Back-to-Back Jackpots! Pulled the MG Nu Gundam in "Chou Chou Ichiban Kuji," Recycled It, and Scored the MGSD Barbatos

While scrolling through my phone over the past few days, I stumbled across an app called "Chou Chou Ichiban Kuji." The visuals were surprisingly polished, and seeing an entire lineup of Gundam model kits laid out on the prize list immediately gave me an itch to pull. I told myself putting in just a little cash wouldn't hurt—and well, that’s how this post came to be.

The homepage of Chou Chou Ichiban Kuji; the prize room categories closely mirror the logic of physical Ichiban Kuji shops (Image source: In-app screenshot)

Opening up a prize room, I saw the "Gundam Mainstay Gathering V" lineup. The prize list showcased a whole row of Gundam kits, with the drop rate and listed value for every single item clearly stated—honestly much more transparent than I expected. Looking at this banner, the probability of pulling a model kit was 0.5%, and only after landing a hit does the pool randomly roll which specific kit you receive.

The prize list for "Gundam Mainstay Gathering V," with the retail value clearly marked for each kit (Image source: In-app screenshot)

The app charges based on multi-pulls: 5 pulls cost NT$75 (New Taiwan Dollar), and 12 pulls cost NT$180. For the first round, I topped up NT$500 and hit absolutely nothing. The gacha animations are ridiculously addictive—the transitions, sound effects, and that deliberate suspenseful pause right before revealing a prize are clearly engineered to make it hard to stop after just one top-up. So I topped up again, eventually reaching a cumulative NT$2,000. That NT$2,000 was the only actual cash out of my pocket for this entire session; every figure mentioned from here on out was generated from rolling within that initial NT$2,000.

Partway through, I pulled an MG RX-93 Nu Gundam Ver.Ka, listed in the app at a retail price of NT$2,200. I was genuinely thrilled in that moment; on paper alone, its value had already surpassed my total investment.

Pulled the MG RX-93 Nu Gundam Ver.Ka, listed at NT$2,200 in the app (Image source: In-app screenshot)

Screen recording of the moment the MG Nu Gundam was pulled (Source: Recorded by author)

Once I cooled down, though, I realized this kit is somewhat older, and I don't really do custom panel scribing or detailing myself, so leaving it on a shelf didn't make much sense. The app features a "Recycle" function that lets you convert won prizes back into account balance at full face value—if it's listed at NT$2,200, exactly NT$2,200 gets credited back to your account, with no discounts taken or conversions into obscure point rates. That was one aspect of the app I genuinely appreciated. Keep in mind, however, that this balance cannot be withdrawn as real cash; it can only remain in the app to keep rolling or be used to buy items of equivalent value. Some items in the prize rooms are available for direct purchase, meaning you can buy them outright with your balance without gambling. So, I decided to recycle the Nu Gundam, credited NT$2,200 to my account, and kept betting on the next roll.

To my surprise, on the very first 10-pull after recycling, I hit the grand prize. Let me clarify how the grand prize works here, because I misunderstood it initially as well: the grand prize in this pool isn't a fixed, specific kit. Instead, it awards one randomly selected model from a tiered list, with values ranging anywhere from NT$1,000 to NT$7,360. In other words, hitting the grand prize tier and actually getting a top-dollar kit are two different things; if your luck is down, the grand prize itself can drop right at the lowest end.

My result turned out to be the MGSD Gundam Barbatos, listed at NT$1,280—a newer kit and something I actually wanted!

The grand prize rolled the MGSD Gundam Barbatos, listed at NT$1,280 (Image source: In-app screenshot)

Screen recording of the moment the MGSD Gundam Barbatos was pulled (Source: Recorded by author)

After that hit, I still had over NT$2,000 left in my account. If I had stopped right there, redeemed the Barbatos, and called it a day, it would have been a pretty sweet finish. But in the heat of the moment, my fingers got itchy again. I threw all the remaining balance back into more pulls, only to come up completely empty-handed—not a single cent left. Looking back, the real moment to walk away was right when the grand prize revealed that NT$1,280 kit. By then, I already knew the ceiling for this prize pool wasn't that high for me, yet I still went for another round.

So in the end, the only thing I'm taking home is that MGSD Gundam Barbatos, which is the only item I actually redeemed. Breaking down the numbers for the whole run is straightforward: I paid NT$2,000 in real cash and came away with a kit priced at NT$1,280—an on-paper deficit of NT$720. That NT$2,200 recycled balance looked great on screen, but from start to finish, it merely circulated within the app. It never became cash, nor did it turn into a second model kit; it simply vanished into thin air. That, to me, is where these paid online Ichiban Kuji apps most easily mislead players: the balance figures make you feel like you're winning, but those numbers mean nothing until an actual physical item is shipped to your door.

One thing I should mention about redemption is shipping. The app requires you to bundle eight items together to qualify for free shipping. I checked the rule separately from this particular haul: bundling one grand prize together with seven NT$1-tier minor prizes also satisfies the eight-item requirement for free shipping, if you're stacking multiple wins across sessions. Alternatively, you can use a free shipping voucher, which currently seems to be obtained mainly from daily login draws. As for how long fulfillment takes after placing the order and what the physical condition is like upon arrival, I'm still waiting—the app currently shows it hasn't shipped yet. Once the package actually arrives, I'll write up a follow-up unboxing review.

The app also periodically runs promotions like "Bonus Prize Rooms," where spending up to a certain threshold grants you entry into prize draws for cash or goods. Think of it as a nice little perk on top of your top-ups, but at its core, it's still a game of chance—never treat it as a guaranteed way to make money.

The app's Bonus Prize Room event page; spending a qualifying amount grants extra entries (Image source: In-app screenshot)

Looking back, as long as you already have a specific model you want and you set yourself a stop-loss, this is honestly pretty fun—the gacha animation is addictive, and the 100% full-value buyback is cleaner than most platforms I've seen. Just don't go in thinking you'll gacha your way to a profit, because you won't. The platform has to make money somehow. Small bets are fun, big bets hurt~ don't say I didn't warn you~