The Gundams A Go-Go Thread

[Real G]

I moved the Gundam into the "Magic Pot", so it would be stabler.  I still have not gotten around to repairing the leg, as I have been too wiped out after work to get any modeling done.  I did go out and buy some hexagonal brass rod to replace the broken plastic one.

The lesson I learned was:  Never take a big, heavy resin kit to a contest.  It will not travel well and will most certainly get damaged in transit.  The next Gundam type model I take to a contest will have moveable joints and be able to be disassembled for transit.  Oh yeah, and I have to stop procrastinating!

I'll let you guys in on a secret scratchbuild project:



There are resin kits of this available, but I want to make my own "full-boogie" model.  It will be poseable, and most importantly, be able to break down for transport.

I have the Kotobukiya resin kit, but it is a different variation of the same subject:







As you can see, it's a totally different beast compared to the TV version.

[406 Silverado]

I really hate to hear about what happened to your build Neal but was glad to hear that you had a great time at the show. That "Neo-Geo" kit looks awesome man. I really get quite a kick out of this thread.

[Medicman71]

[Real G]

Aug 30, 2023 8:48:29 GMT -5 406 Silverado said:

I really hate to hear about what happened to your build Neal but was glad to hear that you had a great time at the show. That "Neo-Geo" kit looks awesome man. I really get quite a kick out of this thread.

Well, "stuff" happens.  I have never gone stag to a contest, ever, but there is a first time for everything as Commander Spock once said.  It might be age catching up, as last year I entered a model but did not place.  I was roadkill actually.  And now this year I fail to even show up.  I'd better give myself a big KUTA and get back on track.

Yeah, I consider the Neo Geo to be the pinnacle of Makoto Kobayashi's outrageous design work.  To paraphrase Mantis from Guardians of the Galaxy "The pumpkin-shaped Gundam is so bulky and bizarre it makes me want to die!!!"

[Real G]

Aug 30, 2023 11:30:26 GMT -5 Medicman71 said:

Hey hey hey, feet off the coffee table young man!  And you dropped a popcorn into the couch!

[Medicman71]

Aug 30, 2023 12:58:39 GMT -5 Real G said:

Aug 30, 2023 11:30:26 GMT -5 Medicman71 said:

Hey hey hey, feet off the coffee table young man!  And you dropped a popcorn into the couch!

Sorry I got excited!!!

[406 Silverado]

Aug 30, 2023 12:57:29 GMT -5 Real G said:

Aug 30, 2023 8:48:29 GMT -5 406 Silverado said:

I really hate to hear about what happened to your build Neal but was glad to hear that you had a great time at the show. That "Neo-Geo" kit looks awesome man. I really get quite a kick out of this thread.

Well, "stuff" happens.  I have never gone stag to a contest, ever, but there is a first time for everything as Commander Spock once said.  It might be age catching up, as last year I entered a model but did not place.  I was roadkill actually.  And now this year I fail to even show up.  I'd better give myself a big KUTA and get back on track.

Yeah, I consider the Neo Geo to be the pinnacle of Makoto Kobayashi's outrageous design work.  To paraphrase Mantis from Guardians of the Galaxy "The pumpkin-shaped Gundam is so bulky and bizarre it makes me want to die!!!"

That happened to me too Neal. I took 11 to the Nats.....not one of 'em placed. I've gotta say....the competition was indeed fierce.

[deafpanzer]

This is the first time for me to see resin upgrade set for a Gundam kit! I am definitely going to follow this too.

[Real G]

Aug 31, 2023 10:05:56 GMT -5 deafpanzer said:

This is the first time for me to see resin upgrade set for a Gundam kit! I am definitely going to follow this too.

Deafpanzer,

There ARE resin upgrade and conversion kits, but the Kotobukiya Neo Geo is a complete kit.  The Bandai kit next to it is the TV version that appeared in Zeta Gundam.  It offers a striking comparison between an artist's unfiltered interpretation and what the TV execs finally allow on screen.  Kobayashi also designed the Baund Doc, again from Zeta Gundam, and the differences are even more marked.

