Giant Bomb's Gunpla Build Club

(Artwork by @aurahack on Twitter!)

Hallo and welcome to the Giant Bomb Gunpla Build Club, inspired by Austin has his love for Gunpla. What is Gunpla? Well Gunpla originally meant "Gundam Plastic Model" however Gunpla is more inclusive to all mecha model kits, however while we may be focused on such I am not going to begrudge anyone for wanting to talk or show off any other model kit, be it star wars, WWII or what have. So come on in and talk to us about your models or if your new ask us anything about models from what to build, what they are, how to get them or how to build!

31/01/2016 update

It's almost February as I type this and for a few weeks now I have been plugging away at my own backlog it is two small HG kits and should be very easy to clear yet I have had them for 8 months now and I am only halfway through one kit! So I thought I'd not only challenge myself to complete this one and then my other kit in the next month but also everyone else!....also helps I just ordered three more kits.......I gotta not have too bad a backlog!

So to everyone I tell you now! Declare AT LEAST one kit (more is always nice!) in your backlog to have completed by the start of March, it is a leap year so you get to have an entire extra day!! May this may a dent in your backlog and get the ball rolling!

Don't let it get as bad as this guys!

09/01/2016 update.

NEWBIE GUIDE

With so many newbies coming and the same questions (rightfully so) being asked I decided I would compile some of the stuff on the first page to help folks out.

The Basics!

The model kits most people are building in this thread are snap fit robot kits namely from the anime series Gundam. These kits do not need paint nor do they need glue,you can paint or glue when you feel it and makes the kits better. However straight builds without paint or glue is perfectly fine!

So the next stage is selecting a kit you want to buy, I won't tell you were to buy from yet as you need to know what your looking at in the first place!

PS general rule of Gunpla is BUY WHATEVER LOOKS COOL TO YOU! However I do have a few kits of warning to not buy into as your first (or early) kit.

Here is a scale chart for different kinds of Gundam kits and what skill level you want to get into.

I myself build only 1/144 High Grades which is cheap and effective, they are simple in a sense yet also technical in their own way a low skill level a great entry kit as they will teach you how to read the manual and how to build without hurting your wallet if you do ruin the kit, they are hollow plastic with parts to make up joints while other Gunpla kits have full skeletons underneath. While if you delve into the modern Iron Blooded Orphans line then you will be treated to basic skeletons in the HG line, however do not expect such in older HG's. Here is a link that shows the building of an average HG to see if you want into this level. There are no kits to truly worry about being too difficult in this line.

Real Grade is same size as a HG yet with far more details and features packed into the small package many of which was only seen in the 1/100 Master Grades (more on that later) Real Grades have a small skeleton underneath which was a main feature MG's had and they are certainly more advanced in skill than HG and maybe slightly more than your average Master Grade due to the same amount of detail just with smaller parts now, a newbie can still come in and build RG kits no problem just a lot more parts than a HG and more concentration to building the kit. If you're confident in your skill shoot for it, if not then maybe HG is wiser. Here is a link that shows an RG being built and see if this is the level you want.

WARNING While all RGS kits can be a bit tricky to a newbie they can be built as your first kit however THE RG ZETA GUNDAM IS A NIGHTMARE EVEN TO EXPERIENCED BUILDERS AVOID AS A NEWBIE!

Master Grades are 1/100 scale much large than the two sizes already talked about and due to the size allows for features and details to be packed in but also for a higher price point, the main feature is the skeleton underneath which has its own many details that makes the kit feel like you're building the actual robot, some people only build some of the kit and leave the under skeleton exposed as if the mech is being repaired or such. While MG's are on the advanced scale of building this does not mean they cannot be your first kit, many many many people build MG's as their first and ONLY line. Never going smaller, Here is a little showcase of the kit of a MG being built and see if your into this level.

Now the kit showcased is one of the kits I do not advise going for as your first kit maybe as your second MG kit but not as your first MG kit unless you are really confident. The Nu Gundam Ver Ka is a bit more of a MG in complexity while the Sazabi Ver Ka is a daunting kit for even experienced builders. While you should come at the Nu Gundam Ver Ka a bit cautious, the Sazabi Ver Ka is a certain no no as a first MG also its one of the most expensive MG kits.

