Anyone into gunpla - Japanophiles unite to share tips on painting our toys (GUNPLA IS FREEDOM)

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WelperHelper99 said:
I'll admit, WfM revitalized my interest in the hobby, though only now am I building kits from that show. These kits are very well engineered for noobs, better than the IBO kits I started with as a kid, tons of weapons, sometimes stands; it feels premium without the price.

Zeta ver. Ka is definitely on my wishlist, and now that my car seems ok, might work on getting it. I'd say go for it, it's sexy as fuck. Space is definitely a issue though like u said, which is why I've stayed with HG and RG's so far. You could just buy the kit and hang onto it.
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My collection's predominantly HGs and RGs as well. I only own four MGs, and they're all Ver. Kas: the aforementioned Nu Gundam and Sazabi, a Sinanju Stein, and a Victory Gundam. The Sinanju Stein is currently disassembled because I still need to topcoat it, but I'm going to wait until fall when it's relatively cooler and drier. And the Victory Gundam is practically HG-size since late UC mobile suits are so small.

Despite this, I'm starting to run low on display space, so I'm gonna either need to do some reorganizing or see about putting up some more shelves somewhere. Even a modest collection can take up a lot of room!
 
I still don't understand why anyone buys HG. The low level of detail and articulation makes them really boring. Quality > quantity.
 
Troonos said:
I still don't understand why anyone buys HG. The low level of detail and articulation makes them really boring. Quality > quantity.
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What @WelperHelper99 said, generally. While MGs have a decent amount of variety after almost 30 years of releases, you might not be able to find a kit of the mobile suit you want. Even if you do, if it's an early release that hasn't had an updated version, you're probably going to have a kit with outdated manufacturing that might not be all that much better than a modern HG (which have improved significantly in recent years). And obviously PGs have even less variety still. For many mobile suits, HG is your only option (aside from SD maybe, but obviously that doesn't appeal to everyone).

RGs are definitely worth grabbing over the equivalent HGs, but because Bandai's only been releasing one or two a year for a while now, only the most popular mobile suits are likely to get a release, or those that they can just recolor an existing kit to produce (like the Zakus and the Unicorn variants). If I know a mobile suit has an RG version, I'll never get its HG version instead.

For me, I enjoy the building process, and it's obviously a lot cheaper to pick up an HG to satisfy that urge. I also use them to wind down after an MG or RG build, tackling something that's simpler and more relaxing to assemble. They're also good practice for detailing before you start in on a more expensive kit that you'd rather not screw up. And as I mentioned before, modern HGs are pretty good on the whole when it comes to detail and articulation, especially considering their price. It does bum me out when a mobile suit I like doesn't even have an HG release (looking at you, Bolinoak Sammahn).
 
Troonos said:
I still don't understand why anyone buys HG. The low level of detail and articulation makes them really boring. Quality > quantity.
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I feel HG truly exemplifies the fun of scale model building on a lower and higher level. Just want to slap together a kit and leave it at that?-HG. You want to go crazy and kitbash and scratchbuild?-HG is a lot easier to work with. HG lets you interchange parts across different kits much more consistently than other lines and simply by being smaller lets you get away with using less styrene/putty/etc. for modifications. Of course you could do the same level of modifications for any grade really but HG is the go-to for people just getting into the hobby and pros alike. The amount of effort you can shove into a HG can get it to resemble a RG or even better.
 
King Dead said:
My collection's predominantly HGs and RGs as well. I only own four MGs, and they're all Ver. Kas: the aforementioned Nu Gundam and Sazabi, a Sinanju Stein, and a Victory Gundam. The Sinanju Stein is currently disassembled because I still need to topcoat it, but I'm going to wait until fall when it's relatively cooler and drier. And the Victory Gundam is practically HG-size since late UC mobile suits are so small.

Despite this, I'm starting to run low on display space, so I'm gonna either need to do some reorganizing or see about putting up some more shelves somewhere. Even a modest collection can take up a lot of room!
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Speaking of HG's and display space, here's Ariel finally done
20230724_063424.jpg 20230724_063446.jpg 20230724_063459.jpg 20230724_063528.jpg
Overall, fairly poseable, though not the most I've ever held, but that's offset by the relatively low cost. Has a effect part for the gun, 2 beam sabers, and the Shield, which can separate into bits like in the show and attach in different ways onto Ariel. You'll need Action Base 5 tho to get the most out of that though and make them look like they're floating.

Color separation is fantastic, no paint needed. There are stickers, which I'm mixed about. If you have tweezers, it's not tough, but if you don't, lord help you, there's a lot. That said, when you layer it under the clear parts for the GUND effect and put it up to the light, it's very nice. I will gripe about the feet, wish there was more of a pivot, though the one it has does work for basic poses.

