#gunpla beginner

[cyber-neptune]

Celebrating getting a job interview by building Calibarn^^

Ive been looking for this kit online and it was always sold out so you can imagine my surprise finding it in a store

[yozzers]

think letting me get into transformer was a really really bad idea I kinda thought id just read mtmte and call it a day but I went beyond that and am making a personal mini reading list of stuff I really want to get through and then my supplemental reading like ok. so maybe. i just like reading comics. with a fuckass continuity. I am easily entertained.

[luminescenthunter]

Wait wait wait- hold on, do I need any specific tools/materials for building gunpla? I don't own any yet and thus haven't built any, but want to.

But I saw someone mention sanding and some other stuff in the comments of an official Gundam social media post that was getting people to share their first and most recent builds/how they have improved.

Does anyone here know????

[humanmorph]

I still have this tab open. I don't know if I'll close it anytime soon.

[athena-gunpla]

HGUC 1/144 E.F.S.F Mass-Production Locality Specialization Type Mobile Suit RGM-79D "GM Cold Districts Type"

More GMs!!! I had a lot of fun with the old 2001 GM, the new 2023 'The Origin' GM Missile Pod, and the GM Sniper II, so of course I had to continue the collection.

The GM Cold Districts Type is a suit that briefly appears in the opening scene of the OVA "0080: War in the Pocket". It's a pretty basic redesign of the classic GM, with the large star removed from the shield, and extra vents added to the face (resembling the GM Sniper II from the same series) and shoulders, and an antenna added to the back of the head.

This kit in particular is from 2003 and reuses a lot of the moulds from the 2001 GM kit. However, this kit seems to have a lot of drawbacks as well. While the shoulders have been competent redesigned in a manner that resembles more contemporary kits (and makes them much more secure), the actual shoulder joint is a peg directly moulded into the torso rather than being a ball joint or hinged peg like most other kits. This gives the shoulders very limited range of movement.

The kit also has the disappointing old solid plastic beam saber, with the hand itself moulded into the saber hilt as well! This is a really bizzare choice even for 2003, so I discarded the beam sabers that came with the kit and re-used a spare from my Origin RX-78-2 alongside a beam effect, which looks a lot better.

I spent a lot of time detailing this kit. I used the old waterslide decal sheet for the 2001 GM rather than the limited foil stickers that came with the kit. I also tried a weathering method @radiofreemagica told me about where i sponged on black onto the sharp angles and high points, then drybrushed over the top with gunmetal. I also sponged on Vallejo pale brown and light rust in key areas to accentuate the weathered effect.

This was my second time using the Tamiya weathering set D on gunpla as well. I used the orange and blue on the gun to give a heat blueing effect, and the "oil stain" pigment worked great over rust areas to even out the light grey plastic.

I think the overall effect worked especially nicely on the darker torso and shield. I also had to paint the face vents, rear camera, back of the shield, and shoulder vents, as well as the yellow waist V logo and the grey border on the bottom two chest vents, so be aware if you're not a fan of colour correcting kits. Also, as always for UC kits, I did the inside of the booster jets in red.

This kit comes with limited hand options, with a single left open hand, left open fist, and right pistol grip, which was a little disappointing as I'm used to at least one open fist for each hand.

It also comes with a really neat machine gun with a large side magazine, triangular stock, and open bolt detail like a Sten MK II, but with an additional underslung grenade launcher.

Unfortunately the stock placement and large square forearms make posing the gun rather difficult, and there's only really one pose that works.

Overall I had a lot of fun building and weathering this kit, and I think I've really improved in making it look less plasticky. I think it's a great kit to round out anyone's collection, although I can't recommend it to gunpla beginners.

Thanks again to @radiofreemagica for the weathering tips!

[l-crimson-l]

Ok so incoming gunpla post about tools:

So you’ve started building! It’s fun! It’s cathartic! And they look so cool!

But…

You kinda want them to look Even Cooler.

You also don’t have a ton of cash and you’re feeling intimidated by how deep this hobby can take you (you’ve seen those cool customs online). No worries! Here’s a couple cheapish (<$40) tools to help you get rolling on taking your kits to the next level.

1) Sanding Sponge/Glass File

These are great bc 1) they’re cheap and 2) do the job wonderfully. Specifically they’re for helping to remove Nub marks off the price you’ve cut from the runner. If you don’t know, Nubs are the leftover plastic still attached to the piece after you’ve clipped it from the runner, they’re important to remove bc of how the kit is engineered. Moving gimmicks or the sturdiness of the kit could be compromised if your pieces can’t fit flush.

The sponge is the cheapest option but it also runs out at some point and you’ll need to replace them. However, the glass file will simply just keep rolling. I bought mine from Newtype about a year and a half ago and it’s still doing great. I believe Walmart might have even cheaper options.

