Gundam Plamodel Thread IV

[anime52k8]

Char's is just that awesome that he can rock the pink. and the Z'Gok has always been my all time favorite OYW suit.

[Nekko Basara]

Maybe he's a Pink Pecker brother from another mother?

[close313]

I kind of dislike that large "arm hole" (though its not really a hole) though. But, WILL get after I get my Turn X.

[mikeszekely]

So far, the only RG kits I'm dead set on are the Gundam, the AEUG Mk II, and the Zeta. I expect that I'll probably wind up with the GP-01, GP-01fb, and regular green Zaku II. I've never been a big fan of aquatic mobile suits, or any of Char's OYW mobile suits that aren't Gelgoog. I'm going to pass on the Z'Gok and wait for other UC mobile suits (any Gundam suit from 0080-0100, Hyaku Shiki, Qubeley, Bawoo, and the Zaku III top my list).

[David Hingtgen]

I really want a Delta, but I just know that if I buy the HG, they'll immediately announce an MG or RG of it.

[electric indigo]

I need this one

[anime52k8]

let me guess, web exclusive?

[mikeszekely]

I need this one

Pretty easy for me to pass on that one. I don't care for AU Gundam nearly as much as UC, among AU Gundam I didn't particularly care for 00, and Astraea isn't even in 00 but some side story mangas.

[Hikuro]

There's a ton of BF kits at a hobby store near work. Came across both variants of Build Strike's, Miss Sazabi, Dark Matter Exia, X Maoh and that GM Sniper amongst others. It's kinda easily to walk away from these kits lately. I need something challenging

[mikeszekely]

There's a ton of BF kits at a hobby store near work. Came across both variants of Build Strike's, Miss Sazabi, Dark Matter Exia, X Maoh and that GM Sniper amongst others. It's kinda easily to walk away from these kits lately. I need something challenging

Lucky. The hobby shop I bought my HGUC Gundam and Nu Gundam from closed years ago. I thought I found a replacement, but even that one closed in 2010. I've been looking for hobby stores in my area, preferably without having to go to downtown Pittsburgh. According to Google, there's maybe 5, but none of them have Gundam playmo, just model trains.

[mikeszekely]

Well, while I was on vacation I found a hobby store in Fairfax that doesn't just sell Gunpla, they sell relatively recent Gunpla! I picked up the RG Zeta Gundam while I was there.

I've never built a MG Gunpla to compare it to, but I think I was underestimating just how much more advanced the RG kits are over the HGUC ones. The last HGUC kit I built, I probably finished it in two or three hours. Three hours in on the RG Zeta, and I had a pair of legs. Two days later, I finished building it, and it looks pretty good, although I've only put a few of the stickers on it so far.

The worst part was the chest. I'm 99% sure I've followed the instructions and have built it correctly, but it feels flimsy. There's a peg to lock the end of the cockpit to the inner frame above the waist, and I can feel the peg go in, but it pops back out at the slightest touch. Also, there doesn't seem to be anyway to lock the head up, so again, the slightest touch and it droops back down into the chest like a frightened turtle. Posing must be done carefully, although again the end result looks fantastic. I think, ultimately, that's the difference between HG and RG. HG kits don't look as good, but when they're built they can be played with like action figures. The RG kits look much better and make for better display pieces, but you have to be more careful moving them. So... unlike most of the reviews I've read, I actually wish it didn't transform. From what I've read, other RG kits are less finicky, and the finickiness in Zeta is almost entirely due to being designed around the transformation. But, now that I've got the thing put together, I have no intention of transforming it because it's so finicky. I'd have rather they designed it with a sturdier chest and thrown in the Hyper Mega Launcher.

At the end of the day, though, I'm still pretty impressed, and am definitely a fan of what the RG line brings. I'll probably be ordering the RX-78 and Gundam Mk II (AEUG) this week.

[Nekko Basara]

Wow, gutsy move starting with the fully transforming Zeta. I haven't built it, but the reviews I've read suggest that it just barely manages the conversion and, yeah, stability is compromised as a result. I know that my GP-01, while workable, is a lot less solid than the others due to the core fighter inclusion. I think you'll find kits without the transformation gimmicks to be much less finicky (and although the RX-78-2 has a core fighter as well, it's not critical to the structure and doesn't compromise the solidity).

Anyhow, thrilled that worked out for you. If you can handle the Zeta, I'm sure the others will be no problem.

[electric indigo]

The latest UC kits have pretty cool boxart:

[Hikuro]

drove the hour drive to my favorite lil hobby shop (K not little...big place) and felt like a kid in the candy store. usually this store specializes in HG kits, maybe 1 or 2 PG's....about a dozen MG's, but they'll seriously have like 30 or 40 HG kits. Tons of BF kits so I picked up Maoh's Crossbone and X Gundam and an EXS Gundam for the holiday weekend and gonna go pick up a few deals of paint to get started. fun weekend!

