kpnuts Posted March 28, 2020 Share Posted March 28, 2020 Hi all, as a little light relief from the Cutty Sark I wanted to build something I've never done before, has anyone built a robot before. I've ordered a gundam from bandai (the last of their kits I built was the Pendle princess and the rolls Royce balloon car) (both amazing kits) sadly no longer produced. If this kit is any where near as good as those kits were it will be great. I intending to do it (as I love all things old and rusty) neglected in a field somewhere. Looking forward to its arrival. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peteski Posted March 29, 2020 Share Posted March 29, 2020 I know Gundam is and can't wait to see it built. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fat Brian Posted March 29, 2020 Share Posted March 29, 2020 Gundams are the hot new models for the younger folks. I haven't seen one that strikes my fancy, a little too anthropomorphic and not machine enough, but I would love some decent sized mechs from the Battletech universe. The game pieces are a bit too small to have the shelf impact I'm looking for. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete J. Posted March 29, 2020 Share Posted March 29, 2020 Gundams have been around for a very long time. I picked up several for my son when I was in Japan 20 years ago. I still have a couple of the Master grade kits that I haven't built. They have five differant grades of kit. The higher the grade the more complex and the higher the cost with the Real Grade at the top of the heap. You can really let your imagination run wild on these thing with colors, finishes, battle damage or weathering. I understand why the younger modeler love these. There are several cartoon series that use them as characters. The Transformers are an evolution of the Gundam series. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StevenGuthmiller Posted March 29, 2020 Share Posted March 29, 2020 I know what they are, and I don't get it. Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kpnuts Posted March 29, 2020 Author Share Posted March 29, 2020 This is the one I've ordered. I thought they were autobots at first , I can see why youngsters like them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David G. Posted March 29, 2020 Share Posted March 29, 2020 It seems to me that they've always been there in some form or another. In the 70's we had Shogun Warriors action figures, they were about 2 feet tall. Most of them had little plastic missiles that could be shot from spring-loaded launchers. Many also had a detachable body part that act as a scout or escape vehicle. In the eighties, I remember seeing updated 5 or 6 inch die cast versions. Shogun Warriors, Transformers and Gundam, there definitely seems to be a connection. David G. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bbowser Posted March 29, 2020 Share Posted March 29, 2020 5 hours ago, StevenGuthmiller said: I know what they are, and I don't get it. Steve Me either, but then again they're not aimed at me! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vintagerpm Posted March 29, 2020 Share Posted March 29, 2020 Gundam are a type of mecha - human controlled machines. Those machines are usually humanoid looking. Gundam is from a specific Japanese anime call Mobile Suit Gundam. Mecha anime are very popular in Japan. Most Gundam kits are made to not require glue or painting (but usually do look better painted). BTW, the Bandai kit engineering is amazing. Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slusher Posted March 29, 2020 Share Posted March 29, 2020 7 hours ago, StevenGuthmiller said: I know what they are, and I don't get it. Steve I don’t get it myself Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cobraman Posted March 29, 2020 Share Posted March 29, 2020 Nothing I am interested in but if gets the younger folks building then I am all for it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete J. Posted March 29, 2020 Share Posted March 29, 2020 9 hours ago, StevenGuthmiller said: I know what they are, and I don't get it. Steve 3 hours ago, bbowser said: Me either, but then again they're not aimed at me! 1 hour ago, slusher said: I don’t get it myself Just like the car builder don't get the fascination with tanks or the aircraft guys don't get ship builders. For some reason modelers in Japan have a huge group of Sci Fi/fantasy builders. I suspect it comes from their "saturday morning" cartoons. If you ever watched power rangers or transformers shows as a kid, there is a steady diet of that for kids growing up in Japan. That is why Bandi has multiple grades so kids can build the basic kits and then as the grow up they get progressively more complex and expensive kits. It is a great marketing strategy. I liked them because I couldn't get my son to sit still long enough to build a car or an airplane but the snap kit Gundams were something he could put together and then go play with. He is thirty something and has a 4 year old himself. I am going to get them a simple kit to build and help him build a relationship with his son. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StevenGuthmiller Posted March 29, 2020 Share Posted March 29, 2020 1 minute ago, Pete J. said: Just like the car builder don't get the fascination with tanks or the aircraft guys don't get ship builders. I actually get all of that. I can understand the desire to build aircraft, military and nautical subjects, especially if you have some sort of historical connection to them. But Ships, planes and tanks are real things. To me, these things are no different than when I used to paint Dungeons and Dragons figurines for kicks when I was a kid. Great fun if you are into painting figurines, but I don't know if I would lump it into the model category. Not everything that needs painting and assembly is automatically a "scale model". Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
89AKurt Posted March 29, 2020 Share Posted March 29, 2020 It's what comes out of my mouth, during allergy season, when I swear. ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fat Brian Posted March 29, 2020 Share Posted March 29, 2020 2 hours ago, StevenGuthmiller said: Not everything that needs painting and assembly is automatically a "scale model". Steve The Enterprise and Bigfoot don't exist either and they make models of them. When you grow up on Transformers and Voltron and Mechwarrior video games you get it. I was building big stompy robots out of Legos before I ever saw a model kit of anything. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JollySipper Posted March 29, 2020 Share Posted March 29, 2020 I would like to see some models of characters that were in a show on Cartoon Network..... the show was called "Symbionic Titan".... There were some smaller robot-mecha suits that when combined made this much larger and more powerful robot..... It was a cool show, but only lasted one season.... They make models of the starships from my favorite anime show "Cowboy Bebop"...... I think the same company that does the Gundams also does the starships... