Anyone into gunpla - Japanophiles unite to share tips on painting our toys (GUNPLA IS FREEDOM)
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EyelessMC
kiwifarms.net
- Joined
- Jul 19, 2020
If you're willing to spend some extra money I'd suggest hitting the gold plastic pieces with this before putting it together:
top coat - Tamiya America, Inc Primer White 180ml, TAM87044
gold paint - TS-21 Gold Spray Lacquer
The gold isn't so bad out of the box but it really could've been given a better injection treatment. They're few minor touches to the design but a little bit goes a long way. You're gonna love the feel of this kit once it's built, though. The quality of the white parts especially feels like a smooth pearl.
EyelessMC
kiwifarms.net
- Joined
- Jul 19, 2020
SamuelDecal.com works like a dream! My Full Armor Gundam came in and, aside from a few mishaps due to being a bootleg and an old kit design (nub marks, random undergating, fiddly bits, etc) it's exactly what I wanted. I'm gonna touch it up with some decals and plan to try a new type of matte spray paint just for this. Sucks that the plastic parts are so few (just enough for the build, no extras). It's suggested to leave a little wiggle room to get the right look and also decent posing, but I don't build kits just for "decent" posing. I plan on fiddling with this guy for a long time to come, so I gave a lot of wiggle room to the plastic. Result? Basically the same just with much more freedom of movement (and the right leg has a hidden hole in the plastic where it wouldn't fully cover because of how it was attached and bunched up).
This didn't come with the standing pilot figure. I took that from another kit just to show the size of this bad boy if it was irl
I'll post an update once I've finished it up. Also don't mind the streaks on the walls; the shed was hot.
If you want one of your own there's a couple still in stock right now. The full price was about $65 after tax (with shipping), so it's a hell of a lot cheaper than trying to buy official. No way is this kit worth $120+. $60~ or so is decent.
...I mean not really considering they didn't give you spares for the plastic coverings, the shoulder joints can't hold up the weapons well, the mechanical arms don't peg in properly (a bootleg issue, probably) and once it's on the stand all kitted out as pictured it's basically a brick due to its mass. Too bulky to get Dynames or Kyrios poses out of, you know? Although if you do the plastic right (ad tighten up the thick hip pegs) it can have stellar posing without the full gear.
Anyway, it arrived in less than two weeks, too. There's still some in stock at the store so if you want one you can grab it. However, for that price you could get the RG Hi Nu Gundam instead (with $5 US flat rate shipping from Lunar Toy Store). Keep that in mind.
One other update though: Recently I bought a Evangelion Mk 06 and some users suggested color changes. I used a bit of creativity and budget desperation to finalize what will probably be the last actual kit I ever build, if only for this year. Combining one of Kotobukiya's MSG sets and Bandai's RG Eva, I give you Evangelion Apocrypha
And what would an Eva be without a Berserk Mode? ...Well, it'd just be a regular Eva since that was unique to Unit 01, but thanks to the Rebuilds everything has a berserk mode, but now I'm just sperging.
This Baphomet skull comes with the "Skull Massacre" MSG set. I modified (ie steadily gaped with a modeler's tool) the back hole to fit it snugly onto the kit's ball joint neck. Works like a charm. I might go in to paint up the eyes, maybe the top of the skull. Make it bloody or muscley. Something. For now, this is it. Sadly it doesn't have any way of modifying its mouth to open its jaws. It's just one solid piece once both sides are put together. Also it, too, needed to be painted. I used Tamiya Thin White Primer after panel lining the teeth and eyes.
