 * RX-79BD-3 Blue Destiny Unit 3 "EXAM"
 * Mobile Suit Gundam Side Story: The Blue Destiny
 * ¥1,600
 * 2018 March
 * Parts and color variant of HGUC-207; remake of HGUC-082 with better articulation and improved proportions.
 * 210 HGUC Gundam Ground Type.jpg
 * RX-79[G] Gundam Ground Type
 * Mobile Suit Gundam: The 08th MS Team
 * ¥1,600
 * 2018 April
 * Newly molded version of HGUC-079 with better articulation and improved proportions. Uses the C plate runner of HGUC-079 and the C1 and C2 plate runners of HGUC-202.
 * 211 HGAC Leo.jpg
 * OZ-06MS Leo
 * Mobile Suit Gundam Wing
 * ¥1,000
 * 2018 May
 * Released as part of the Gunpla Evolution Project.
 * 212 HGUC Galbaldy β.jpg
 * RMS-117 Galbaldy β
 * Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam
 * ¥1,500
 * 2018 June
 * 213 HGUC Unicorn Gundam 03 Phenex (Destroy Mode) (Narrative Ver.).jpg
 * RX-0 Unicorn Gundam 03 Phenex (Destroy Mode) (Narrative Ver.)
 * Mobile Suit Gundam Narrative
 * ¥2,800
 * 2018 June
 * Re-release of the Gundam Front Tokyo exclusive HGUC RX-0 Unicorn Gundam 03 Phenex (Destroy Mode) Ver.GFT with new tail stabilizers for Armed Armor DE units. Released as part of Bandai's "UC NexT 0100" project.
 * 214 HGUC Byarlant.jpg
 * RX-160 Byarlant
 * Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam
 * ¥2,600
 * 2018 July
 * Parts and color variant of HGUC-147.
 * 215 HGUC Moon Gundam.jpg
 * AMS-123X-X Moon Gundam
 * Mobile Suit Moon Gundam
 * ¥3,000
 * 2018 September
 * Released as part of Bandai's "UC NexT 0100" project. Features the option to use green or clear eye/main camera parts. Includes clear black Action Base 5. Uses entirely polystyrene.
 * 216 HGUC Unicorn Gundam 03 Phenex (Destroy Mode) (Narrative Ver.) -Gold_Coating-.jpg
 * RX-0 Unicorn Gundam 03 Phenex (Destroy Mode) (Narrative Ver.) [Gold Coating]
 * Mobile Suit Gundam Narrative
 * ¥5,000
 * 2018 October
 * Gold chrome plated variant of HGUC-213.
 * 217 HGUC Sinanju Stein (Narrative Ver.).jpg
 * MSN-06S-2 Sinanju Stein (Narrative Ver.)
 * Mobile Suit Gundam Narrative
 * ¥2,600
 * 2018 October
 * Uses D plate runner of HGUC-116 and F plate runner of HGUC-181. Bazooka transforms via parts-swapping.
 * 218 HG Narrative Gundam A-Packs.jpg
 * RX-9/A Narrative Gundam A-Packs
 * Mobile Suit Gundam Narrative
 * ¥5,500
 * 2018 November
 * Includes BA-2 display base and DBA-1 and DBA-2 clear stands to support the Large Beam Sabers.
 * 219 HGUC Dijeh.jpg
 * MSK-008 Dijeh
 * Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam
 * ¥1,900
 * 2018 December
 * Uses C3 plate runner of HGUC-200 for beam rifle and clay bazooka. Includes two types of mono-eye rail unit: standard type and twin eye socket type.
 * RX-9/A Narrative Gundam A-Packs
 * Mobile Suit Gundam Narrative
 * ¥5,500
 * 2018 November
 * Includes BA-2 display base and DBA-1 and DBA-2 clear stands to support the Large Beam Sabers.
 * 219 HGUC Dijeh.jpg
 * MSK-008 Dijeh
 * Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam
 * ¥1,900
 * 2018 December
 * Uses C3 plate runner of HGUC-200 for beam rifle and clay bazooka. Includes two types of mono-eye rail unit: standard type and twin eye socket type.
 * Uses C3 plate runner of HGUC-200 for beam rifle and clay bazooka. Includes two types of mono-eye rail unit: standard type and twin eye socket type.

Yen price excluding 5% tax (8% tax from 2014 onwards, 10% from 2019 October onwards)

Trivia

 * The colored square next to the MS name on each box cover denotes the specific series of that unit:
 * Yellow Orange: Mobile Suit Gundam, MSV, 08th MS Team, MS IGLOO, Harmony of Gundam, Blue Destiny, Battlefield Record U.C. 0081
 * Light Green: Gundam 0080
 * Blue: Gundam 0083
 * Green: Zeta Gundam, Zeta MSV, Advance of Zeta
 * Orange: Gundam ZZ, Moon Gundam
 * Cyan: Gundam Sentinel
 * Red: Char's Counterattack, Gundam UC, Gundam UC MSV, Twilight Axis, Gundam NT
 * Pale Blue: Gundam F91, Crossbone Gundam
 * Yellow: V Gundam
 * Red Orange: G Gundam
 * Purple: Gundam Wing
 * Sky Blue: Gundam X
 * White: Turn A Gundam
 * Dark Blue: Gundam SEED, Gundam SEED Destiny
 * Gloss Blue: Extreme Vs


 * HGUC-Chars-Zaku-II-US-release-instructions.jpg very first release of an HGUC Char's Zaku II was a recolor of the HG08 MS-06JC Zaku II kit (which was previously released as a JAF-CON exclusive set with the clear version of the RX-79[G] Gundam Ground Type) made for the U.S. market in 2001 before the new mold was released in 2002.
 * Mobile suits that are 15 meters tall such as the F91 Gundam F91 and XXXG-01W Wing Gundam are actually not molded in 1/144 scale; instead, they are at 1/132 scale.