[Scyla]

Today I finished my first Gunpla models after I built a HG kit 15 years ago. First I did a RG Destiny as a test bed and then an MG Nu Gundam.

The members on the board where right. A matte coat really makes the models stand out. I think I overdid it a bit because I needed more than one cans of coat. The builds went well but I made some mistakes because I was too impatient.

Maybe I will post some pictures tomorrow.

Next projects will be the Hi-Nu Gundam and the Sazabi as MGs and maybe some more RGs from Seed/Seed Destiny.

Thanks for all the help from the board members.

To apply all the stickers to the Ver. Ka Gundam was exhausting.

[Hikuro]

I too just finished a kit today and already starting a new one.

Over the 4th I painted and assembled MSA-0011 S Gundam, and boy was it a pain!

A very large portion of this kit is hand painted....very large portion.

Right now I'm working on Moah's Gundam X, and also got his Crossbone which will probably be next week.

I also went to my storage unit and after a little climbing around I found a few of my kits, not all of them though, I'm missing a ton I think! But I found a OYW Zaku II, Gundam MK-II 2.0, MG Kampfer, MG Aile Strike, MG Exia, and OYW Dom. both the Dom and the Kampfer I painted in Desert Warfare like colors.

I also found my first attempt at RX-0 Unicorn that was really badly done, I had a 2nd version but god I don't know where him, Turn A, my custom RGM-79, and a number of other kits went too!

[electric indigo]

Nyargh!

[mikeszekely]

Nyargh!

I guess I'm lucky that that it's from a manga side-story to a Gundam series I didn't particularly care for, so I don't need it in my collection.

That said, I'm in love with the Real Grade series. I think that the HG kits have improved a lot over the years, but the finished models tend to look more like 3D representations of the animation models. A few alterations here and there and a ton of decals make the RG series seem more like miniature versions of what an actual mobile suit might look like (hence, I suppose, the "real" and "real grade"). I've got the RX-78 and the AEUG Mk II coming from Amazon, and I can hardly wait. I'm also super super tempted to buy the RG Zeta 3, although it's kind of expensive.

Speaking of re-colors, did they do any RG versions of any other RX-78? Like G3 or Char's Gundam?

Anyway, after the Gundams I have coming, I'll probably do the Zaku II next, then the two Zephyranthes kits. Can't decide if I want Char's Zaku or Char's Z'Gok or not (although if they do a regular blue re-color of the Z'Gok, I'm sold).

Ironically, as interested as I am in recolors of Zeta and the RX-78, I'm just not interested in the Titans Mk II.

As far as non-UC kits go, I'm not going to say never, but I'm not even going to think about it until I'm caught up on UC kits. Speaking of UC, for other suits I have to decide if I want to wait and see if Bandai gets around to a RG kit, or if I should just get a HGUC. The extra detail seems to make a big difference on a lot of suits, older ones especially. The HGUC RX-78 and Nu Gundam I have look really out of place next to my RG Zeta. But some of the newer HGUC kits (like Destroy-mode Unicorn) don't look half bad, and there are some like Quebeley that I'm not sure how they'd benefit from the extra detail in RG kits.

Any thoughts?

[anime52k8]

Nyargh!

so is this a web exlusive or not, because it's hot as hell.

[electric indigo]

so is this a web exlusive

of course...

[Kelsain]

I have the HG 1/100 of that. It's higher quality than the older MGs that I've built. I bought it for parts, but then really came to like it. I'll probably give it a coat of bolder red than the kits plastic, though - break in the airbrush after a long hiatus.

[mikeszekely]

Maybe I'm just not as into red mobile suits as Char? I definitely want the RG Zaku II, but I'm not sure about Char's Zaku. I'm holding off on Char's Z'Gok and hoping they make a regular blue one. In the animes, I liked the black Rick Dias better than the red, and Sazabi is my least favorite mobile suit in Char's Counterattack. And, while I'm not interested in Astraea, and not even particularly into Gundam 00, I do kind of want the RG Exia.

If they do an RG Gelgoog, I could go either way between the green/gray or Char's colors.

I do like Sinanju, though. I doubt it's high on Bandai's list for RG treatment... maybe I'll get the HGUC Sinanju and Gundam Unicorn Destroy Mode.

[Kelsain]

Typically I don't either. But something about the design & black faceplate said "Leave me this way..."

[Scyla]

Some images of the Gunpla I finished after a 10 year hiatus in model kit building. Still have to find time to start painting again.

[mikeszekely]

Some images of the Gunpla I finished after a 10 year hiatus in model kit building. Still have to find time to start painting again.

I think you're in the same boat as me. I built one or two Wing kits back when Gundam Wing was on Cartoon Network, then I built a HGUC RX-78 and an HGUC Nu Gundam several years ago. I just decided to give it a third go because the RG kits are so good.

