NationStates

*points at her flag* Notice the Gundam reference there? Inspired/based on the Principality of Zeon flag and the Neo-Zeon insignia.

Mine's not quite as subtle as yours.

Would get into Gunpla, but it seems that nowhere within travel distance around me sells them (I also need an exacto knife and clippers).

Also have ideas for a diffrent series timeline, shame (Or now now that I think about it, not) that I don't work in the anime industry.

New haven america wrote:Would get into Gunpla, but it seems that nowhere within travel distance around me sells them (I also need an exacto knife and clippers).

Also have ideas for a diffrent series timeline, shame (Or now now that I think about it, not) that I don't work in the anime industry.

There are TONS of place you can order them online for relatively reasonable prices. Aside from Amazon, there's sites like AmiAmi, Hobbylink Japan, and so on. Most of mine were purchased at anime conventions, but I've had a decent number that I ended up getting online.

Reploid Productions wrote:

New haven america wrote:Would get into Gunpla, but it seems that nowhere within travel distance around me sells them (I also need an exacto knife and clippers).

Also have ideas for a diffrent series timeline, shame (Or now now that I think about it, not) that I don't work in the anime industry.

There are TONS of place you can order them online for relatively reasonable prices. Aside from Amazon, there's sites like AmiAmi, Hobbylink Japan, and so on. Most of mine were purchased at anime conventions, but I've had a decent number that I ended up getting online.

Yeah, computer broke...

I'm a long time model maker* but I have never actually gotten a Gunpla before. Having just recently watched through the Build Fighters Gundam and Gundam Try and recently started the Mangaization of the original series, I thought maybe I should see about a couple of these. I've also noticed there are models of the space battleships for this series and wondered if anyone had any experience with them?

Also any suggestions on where to start and the pros and cons of the different grades would be helpful.

Oh man, Gunpla. I miss mine. Unfortunately most of mine were lost during moving several years back when the box they were in got crushed. Total suck.

My builds were-
MG Nu Gundam
MG GM Ground Type
MG Gundam Ground Type
MG GM Custom
MG Gundam GP03 Stamen
MG Aile Strike Gundam
MG God Gundam
MG Zaku II F2
MG Gundam G05
MG FA ZZ Gundam
MG Zeta Gundam

Out all those, the G05 and Zaku survived. They're in a drawer somewhere safe right now and if my room wasn't so cluttered and small I'd pull them out for display.

I've also been wanting to pick up some new MGs but I just haven't had the time lately to commit to picking one up and giving it a proper paint job, and I really don't even know what one I'd pick up.

Spiritbw wrote:I'm a long time model maker* but I have never actually gotten a Gunpla before. Having just recently watched through the Build Fighters Gundam and Gundam Try and recently started the Mangaization of the original series, I thought maybe I should see about a couple of these. I've also noticed there are models of the space battleships for this series and wondered if anyone had any experience with them?

Also any suggestions on where to start and the pros and cons of the different grades would be helpful.

I have a couple of the UC timeline 1:3200 or so scale, but I haven't actually gotten around to building them yet. Having looked at the parts on their trees though, they're probably better suited to those who are very comfortable with painting in details, if only because of the scale.

As for the grades for the mecha, High Grade is a good starting point for both skill level and price tag. You can probably expect to spend some time painting details though to make the kit look really nice, the stickers often really don't cut it for that. Master Grade is the next difficulty level up, with a price range that can vary somewhat wildly from roughly $40 for the more basic mecha to around $120 for especially large/complex machines. These are going to have a much more involved build with a lot more internal detailing as opposed to HG's generally hollow assemblies. I haven't tried my hand at Real Grade, but to my understanding they're small scale kits akin to HG, but are built with an internal frame that offers the kit better detail and articulation; not to the same level of the larger Master Grade, but definitely more complex than High Grade.

At the upper end of the line you've got Perfect Grade kits, which are going to be your time-consuming and expensive monsters. Clocking in at 1:60 scale (MG is 1:100, HG is either 1:100 or 1:144, and RG is 1:144,) Perfect Grade kits are going to have a beefy price tag and a metric fuckton of parts. Frequently, there will also be some minor electronic assemblies, as PG kits will have at least *some* LED lighting in them. (The worst offender is probably the PG Zeta, simply because of how complex the wiring has to be to get power from the battery pack in the body out to the navigation lights in the wingtips and tail what with the transformation mechanics of the mecha.) But they are gorgeous once fully assembled, with tons of interior and exterior details, lighting, articulation, and tons and tons of dry transfer decals for all the little warning/danger/engineering access/etc type markings that seldom show up in the anime aside from the occasional extreme close-up.

I recommend painting the kits regardless of the grade. Sure, the colors that pieces are molded in are usually pretty close, but you take a MG or PG kit and slap a nice metal flake paint scheme on it, you just can't beat that with the stock plastic colors.