And so there we go. Evangelion Apocrypha, aka Evangelion Ow The Edge. I've seen an edgy scythe Eva statue before and have noticed scythes with Rei statues but I don't know what that's about. This one is special. It's my OC, donut steal I copyrighted it so no NFTs or whatever I'll sue you my dad works for Xapa, my mom owns Gainax and Hideaki Anno is my uncle
This didn't come with the standing pilot figure. I took that from another kit just to show the size of this bad boy if it was irl
When I first began my MG build experience I really took the recent Wing Ver Ka for granted. Kinda. It's so solid, so sleek, so secure in its build that I've come to really enjoy it. I think it's a precursor to the RG Hi Nu in a lot of ways, as I've said, and that kit is also just straight gold. However, this kit here feels special, like it's my Gundam. Maybe it's the design or maybe it's because, out of all the kids I've built from Bandai, this one made me really work for it. Or maybe it's because I bought it from a HKer and have a bit of glee that the CCP didn't get a single red cent from me this time (the ZZ Gundam, also from Daban the company that made this bootleg, is a more solid build though).
If you want one of your own there's a couple still in stock right now. The full price was about $65 after tax (with shipping), so it's a hell of a lot cheaper than trying to buy official. No way is this kit worth $120+. $60~ or so is decent.
...I mean not really considering they didn't give you spares for the plastic coverings, the shoulder joints can't hold up the weapons well, the mechanical arms don't peg in properly (a bootleg issue, probably) and once it's on the stand all kitted out as pictured it's basically a brick due to its mass. Too bulky to get Dynames or Kyrios poses out of, you know? Although if you do the plastic right (ad tighten up the thick hip pegs) it can have stellar posing without the full gear.
Anyway, it arrived in less than two weeks, too. There's still some in stock at the store so if you want one you can grab it. However, for that price you could get the RG Hi Nu Gundam instead (with $5 US flat rate shipping from Lunar Toy Store). Keep that in mind.
One other update though: Recently I bought a Evangelion Mk 06 and some users suggested color changes. I used a bit of creativity and budget desperation to finalize what will probably be the last actual kit I ever build, if only for this year. Combining one of Kotobukiya's MSG sets and Bandai's RG Eva, I give you Evangelion Apocrypha
I have no idea if I used this name before but I like it so I'm using it again lol
The scythe comes from Kotobukiya's MSG (Modeling Support Goods) accessory "Skull Massacre" ($8-$10 right now on Amazon). It was in complete black so I had to paint everything, even the black you see on it. I sprayed it with Tamiya Thin White Primer and used Folk Art paints (Brushed Metal Black & Cardinal red) with an acrylic silver paint marker to hand paint the rest. Both this and the kit got a Tamiya Clear Gloss top coat.
The Mark 06 comes with a base adapter, hence the aerial shot on the right. I used Tamiya Gold for the gold parts, Tamiya Metallic Dark Blue for the body and Tamiya Dull Red for the red parts. I then lightly misted the gold over the red to give it a sparkly texture, making it look vaguely like metallic yet exposed flesh. The hands went unpainted but honestly you can hardly tell even though the body is so shiny.
I didn't paint the horns fully since it seemed like a waste to ruin Bandai's clever plastic work. I think it looks fine even under bright light. The chin's gold piece was painted gold but broke when trying to fit it in--something I'm shocked didn't happen elsewhere since this is an RG kit, known for its tight fitting pieces. Other little bits were left out for now, too, which you'd notice if you're familiar with the kit. I think the chin looks cool the way it is, though.
As for modifications, all I really did was recolor the kit itself and cut off the peg at the top of the scythe where another part would fit (you'll see that part below). I chose gold to go with the metallic blue and red to blend the colors in with the scythe and brown neck (the dull red sort of stands at the nexus of these colors I think). I also put a VERY light bit of gorilla glue on the inner groove of the hip joint before working with hobby tweezers to spin it into place. Now it stands beautifully and doesn't interfere with posing.
Oh, and the reason I kept the torso all blue is because it looked better to me. Also out of spite; the original Eva designs were the best and this was my private and personal middle finger to the entirety of Anno'sself-indulgence Rebuild series (although Maki was fun for her initial introduction and her eva looks cool).
The scythe comes from Kotobukiya's MSG (Modeling Support Goods) accessory "Skull Massacre" ($8-$10 right now on Amazon). It was in complete black so I had to paint everything, even the black you see on it. I sprayed it with Tamiya Thin White Primer and used Folk Art paints (Brushed Metal Black & Cardinal red) with an acrylic silver paint marker to hand paint the rest. Both this and the kit got a Tamiya Clear Gloss top coat.
