HGBuild Divers

Diver Gear

The GBN scanner platform from the show, turned into the most useful accessory kit on your shelf.

MechaGrade Score

3.7/5

Diver Gear · 1/144 · 2018

GradeHG

Scale1/144

Released2018

Runnersn/a

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The verdict

This one is not a mobile suit, it is the Diver Gear scanning platform from Gundam Build Divers, rebuilt as a real display base, and I think it earns its spot in the lineup.

The clear green scanner glass is a genuinely nice touch that most generic action bases do not bother with, and the arm hardware is shared with the Action Base 5 line, so the articulation on the support arms is better than I expected going in. It will not thrill anyone chasing a big robot, but as a functional stand it does its job with more personality than it needed to.

Best for: Build Divers fans and anyone who wants an in-universe display base that can pose a Gunpla mid-scan or mid-funnel-launch

The full review

What it is

Diver Gear is the piece of equipment characters in Gundam Build Divers stand their Gunpla on to get scanned into the GBN, and Bandai turned it into an actual display stand you build yourself. You get a wide oval base, a support arm built on the same joint hardware as the Action Base 5, and a tinted green clear part standing in for the scanner glass that gives it real show accuracy instead of a generic peg and post. I like that it comes with an extra arm too, so you can either prop up a heavy weapon or rig a second kit's funnels in a deployed pose, which is exactly the kind of scene the anime built its identity around.

The catch

The base is plastic, not metal, so it is lighter than the resin display stands some builders prefer once a heavier MG-class kit goes on it, and it leans more toward HG scale use even though it is billed as compatible with larger kits too. The bigger issue people flag is the clear green part itself: the gates sit in a spot where aggressive sanding risks a loose fit, and once that piece gets wobbly it can pop out if the whole thing gets tilted or bumped. Treat that part gently during cleanup and you avoid the complaint entirely.

Who it's for

If you are building through the Build Divers line or you just want a display base with actual anime pedigree instead of a plain black peg stand, this is worth grabbing, especially since the dual-arm setup lets it do double duty as a two-kit stand. Skip it if you only want a stand for a single large MG or PG kit, since the arm and base are sized with 1/144 in mind first. For HG builders who want their finished kit to look like it just got uploaded to the GBN, it is a fun, cheap way to get there.

The build story

What the build is actually like, and the engineering worth knowing about.

This is a quick build with three runners, mostly clip-together joint and support parts rather than a full model, so cleanup is light. The one part that needs care is the tinted clear green scanner piece, since its gates sit close to the fit surface and heavy sanding there is what causes the reported looseness, so I just took light passes and left it slightly conservative rather than chasing a perfectly smooth nub removal.

The arm hardware borrows straight from the Action Base 5 line, which means the ball joints hold angle well and the whole rig does not sag under a posed HG kit. Having a second arm in the box is the standout feature functionally, since it turns one Diver Gear set into either a two-kit display or a single kit with a weapon or deployed funnel held up separately, which is more flexible than most stands at this price point offer.

Lore & trivia

01In Gundam Build Divers, the Diver Gear platform is the equipment characters place their Gunpla on to scan it into the virtual world of GBN (Gundam Battle Nexus Online), which is the show's central hook.
02The kit is officially catalogued as HGBC #34, part of Bandai's High Grade Build Custom line of accessory and diorama kits rather than the mobile suit HGBD line.
03The support arm construction is shared with Bandai's Action Base 5 stands, and the set includes an extra arm specifically so builders can recreate the show's funnel-deployment scenes.