Japanese Model Kit Condition Labels: Read the Whole Note
A kit can be unassembled, have opened bags and loose parts, and still contain every piece. Read the whole condition note before deciding what you are buying.
By SprueVia Japan · Updated
Research transparency: source checks and firsthand visits are kept separate. Editorial standards · Research log · Disclosure.
Read one complete condition note
Mandarake's April 5, 2009 listing for a Ganso SD Gundam set uses this condition line. It is a historical wording example, not a current offer:
未組立・内袋開封・ランナー一部パーツはずれ・箱小イタミ
| Japanese wording | Meaning and what to check |
|---|---|
| 未組立 | Unassembled. This describes the build state. Read the rest of the note for bag condition, loose pieces and missing items. |
| 内袋開封 | Inner bags opened. Ask how the contents were checked. Opened bags alone do not tell you that assembly has begun. |
| ランナー一部パーツはずれ | Some parts detached from runners. Identify the loose pieces and match them to the parts list. Detached does not necessarily mean missing. |
| 箱小イタミ | Minor box wear or damage. Decide whether the packaging is acceptable to you, separately from the model's contents. |
The listing separately states that all parts are present. That extra statement answers a different question from “unassembled.” On another item, check for an explicit missing-parts note rather than transferring this example's completeness to that box.
For individual terms such as 内袋未開封 (inner bags unopened) and 欠品 (missing item or part), use the Japanese resale-label glossary.
Read what is missing, even when the picture looks complete
A Surugaya LMHG Evangelion Unit-00 listing is marked 説明書欠品: the instructions are missing. Its description also says the image represents an item in good condition, rather than the damaged or incomplete item. The written condition note supplies information the image does not.
Before buying a kit with missing instructions, check whether you can obtain the correct manual for that exact version and verify its parts list. If you cannot, a complete alternative is easier to assess. This listing is a wording example, not a stock recommendation.
Check the model-kit policy as well as the label
Surugaya's Japanese online used-item policy says its ordinary model kits with no condition note are unassembled, include the box and instructions, have no missing parts, and have a relatively good box. It explicitly includes parts detached from runners within unassembled kits. Inner-bag presence and condition, including opening or tearing, are outside its guarantee.
Those are that site's category rules. Do not apply them to another seller or use them to override an item's disclosed defect. For an in-store purchase, ask staff which terms cover the specific box.
The same policy treats items marked ジャンク (junk) as no-claim, no-return items. If you want a complete first build, choose a kit with confirmed contents instead of relying on a possible repair or replacement.
Three questions to show at the counter
Point to the relevant words on the label and show one question. These are our suggested questions, not quotations from a store.
ランナーから外れているパーツは、全部そろっていますか。
Are all the parts that have come off the runners still included?
説明書とデカールは付いていますか。
Are the instructions and decals included?
購入前に、店員さんと一緒に中身を確認できますか。
May I check the contents with a staff member before buying?
Let staff decide whether and how the box can be opened. Do not open sealed bags yourself. Keep the condition note and receipt with the kit; if photos are permitted, save the label alongside the product code.
The linked wording examples and Surugaya online policy were checked October 13, 2026. Translations and buying advice are our editorial guidance. We have not inspected the listed items or visited these stores.