A Gatling Arm That Works Like It Did in 1996
The Gundam Leopard's whole identity is firepower, and this kit is built around its most famous piece of hardware. According to Japanese anime news site Anime Anime, the HG 1/144 Gundam Leopard recreates the Inner Arm Gatling's transformation, along with the gimmick that lets it combine with and stow inside the left arm. In other words, the oversized Gatling actually folds up and docks into the forearm the way it did on screen. The kit also reproduces the deployment gimmicks for the chest-mounted Breast Gatling, the Shoulder Missiles, and the Hornet Missiles.
In the series, the GT-9600 Gundam Leopard is the ranged-combat specialist flown by Roybea Loy, and nearly every surface of the suit hides a gun or a missile hatch. That makes it a natural fit for a High Grade release where the selling point is deployment gimmicks rather than sword-swinging articulation.
How the Lottery Works
Entries are open now on Premium Bandai, Bandai's official web store. The kit is a 1/144 scale snap-fit plastic model aimed at ages 8 and up, priced at ¥2,420 (about $16) with shipping planned for September 2026.
A few fine-print points are worth knowing. This is a lottery sale, not first-come-first-served, so there is no need to race the clock at checkout. Each person can enter for exactly one unit. Bandai also notes that the photos show a painted, in-development prototype, so the final product may differ slightly.
Here is the part that should take the pressure off: this is not a Premium Bandai exclusive. Bandai states the kit will also be sold at regular model retailers, so losing the lottery does not mean missing the Leopard entirely.
After War Gundam X in 60 Seconds
After War Gundam X premiered on April 5, 1996, as the third entry in the "Alternative" line of Gundam series, the shows set outside the franchise's original Universal Century timeline. The story takes place in After War (A.W.) 15, fifteen years after the 7th Space War between the Earth Federation Forces and the Space Revolutionary Army left most of humanity dead. Against that ruined backdrop, it follows young mobile suit pilot Garrod Ran and Tiffa Adill, the mysterious girl he falls for at first sight, in a boy-meets-girl adventure across the wasteland.
The timing is friendly to lapsed fans, too. The series premiered 30 years ago, and Bandai's merchandise lineup has been marking the occasion, including an "A.W. 30th Chronicle" archive book of production materials.
Looking Ahead
Lottery winners will see the Gundam Leopard ship in September 2026, and the general retail release means everyone else gets a shot later, though the announcement does not list a separate store date.
If the kit has you wanting to revisit the show, After War Gundam X currently streams free with ads on Tubi in the United States. Physical collectors are covered as well: Blu-ray collection sets of the series are sold through the Crunchyroll Store. The lottery itself is running on the Japanese Premium Bandai storefront, so overseas buyers may want to keep an eye out for the standard retail version instead.