[Real G]

Aug 30, 2023 15:09:02 GMT -5 406 Silverado said:

Aug 30, 2023 12:57:29 GMT -5 Real G said:

Well, "stuff" happens.  I have never gone stag to a contest, ever, but there is a first time for everything as Commander Spock once said.  It might be age catching up, as last year I entered a model but did not place.  I was roadkill actually.  And now this year I fail to even show up.  I'd better give myself a big KUTA and get back on track.

Yeah, I consider the Neo Geo to be the pinnacle of Makoto Kobayashi's outrageous design work.  To paraphrase Mantis from Guardians of the Galaxy "The pumpkin-shaped Gundam is so bulky and bizarre it makes me want to die!!!"

That happened to me too Neal. I took 11 to the Nats.....not one of 'em placed. I've gotta say....the competition was indeed fierce.

Yeah, it's happening.  The way models are detailed and finished today are way more advanced compared to back in the 1970-1980 era.  A black wash followed by a dry brushing just won't cut it anymore.  The aftermarket has exploded to the point where you could endlessly search for that perfect part.  I recall the days where Waldron, Verlinden, Microscale, and the railroad section of the hobby shop were pretty much all the aftermarket there was.  And the newer kits form a far better starting point than those old, clunky semi-accurate ones from 50 years ago.  And with the internet, we have no excuse for missing any tiny details.  As Rodney Dangerfield used to say, it's tough I tell ya, it's really tough.

[Real G]

Aug 30, 2023 13:08:23 GMT -5 Medicman71 said:

Aug 30, 2023 12:58:39 GMT -5 Real G said:

Hey hey hey, feet off the coffee table young man!  And you dropped a popcorn into the couch!

Sorry I got excited!!!

No worries.  Now, mom will be by shortly to serve the drinks.  Remember to keep the glass on the provided coaster.  

[Medicman71]

Aug 31, 2023 12:39:15 GMT -5 Real G said:

Aug 30, 2023 13:08:23 GMT -5 Medicman71 said:

Sorry I got excited!!!

No worries.  Now, mom will be by shortly to serve the drinks.  Remember to keep the glass on the provided coaster.  

[Real G]

Here you go sweetie:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=HRT1wYh7pQI

[Real G]

I am happy to report that the Super ZZ has been repaired and is standing on its own. I still need to add some chipping and dirt.

[dupes]

Holy smokes. It's NEAL! I remember you back from FSM a million years ago! I also remember that you sent me a bunch of built/partially built Gundam kits one time. Those were totally the gateway drug to my (now almost 10 year old) boy when he was six. He's a building FIEND now...cranks out way more kits then I could possibly have time to. I'll have to try to get pics!

[Real G]

Heya Dupes!  Wow, that seemed like such a long time ago!

I am glad to have contributed to your son's delinquency.  I'm the Model Devil.  It's what I do.  

[buddho]

Awesome build ...love the finish on this one.

[Real G]

Thanks Buddho!

Resin kits are mostly paint job, since they tend to be in larger chunks with detail already incorporated into them.  Figuring out how to join the parts is the other half of the job, but that work is invisible when the model is done.

[deafpanzer]

Looking real good!!! Now I want that gun too...

[Real G]

Sept 28, 2023 8:03:07 GMT -5 deafpanzer said:

Looking real good!!! Now I want that gun too...

It's called "cross contamination"!  

There is a bootleg kit still available, but they molded the PE fret in resin, which looks lousy.      I'm not sure what other simplifications they did to the original kit to make it "their own".  I hate recasters, but it's a tough call when they offer a 30 year old OOP kit that can no longer be found.  I recently bought a recast kit of something I wanted back in the 1990s.  It looks to be well (re)cast, but I will not be posting any photos of it out of respect for the original manufacturer.

[Real G]

Here's a pic of the gun, after a little accident. The energy pack broke off, so I had to reattach it.