2) Gundam Marker

So you know those grooves on a part that’s sunken in? Those are called Panel Lines! Using this pen (it’s basically a Micron pen) you can color in these lines to help give your kit extra depth. This is especially great on kits that are primarily a single color with few variations (think Calibarn).

All you do is draw in your line and then wipe away with your finger or paper towel or what have you. These are super cheap and you’ll run through half a dozen or so HG’s or even MG’s before you need to think about getting a new one. With this you also don’t need to worry about top coating or being mindful about what you’re applying it over (unlike other panel liners where you need to keep some chemistry in mind).

3) Single Blade Nippers

So these are the most expensive item and while double blade nippers work absolutely, you’ll end up creating less work for yourself with single blade nippers as they can make cleaner cuts off the runner meaning you have less nub to clean up.

These ones I snagged from USA Gundam Store (they give a discount for snagging these) and they work great. Not the greatest durability over multiple kits as they really lose that initial sharpness over the first kit or two, but they stay sharp enough to do the job well. There’s several different options out there (some as expensive as $60 or so) but starting out a cheaper pair is great to have.

I used double sided nippers for the longest time but after switching I firmly believe they’re worth the extra $$ to invest in.

To elaborate on 2 bladed vs single bladed a bit: double blades cut from both sides (obviously) but what this means is that there is stress being applied to the piece from each side. This causes stress marks (if you’ve seen a white spot left behind after a clip that’s a stress mark) which either need cleaned up and painted over or it causes a crater in the part (especially easy to do when the nub is especially large) which either never gets fixed or you need to use tamiya cement to melt plastic and then puddy it innnnn and thennnnn sand everything againnnnn and it’s a pain.

Save yourself the headache. Singe blade nippers are the way. I especially hate those beginner nippers that look like this

I hope this helps you dig a little further down into the plastic crack rabbit hole! With just a little extra effort you can really make your kits pop. You can do it!

As always I really love seeing all the new people building gunpla and making it their own (special shout out to that person who bedazzled their guncannon). Love ya friendos

[argumentalist]

I think the newtype space-magic bullshit is by far the weakest part of Mobile Suit Gundam. And it taints the entirety of the Universal Century timeline.

Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn absolutely revolves around newtypes - so, clearly, Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn is not my favorite show.

But it's got some absolutely fantastic mobile suit designs. And this week I've built the Real Grade RX-0 Unicorn Gundam.

One of the many reasons I don't like buying gunpla on Amazon is that they don't seem to have any idea what appropriate shipping & handling is. They just slapped a label on the box and sent it on its way.

Needless to say - I exchanged it.

Right off the bat, this kit looks kind of weird. The A-runner is all a translucent pinkish-red ABS. The B-runner is also festooned with clear bits. It's all very striking even before building anything.

If you've spent any time on the /r/gunpla subreddit I'm sure you've seen the horror stories about broken Unicorn arms.

Well, I made sure to do my research. Made sure I was twisting in the right place. And I was able to successfully rotate those B8/B9 arm segments without issue.

Unfortunately they don't normally warn you that the G35 part in the chest is weak and that rotating the shoulders may break it.

I ordered some replacement G35 bits on AliExpress.

I also got some 80wt silicone shock oil to lubricate the arm joints. Just a tiny drop and some vigorous movement were enough to loosen everything up.

Like most Real Grades - this kit comes with a lot of sticker-style decals and an extensive marking guide.

I used the shiny green stickers for the eyes and cameras, but that's it.

I picked up some waterslide decals from Delpi Decal. The picture isn't great, but there's a neat holographic finish to these decals.

I also wound up painting the v-fin with a gold Gundam Marker. Nothing fancy, but it looks pretty decent. And I don't have to worry about a sticker peeling off.

I didn't love the accessories for this kit. The magazines for both the bazooka and the beam magnum are kind of loose. They were constantly falling out when I was posing the kit. And the shield feels very light and insubstantial.

At least it's got the solid, pre-posed hands.

The kit really looks pretty fantastic with decals and a matte topcoat. Obviously Unicorn mode is almost entirely white... But there's a good amount of surface detail. And it's got some subtle shades of white, grey, and off-white going on.

The transformation to Destroy mode is kind of a pain in the ass. Lots of fiddly little bits to deal with. And posing in Destroy mode is a challenge, too. It's hard to avoid closing up panels or yanking stuff off.

I've often seen people call this kit the first "good" real grade, and I think I have to disagree. This kit was a pain in the ass. It was far more fiddly than any of the real grades I've built previously. This is the first kit where I had to buy replacement parts or lube-up the joints. The first kit I'd really say needed more than just nippers to build. Definitely not beginner-friendly.