The Mark 06 comes with a base adapter, hence the aerial shot on the right. I used Tamiya Gold for the gold parts, Tamiya Metallic Dark Blue for the body and Tamiya Dull Red for the red parts. I then lightly misted the gold over the red to give it a sparkly texture, making it look vaguely like metallic yet exposed flesh. The hands went unpainted but honestly you can hardly tell even though the body is so shiny.
I didn't paint the horns fully since it seemed like a waste to ruin Bandai's clever plastic work. I think it looks fine even under bright light. The chin's gold piece was painted gold but broke when trying to fit it in--something I'm shocked didn't happen elsewhere since this is an RG kit, known for its tight fitting pieces. Other little bits were left out for now, too, which you'd notice if you're familiar with the kit. I think the chin looks cool the way it is, though.
As for modifications, all I really did was recolor the kit itself and cut off the peg at the top of the scythe where another part would fit (you'll see that part below). I chose gold to go with the metallic blue and red to blend the colors in with the scythe and brown neck (the dull red sort of stands at the nexus of these colors I think). I also put a VERY light bit of gorilla glue on the inner groove of the hip joint before working with hobby tweezers to spin it into place. Now it stands beautifully and doesn't interfere with posing.
Oh, and the reason I kept the torso all blue is because it looked better to me. Also out of spite; the original Eva designs were the best and this was my private and personal middle finger to the entirety of Anno's
This Baphomet skull comes with the "Skull Massacre" MSG set. I modified (ie steadily gaped with a modeler's tool) the back hole to fit it snugly onto the kit's ball joint neck. Works like a charm. I might go in to paint up the eyes, maybe the top of the skull. Make it bloody or muscley. Something. For now, this is it. Sadly it doesn't have any way of modifying its mouth to open its jaws. It's just one solid piece once both sides are put together. Also it, too, needed to be painted. I used Tamiya Thin White Primer after panel lining the teeth and eyes.
Its been a while, hasn't it? Over the while, between work and other things, I have built 3 kits, and now I gets to share!
MG Hi-Nu
Yea... instead of opting for the RG. I went with MG and overall was a fun build, a bit long and the box size is ridiculously big (I'd say by eyeball its 20" or close to), the kit feels nice and chunky, and also has fully functional fin funnels.
I got this via eBay for $80 so not bad, but a bit much. Its still worth the tag but I just don't have much space for this type of big kit. So, in hindsight, its worth it.
Anubis Koto
Now this boy... not worth the market price... yes its a nice kit, has very distinctive design and articulation is excellent, it's not worth it... $100+, if you're curious, I wanted something a bit fancy, and I like Anubis's design (not a big ZoE fan, mind you) but I don't like the price. Now I'm more into the design of Metal Gear RAY, seeing as my first full MGS game was 2, I'm not dropping over 200 on that kit, I'd like to eat and afford bills thank you. So, in conclusion to this kit, its nice but not worth the price, why? The port for the stand connector blew up and now its clamped in an action base, and I had to fiddle with the fins just to fit it on a base as well, as its very heavy. Again, if you're a big ZoE fan, you should have gotten it a while ago.
Now onto the Main Attraction!
Nuke Matrix Fantasy Girls F.O.X.
Now, for those that don't know who Nuke Matrix is, they basically make Megami Device type kits, except different and usually cheaper and interesting. I already built Liu li from Chu Feng Bee (and reviewed earlier in this thread's life), and I was looking forward to this kit, and it did not disappoint!
Her articulation is awesome! She borrows some detail from Koto in their later designs (exorcist comes to mind due to a part of the thigh that shifts out to allow cross-legged poses) and her mid section is 3 separate joints that (tightly) move and are very flexible.
(I mean... Damn, thats an arc.)
She also has a clear plastic torso you can fit on to this with minor changes, but less flexibility because of it. And true to the nature of Megami Device, she has an armor mode!