The Sazabi is cool but man....the details, I do want one however I need to actualy build some MGs before I think about the Ver Ka Sazabi! Look at it!

Aside from really those kits and to be wary of Ver Ka as a newbie, all other kits should really be free game for you to build happily.

The next stage up is the the 1/60 Perfect grades which is labeled in the scale image above as HG which it is however that image is more for scale than showcasing a PG, I won't be going into too much detail on Perfect Grades as for they are a kit that requires dedication as you can see this is the entire Perfect Grade Strike unboxed. This is not something you will be tackling as a newbie in general and mostly because the prices of these kits are just as big as the kit.

However again like the other grades there is not really any kits that you should avoid if you're feeling up to the task aside from two kits. THE PG UNICORN AND BANSHEE MORE SO PG UNICORN WITH ALL ITS WEAPONS WITH THE FULL ARMOUR EXPANSION PACK! It become an absolute monster!

As for tools!

Side Cutters, File and Hobby knife....that's all you need....well if you're building an MG then screwdrivers...here just get the Tamiya Tool kit or make your own based on this.

OK TO BUYING A KIT FOR YOURSELF!

Here are the main sites people buy from these are the common japanese websites.

Hobby Link Japan A well loved and trusted site, mainly used for bulk orders as they allow you to put things in warehouse and ship all at once.

Hobby search I use this site and have had no problem with them and will buy again.

Ami Ami

Banzai Hobby This site is the absolute best I have used and I have had a great time with them more so as UK buyer.

A link for more Advanced buyers yet still good for Newbies.

Manadarake are a great place to buy kits and more so rarer or hard to get kits as they price them absolutely fairly and do not price gouge you, aswell as since they deal with "second hand" kits that are unbuilt they have a very unique stock that changes all the time.

Amazon....yup Amazon is a fine enough place to order Gunpla granted they are 90% gonna be in japan however I often shop at Toy shop Hobby one on amazon, however there are many there just watch out for postage and package price hikes.

A few USA based websites

Gundam Planet

GG infinite

UK based website.

Japan Cool is the more prefered UK based place to buy as they seem to do good stuff, based in Leeds meaning you can order online and drive up to them to collect if you live near.

http://www.gundammad.co.uk/home.php Gundam Mad has an issue with actualy having things in stock, if you see somthing for a price you want to pay for maybe go for it?

Gunpla UK another website that sometimes suffer from lack of stock. However its an option for anyone buying in country.

I think that's all to cover for newbies. Now let me show you a video on some advanced techniques of Gunpla...delivered by a man that is the absolute perfect tutor for Giant Bomb duders I urge you to watch.

My Original post before this thread become what it is.

So spoilers for anyone not watched Day 1 Recap, Austin has his own builders club in the recap and in it he built a the Gunpla HG Gouf Custom and it only made me want to see more. A while ago Tested got a Gunpla kit in a mail bag and they said they would build it as a feature some time....it still hasn't happened. I realy wanted to see them do it but hey ho.

So obviously I am into Gunpla as I have built 9 HG kits so far with two waiting to be built.

Here is my collection so far.

(From left to right) Reborns Gundam, Hyper Mega Launcher, Astrea Type F and Gaplant Hrairoo .

(Left to right) Gm Sniper K9, Lighting Gundam, Wing Gundam Fenice Rinascita, Kampfer Amazing, Zaku 1 Sniper Type and cut off is my 2008 reprinted 1998 Aestivalis from Martian Successor Nadesico.

Close up of the Gaplant Hrairoo with the Aizu (1.5) Gundam and Advanced Hazel Gundam still in their boxes ready to be built.

Anyone else builders of Gunpla kits? Be it Gundam or not?

I actually got my girlfriend a KOS-MOS Ver. 1 model kit for Christmas, and she spent most of the day building it. She liked the process a lot, so I'm thinking of trying to find a good tachikoma model for her birthday. It's been tough since I'm not sure which one would be the best scale to get, though.

I used to build these back in HS, but the store I got them from closed up. Kinda glad to see they are still around.

The 1/35 scale Tachikoma from Kotobukiya is much smaller than even a 1/144 scale HG Gundam kit as shown here

The 1/24 scale is more in line with being the size of a HG Gundam kit which means it will be more sizable. Here is a vid to help show the scale.

