Nendoroids are a relatively new addition to the world of plastic models/figures but they’ve been very successful in the last few years. The main selling point of Nendoroids are their small bodies and large heads, however there’s also another series of plastic models with these same features called SD (super deformed) Gundams.
Unlike Nendoroids, SD Gundams have been around for ages. You could argue that the idea for Nendoroids came from SD Gundams, but it’s possible that both the manufacturers of Nendoroids (Good Smile Company) and SD Gundams (Bandai) came about the idea independently of each other. So with both companies deciding to shrink down their models/figures into little chibi characters, which one has done a better job?
Both products have interchangeable parts and movable limbs, allowing you to make a variety of poses. The difference here is in how many combinations you can make. On one hand, Nendoroids usually come with three different faces for the same character, allowing you to display different emotions along with different poses. Naturally, SD Gundams don’t display different emotions (they’re robots after all), but where they have an advantage is in interchangeable parts. While Nendoroids can only use the parts that were made for a particular character, it’s possible to put parts from one SD Gundam model onto another, making up for the lack of facial expression.
Although both Nendoroids and SD Gundams are pretty similar in terms of size and the different numbers of poses/configurations, what they differ in is their cost. Generally, Nendoroids sell for 3000-4000 yen while the majority of SD Gundams go for 500-3000 yen. Obviously, collecting SD Gundams would be the more wallet-friendly option compared to Nendoroids. Then again, cost might not be a factor to some people when it comes to collecting plastic models/figures.
Ultimately though, whether Nendoroids or SD Gundams are better depends on who you talk to. Considering both products are basically the same thing (moveable chibi versions of larger models), what really matters is whether you like anime girls or robots better.