(She has a different mid section for armor mode, and a few other things.. But I decided not to build due to it requiring part borrowing and I'm lazy and also I bought the same kit from another seller so I'm making a separate armored version from the armor pieces and a few parts from that kit.)
She looks awesome and she has a few guns to work with, I decided to mash the purple (standard) and orange (limited release parts) to make an interesting dichotomy of color. I love this kit, its very awesome in just all the right ways (to me anyway) and it is more cheaper then Megami Device. There are more kits for this line, one of which is available for pre-order right now and I'm looking forward to it.
(She also came with a nice cloth scarf with bendy wire in it, and yes that arc cannon is shaped like a cross. I broke the handle but good thing I ordered another lol.)
I bought this from SamuelDecal (thanks for the recommends for model kits from other places), and USA Gundam had sent out the second one. I paid bout $70 each for both kits and I love it to bits. I'll take pics of the armored version full and proper once I build it.
So, work has been busy, getting around for black Friday and seasonal stuff (tis the season...) its just been rough, but I can afford my bills and my models so when I'm off, I can zone and build, and play some Shin Megami Tensei 5.
I hope your builds go smoothly and you have a great day!
MG Hi-Nu
Yea... instead of opting for the RG. I went with MG and overall was a fun build, a bit long and the box size is ridiculously big (I'd say by eyeball its 20" or close to), the kit feels nice and chunky, and also has fully functional fin funnels.
I got this via eBay for $80 so not bad, but a bit much. Its still worth the tag but I just don't have much space for this type of big kit. So, in hindsight, its worth it.
Anubis Koto
Now this boy... not worth the market price... yes its a nice kit, has very distinctive design and articulation is excellent, it's not worth it... $100+, if you're curious, I wanted something a bit fancy, and I like Anubis's design (not a big ZoE fan, mind you) but I don't like the price. Now I'm more into the design of Metal Gear RAY, seeing as my first full MGS game was 2, I'm not dropping over 200 on that kit, I'd like to eat and afford bills thank you. So, in conclusion to this kit, its nice but not worth the price, why? The port for the stand connector blew up and now its clamped in an action base, and I had to fiddle with the fins just to fit it on a base as well, as its very heavy. Again, if you're a big ZoE fan, you should have gotten it a while ago.
Now onto the Main Attraction!
Nuke Matrix Fantasy Girls F.O.X.
Now, for those that don't know who Nuke Matrix is, they basically make Megami Device type kits, except different and usually cheaper and interesting. I already built Liu li from Chu Feng Bee (and reviewed earlier in this thread's life), and I was looking forward to this kit, and it did not disappoint!
Her articulation is awesome! She borrows some detail from Koto in their later designs (exorcist comes to mind due to a part of the thigh that shifts out to allow cross-legged poses) and her mid section is 3 separate joints that (tightly) move and are very flexible.
(I mean... Damn, thats an arc.)
She also has a clear plastic torso you can fit on to this with minor changes, but less flexibility because of it. And true to the nature of Megami Device, she has an armor mode!
(She has a different mid section for armor mode, and a few other things.. But I decided not to build due to it requiring part borrowing and I'm lazy and also I bought the same kit from another seller so I'm making a separate armored version from the armor pieces and a few parts from that kit.)
She looks awesome and she has a few guns to work with, I decided to mash the purple (standard) and orange (limited release parts) to make an interesting dichotomy of color. I love this kit, its very awesome in just all the right ways (to me anyway) and it is more cheaper then Megami Device. There are more kits for this line, one of which is available for pre-order right now and I'm looking forward to it.
(She also came with a nice cloth scarf with bendy wire in it, and yes that arc cannon is shaped like a cross. I broke the handle but good thing I ordered another lol.)
I bought this from SamuelDecal (thanks for the recommends for model kits from other places), and USA Gundam had sent out the second one. I paid bout $70 each for both kits and I love it to bits. I'll take pics of the armored version full and proper once I build it.
So, work has been busy, getting around for black Friday and seasonal stuff (tis the season...) its just been rough, but I can afford my bills and my models so when I'm off, I can zone and build, and play some Shin Megami Tensei 5.
I hope your builds go smoothly and you have a great day!
