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The Official Gundam Thread of Gunpla, Origins, and 35 Years of GUNDAMUUUU!
- Thread starter Snaku
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nintendoman58
Member
Is HLJ a good place to order Gunpla? Because I ordered my first one on Ebay and got it for $20 more expensive than HLJ would have sold it to me.
I was initially planning on making an account there after that, but I decided to read up on some reviews for the site and they were...less than favourable.
So does anybody recommend HLJ? If not, which site is better?
I was initially planning on making an account there after that, but I decided to read up on some reviews for the site and they were...less than favourable.
So does anybody recommend HLJ? If not, which site is better?
I never ended up posting my haul from yesterdays trip to the used shop.
Shop reopened yesterday after being closed for two months. It's one of the famous 'kanteidan' used shops. I'm lucky to have two of them in my city. Used games, comics, models, figures, airsoft guns, porn... if it's otaku-y they'll carry it.
Got there at 3 and the place was packed. Didn't look like many had browsed the Gunpla section yet though. As I started browsing though I saw another guy nab a MG Crossbone X2 kit before I could! Oh the horror. Then at the end of the isle I found the X3. We gave each other an odd look before the Gunpla shopping battle continued.
One nice thing about this shop is they usually don't care if a kit is rare or was an exclusive. Whatever the price bandai marked on the box they discount off that (usually ~30% off list though sometimes more). They can be pretty stupid with prices sometimes though. I found a Thunderbolt RB-79 Ball kit there (was a Thunderbolt comic book exclusive) but the price was 2000¥ which is the same price you can get one new with comic on Amazon still. At this same kanteidan years ago they used to have a single pack of evergreen styrene strip priced at 4000¥ (usually costs like $2)
I nabbed a few other things. The most pricey was the Metal Gear Kotobukiya kit. I was stupid and never got it when it was new and now it's oop and they go for some pretty stupid prices. I figure 5500¥ is the cheapest I'll ever see the original issue (a black version is coming out soon iirc)
Well here's the lot (minus some aircraft kits I also picked up). Some of them aren't particularly rare but price was cheap.
After buying it all I threw it in the car and went back to see the rest of the store. Was looking at the gunpla section again and made a new friend (not X2 guy, he was gone). He used to work in the US for a few years so he started to speak to me in English. We talked gunpla for a while and exchanged email. Was nice to have someone to talk gunpla with. None of my local gaijin friends care about it.
HLJ is fine. I've placed a number of orders with them and never had problems. There's also Hobby Search if you don't trust HLJ.
Shop reopened yesterday after being closed for two months. It's one of the famous 'kanteidan' used shops. I'm lucky to have two of them in my city. Used games, comics, models, figures, airsoft guns, porn... if it's otaku-y they'll carry it.
Got there at 3 and the place was packed. Didn't look like many had browsed the Gunpla section yet though. As I started browsing though I saw another guy nab a MG Crossbone X2 kit before I could! Oh the horror. Then at the end of the isle I found the X3. We gave each other an odd look before the Gunpla shopping battle continued.
One nice thing about this shop is they usually don't care if a kit is rare or was an exclusive. Whatever the price bandai marked on the box they discount off that (usually ~30% off list though sometimes more). They can be pretty stupid with prices sometimes though. I found a Thunderbolt RB-79 Ball kit there (was a Thunderbolt comic book exclusive) but the price was 2000¥ which is the same price you can get one new with comic on Amazon still. At this same kanteidan years ago they used to have a single pack of evergreen styrene strip priced at 4000¥ (usually costs like $2)
I nabbed a few other things. The most pricey was the Metal Gear Kotobukiya kit. I was stupid and never got it when it was new and now it's oop and they go for some pretty stupid prices. I figure 5500¥ is the cheapest I'll ever see the original issue (a black version is coming out soon iirc)
Well here's the lot (minus some aircraft kits I also picked up). Some of them aren't particularly rare but price was cheap.
After buying it all I threw it in the car and went back to see the rest of the store. Was looking at the gunpla section again and made a new friend (not X2 guy, he was gone). He used to work in the US for a few years so he started to speak to me in English. We talked gunpla for a while and exchanged email. Was nice to have someone to talk gunpla with. None of my local gaijin friends care about it.
HLJ is fine. I've placed a number of orders with them and never had problems. There's also Hobby Search if you don't trust HLJ.
They're pretty good. You should also take a look at AmiAmi.
R
Retro_
Unconfirmed Member
Finished my HGUC Byarlant for now. I painted the red parts with a red Gundam Marker which didn't really work well. The red is all messy. I might strip the paint later on and go over it with some better brush paints. And I still need to do some panel lines some day.