They have never stopped and only get better as time goes on if anything it has gotten to be more popular in recent years partly thanks to the great anime if not....very much a giant advert Gundam Build Fighters.

I would watch it! After seeing his build club last night I dove back into all the Gundam stories I used to love. I started reading Mobile Suit Gundam origins manga and seeing what I missed in the Gundam UC universe since I stopped following. Austin sent me down a deep wormhole...

Oh yeah the UC timeline has exploded in the last 10 years. There is even the Gundam Origin movie following Char Aznable as a kid on his way to becoming the Red Comet!

I started getting back into gundam kits after seeing vinnys box o gundams on extra life. I built one last month and just started another. I'm so off on my actual knowledge of gundam. I every time I try to watch the anime its so overwhelming cause there is so much of it and I always want to go in chronological order starting with the original series. I'm just bad at getting into things with a large catalog.

But I want to build all the gunams from the original show. rx78,gun cannon, ect. I just built an HG zaku II. I want to do a few more HG kits and then get into RG, and MG. And right now I have an RG kit of some shit I never even heard of but its not a mech its a airplane called the skygrasper.

I really want to get some of the EVA kits and also there are some cowboy bebop ones too that I want but its too bad there isn't a kit for the actual bebop ship.

What I'm currently working on. Still needs a few extra paint in spots but almost done. Every once in awhile I get really heavily invested in a kit and paint the entire damn thing, although most are straight builds with lining.

DAMN THIS THREAD!!!!

I just bought a set of hobby nippers and an HG guncannon kit.

Finally a topic to convince me to get an account.

Edit (oops, that's not how images work)

These are all the kits I've acquired in the past year. Unfortunately, the rest of the ones i own are all packed up since I moved from my old room to another one. But I do have pictures of the kits.

I have a grand total of 36 kits, including 4 different versions of the GATX-105 Strike from Gundam Seed. HG Strike Gundam, RG Strike Gundam, and two versions of the HG Strike Rouge.

This is how it begins.

I'm feinding for this guy real bad though.

Gallery

Gallery

The camera I'm using is the shitty one on the iphone 4 so, yeah.

Anyway here's some of the gunpla I've built. I have a 1/100 Dijeh I haven't snapped photos of.

@devil240z:Good version of the Guncannon to get if the link you provided is the same as you bought, as that Guncannon is part of the new REVIVE series set to update old kits to modern standard so with that you're going to have the best version of a HG Guncannon.

The Skygrasper you were mentioning that is from Gundam Seed and its like the core fighter yet instead of becoming part of the Gundam it delivers backpacks and weapons. So your kit will have alot of stuff tht goes with the RG Aile Strike Gundam which may be a the next step for you when you build an RG.

I myself said I was gonna do more than HG's.....a year and half later I keep making HG's ha!

@mechamaestro said:

The Qubeley is one of those kits that I like that much I want to get the right version....yet there is three versions to go for! The new revive HG! The MG! or even the Knock off HG that is more like a MG by Model Comprehend..... I am always racked with indecision I never pick up a Qubeley despite how much I want one.

I keep thinking on going for the Knock off as it comes with higher details as well as a special stand with Acrylic rods that can display the funnels in a great way! I mean you do need to use a heat gun to bend them but you can put them in any position. There is also an issue with the fact they made the proportions on the joints wrong which there is also a sort of "expansion" kit you can buy to fix this error which also makes it sound not the best idea to go for for it...BUT I AM STILL TEMPTED.

@akyho: Time to catch up! I just watched MSG: Thunderbolt episode 1 and it was a pretty good more modern version of the series. Any other recommendations of where to start? Did they sub/dub ZZ yet? The most modern series I watched before I fell off was probably 8th MS Team(modern as in newest release, not in UC timeline)

@jpon87: I liked Wing and Seed and Seed Destiny. Gundam 00 is good until season 2, and Turn A Gundam, Gundam Unicorn and Gundam: The Origin are all really good.

@akyho: Yeah, the Quebely is one of my favorite mobile suits, even though my prefered MS design is "Big and Boxy" the Quebely's curves give it a very unique look. The HGUC And MG kits are both great builds, but the proportions of the bootleg really throw me off. Not that I'd buy it anyway as Hobbywave only sells official bandai kits, though at a flat $20 shipping fee, so if you got the cash you can buy HG kits in bulk.

