Anyone into Gundam (or Gunpla)
- Thread starter Raymond Lin
- Start date
Built the freebie I got from my minis order with Gundam Mad and it's a suitably mad design, turns out this is from the original, or longest running SD range and they're quite big as you can see in these comparison images with Lego mini figure, SD CS, and 144 HG UC for reference. Too big for me to collect though was fun to build and I'd keep this one, but not get any others. With the wingspan it's huge, but a good thing is many parts from it can be put on other scale Gundam models so it's great for using parts to make custom builds. Almost totally done with minis now as no more room for them, looking at some 144 sets next up.
Yeah it's still cool looking, something about ultra cute robots tooled up with a load of weapons is appealing, though the wingspan is 30cm so it takes up a lot of space, can fit about 6-8 small SDs on the same space it takes up.
There's a massive range of them too, over 400 or so, the SD BB range, I do like them but just too big to collect for me.
https://bandai-hobby.net/brand/bb/
There's a massive range of them too, over 400 or so, the SD BB range, I do like them but just too big to collect for me.
https://bandai-hobby.net/brand/bb/
Finished my minis shelf, now done with them and onto the other side of it for 144s. Got an order of them delivered and some panel line markers, been trying them out on a spare mini, but with mixed results, I may go back and panel line all these minis at some stage, but for now are all just base kits with extra stickers I added to some.
Can fit a lot of models in a fairly small space, 25 deep, 28 high and 45cm width half of a shelf, replaces a boring office storage box, a much nicer view now above my desk. Just uses 2 x £10 stands and a £17 RGB light powered by a powerbank, may make a front cover/door from custom cut acrylic at some point. Even as it is it works great as a mood/theme illuminated shelf.
Minis were a great way to start this hobby for me, all fun kits to build, only with some fiddly stickering.
Be good to see some more updates from anyone else.
Can fit a lot of models in a fairly small space, 25 deep, 28 high and 45cm width half of a shelf, replaces a boring office storage box, a much nicer view now above my desk. Just uses 2 x £10 stands and a £17 RGB light powered by a powerbank, may make a front cover/door from custom cut acrylic at some point. Even as it is it works great as a mood/theme illuminated shelf.
Minis were a great way to start this hobby for me, all fun kits to build, only with some fiddly stickering.
Be good to see some more updates from anyone else.
Oh wow, you've been busy! that's quite a line up
Haha, yeah that lot certainly kept me busy over Xmas and through New Year. Cheers for making this topic by the way - I'd no idea how versatile these were, from not needing any paint or glue with simple models like I've been making, to taking it to custom paintjob levels with some really complex models.
A great hobby I'm surprised isn't more popular in the UK due to how popular other modelling and Lego is, I came close to buying a few big Lego sets in lockdown, but just not enough room, these are a great alternative for me.
A great hobby I'm surprised isn't more popular in the UK due to how popular other modelling and Lego is, I came close to buying a few big Lego sets in lockdown, but just not enough room, these are a great alternative for me.
i think in terms of cost per minute spend is great value for money. A £30 kit can easily last 2 days of build. A £30 Lego set can be done quite quickly. The only down side is you only build it once, but I’m not those who rebuild it so it’s the same to me between Gunpla and Lego, I build then display.
Been in a bit of a funk since I finished Starscream, not built or painted anything.
But decided to force myself to dust off the cobwebs and crack on today.
All hail Megatron!
Bit of a wierd model compared to the other 2, since you start building the arms and chest 1st.
But decided to force myself to dust off the cobwebs and crack on today.
All hail Megatron!
Bit of a wierd model compared to the other 2, since you start building the arms and chest 1st.
Looking good Del, nice start on that Megatron, can really see how much work is involved with those types of metal models with even just that small piece.
I've been building my 144 scale order and have a new favourite one, Moon Gundam in limited edition clear, at £37 was expensive but I think worth it for how detailed and nice looking it is, it was only £29 so converted from yen even when it came out in Japan, so a fair for a UK seller, also comes with the stand. No stickers at all, just clear coloured plastic and opaque skeleton, great build as well. The colours really stand out on it, it's a great looking model. All these 144s fit on the same type of shelves as my minis too, just with slightly more overlap.
(Edited for smaller image)
And 2 much cheaper but same 144 scale, both 12.99 or so, Dagger L and Barbatos. Still not panel lined or painted any yet, but likely will try with these 2 cheaper ones.
Be good to see some more updates from others.
I've been building my 144 scale order and have a new favourite one, Moon Gundam in limited edition clear, at £37 was expensive but I think worth it for how detailed and nice looking it is, it was only £29 so converted from yen even when it came out in Japan, so a fair for a UK seller, also comes with the stand. No stickers at all, just clear coloured plastic and opaque skeleton, great build as well. The colours really stand out on it, it's a great looking model. All these 144s fit on the same type of shelves as my minis too, just with slightly more overlap.
(Edited for smaller image)
And 2 much cheaper but same 144 scale, both 12.99 or so, Dagger L and Barbatos. Still not panel lined or painted any yet, but likely will try with these 2 cheaper ones.