EyelessMC
kiwifarms.net
- Joined
- Jul 19, 2020
Nice! You went old school here, but actually this version and the HG version are more accurate to the source material--at least for the manga. I really like that it's got the parts to make the fin funnels come to life. Wish the RG did, too. And lol yeah the MG versions of the Nu and Hi Nu Gundam are really big. Imagine an MG version of the Nightingale...
Fantastic honest review. The kit looks amazing but yeah, that price combined withthe fragility of older Koto kits really is a burden. In truth the worst kit I own is my once beloved MGS inspired Zero Tiger. The pegs on the hips and now the left shoulder just cracked apart because of how poorly designed it was. Miserable! The really expensive Mingwu is still perfect, though. Likely because you can't post it to save your life. If a kit is designed to be posable then Koto kits can end up being nightmares I guess. Anubis there is a very old kit, too. Probably as old as the Armored Core kits and those were also notorious.
At least it looks good.
Oh! I wanted to check this one out but I just didn't have the scratch. That spine is like something out of Aeon Flux or older edgy 80's anime. It's so cool! I also can't believe it can bend like that with no breakage. That is definitely the main attraction for sure. It's the kind of kit that you can shelf with pride without even painting it. The more robotic looking legs coupled with the arms and spine really make this such a unique female designed kit.
This is fantastic. Love the pose you got her in, too. Very cool. Now she could be a character in a Trigun sequel lol
That's the way to do it. Never overpay and stress yourself, but always get what will help you de-stress. Really fun hobby for that kind of thing. Also how is SMT5? The OST is great, that much I know. And don't forget that there's a reddit for gunpla, too, so just in case something happens to this site during a downtime or if the thread gets really slow you can always post pics there, too. Also on Fediverse.
So far, SMT 5 is awesome! I'm only 9 hours in so still early, but the story is very grabbing, the character development so far in is very good. I'm not going to spoil some of the game because they do explain da'at early in and the motivation of the characters are as well, also demon negotiations are more forgiving. Essentially, its Breath of the Wild openess with Shin Megami Tensei mechanics. Combat is simple to grasp, and honestly, SMT 5 is one of the best jumping points into SMT in general. I recommend it for anyone wanting BotW, and Pokémon but with a more dark story that blows Pokémon out the water and enough side quest to entertain you for a while. I'll probably migrate to Fediverse once KF dies, but until then, I'm gonna stick around here.
Now, I got in another model kit, but I'm gonna need to paint it up because its too blue... didn't help the stickers got wet somehow?
Anyway, Hope your builds go smoothly and have a great day!
- Joined
- Sep 19, 2020
Yeah a lot of the newer RGs come in massive boxes I got both the Sazabi and CCA Nu and was surprised by their box sizes for RGs
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kiwifarms.net
- Joined
- May 14, 2021
check this out then
1/144 Hyper Mega Bazooka Launcher for RG Review - Effect Wings Third-Party Gundam Model and Gunpla
Third-Party Gundam model accessories maker Effect Wings brings us the RG Hyper Mega Bazooka Launcher for the Hi-Nu Gundam and Nu Gundam in the more familiar ...
www.youtube.com
- Joined
- Feb 21, 2021
Will I be shot dead if I post Frame Arms Girls, Volks Vlockers or Kotobukiya Frame Arms builds here? I have been wanting to do a diorama of Gunpla since with most of my figures I end up posing them in one pose and never moving them except to dust them.
I'm a simple Jap, I see a robot, I cream myself.
I'm a simple Jap, I see a robot, I cream myself.
- Joined
- Sep 14, 2020
I don't see any issues with it. This is kind of a plamo general thread now.