Anyone build anything non gunpla? I've always wanted to build some cars and military planes and whatnot but I hate the glue and paint aspects of those kinds of models.

@ichthy: That looks really good! My wife is starting to get into adult coloring books, so maybe I should start building models again.

@dedbeet: what are adult coloring books? Sounds saucy.

@akyho: I don't know how I feel about the non-Bandai kits. Some of them can be really finicky or require a lot more work to make look nice. Make sure to research them well beforehand.

@devil240z: They're not as saucy as your would think. They're usually just super intricate patterns and stuff.

Yeah, Austin's thing got me to buy a Master Grade Deathscythe Hell. I don't own any other models that aren't cars.

@devil240z said:

Maybe a competing Drew's Build Club could be Drew building a bunch of sick models of tanks and fighter planes.

I've been putting together some of the snap-fit Star Wars kits. Here's one of Bobby Fett I did. The scuffing is done in paints that I had to add, same with the detail on the rocket, flamethrower and items in the shin pockets. It doesn't show in the picture, but I painted the stock of the gun to have a wood grain look. This is really the only non-gundam thing I have going at the moment though.

@akyho: Thanks, that helps a lot!

@atomicoldman: Thats Pretty cool. Ive been looking at this TFA XWing.

@jpon87: I need to watch the Thunder bolt sneak peak.

As for ZZ, there is subs out there and a out of print DVD, however ZZ is actually really terrible. To sum things up Zeta is Dragon Ball Z and ZZ is Dragon ball GT, zero drama and just silly comedy for most of the series until later were it then get dramatic...yet it does that terribly, I actually laughed alot at the series but not at the comedy at the terrible ham fisted drama which I know it's anime but this is AFTER ZETA BY THE PEOPLE PEOPLE AS ZETA!

If I had not just watched Zeta and gone into ZZ with such expectations maybe I could have enjoy ZZ, however I gave up on it. More so it utterly ruined all characters from Zeta and most of all destroyed all character building of Haman Karn, she is not at all the same character infact she is everything opposite of what Zeta Haman Karn is.

I still need to get a Zeta kit, HOWEVER I must warn you RG Zeta is apparently the most nightmare of a kit next to Perfect Grade Unicorn.

@akyho: Can confirm about RG Zeta. I have a friend who broke one arm off and almost broke the other in the process of building/transforming. His solution was to transform it permanently into Waverider and buy a second RG Zeta... So yeah, be extra careful. It looks really nice though and the transforming mechanism is on par with actual Transformers in complexity.

@devil240z: The ships that Bandai puts out for Star Wars are very quick and easy builds, but just keep in mind that they're usually molded in very few colors. Most of the color on the regular X-wing is achieved either through waterslides, regular stickers, or by whipping out some paints. I did a Tie Advance a while back, which was mostly molded in all the right colors. Added some weathering and it came out looking great.

Where yall buy your stuff from?

The thing that I like building are LEGO sets, I usually enjoy he smaller ones, nice to sit down for 30 mins to an hour and just relax and build this small TIE Fighter or something similar. This stuff looks dope but really a complicated and time sink that I don't know if I would be willing to put into.

Regarding a Austin Build Club, I would be totally on board

@atwa: I usually buy from Hobby Link Japan when I order online (shipping prices can get a little high, they ship from Japan), but it's also worth checking out Amazon and comparing prices to hobby sites, you can often find good deals there. Also Barnes and Noble have been stocking Gunpla pretty recently, but their stock is pretty limited and not all locations carry it.

@atwa: I mentioned it earlier, but Hobbywave has depots in Canada and the US, and a flat $20 shipping rate no matter how many models you buy, and the HG kits are fairly cheap, so you can order in large quantities.

@atwa:I myself buy from mainly three main places all Japanese based yet they do me well in the UK.

http://BanzaiHobby.com so far the best place to buy from atleast single or small batches of kits.

Toy shop Hobbyone on Amazon for similar reasons to Banzai Hobby and good to have an alternate supplier to ensure the stuff you want is there.

Mandarake is an wonderful site and set of stores that hold many kits from very old to very new,it's random as its all second hand but unbuilt stuff so its like buying second hand unopened game the box may be a bit bashed but the good stuff inside is perfect. However their prices are super fair and thus forth you will not get price gouged unlike Amazon,Ebay and some other places.

http://order.mandarake.co.jp/order/

Mandarake is a set of store across Japan with Nakano being one entire building. This is a tour of it!

