ListBest Gundam Astray Kits: Red, Blue and Gold
The Astray line never got its own TV series, and somehow that made it better. These suits came out of side manga and video games, which meant the designers could load them up with personality instead of plot requirements, and the kit lineup reflects that freedom. Chromed swords, gold frames, dragon backpacks, all of it.
I have built through nine Astray kits for MechaGrade, spanning Real Grade and Perfect Grade, and this ranking is my own read on which ones are worth your shelf space and which ones are for completionists only. Fair warning, the Gold Frame variants blur together if you are not already invested in the Amatsu subplot, so I have tried to be honest about which ones actually earn a separate purchase.
Everything below is a kit MechaGrade has reviewed, so you can click through for the full breakdown before you buy.
11. MBF-P02Kai Gundam Astray Red Frame Kai
This is the Astray line's one true Perfect Grade, and it earns the top spot on scale alone. At 1/60 the inner frame articulation lets you throw real sword poses with the Gerbera Straight and Tiger Pierce, the shoulders extend for reach, and the LED eye unit is a nice touch straight out of the box. Snap-fit only, no cement needed, though the part count and the sheer number of small frame pieces make this a slower, more deliberate build than a typical weekend kit.
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22. MBF-P02 Gundam Astray Red Frame
If the PG is out of budget or too big for your shelf, this is the kit that made Red Frame a household name in the first place. Real Grade engineering means an inner frame under the armor at 1/144, and the sword and shield loadout looks correct straight off the runner without much panel lining needed. The knee and ankle joints hold weapon-drawing poses well. It is the most complete single expression of the character at a reasonable price and build time.
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33. MBF-P03 Gundam Astray Blue Frame
Blue Frame gets less attention than Red Frame but the kit itself is just as strong, with the same RG inner frame treatment and a beam rifle and shield combo that reads clean without paint. I like this one for builders who want the Astray silhouette without owning the same red kit everyone else has. The chest vents and shoulder details give it a slightly more armored, less flashy feel than its siblings, which suits the character.
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44. Gundam Astray Red Dragon
This one is really the Red Frame kit plus a substantial dragon-type backpack unit, and that backpack is the whole reason to buy it separately rather than just building the base Red Frame twice. The wings and claws add real weight to the frame, so double check your display stand can handle the balance point before you commit to a dynamic flight pose. Assembly of the dragon unit itself takes real patience, it is fiddly compared to the suit underneath.
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55. MBF-P01 Gundam Astray Gold Frame
The original Gold Frame is the version to start with before you chase the Amatsu variants, since it establishes the base gold and black colorway everything else riffs on. The Tactical Arms weapon system carries over some of that PG Red Frame flair down to 1/144 scale, and the frame underneath holds a kneeling pose better than I expected from a kit this size. Small hand parts are easy to lose during assembly, so work over a tray.
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66. MBF-P01-Re3 Gundam Astray Gold Frame Amatsu Hana
Amatsu Hana swaps in a restyled weapon set and a slightly softer gold tone that reads well next to the other frames if you plan on collecting the whole subline. The wing-like backpack pieces are gorgeous molded plastic but genuinely light, and mine would not stay balanced on the stock ankle joints without a display base for support. Worth it once you already own the base Gold Frame and want the variant, not a great first Astray purchase on its own.
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77. MBF-P01-Re2AMATU Gundam Astray Gold Frame Amatsu Mina
Amatsu Mina leans into a shinier black and gold combo with restyled sabers that look sharp under any light. Head assembly is fussier than it needs to be, with tiny parts that want to fly off the runner, and a few builders report the waist halves working loose over time even with cement. Still a striking kit to look at once assembled, just budget extra patience for that head unit before you start.
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88. MBF-P01-ReAMATU Gundam Astray Gold Frame Amatsu
This is the plainest of the three Amatsu variants, and it shows in how it builds, solid RG engineering but without a standout gimmick to separate it from the base Gold Frame or its siblings. If you are working through the whole Amatsu set for a display shelf it belongs there, but as a standalone purchase I would point a new Astray builder toward the original Gold Frame or Red Frame first.
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99. Shiranui Pack
Not a suit on its own, this is an armor and weapon expansion meant to sit over one of the Gold Frame bodies, and it earns last place here only because it cannot function without a base kit already on your bench. The added plating changes the silhouette dramatically and the extra weapon loadout is genuinely fun to pose with. Buy it as a second purchase once you already love one of the Gold Frame kits, not as your entry point.
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Start with the RG Red Frame or Gold Frame to get the Astray silhouette right, then work up to the PG Red Frame Kai or the Red Dragon backpack once you know you want to go deeper into the line.
Common questions
Do I need to watch Gundam SEED to enjoy the Astray kits?
No. The Astray suits come from side material rather than the main SEED story, and the kits stand on their own as builds. Knowing the source helps with paint scheme choices but is not required.
Which Astray kit should a first time builder pick?
The RG Astray Red Frame or RG Astray Gold Frame are the best starting points. Both are Real Grade snap kits with clean part breakdown and no glue required, and they establish the base colorway before you chase variants.
Is the PG Astray Red Frame Kai worth the price jump over the RG?
If you want a large display centerpiece with a lit-up inner frame and extended articulation, yes. If you mainly want the character on your shelf at a reasonable size and price, the RG Red Frame covers that just as well.