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[BossLackey]

I got into the 40K tabletop (just building figures, not actually playing yet) a few years ago. It was a really good hobby to work with my hands and take my mind of a stressful job. I kind of fell off for logistical reasons (my wife started working from home and took over the space I made them at) but I've been wanting to get back into it.

However, I recently started looking into Gunpla and I have a strong feeling I'm about to go down a rabbit hole. I like mecha. I like anime. I like models. So I guess this was simply an eventuality.

And holy crap, it's SO much cheaper than 40K! It's nice to see kits at actually reasonable prices. Not to mention, they're all snap fit, posable, and colored already!? What is this sorcery? I'll still panel line and do some extra painting and stuff, but having a complete and presentable model right out of the box is awesome.

Not sure what my first kit will be yet, but something most likely Real Grade 1/144.

Anyone else putting together plastic in their free time?

 

[Reizo Ryuu]

I still have a MG 1/100 pearl/titanium finish unicorn I never finished:

That was also the last one I bought, I didn't really have the time any more, or space to display them; they just sit in a box somewhere aside from my 1/100 MG strike freedom.

 

[yet_another_alt]

I got into the 40K tabletop (just building figures, not actually playing yet) a few years ago. It was a really good hobby to work with my hands and take my mind of a stressful job. I kind of fell off for logistical reasons (my wife started working from home and took over the space I made them at) but I've been wanting to get back into it.

However, I recently started looking into Gunpla and I have a strong feeling I'm about to go down a rabbit hole. I like mecha. I like anime. I like models. So I guess this was simply an eventuality.

And holy crap, it's SO much cheaper than 40K! It's nice to see kits at actually reasonable prices. Not to mention, they're all snap fit, posable, and colored already!? What is this sorcery? I'll still panel line and do some extra painting and stuff, but having a complete and presentable model right out of the box is awesome.

Not sure what my first kit will be yet, but something most likely Real Grade 1/144.

Anyone else putting together plastic in their free time?

RGs are a good starting point. Just pick whichever looks good to you but newer kits really do tend to be much better in terms of gimmicks and details. Just look at the RG Sinanju, a decade ago all the gold stuff would have been stickers.

 

[Wheeljack539]

May you have the funds to keep an addicting hobby going. Those kits are are many, especially if you are doing an army build.

Have fun!

 

[kondorBonk]

I used to put together High Grades of Gundam Wing when I was younger and only got back into the hobby recently.
I've so far put together the Master Grades of Sniper II Gundam 0080 and the RX-78 Gundam The Origin Model. I have the RG E.V.A Unit 01 ready in waiting for a rainy day.
The step up in quality is there but I hear modern HG and RG kits have picked up in quality.

Still feels "Cheap" in some ways. Some of the colors in the plastics pool and at the end of the day they are affordable models for a reason. Panel lining I think is a must and makes everything else pop.
I do regret jumping into the RX-78 so early though. In hindsight I wish I picked that one up as a Perfect Grade.

 

[BossLackey]

May you have the funds to keep an addicting hobby going. Those kits are are many, especially if you are doing an army build.

Have fun!

I just saw this. That Perfect Grade Unleashed looks insane!!

 

[BossLackey]

I used to put together High Grades of Gundam Wing when I was younger and only got back into the hobby recently.
I've so far put together the Master Grades of Sniper II Gundam 0080 and the RX-78 Gundam The Origin Model. I have the RG E.V.A Unit 01 ready in waiting for a rainy day.
The step up in quality is there but I hear modern HG and RG kits have picked up in quality.

Still feels "Cheap" in some ways. Some of the colors in the plastics pool and at the end of the day they are affordable models for a reason. Panel lining I think is a must and makes everything else pop.
I do regret jumping into the RX-78 so early though. In hindsight I wish I picked that one up as a Perfect Grade.

I plan on panel lining every kit, top-coating most of them, and weathering/customizing/painting one every once in a while.

 

[NecrosaroIII]

Gunpla is pretty fun. I've built over 30 kits, mostly HGs but a few RGs. I have about 8 waiting to be built.

You get what you put into it. If you're coming from a 40k background, you should be fine. It's kinda similar. Just make sure to follow the instructions as best you can.

 

[Coconutt]

I've enjoyed building model kits for the last couple of years. For RG I highly recommend the Nu Gundam and/or the RG Sazabi, both really fun builds and both mechs have great but really different designs. I am working on the RG Epyon currently and would recommend that as well.