Reploid Productions wrote:

Spiritbw wrote:I'm a long time model maker* but I have never actually gotten a Gunpla before. Having just recently watched through the Build Fighters Gundam and Gundam Try and recently started the Mangaization of the original series, I thought maybe I should see about a couple of these. I've also noticed there are models of the space battleships for this series and wondered if anyone had any experience with them?

Also any suggestions on where to start and the pros and cons of the different grades would be helpful.

I have a couple of the UC timeline 1:3200 or so scale, but I haven't actually gotten around to building them yet. Having looked at the parts on their trees though, they're probably better suited to those who are very comfortable with painting in details, if only because of the scale.

As for the grades for the mecha, High Grade is a good starting point for both skill level and price tag. You can probably expect to spend some time painting details though to make the kit look really nice, the stickers often really don't cut it for that. Master Grade is the next difficulty level up, with a price range that can vary somewhat wildly from roughly $40 for the more basic mecha to around $120 for especially large/complex machines. These are going to have a much more involved build with a lot more internal detailing as opposed to HG's generally hollow assemblies. I haven't tried my hand at Real Grade, but to my understanding they're small scale kits akin to HG, but are built with an internal frame that offers the kit better detail and articulation; not to the same level of the larger Master Grade, but definitely more complex than High Grade.

At the upper end of the line you've got Perfect Grade kits, which are going to be your time-consuming and expensive monsters. Clocking in at 1:60 scale (MG is 1:100, HG is either 1:100 or 1:144, and RG is 1:144,) Perfect Grade kits are going to have a beefy price tag and a metric fuckton of parts. Frequently, there will also be some minor electronic assemblies, as PG kits will have at least *some* LED lighting in them. (The worst offender is probably the PG Zeta, simply because of how complex the wiring has to be to get power from the battery pack in the body out to the navigation lights in the wingtips and tail what with the transformation mechanics of the mecha.) But they are gorgeous once fully assembled, with tons of interior and exterior details, lighting, articulation, and tons and tons of dry transfer decals for all the little warning/danger/engineering access/etc type markings that seldom show up in the anime aside from the occasional extreme close-up.

I recommend painting the kits regardless of the grade. Sure, the colors that pieces are molded in are usually pretty close, but you take a MG or PG kit and slap a nice metal flake paint scheme on it, you just can't beat that with the stock plastic colors.

Real Grade gunpla are actually more akin in detailing and look to Perfect Grades. They also usually come with tons of accessories and intricate/movable parts (Like opening cockpits or vents, moving wing flaps, etc...), but the parts like to pop off of them. However there are 2 sets that have all the great accessories and intricate parts with almost no parts popping off, the RG Exia and the RG 00 Raiser (Or Raizer, however it's spelt), they are some of the best gunpla on the market and are the 2 best real grades the line has to offer.

New haven america wrote:

Reploid Productions wrote:I have a couple of the UC timeline 1:3200 or so scale, but I haven't actually gotten around to building them yet. Having looked at the parts on their trees though, they're probably better suited to those who are very comfortable with painting in details, if only because of the scale.

As for the grades for the mecha, High Grade is a good starting point for both skill level and price tag. You can probably expect to spend some time painting details though to make the kit look really nice, the stickers often really don't cut it for that. Master Grade is the next difficulty level up, with a price range that can vary somewhat wildly from roughly $40 for the more basic mecha to around $120 for especially large/complex machines. These are going to have a much more involved build with a lot more internal detailing as opposed to HG's generally hollow assemblies. I haven't tried my hand at Real Grade, but to my understanding they're small scale kits akin to HG, but are built with an internal frame that offers the kit better detail and articulation; not to the same level of the larger Master Grade, but definitely more complex than High Grade.

At the upper end of the line you've got Perfect Grade kits, which are going to be your time-consuming and expensive monsters. Clocking in at 1:60 scale (MG is 1:100, HG is either 1:100 or 1:144, and RG is 1:144,) Perfect Grade kits are going to have a beefy price tag and a metric fuckton of parts. Frequently, there will also be some minor electronic assemblies, as PG kits will have at least *some* LED lighting in them. (The worst offender is probably the PG Zeta, simply because of how complex the wiring has to be to get power from the battery pack in the body out to the navigation lights in the wingtips and tail what with the transformation mechanics of the mecha.) But they are gorgeous once fully assembled, with tons of interior and exterior details, lighting, articulation, and tons and tons of dry transfer decals for all the little warning/danger/engineering access/etc type markings that seldom show up in the anime aside from the occasional extreme close-up.

I recommend painting the kits regardless of the grade. Sure, the colors that pieces are molded in are usually pretty close, but you take a MG or PG kit and slap a nice metal flake paint scheme on it, you just can't beat that with the stock plastic colors.