HLJ is great and unlike many other Japanese webshops you can cancel orders there without many issues. I also like their private warehouse service.
HLJ is an awesome place to get models and supplies from. I order from them almost exclusively.
I shared some pictures of my favorite all time Armored Core model with EvilKatarn, might as well post the links here too.
http://glaurung.planet.ee/img/meka/fascinator01.jpg
http://glaurung.planet.ee/img/meka/fascinator02.jpg
I shared some pictures of my favorite all time Armored Core model with EvilKatarn, might as well post the links here too.
http://glaurung.planet.ee/img/meka/fascinator01.jpg
http://glaurung.planet.ee/img/meka/fascinator02.jpg
EvilKatarn
Member
You could still easily end up paying that $20 difference with shipping and customs.
But HLJ has been great for me. That private warehouse service of theirs is awesome.
What did the negative reviews say?
nintendoman58
Member
The negative reviews generally have complained about problems using PayPal on HLJ, pre-order problems (doesn't concern me though), and long-time shipping costs and problems.
Though thanks for the feedback everybody. I'll check out Ami Ami too though, and see which one has the better deal on the MG 00 Raiser, cause that's the one I want.
Nah, I've never read Unicorn. I don't read much Gundam anything. Is Unicorn even in English? I thought the way they handled
Ms Marida's past
And I dunno, having two Epyons running around years later seems kinda weird. I don't think the UC timeline is a bastion of good, hard sciencey things, but I do appreciate that as time goes on mechs become outdated. The general Gundam archetype persists in UC, but you aren't going to see Zeta Gundams being used fifty years down the road or whenever it is FT is being used.
I mean, what you said makes sense, and it certainly works with that pilot's dragon motif, too, but there's still just something weird about that.
\
I nabbed a few other things. The most pricey was the Metal Gear Kotobukiya kit. I was stupid and never got it when it was new and now it's oop and they go for some pretty stupid prices. I figure 5500¥ is the cheapest I'll ever see the original issue (a black version is coming out soon iirc)
Well here's the lot (minus some aircraft kits I also picked up). Some of them aren't particularly rare but price was cheap.
Oh wow, you got the Metal Gear kit for 5500? I think I normally see those with one more 0 on the end, haha. Super jealous of that.
Yeah, sometimes shipping fees in HLJ kinda irk me cuz you don't see them listed in your full order or what have you, but otherwise I've found the service completely useful and haven't had much in the way of a bad experience with them at all. Everything I've ordered from them has arrived in good condition and within the expected timeframe for which I paid.
Your guys' hatred for Unicorn is weird. It might be a little rushed in the middle and fan servicey but I think the quality and respect for the franchise is pretty apparent; it's been smarter about the UC than Tomino ever has been. We'll be lucky to have as talented a group of prior working on Gundam ever again in my opinion.
Who's attacking Unicorn?
Most of whats been posted the last two pages is me talking about how Unicorn as a novel had some serious shit in it and it was by no means universally praised when it was only in it's novel form.
As for duckroll, most of what he and a few agreed with was more basic criticism. No show is going to have a 100% rate of keeping everyone happy so I don't really see anything they said to be all that crazy.
As for duckroll, most of what he and a few agreed with was more basic criticism. No show is going to have a 100% rate of keeping everyone happy so I don't really see anything they said to be all that crazy.
There's a distinct lack of good suits around here, time to remedy that.
I still need to place the stickers, but it looks damn good already. For some reason the leg joins are stiffer than LaGOWE, which is much better for posing. 2 more of those to put together and Waltfeld's retinue will be complete. Thinking to get a couple action bases for them too.
I still need to place the stickers, but it looks damn good already. For some reason the leg joins are stiffer than LaGOWE, which is much better for posing. 2 more of those to put together and Waltfeld's retinue will be complete. Thinking to get a couple action bases for them too.
nintendoman58
Member
This is gonna seem REALLY weird watching this alongside Build Fighters, but...
Gundam 00 S1 - 1
This has a pretty similar premise to Dancougar Nova, another mecha show I'm watching, so I decided to watch this alongside it and see which one does it better.
So we have an organization that intends to end all wars by using wars itself. Unlike Dancougar that assists the weaker side in a war, these guys just stop everything. And the world's all: "Not sure if want...".
So many mixed opinions this one has, so I thought I'd watch it and form my own. All I hope is that it doesn't bore me to death.
Gundam 00 S1 - 1
This has a pretty similar premise to Dancougar Nova, another mecha show I'm watching, so I decided to watch this alongside it and see which one does it better.
So we have an organization that intends to end all wars by using wars itself. Unlike Dancougar that assists the weaker side in a war, these guys just stop everything. And the world's all: "Not sure if want...".