Overall it's solid. Darlblade is better but you also pay more for it. Recommend if you want your hero Gundam from WfM or just are getting started.
 
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Making progress on the RG Gundam MK II A.U.E.G. . He has pants and a shirt now. First Real Grade I've done, and I see the fucking hype. I'll save my review until later, even if it's just possibility, but let it be known, smooth as fuck. I'm just dreading the stickers lol. @Tarka Dhal , @Another Char Clone , @King Dead ,take a check at this when you get a chance, and ask some questions if u want
 
WelperHelper99 said:
View attachment 5262916View attachment 5262917
Making progress on the RG Gundam MK II A.U.E.G. . He has pants and a shirt now. First Real Grade I've done, and I see the fucking hype. I'll save my review until later, even if it's just possibility, but let it be known, smooth as fuck. I'm just dreading the stickers lol. @Tarka Dhal , @Another Char Clone , @King Dead ,take a check at this when you get a chance, and ask some questions if u want
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The RG Zaku was pretty good, but the individual plastic beads that go onto a longer plastic rail-like piece for the pipes on its head and legs don't quite fit perfectly. Pretty sure I fucked up. You should prepare some medical tweezers for the stickers like https://www.amazon.com/Electronics-Experimental-Jewelry-Making-Non-Magnetic-TOWOT/dp/B09J95YPXF

I wonder if its possible for some HERESY by having the RG Gundam hold a Zaku machine gun. The hands look similar.
 
Another Char Clone said:
The RG Zaku was pretty good, but the individual plastic beads that go onto a longer plastic rail-like piece for the pipes on its head and legs don't quite fit perfectly. Pretty sure I fucked up. You should prepare some medical tweezers for the stickers like https://www.amazon.com/Electronics-Experimental-Jewelry-Making-Non-Magnetic-TOWOT/dp/B09J95YPXF

I wonder if its possible for some HERESY by having the RG Gundam hold a Zaku machine gun. The hands look similar.
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I mean I got a regular Zaku, I could give it a try
 
It's been quite awhile since my last post ITT. Let me share some pics and thoughts of the HG Kenbu. I actually built this a few months ago, and this is a birthday present from my wife.

IMG_20230609_085240.jpg

I always been curious about the Kyoukai Senki mech since they first released, because have different limb structures compared to other real robots. The bird legs and the rotating forearms take some time to get used to, but once I got the hang of it, it's actually pretty fun to play with. The weapons are plain and simple, a rifle and a sword which can be attached to the backpack.


IMG_20230609_235205.jpg

I don't know if it's because of the design, but this is one sturdy kit. I can't recall any occasion of parts popping off or loose. This kit come with some stickers, but I didn't use them at all and painted it instead.

IMG_20230612_084400.jpg

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All in all, it's a pretty good kit, with interesting design, stellar playability, and solid build, although it's more in the plain side.
 
Got an HG Exia to practice lining and weathering on. Pretty terrible kit but I put it next to the Dynamas I built 15 years ago and they were super similar so I forgave it for being an old kit.
But now I'm working on a HG Char's Zaku and it's a beautiful and clever kit. I never liked Zakus but I adore this kit.
 
WelperHelper99 said:
View attachment 5262916View attachment 5262917
Making progress on the RG Gundam MK II A.U.E.G. . He has pants and a shirt now. First Real Grade I've done, and I see the fucking hype. I'll save my review until later, even if it's just possibility, but let it be known, smooth as fuck. I'm just dreading the stickers lol. @Tarka Dhal , @Another Char Clone , @King Dead ,take a check at this when you get a chance, and ask some questions if u want
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That's one of the RGs I own, and I like it a lot. Welcome to the RG superiority club.

The one thing I wish Bandai would do with the RG line is include waterslides by default. Stickers are certainly cheaper which is why they throw them in, but it's a line that's built on quality, and it's hard to make stickers look great. They do offer official Gundam Decal waterslides for the majority of the line at least, but some of those appear to have been out of print for a while. I tried to find some for my Exia RG, but they're out of stock everywhere; I found one store in Italy that was selling them, but I wasn't going to pay more than the kit itself just to get it shipped stateside. Could always go third-party, I suppose, but I like to stick with official stuff if I can.
 
King Dead said:
That's one of the RGs I own, and I like it a lot. Welcome to the RG superiority club.