Otherwise the top three websites is

Hobbylink Japan. http://HLJ.com (I never have baught from them.)

Hobbysearch (not to be mistaken with Hobby wave) http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/ which I also enjoy buying from aswell.

and http://AmiAmi.com

@atomicoldman: I noticed that the're is a sticker sheet that covers pretty much every part of the xwing.

@devil240z: I want to say the Tie Advance was like 2 runners, unless you include those for the stand. I wish Bandai would have a kind of MG equivalent for the Star Wars ship kits, maybe in a larger scale with better color separation. As far as that line of kits goes, I think the character models is where it's at. They all look great, have fantastic articulation, and are very quick and fun builds.

Ya'll gunna make me fool around and buy a kit again after 15 years.

I'll leave it open for the OP to decide whether or not to rename this thread to become the new "Giant Bomb Gundam Build" thread. Austin has seen this thread and gives his stamp of approval by the way.

Well, great.

Now I'm gonna have to pull the trigger on some of those gundam models I've had on my wishlist forever.

I have had this for like 2 years. I should probably put it together someday.

I used to build Zoid models like crazy when I was younger.......this is giving me that itch again. Also does anyone have a high-res photo of the the build club logo?

I used to be really into Gunpla. I pretty much used to build solely Master Grade. One point I had like 25-30 fully assembled and painted kits. I think my kit highlights were the RX-78-2 v3, the Dom, and probably the Titans RX-78 MkII. I fell out of it right around the time the Master Grade Sazabi came out.

I now fill that void with Soul Of Chogokin (diecast robots) mostly, I have pretty much the whole line. Fitting with this discussion I have some of the Gundam Fix Figuration Metal Composites, and Metal Build Gundam pieces.

If people are curious I could do a video or something of my collection.

I just today got the HG Gundam Barbatos I ordered a month ago (I also ordered an Isabelle Amiibo with it), and picked up a RG Red Frame Astray alongside a new set of tools (gave my old ones to my brother and nephew and got them replacements for the ones that are worn down). Gonna feel good getting back into building these kits.


Oh, also for Christmas I got my Brother a MG Deathscythe, and had him get his son an SD Neo Zeong while I got him an SD Kurenai Musha Red Warrior. Doing this finally convinced my brother to finish building the HG Lightning Gundam I got him last year. All in all it has been a very model kit heavy Christmas.

I buy all my kits off either HLJ or amazon, depending on what's cheap at each place. I'm currently working on the 1/72 Original Trilogy X-Wing, and after that I think it'll be the Dom 35 from Build Fighters.

I'm torn on if I want to start an Iron-Blooded Orphans shelf or not, I like all of the designs but I'd have to clear out a lot of kits I like to make space.

Can anyone recomend a good youtube channel where it really just a "build team" like what Austin was doing in the video? I found a couple, but they weren't really what I was looking for...

Ok so I know nothing about Gundam but I do like cool robots and model kits. What would you guys suggest for a first kit? I'm a relatively experienced with modelling and painting so would prefer something decently complex. I'm in the UK if that matters for availability.

I used to build them back in High School. Sadly I lack the time and space for them now. Which is depressing since I have a stack of unopened models...

After watching Austin's video from day 1 I decided that building gunpla sounded like the perfect thing to do while listening to the other days of the GB GOTY podcasts.

So here is the result of day 2:

And the result of day 3:

Debating if day 4 will be going back and panel lining those two or building an SD I have. I'd love to see more gunpla stuff from Austin!

@mere_immortal I'm no expert (I think I've only built like 2 or 3 Gundams in my life), but I will say that it's worth shelling out the extra 10-20 bucks for a Master Grade kit (over a High Grade). I found the High Grade kit to feel sorta cheap, and tough to pose. Master Grade is also bigger so it's less fumbly to build. In terms of specific kit - just browse around and pick one that looks cool! There are a lot.

I've been building Gunpla and other mecha models since the mid 90's but had to stop last year due to the birth of my son. I don't have the time I used. But that 1/100 Barbatos and Guson will be mine.

As for a feature on the site, yeah, that would be cool. Also, Austin, a model builders premium podcast would be rad.