Still - it does look good now that it's up on my shelf.

I certainly won't be building any of the other Unicorn variants any time soon.

[brokenlabz]

When a beginner assembles their first Gunpla Model Kit! Looks like they caught the bug. 😃

[cybergoth-damsel]

It's amazing how lego sets targeted at adults cost multiples of times more than imported model kits even by big name JPN brands. I tried to get into LEGO in 2022 but it was so expensive that I decided it wasn't worth it after buying just one $30 set.

Because the appeal of LEGO to me was modifying and repurposing them I never thought I'd enjoy gunpla until I found out about 30 Minute Missions kits last week.

(30 Minute Missions are a bandai gunpla line that sport interchangeable parts and "extra parts packs" that allow you some beginner friendly customization without breaking out a power drill)

I bought a small on-sale kit from a local hobby shop for only $14 and I really liked putting her together;

I'm a little embarrassed posting her because she's so small and simple but I'm pushing through it LOL

Since I'm picky about paint and tired of working with spraycans I'll have to save up for an airbrush set-up, but the ceiling of expression already feels a lot higher than I thought it would! Also I'm really happy at the prospect of a hobby that won't burn blue light into my retina. For the time being I'm very happy to have something fun to look forward to.

If you customize gunpla at all or use 30 minute missions lmk! I wanna see what people have done with them and get some inspiration outside of the most god-tier expensive complicated shit.

[submalevolentgrace]

me: hey youtube, i'm really into gunpla lately, i like watching videos about gunpla kits. i have no privacy from you, you know all this already. so what's...

youtube: vinyl anime girl figurines in bikinis, you wanted?

me: no, that's not... gunpla. i like gundam plastic model kits. i wanna admire all the little detail in kits i don't have and learn some modelling techniques to apply to the ones i do.

youtube: ahh, gotcha. here's ww2 nazi germany panzer tank model kit reviews.

me: no! gundams! model kits of fictional giant robots! tiny 1/144 scale model kits of fictional giant 20m tall robots with laser swords they hold in their hands and put in cool poses! fictional. robot. kits.

youtube: this nazi half-track truck is considered one of the best 1/32 scale model kits for beginners, it comes with a full mechanised infantry support unit to paint, with accurate uniforms.

me: no.

youtube: best imperial japanese army fighter aircraft model kit 2023?

me: robots! fictional. robots.

youtube: ahh, best imperial japanese navy battleship model kit 2023.

me: listen, you...

youtube: a-10 warthog desert storm camouflage custom painted model kit!

me: STOP! i don't want vehicles of war! look i get it, gundam is a franchise about the horrors of war and we all missed the point in favour of 'wow cool robot' or lately 'omg cool yuri private school romance' or whatever, but it's not real. they're not real machines. it's not a real war, it's fiction. i can build these little guys as a distraction from the impending war here, from the existing wars, from the horrors of wars burned into my brain by live television news, i can love the zaku and zgok without conflating the republic of zeon with real world military superpowers seeking to dominate the globe and becoming a fascist fetishist because of anime robots.... i don't want to watch creepy old men salivate over scale model sculpted detail in planes with gattling guns that mowed down civilians, real human civilians, in real life wars. i want to watch energetic irish homosexuals rank the single-joined elbow posability of a bright red mech with a laser axe that'd be larger than a building, if it were real, which it is not, because these are toys for playing with, not historically accurate recreations of actually extant machines of horror and death. there is a difference! surely there is some confluence of keywords and user engagement metrics that can elicit an echo of understanding the difference in your unthinking algorithmic fever dream of signals????

youtube: ...

me: *panting with rage*

youtube: .....balloon titty anime bikini girl with the sculpted face of a scared crying child? it's a model kit!

[itzybitzyritzzy]

Some more gunpla for ya'll! This time the High Grade Witch From Mercury, Michalis! very cool suit, but Im a sucker for a knight aesthetic, a lil fiddly but I highly recommend for beginners, even if you dont like gundam

On a very pale model like this, panel lining really helps!

another reason I got this kit is that I love visible cockpits :)

[cyber-neptune]

Lil guy :3

[impracticaluser]

Thinking critically about craft hobbies and the subjectivity of what is "best"

Recently, I have gotten into the hobby of assembling, detailing, and painting plastic model kits, specifically Gunpla (the term combining "Gundam" and "Plastic"). As my first craft hobby, I've done lots of research about what the community considers the "best" in terms of habits, techniques, and tool/paint brands.

The Reddit community r/Gunpla has been invaluable in assembling a compilation of collective knowledge for me to put to use. Eventually, I put together and detailed my first Gundam kit, the High-Grade RX-79 Ez8.