So many mixed opinions this one has, so I thought I'd watch it and form my own. All I hope is that it doesn't bore me to death.
I'm actually thinking that since I'm enjoying Zeta so much more this time around, I should rewatch 00 S1 sometime in the near future. I feel like I was harder on that show than I would be now.
He's really the worst. THE WORST.
There really is some gross, trying-too-hard shit in the Unicorn novels. Banagher's friends smoking meth at parties, women getting raped or threatened to be raped left and right, etc. It takes dark and gritty to ridiculous levels. The OVA has done a nice job of preserving the important parts of this (namely Marida's backstory) without turning into Ninja Scroll.
WOW. I had no idea. The OVAs don't include any of this stuff! (And thank goodness for that!)
See this is why I say Frozen can be salvaged. There is some great work sprinkled in it, and while it's not as good as Unicorn it can be made to be if it's edited and they take the good stuff and remove the bad.
nintendoman58
Member
I ended up saying "screw it" to the MG version of the 00 Raiser and went for the HG version instead. Much cheaper, and the only Gunpla I've ever built before was the HG Wing Gundam Zero, so I thought I'd build up my experience a bit.
How one likes a show is mostly derived from what they've watched before and what they were expecting. Perhaps you were finishing a much better show at the time and 00 S1 felt so inferior by comparison.
But now that your horizons have been broadened and you've experienced things that are probably far worse in your opinion, you might be able to look at 00 S1 with new fresh eyes.
How one likes a show is mostly derived from what they've watched before and what they were expecting. Perhaps you were finishing a much better show at the time and 00 S1 felt so inferior by comparison.
But now that your horizons have been broadened and you've experienced things that are probably far worse in your opinion, you might be able to look at 00 S1 with new fresh eyes.
I think the biggest question about Frozen Teardrop though, is whether "salvaging" it makes sense. With Unicorn, there's a huge installed base of older Gundam fans who appreciate the political intrigue and more "serious" tone with regards to mecha warfare. So those aspects could be retained and enhanced, while the more pulpy stuff which Tomino would be proud of could be toned down.
With Gundam Wing, I'm not sure that's the case. There isn't this huge fanbase asking for a sequel to Wing. The main appeal of Wing was to a younger teenage audience, the boys enjoying the cool silly robots and cool guys, the girls enjoying the pseudo-court intrigue with "princesses", "knights", etc while shipping all the guys in gay relationships. That audience probably isn't really there anymore, or if it is, they won't be automatically on board with a sequel just because it's Wing. They have other things now - the young boys of this generation grew up with SEED instead, and the girls have 00 to swoon over. Many fans who grew up with Wing also moved on to SEED and 00.
Don't really see a good reason for them to adapt it tbh. And I say this as a fan of Wing.
With Gundam Wing, I'm not sure that's the case. There isn't this huge fanbase asking for a sequel to Wing. The main appeal of Wing was to a younger teenage audience, the boys enjoying the cool silly robots and cool guys, the girls enjoying the pseudo-court intrigue with "princesses", "knights", etc while shipping all the guys in gay relationships. That audience probably isn't really there anymore, or if it is, they won't be automatically on board with a sequel just because it's Wing. They have other things now - the young boys of this generation grew up with SEED instead, and the girls have 00 to swoon over. Many fans who grew up with Wing also moved on to SEED and 00.
Don't really see a good reason for them to adapt it tbh. And I say this as a fan of Wing.
Actually I agree with with your post and don't see a need to adapt it.
I would agrue thought that there might be a fanbase that would support it. It seems very much that the Gunpla and designs still do quite wel and the series has held fairly well with it doing pretty good at times in the Gundam Ace polls like the big one they did for the 100th issue which had people vote on the best Gundam series.
Also the first two volumes of FT did extremely well and sold at or above Unicorn's first releases before the Anime was created. It did fall off, but the push for content seems to be there if it's met with quality product. Plus as much as G Gundam fans got out Build Fighters, there was alot of Wing stuff going on and Fience and Ricardo were constantly referencing Wing.
I think it's also hard to gauge if the west has truly moved on. Last year on April fools or whatever when Toonami brought Wing back for that one night I remember reading that it got a huge amount of people tuning into watch it. Granted Bandai would never do a series for the west, but if Wing could be done and move product (gunpla, figures and the like) and actually still perform well in the west? I could see them considering it. At the very least it would do far better then AGE did.
I think they could probably make money turning it into an OVA, but I probably wouldn't be interested in it myself.
It had a definitive ending and then a second, even more definitive ending. Best leave it in peace.
It is time for a G Gundam sequel! I just started Build Fighters and its all I can think of.