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StevenGuthmiller Posted March 29, 2020 Share Posted March 29, 2020 (edited) 57 minutes ago, Fat Brian said: The Enterprise and Bigfoot don't exist either and they make models of them. When you grow up on Transformers and Voltron and Mechwarrior video games you get it. I was building big stompy robots out of Legos before I ever saw a model kit of anything. Well sure. Anything that requires assembly and painting could technically be considered a "model". I suppose you could consider a shelving unit from Ikea a model if it fits your definition. I just hope we don't start seeing Ikea furniture at model shows. I suppose I should drag out some of my old Dungeons and Dragons stuff and enter them in the next show that I attend. Steve Edited March 29, 2020 by StevenGuthmiller Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sandboarder Posted March 31, 2020 Share Posted March 31, 2020 On 3/30/2020 at 3:07 AM, StevenGuthmiller said: To me, these things are no different than when I used to paint Dungeons and Dragons figurines for kicks when I was a kid. Great fun if you are into painting figurines, but I don't know if I would lump it into the model category. Not everything that needs painting and assembly is automatically a "scale model". Steve It’s the Japanese version of Star Wars. It’s 40 years old and Bandai produce amazing kits that make AMT and Revell look like garbage. If you think building an ikea flat pack compares then I dare you to buy and build a Gundam kit manufactured in the last 5 years. Go buy a 30 minute missions kit as they’re new and cheap. Dont be scare to try try something new. It might make you realise why they are gaining popularity. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jantrix Posted March 31, 2020 Share Posted March 31, 2020 My son is 27 and he loves these things. There are really well engineered, the fit/finish on them is phenominal. The go together REALLY well. For those on Facebook, check out a page called Weathered Models and you'll some folks doing amazing work with these Gundam kits. As the scale auto section of my local hobby shop has shrunk, the section for these has tripled in size. I'm with Ray, whatever gets folks building. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StevenGuthmiller Posted March 31, 2020 Share Posted March 31, 2020 1 hour ago, Sandboarder said: It’s the Japanese version of Star Wars. It’s 40 years old and Bandai produce amazing kits that make AMT and Revell look like garbage. If you think building an ikea flat pack compares then I dare you to buy and build a Gundam kit manufactured in the last 5 years. Go buy a 30 minute missions kit as they’re new and cheap. Dont be scare to try try something new. It might make you realise why they are gaining popularity. I'm not afraid of them, I just never have, and never will take any interest in Power Rangers, that's all. Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Bartrop Posted March 31, 2020 Share Posted March 31, 2020 I got into these Japanese sci fi kits mostly for the designs. I tend to prefer the more machinelike designs, and if if your tastes run that way there are the old Macross kits. Sure, they have the planes that turned into robots, but there were also some that looked like they stepped right out of a Chris Foss painting. I liked the Votoms battle suit because it looked like someone actually tried to design a big walking tank. And speaking of walking tanks, there's the Dorvack series. Another one that looks halfways plausible. And then there's the SF3D series, who's look seems to have been based on the premise, "What if the Wehrmacht had giant robots?" I do have a couple of the Gundam ships, and those look pretty nice. If you want an auto connection, Syd Mead designed some of them. He also redesigned the space cruiser Yamato for Yamato 2530 So there's a lot more to this than Power Rangers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kpnuts Posted March 31, 2020 Author Share Posted March 31, 2020 A little bit of research and I can say these are definitely scale models I have seen some amazing builds that would put some armour builds to shame. I've not recieved the kit yet but it seems extremely unfair to compare them to IKEA flat packs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sandboarder Posted April 1, 2020 Share Posted April 1, 2020 11 hours ago, StevenGuthmiller said: I'm not afraid of them, I just never have, and never will take any interest in Power Rangers, that's all. Steve I wasn’t and fan of Power Rangers either. I guess we have that in common but I do not enjoy sanding and reworking bad kits. When I’m paying $70 Australian for a AMT 57 Chevy compared to a 2010 Bandai Master Grade kit with ZERO moulds lines and no need to sand. I know what’s more fun for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sandboarder Posted April 1, 2020 Share Posted April 1, 2020 5 hours ago, kpnuts said: I've not recieved the kit yet but it seems extremely unfair to compare them to IKEA flat packs +1 very unfair indeed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StevenGuthmiller Posted April 1, 2020 Share Posted April 1, 2020 (edited) 5 hours ago, kpnuts said: A little bit of research and I can say these are definitely scale models I have seen some amazing builds that would put some armour builds to shame. I've not recieved the kit yet but it seems extremely unfair to compare them to IKEA flat packs I wasn't really "comparing" them to Ikea furniture. I was comparing them more so to Dungeons and Dragons, or any other figure, which is an absolutely fair comparison. If not, I would need someone to explain the difference to me. My reference to Ikea was merely my attempt to make the point that just because something requires assembly, it's not necessarily automatically a "model". A great deal of the Dungeons and Dragons figurines that I used to paint were comprised of a few parts that required being glued together, but I wouldn't consider them "models". They were "figurines". The painting was the skill required. I understand that some of these "models" require much more assembly than a few parts, and I get that. I recently attended a show that had a table set up for "figures" which included Gundam. My first thought upon looking at some of these "figures" was that there was virtually no assembly involved at all. There were several different resin animal heads mounted on pedestals that consisted of 2 parts, the head and the pedestal. That in my opinion is not "modeling". Chris made the statement that Bandai produces kits that make AMT or Revell look like garbage. Well sure, it's a lot easier to produce a kit that requires no accuracy whatsoever. Bandai doesn't have to craft something that looks exactly like a '69 Camaro, a Tiger tank or a P-51 Mustang. They can just make it up as they go along, so I'm not convinced that is a fair comparison to make at all. So I guess that we can call it even. Steve Edited April 1, 2020 by StevenGuthmiller Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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