Hurray!!! Excellent!!! There's one problem, though. This hobby is expensive. While High-Grade kits usually cost $15-$25 (which is a pretty good price), the paints used to detail these kits are an expense in and of itself, costing around $10-$15 per spray can. Sure, you could go for an airbrush, costing you about $200~ and potentially saving you more money on buying paint in the future, but good airbrushing takes skill and time to achieve the finish you want. A far easier and more accessible alternative is through spray cans.

However, the downside is that hobby spray cans usually pile up fast; they only carry 100ml of paint, making 1 can last only 1 kit. This becomes an issue when painting multiple parts with different colors, not including the use of primer, topcoat, decals, and panel liner. On average, you're dropping $50~ just to customize one High-Grade kit.

Naturally, I went looking for cheaper alternatives for an already cheap alternative with the larger community. As it stands, r/Gunpla is avidly against using industrial spray paints (Krylon, Bonsy, Rust-Oleum) as a substitute for hobby spray paints (Tamiya, Mr. Hobby), even if the former is significantly cheaper. Common reasons include:

The paint used in industrial-grade paints damages plastic

Industrial spray cans cause paint pooling

There is little to no spray control in those types of spray cans

Here is one example of many Reddit posts where the question of using industrial spray paints is answered with these points.

As a beginner, hearing so many repeat the same issues made me completely averse to the idea of industrial paints. Alas, was my wallet fated to suffer the cost of only buying hobby-grade spray paints?! After even more research, I found one reliable Gunpla blogger who wrote an entire post on why and how these sentiments about industrial-grade paints are actually inaccurate.

According to blogger Matanglawin on his personal blog, X marks the Gundam Spot, the finish using these types of paints is comparable even to airbrushing quality if you know how to properly use them. As a critique of the larger collective opinion on industrial paints, Matanglawin provides instructions on how these paints should be used (from his direct experience), noting that most of the issues stated before are from using these types of paints as you would hobby paints.

Plain and simple, hobby paints and industrial paints have different properties that require different techniques to get good results. Matanglawin asserts the need to spray farther and lighter as making all the difference.

To my surprise, I had found a blogger who addressed the echo chamber and elitism regarding paint brands. Many hobbyists can often repeat an opinion without ever trying the types of paint themselves. It was an essential reminder that subjectivity plays a huge part in deciding what is considered "best" in a craft hobby. So yes, indeed, my wallet may live to see another paycheck.

The next time I need the larger community for information, I'll keep in mind that even the most popular information requires a level of critical thinking. Matanglawin's blog is also a treasure trove of Gunpla hobby tips for beginner hobbyists. I, for one, will be taking my time reading through his opinions to help expand my own knowledge.

In reflection, this discovery was a clear reminder of a common phrase that makes this hobby so appealing to me in the first place: "Gunpla is freedom."

[lakefoundtheirexit]

I posted about Gundam/Gunpla like a minute or two ago, if anyone has advice on how to get into the hobby as a beginner on a budget please let me know, especially where to get one of those cutter things I really need one of those

Maybe even some things from the series to watch cuz I wanna know what these mech dudes are all about

[humanmorph]

I found a gunpla kit of the one zeon mech from 08th ms team I really liked on a list of "20 best gunpla kit for beginners" and now I'm feeling way more conflicted than I thought I would be when I clicked on that link

[athena-gunpla]

HGWFM 1/144 Gundam Lfrith

Gundam Lfrith!!! This is the final kit I wanted for my Witch From Mercury collection. Overall, I think most of the kits I've collected have been from this series, and I've really enjoyed all of them. The WFM line has really innovated in terms of what gunpla can be and it's a really nice thing to see Bandai doing.

I've actually already built a Lfrith kit, which you can see here. I customized it into a Hatsune Miku robot, but the build process was really enjoyable and I've wanted a non-customized one just to display for some time.

Overall, this kit has some of the best HG colour separation I've ever seen in a gunpla kit, with only some grey on the feet required to achieve screen accuracy, and minimal colour correction stickers.

Lfrith's GUND-bits can be stored on the rather bulky looking backpack unit, alongside the beam sabers and beam rifle. Two bits actually connect to the rifle to increase its range.

Like the Aerial's, the Lfrith's beam rifle also has a large beam blade mode, achieved using a trans-blue effect piece.

A nice thing about this kit is that it only has a single Permet effect area, with both a printed and sticker option for it. This means you can actually swap out the chest piece to display it in both active and deactive mode!

To celebrate Pride this year I've painted the GUND-but shield in the trans pride flag colours, which match really nicely with the kit's existing color scheme.

Overall this is a really beginner friendly kit and I definitely recommend it for any gunpla collector.