It had a definitive ending and then a second, even more definitive ending. Best leave it in peace.
It is time for a G Gundam sequel! I just started Build Fighters and its all I can think of.
If there is question of pushing for Wing which has done just as well in Japan, and far better world wide then G wouldn't even be on the table.
Wing would be worth doing a sequel for just for the international market.
G Gundam sequel would be fun but probably wouldn't do well at all. Might sell a ton of merch though.
Well a G Gunadm follow up would still do better then X, Turn A, and AGE so there is that at least.
I'd be all about a G Gundam sequel. Like, it'd almost be nice to have the Master Asia element removed because then the Shuffles could really go all out no holds barred or something. Or make Domon train a pupil and enter him in the next fight so that we don't have to have hilariously OP Domon dominating the whole thing.
If Build Fighters ever does get into a SRW game, though, G has to be right alongside it. A Domon and Reiji team up would be unbelievably hot blooded.
Also Mr. Ramba Ral versus Amuro would be stupid in the best way possible.
If Build Fighters ever does get into a SRW game, though, G has to be right alongside it. A Domon and Reiji team up would be unbelievably hot blooded.
Also Mr. Ramba Ral versus Amuro would be stupid in the best way possible.
When interviewed Sumisawa stated that Frozen Teardrop could be animated but it wasnt intended to be.
However he also said that an animated Wing follow up is something he wants to happen and that if anything FT would likely lead into saif follow up.
Mr.Ral vs Ramba Ral.
Tag team throwdown of Mr. Ral vs Ramba Ral and Master Chinan vs Master Asia for maximum confusion and masculinity.
Just make a Super Robot MAN Wars where only the manliest of men need do battle. Nobody without facial hair need apply.
OMG ADULTS SUCK SO MUCH has to be the most eye rolling thing about every series I've watched thus far.
Yeah, I can't say I'm enjoying this at all ATM. Handbrake turns in a car knocking multiple mobile suits over a cliff, Bright seemingly acquiring brain damage since Zeta and being tricked by zero G oranges, pretty much every battle being 70% fumbling. I get that it's supposed to be a bit goofier but everything seems a step back. Not gravitating to any of these characters either.
Yeah the adult thing is really bad, I won't even try to defend that. However you do get more insight into Judau and why he feels the way he does, and he really does start to grow and mature as time goes on.
Really just make it to the second half and you will be alot happier. Though Moon-Moon might just have you reaching for the noose so you can end the pain.
Again, once they're off Shangri-La is once things start to improve. I really didn't like the start of the show either. But even if you wind up watching all of it and hating it, there's a fair number out there who feel that way, too, so don't be too upset.
My best advice, really, is to expect nothing of it for awhile. ZZ's chief problem really is that it's a backloaded series in that respect.
donkey show
Member
Oh goodness...
R
Retro_
Unconfirmed Member
G gundam is perfect
Don't need a sequel to ruin it
Don't need a sequel to ruin it
Oh goodness...
Well okay then. That's going to haunt me.
nintendoman58
Member
Gundam 00 S1 - 2
So these guys are just gonna show up and blast everybody every time there's an armed conflict somewhere? Wow, Suzaku from Code Geass would at least give both sides a chance to surrender before wiping them out.
Seriously, all they need to do is announce "WE ARE CELESTIAL BEING. STOP THE CONFLICT NOW OR WE'LL RESPOND WITH FORCE."
It's like these guys are deliberately trying to antagonize themselves to stop wars by inducing fear. That's only going to get you more enemies than friends guys.
But even so, the action in the intervention scene was cool I guess. The Gundams in this show are pretty dang awesome looking.
So these guys are just gonna show up and blast everybody every time there's an armed conflict somewhere? Wow, Suzaku from Code Geass would at least give both sides a chance to surrender before wiping them out.
Seriously, all they need to do is announce "WE ARE CELESTIAL BEING. STOP THE CONFLICT NOW OR WE'LL RESPOND WITH FORCE."
It's like these guys are deliberately trying to antagonize themselves to stop wars by inducing fear. That's only going to get you more enemies than friends guys.
But even so, the action in the intervention scene was cool I guess. The Gundams in this show are pretty dang awesome looking.
nintendoman58
Member
Way ahead of you duckroll. I already ordered the HG 00 Raiser since I loved that thing in Gundam Musou 3.
That's not true love... you need the RG Exia!
nintendoman58
Member
Heh, perhaps another time. I'm still new to this Gunpla thing. The 00 Raiser is the second one I've bought, with the Wing Gundam Zero being the first. Gonna stick to HG for a little bit before going on to something else.
It does seem like that, doesn't it.
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