The one thing I wish Bandai would do with the RG line is include waterslides by default. Stickers are certainly cheaper which is why they throw them in, but it's a line that's built on quality, and it's hard to make stickers look great. They do offer official Gundam Decal waterslides for the majority of the line at least, but some of those appear to have been out of print for a while. I tried to find some for my Exia RG, but they're out of stock everywhere; I found one store in Italy that was selling them, but I wasn't going to pay more than the kit itself just to get it shipped stateside. Could always go third-party, I suppose, but I like to stick with official stuff if I can.
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As long as the stickers do the job, I'm fine honestly. The RG is coming along, and even without stickers, it's very accurate to the show.
20230816_043032.jpg
Just look at him man. Detailed as fuck and he ain't even done lol
 
I started doing Gunpla during the pandemic , I mostly do MG with Dynames , Barbatos , Wing EW Ver KA , Hi and Hi nu ver ka and the Sazabi. I still have the FA thunderbolt on to do list.
 
Nikes_JustDoIt said:
I started doing Gunpla during the pandemic , I mostly do MG with Dynames , Barbatos , Wing EW Ver KA , Hi and Hi nu ver ka and the Sazabi. I still have the FA thunderbolt on to do list.
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Nice, MG is the best grade. RG is just as detailed, but is just too tiny and has less durability and stiffness for posing. PG is unaffordable for most. HG is simplistic and not complex enough to be fun to build.

I've been burned out for a year and haven't touched them, but I have Barbatos, Psycho Zaku, Sazabi, and Astray Red Kai sitting in a closet for when I actually feel like building models again.
 
Troonos said:
Nice, MG is the best grade. RG is just as detailed, but is just too tiny and has less durability and stiffness for posing. PG is unaffordable for most. HG is simplistic and not complex enough to be fun to build.

I've been burned out for a year and haven't touched them, but I have Barbatos, Psycho Zaku, Sazabi, and Astray Red Kai sitting in a closet for when I actually feel like building models again.
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I like the sizes of the MG especially with the pilots it nice way to show how big these robots are
 
Troonos said:
Nice, MG is the best grade. RG is just as detailed, but is just too tiny and has less durability and stiffness for posing. PG is unaffordable for most. HG is simplistic and not complex enough to be fun to build.

I've been burned out for a year and haven't touched them, but I have Barbatos, Psycho Zaku, Sazabi, and Astray Red Kai sitting in a closet for when I actually feel like building models again.
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Personally I've been loving my RG MK-II. MG's seem fun, I just lack the room lol. I feel that at least mine is pretty solid.
Poyo Sato said:
It's been quite awhile since my last post ITT. Let me share some pics and thoughts of the HG Kenbu. I actually built this a few months ago, and this is a birthday present from my wife.

View attachment 5266947
I always been curious about the Kyoukai Senki mech since they first released, because have different limb structures compared to other real robots. The bird legs and the rotating forearms take some time to get used to, but once I got the hang of it, it's actually pretty fun to play with. The weapons are plain and simple, a rifle and a sword which can be attached to the backpack.


View attachment 5266950
I don't know if it's because of the design, but this is one sturdy kit. I can't recall any occasion of parts popping off or loose. This kit come with some stickers, but I didn't use them at all and painted it instead.

View attachment 5266954
View attachment 5266956
All in all, it's a pretty good kit, with interesting design, stellar playability, and solid build, although it's more in the plain side.
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Your wife is a nice lady, indulging your nerd hobbies man. The paint job looks great, and just by the way you're posing it, it already looks solid as a brick, in the best way :) . Like the gun, but really love the sword
 
Been a while! After the site went down, I just recently got back on to post.

Finished the RG Hi Nu. Build is a 10/10. The metal frame I used is like a 6/10. Poor fits, had to use glue. I used gloss on this one and set it on my shelf.
1692792589303.png
I need to either build another Gelgoog or work on this HG one I have, it sticks out like a sore thumb compared to the others.
1692792696903.png

Sadly I am going to have to take a pause on the hobby for the next few years. Expecting a baby in the next few months so I am putting the pause on my model spending. I have already boxed up about 3 dozen HGs, and all that remains are my shelf kits and unbuilts.
 
CHARizard said:
Been a while! After the site went down, I just recently got back on to post.

Finished the RG Hi Nu. Build is a 10/10. The metal frame I used is like a 6/10. Poor fits, had to use glue. I used gloss on this one and set it on my shelf.
View attachment 5290575
I need to either build another Gelgoog or work on this HG one I have, it sticks out like a sore thumb compared to the others.
View attachment 5290581

Sadly I am going to have to take a pause on the hobby for the next few years. Expecting a baby in the next few months so I am putting the pause on my model spending. I have already boxed up about 3 dozen HGs, and all that remains are my shelf kits and unbuilts.
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Well if the Hi nu is where you stop for a while, what a finalie! It's gorgeous! Same with your other red kits! Need to get a Orgin Char Zaku myself lol. Though if you can get to a gelgoog before then, that'd be neat

Currently on the MK-II.
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Needs head, weapons, backpack, and stickers at this point. Hopefully he comes out a fraction as good as your Hi Nu! The gloss looks great btw.
 

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