 

[BossLackey]

I've enjoyed building model kits for the last couple of years. For RG I highly recommend the Nu Gundam and/or the RG Sazabi, both really fun builds and both mechs have great but really different designs. I am working on the RG Epyon currently and would recommend that as well.

Thanks for the rec!!

 

[West Texas CEO]

 

[Paltheos]

I'm decently big into gunpla. At the moment I have... *counts*... 23 kits on display on my shelves, from High Grades up through Perfect Grade (and a few I've retired along the way - shoutout to my PG Strike whose waist died after a decade plus of holding a pose). I used to build allot and rapidly but as shelf space is now at a premium, I really only build together with my friends on designated group build days (and those days are sometimes months apart).

Bandai's technology has come a long way. Poseability (closely linked to model strength), proportions, color separation, build experience. It's all so much better than the competition. They're better too at seam and nub placement (for the latter, many kits undergate some or all of the parts). Really helpful especially on kits like the MG Hyakushiki 2.0 that comes OOB with a reflective coat.

The only complaints with modern gundam kits is that Bandai has skewed to nickel and diming their customers. Most kits come with sticker decals if anything (yuck), whereas a while back you'd at least get some dry transfers. Water decals come separately or need to be purchased from third parties, with a few notable exceptions. Other extras that can be sold separately will be sold separately, regardless of how ridiculous it is. Modern releaess of the Turn A Gundam all sell the Moonlight Butterfly wings - two, thin plastic sheets - at $15 (MSRP, and now limited stock, so good luck). MG Providence's effect parts are just some plastic tubing, blue parts for launching, and green beam parts - $30 (again, MSRP). I often joke that if Bandai could have, they'd have sold the beautiful holographic paper they use in the MG Gundam X separately - they only can't because the reflectors are designed around the paper being there.

If there's anything you're interested in, show or mech, throw it out there and I'll be more than happy to provide an opinion.

 

[STARSBarry]

Good luck dude, ironically I find the MG and PG easier than RG... the issue for me is my hands and lack of dexterity. Sadly I often break the smaller parts which is one of the reasons I quit 40k on the table top as they got more complex the more popular it became.

That 1/144 scale is just too small for me

As for the sets themselves... I see you make no mention of watching Gundam, just that you like Anime. I tend to buy sets from series I think is cool, that's my main connection. So as with anything I would watch a few series and see what "clicks".

Funny story I literally just got part 2 of the anime series about Gunpla on blu Ray, Part 1 is still MIA

Better send them a mail asking where the hell it is.

Since its Christmas, I would recommend you give a short series like 0080 War in the Pocket a watch, and see if anything sticks out as cool for you, it's the Gundam Christmas series and features some awesome designs including.

 

[Werewolf Jones]

Watch order unless you wanna be a casual.

0079 TV (NOT THE MOVIES)
Zeta
Double Zeta
CCA

After that War in the Pocket. 0083 isn't very good, I personally liked Thunderbolt but take it or leave it.

Don't watch Unicorn, don't watch WING. Any other non UC is okay I guess even SEED.

I only have the entry grade models myself.

 

[Porcile]

Pro tip it's a lot more fun to collect these things if you have some context behind the models and know what series/movies you are buying from. So it's definitely recommended to at least watch the original Tomino-led series consisting of: 0079, Zeta, ZZ and Char's Counterattack.

 

[Heimdall_Xtreme]

In Gundam are there models that can transform?

 

[BossLackey]

Pro tip it's a lot more fun to collect these things if you have some context behind the models and know what series/movies you are buying from. So it's definitely recommended to at least watch the original Tomino-led series consisting of: 0079, Zeta, ZZ and Char's Counterattack.

I certainly will be.

 

[Shadowplay1979]

Dont get into gunpla...get into modeling in general.....way more interesting stuff out there then gundam designs. I personally build everything, particularly macross...but i have about 120 kits that are half constructed..once you pop you cant stop....give it a year and youll have an airbrush and a full setup

finishing up this guy now

 

[newtypepilot]

I do not recommend starting with a RG for a first timer, because RG involves LOTS of tiny parts. I would start with a HG because it's cheaper and once you like to build more, then you can go with MG or RG.

 

[Reizo Ryuu]

In Gundam are there models that can transform?

many