Be good to see some more updates from others.
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Soldato
I've built the HG Barbatos myself and would be tempted to get the MG version.
Need to dust off my built models and get cracking on the RG 00 Raiser.
Need to dust off my built models and get cracking on the RG 00 Raiser.
Dear lord thats a beast of a box! How much did that set you back?I decided to go all out for my first PG and got this imported from Japan. I cant believe how big the Perfectability box is. It really is a step up from my previous MG kits; 36 runners in the Perfectability kit alone :O
Thinking of doing the same when i get chance to go back to HK next year maybe, use to love going into the model stores dotted around MK and my local area around my grandmas flat. Could spend hours in there just staring at them lol.
Great choice of Perfect Grade especially with all the kit and lights, will look amazing, please keep posting pic as you build it Lytic and everyone else, more progress and build pics always good.
I built another clear 144 and this time more of a mixed review, the G40 Gunpla Expo Industrial Design in Clear. It was a special edition that they reissued that is HG but in terms of tiny parts is more like a Real Grade, cost £39, expensive and looks great, but extremely prone to falling or wobbling due to 3 points of articulation in the feet that make it a lot less easy to pose than even cheap HGs. Had to put in an extreme leaning post just for stability in the photos. A good and challenging build except the helmet crest piece is minute and needs to be filed down exact size to fit in. Must have dropped it 10 times and almost lost it. Also 3 very fiddly stickers, so at almost £40 quite a tense a build to get right. Snapped a tiny foot piece in process, but a super glue repair an easy fix.
On the plus side you get a ton of spare parts, basically the inverse for all the limbs skeleton and body shell as you can see in my third image here. A lot of kits have a few extra pieces, but this kit has so many you can almost make a new kit out of the spares alone. I also now have enough Gundam Markers that started painting some models with them so am likely done with clears for now, will likely have a painted one finished by next week.
I built another clear 144 and this time more of a mixed review, the G40 Gunpla Expo Industrial Design in Clear. It was a special edition that they reissued that is HG but in terms of tiny parts is more like a Real Grade, cost £39, expensive and looks great, but extremely prone to falling or wobbling due to 3 points of articulation in the feet that make it a lot less easy to pose than even cheap HGs. Had to put in an extreme leaning post just for stability in the photos. A good and challenging build except the helmet crest piece is minute and needs to be filed down exact size to fit in. Must have dropped it 10 times and almost lost it. Also 3 very fiddly stickers, so at almost £40 quite a tense a build to get right. Snapped a tiny foot piece in process, but a super glue repair an easy fix.
On the plus side you get a ton of spare parts, basically the inverse for all the limbs skeleton and body shell as you can see in my third image here. A lot of kits have a few extra pieces, but this kit has so many you can almost make a new kit out of the spares alone. I also now have enough Gundam Markers that started painting some models with them so am likely done with clears for now, will likely have a painted one finished by next week.
I decided to go all out for my first PG and got this imported from Japan. I cant believe how big the Perfectability box is. It really is a step up from my previous MG kits; 36 runners in the Perfectability kit alone :O
Damn that's a big box!
How big is the model when it's finished?
Not sure of the exact size, but for comparison I have just completed the chest piece and put it up against the MG Tallgeese Fluegel EW:
It's going to be a big boy...
That PG Unicorn Gundam's going to be huge, looks great so far.
I painted my first one, went back over the first 144 I made, fixed the eye sticker and spruced it up a bit with metallic Gundam markers. First model or art I painted in many years, even decades using actual paints and not digital, was really good fun and came out OK, I also used a small paintbrush for detail as you can also pump the paint out of the markers onto a palette or paint onto the brush itself. A bit limited overall as a medium so also got some spray paints and a Citadel paints big starter set this week, but this one below is just Gundam markers.
Also did some light panel marking with the Gundam grey panel marker, might go thicker next time. Have another new 144 on the go with many more painted parts involved, will likely come back to this one below again too for weathering and more detail at some stage.
A mini, unobtrusive paint station not disruptive to home office work, very clean working with the pens.
Definitely looks better with some paint and panel lining on right compared to the base kit at the left, also upgraded his sabre.
Any more updates from anyone always good to see.
I painted my first one, went back over the first 144 I made, fixed the eye sticker and spruced it up a bit with metallic Gundam markers. First model or art I painted in many years, even decades using actual paints and not digital, was really good fun and came out OK, I also used a small paintbrush for detail as you can also pump the paint out of the markers onto a palette or paint onto the brush itself. A bit limited overall as a medium so also got some spray paints and a Citadel paints big starter set this week, but this one below is just Gundam markers.
Also did some light panel marking with the Gundam grey panel marker, might go thicker next time. Have another new 144 on the go with many more painted parts involved, will likely come back to this one below again too for weathering and more detail at some stage.
A mini, unobtrusive paint station not disruptive to home office work, very clean working with the pens.
Definitely looks better with some paint and panel lining on right compared to the base kit at the left, also upgraded his sabre.
Any more updates from anyone always good to see.