Speaking of RG, is that an RG Destiny? I almost bought one because they had it at, of all places, Barnes and Noble. I passed, though... SEED and SEED Destiny are collectively my least favorite series. Plus, while Strike and Impulse make sense as military weapons with variable mission packs and what not, most of the Gundams in SEED/Destiny are just ridiculous. I really want to stick with the Universal Century RGs... although if Barnes and Noble had Exia instead of Destiny and Strike Freedom, I'd probably be building Exia right now.

Another kit Barnes and Noble had, and one I didn't pass up, was an HG Wing Gundam Zero Endless Waltz version. It was only $15, and while I've grown into more of a UC fan (and just criticized SEED for ridiculous designs), Wing was the series that got me into Gundam.

The thing that surprised me the most was how much paint I needed. When I built the HGUC RX-78 and Nu Gundams, I think the only paint I used was a dab of yellow on the RX-78's rifle scope. Everything else was either molded in the right color, or had a sticker. On this Wing kit (the copyright on the box was 1998), I wound up painting his hands white, I put the white on the tops of his feet and the edges of his waist, and I painted the white trim around his color. I painted the inside of his neck area red. I painted the blades on his beam sabers green. And I painted parts of his feet and the shoulder vulcans a dark gray. Then, while I had my paints out, I repainted my HGUC RX-78-2 as an RX-78-1, since I have the RG kit coming from Amazon.

What I learned from all this painting is that I really and truly suck at it. Big time. I'm going to focus on RG kits, and if I do buy any more HG kits I'll stick with newer ones that either don't need paint or very minimal paint.

[Scyla]

It is a RG Destiny. I've chosen this one because I wanted the full package: huge backpack, lots of extra weapons, lots of effect parts, lots of gimmicks. I think it was the right decision. Never watched any of Gundam Seed (I think I never watched a Gundam series). I will continue my RG adventures with the RG Justice Gundam because I like the color.

[mikeszekely]

It is a RG Destiny. I've chosen this one because I wanted the full package: huge backpack, lots of extra weapons, lots of effect parts, lots of gimmicks. I think it was the right decision. Never watched any of Gundam Seed (I think I never watched a Gundam series). I will continue my RG adventures with the RG Justice Gundam because I like the color.

Well, the SEED kits/designs aren't my taste, but I'm happy just because you're enjoying Gunpla!

I started with the RG Zeta, who looks fantastic, but is kinda fiddly because of the included transformation gimmick (which, ironically, makes me not want to transform him).

I might go check out a different B&N today, but otherwise, the next kits I build will be the RG RX-78 Gundam and the RG Gundam MkII AEUG colors.

[Scyla]

I was wondering if I should build a PG for Christmas. I really like the Gundam Astray Red Frame so this would be the obvious solution. The problem is that I think the PGs look very boring. I really like the smaller intricate style of the MGs and RGs. On a PG the panels are just bug and like I said bland.

[mikeszekely]

I was wondering if I should build a PG for Christmas. I really like the Gundam Astray Red Frame so this would be the obvious solution. The problem is that I think the PGs look very boring. I really like the smaller intricate style of the MGs and RGs. On a PG the panels are just bug and like I said bland.

I've never built a PG. From the photos I've looked at, though, the thing with the MG and PG kits is that, while they do add more parts, details, etc, they still look more like 3D representations of the animation models than scale models of military weapons. Gundam Planet has a page where they were showing what the different series mean by comparing all the different RX-78s, and I think that the RG looks better than the PG, and the MG looks like an upscaled HG.

Of course, if you want something bigger, PG is I guess the way to go. I assume that they might be really fun to build, too. Me personally, though, I want something that looks nice to display when I'm done. I think RGs look the best, and the 1/144 size means I can display more of them in the same space.

[Ignacio Ocamica]

You have to try the MG Sazabi ver Ka.

[Hikuro]

I'm currently working on a MG F-91 and it's.....lacking. Even using these real touch markers it's not making as much of an affect as I'd of liked. I got a RGM Sniper and Cannon Fodder coming in tomorrow, and Wing Zero Proto on Wed....I'll be keeping myself occupied.

[mikeszekely]

You have to try the MG Sazabi ver Ka.

Looks nice, but I want to stick with the 1/144 scale.

Which is kind of irritating me... it seems that some of the available HG Gundam Wing kits are 1/100. Since I already found a Wing Zero, it'd be nice to get the other four Endless Waltz Gundams and Tallgeese III. I can only find stores claiming they're going to get Heavyarms and Deathscythe in late July. They have out of stock listings for Tallgeese, and no mention of Sandrock or Nataku.

[Hikuro]

finished my F-91....not a big fan of it.

[dizman]

Maybe put it on a display stand, take off the right leg and left hand like in the movie and pop the VSBR's ahead. F91 is a plain ms in neutral poses but looks great in action.

[Vifam7]

Is that the MG or HGUC F91? He might want to pull out the shoulder wings. It'll make the F91 a bit more interesting. I think F91 looks best when white and clean. I put very little effort in my MG F91 and it turned out ok.