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kiwifarms.net
- Joined
- May 14, 2021
Finally I could watch the gundam build real show
Gunpla autism to the maximum
www.youtube.com
Gunpla autism to the maximum
GUNDAM BUILD REAL - Episode 1:Reunion (EN,HK,TW,KR,CN,TH,FR sub)
▶ENOur protagonist Hiro created Team BRIGHT along with his friends when they were in elementary school. The team attracted much attention, especially armamen...
www.youtube.com
Looking to get a starter kit as an xmas present for a friend who expressed interest in getting into gunpla. A little googling brings up shit like this : https://www.amazon.com/Bandai-Hobby-Gunpla-Starter-Set/dp/B003KX5OWS
Would something like that be fine for a beginner? I see tool kits with plyers and exacto blades and stuff for like 10 bucks that I'd get them too. Is there a better starter set somewhere? Is buying any cheap toolset and something marketed with an easy difficulty fine? Looking to spend around 50ish bucks, definitely less than 100.
Would something like that be fine for a beginner? I see tool kits with plyers and exacto blades and stuff for like 10 bucks that I'd get them too. Is there a better starter set somewhere? Is buying any cheap toolset and something marketed with an easy difficulty fine? Looking to spend around 50ish bucks, definitely less than 100.
- Joined
- Nov 30, 2014
Probably late but can someone explain to me the whole 30min mission kits? Are they for a game or just building little dioramas?
- Joined
- Sep 14, 2020
Bandai's aim was for kits you could assemble in about 30 minutes. They are a standalone product.
GhostButt
kiwifarms.net
- Joined
- Jan 11, 2017
they are also really good and super pose-able, I wish I could find more of them for the original price. a cool way to get into model building if you just like cool military robots but aren't in love with a specific franchise
- Joined
- Jun 17, 2018
Haven’t had time to build in ages, but sat down and put together the frame for the MG Barbatos. This thing is so good that it feels like a waste to cover it in armor - there’s so many small mechanical parts and pistons that move around with the limbs, and it’s crazy how much posability it has. It was also really fun and straightforward to put together, which is always a bonus.
Sorry I haven't been around in ages (work and other things in my mind take up a lot of time), I managed to get the second fox kit I ordered and built it quick, but also I had another kit, this time Raiden from Virtual-On, but one problem... plasticy blue color scheme that made it look iffy, didn't help the stickers didn't work so I custom painted it slightly.
Yea I think I did pretty good on this. I also tried a new paint from Walmart called hello crafts (they were cheap like below $1 per 2 oz bottle) and I decided to use light blue then add in some dark blue, pearl white and I think some silver drybrush to enhance it. I also used a little bit of red to color the squares on his shoulder.
The dark blue parts were mostly unpainted, just accented with drybrush.
Only problem is he's a bit floppy, he can hold a few poses, but he is not a joy to handle, essentially balance is key when posing.
(Rear shot showing the console and disk on his back)
So what plans do I have for winter? I don't know, personally I'm just tired of seeing Christmas stuff, mostly because of work. I do plan on finding some models to build, just not right now due to needing a new phone. So hope your builds go smoothly, merry Christmas, or Hanukkah or whatever Islam believes, or happy day off from work for nonbelievers or overworked peeps, and have a great day!
Yea I think I did pretty good on this. I also tried a new paint from Walmart called hello crafts (they were cheap like below $1 per 2 oz bottle) and I decided to use light blue then add in some dark blue, pearl white and I think some silver drybrush to enhance it. I also used a little bit of red to color the squares on his shoulder.
The dark blue parts were mostly unpainted, just accented with drybrush.
Only problem is he's a bit floppy, he can hold a few poses, but he is not a joy to handle, essentially balance is key when posing.
(Rear shot showing the console and disk on his back)
So what plans do I have for winter? I don't know, personally I'm just tired of seeing Christmas stuff, mostly because of work. I do plan on finding some models to build, just not right now due to needing a new phone. So hope your builds go smoothly, merry Christmas, or Hanukkah or whatever Islam believes, or happy day off from work for nonbelievers or overworked peeps, and have a great day!
- Joined
- Jun 17, 2018
Anyone got recommendations for decent, cheap stands? Preferably the kind with pegs and not a claw gripper.
- Joined
- Sep 14, 2020
Canadian Gundam has some in stock.
Gundam Model Kits - Display Bases - Canada Gundam
Gundam Model Kits - Display Bases
So does USA Gundam Store.