Real Grade gunpla are actually more akin in detailing and look to Perfect Grades. They also usually come with tons of accessories and intricate/movable parts (Like opening cockpits or vents, moving wing flaps, etc...), but the parts like to pop off of them. However there are 2 sets that have all the great accessories and intricate parts with almost no parts popping off, the RG Exia and the RG 00 Raiser (Or Raizer, however it's spelt), they are some of the best gunpla on the market and are the 2 best real grades the line has to offer.

Aaah, good to know. So more like a smaller-scale MG in a lot of ways; lots of detail in a smaller and less expensive package? How much painting do they need to look really good? At 1:144 scale, I can only imagine they probably need a decent amount of detail paintwork. o.o

Reploid Productions wrote:

New haven america wrote:Real Grade gunpla are actually more akin in detailing and look to Perfect Grades. They also usually come with tons of accessories and intricate/movable parts (Like opening cockpits or vents, moving wing flaps, etc...), but the parts like to pop off of them. However there are 2 sets that have all the great accessories and intricate parts with almost no parts popping off, the RG Exia and the RG 00 Raiser (Or Raizer, however it's spelt), they are some of the best gunpla on the market and are the 2 best real grades the line has to offer.

Aaah, good to know. 1. So more like a smaller-scale MG in a lot of ways; lots of detail in a smaller and less expensive package? 2. How much painting do they need to look really good? At 1:144 scale, I can only imagine they probably need a decent amount of detail paintwork. o.o

1. Eh a little, minus the inner-frame they're actually closer to Perfect Grades than MG's, except they're easier to build (Like an MG), but the have tons of parts (Like a PG) and have great detailing (But the parts do like to pop off, which can be a problem). 2. Not much if any actually, they're probably the closest in color/look to their anime counterparts that there is, but you could paint if you feel it's necessary. They do however have tons of panel lining and decal opportunities.

I'm recommending them again (Because they are the best RG's), RG Exia and RG 00 are the best choices if you want RG kits, and are some of the best gunpla on the market, and share the same price range of HG's (So they can be pretty cheap ).

Sadly, I tend to prefer the larger scale of the MG/PG kits. XD

Painting won't be a problem for me, in fact pretty much expecting to do that having seen pictures of both unpainted and fully detailed Gunpla. The little details really bring the kits to life.

Wiring and other technical gimmicks isn't a problem for me either. In other models I have a Enterprise D with working lights and sounds, a fiber-optic lit Star Destroyer(drilling all the itty-bitty holes was time consuming), Incom T-65 X-wing with motorized wings and large scale motorized model of the Tripitz.

I might have to check at one store here in my hometown as they usually carry all sort of Japan hobby stuff, but if not seems like there are a few well respected dealers on Amazon that ship within Canada. It's looking like Real Grade might be the best bet for detail and bang for the buck to me but I will have to see what is available.

Japan! Can't wait for my trip to Fukuoka! Apparently there's a Gunpla factory there, gonna pick up some kits to work on.

West Kalmar wrote:Japan! Can't wait for my trip to Fukuoka! Apparently there's a Gunpla factory there, gonna pick up some kits to work on.

Nice. How long will you be staying?

A week, I'm getting to see all of the Kyūshū island.

A week, I'm getting to see all of the Kyūshū island.

Well, local store did carry Gunpla like I thought and had a nice selection in various grades. One though I felt had to be where I started. An RG grade RX-78-2.

I need more Gunpla

U should build Real Grade. Same size as HG/HGUC, more gimmicks, stickers, and detail.

I think I'mma stay in the elitist/snooty/ouch-my-wallet MG/PG bracket myself. I just like the larger scale for that level of detail! ... That and RG didn't exist when I first got into Gundam, sooo... you dang kids with your Real Grades and your affordable high-detail kits!

I figured out how we can have a good AU Gundam series again (Because IBO has failed), simply have the the title be either just numbers or letters. Think about what the 3 good AU series have in common (Not counting Turn A because spoilers), (G) Gundam, Gundam (X), Gundam (OO), just numbers or singular letters.

So if an AU series has singular letters or just numbers, then there's a higher chance it will be enjoyable *Nod*

Reploid Productions wrote:I think I'mma stay in the elitist/snooty/ouch-my-wallet MG/PG bracket myself. I just like the larger scale for that level of detail! ... That and RG didn't exist when I first got into Gundam, sooo... you dang kids with your Real Grades and your affordable high-detail kits!

Fun fact: Most elitists I've listened to/seen like the RG, so...

Well, assembly went well on my RG Gundam. Since this is the 30th anniversary edition based on the 1:1 scale one they did the detail is insane. Going to take me longer to do the decals than the assembly probably.

Spiritbw wrote:Well, assembly went well on my RG Gundam. Since this is the 30th anniversary edition based on the 1:1 scale one they did the detail is insane. Going to take me longer to do the decals than the assembly probably.

Thread demands progress pics!!