I REALLY need to put the finishing touches on this guy and move on!

[Real G]

I figured out a way to transport the model to the local model meeting this weekend.  I used rolled up bubble wrap to secure the shoulders, and placed the enormous feet into a tray that was itself blocked in using more bubble wrap.  I still drove carefully over speed bumps and avoided .9G turns.  



It's still only 99% complete - I need to add the eyes, scratch up the lower areas a bit, and get some dirt on those shoes.









Looks like he's about ready to play Black Sabbath's "The Mob Rules"...


I really need to upgrade my photo backdrop.  I'll be headed to the local graphics store for a new airbrush hose, so I'll pick up some fresh Foamcore board.  I wonder if they have a cyan or light blue?

[deafpanzer]

Catching up here after being away for a week. I really love what you have done here! Now I am tempted to give it a try to build a Gundam or one of those Ma.K kits one day!!!!

[stikpusher]

Neal, that is some gorgeous work! Your weathering on this guy is awesome.

[Real G]

Deafpanzer,



Yes... YES! Enter the rabbit hole if you dare! Ha-ha! But seriously, this whole anime mecha thing has given me the most modelling fun since Luftwaffe 1946. There is so much to choose from: Gundam (giant space robots), Macross (F-14 Tomcats with arms and legs), Patlabor (sleek civilian working-class mechs), Mak (stubby grubby powered suits)... and that's not even touching the lesser-known properties like Five Star Stories, Dougram, Megazone 23, Dunbine, etc. The variety is endless.

[Real G]

Thanks Carlos!  I really hope this gives me a kick to the heinie to get more stuff done!

[mz3]

Oct 16, 2023 14:02:44 GMT -5 Real G said:

Deafpanzer,



Yes... YES! Enter the rabbit hole if you dare! Ha-ha! But seriously, this whole anime mecha thing has given me the most modelling fun since Luftwaffe 1946. There is so much to choose from: Gundam (giant space robots), Macross (F-14 Tomcats with arms and legs), Patlabor (sleek civilian working-class mechs), Mak (stubby grubby powered suits)... and that's not even touching the lesser-known properties like Five Star Stories, Dougram, Megazone 23, Dunbine, etc. The variety is endless.

Literally scratching the surface. It's a rabbit hole that one may never return from.

[Real G]

Not much happening here due to work and stuff, but I just got this in:



So this Japanese model magazine Dengeki Hobby started an offshoot Gundam series called Advance of Zeta (AoZ), where they take mobile suits from the TV show Zeta Gundam and give them makeovers that make it hard to tell where the head and butt are.  Okay that's my personal opinion, but some of the designs get really crazy and overcomplicated looking.  But some of the modified suits still retain a recognizable form, and one of them is the Hobby Hi-Zack.  The Hobby Hi-Zack has the updated AoZ look, but is still very much a Hi-Zack.

The Hobby Hi-Zack is a de-militarized mobile suit, for commercial and private use (imagine having your very own Giant Robot!).  But I don't care for the gaudy paint scheme, so I plan on "re-militarizing" it by painting it in greens and giving it weapons.

[Real G]

The distractions keep coming in the mail:







When this kit was first announced, I was crushed that it was one of those P Bandai on-line exclusives, and that we here in the US could not get it.  But thankfully Bandai has decided that taking our money was not so bad after all, and set up US on-line access to these kits.

So why the jubilation over an odd-looking mobile suit with a weirdly long proboscis?  Because this was one of the early MSV (Mobile Suit Variation) designs penned by the original creator Kunio Okawara.  I became a huge fan of these MSVs the moment I saw them back in the early 1980s.  They took the original TV show designs and gave them a more distinctly military look, which sounds silly today, but I feel was instrumental in the evolution of the "Real Robot" genre in Japanese anime.  Plus I also love anything Zaku, which the Gouf was based on.  And my favorite character from the original TV show was Ramba Ral, who piloted a Gouf.

I must have been so excited that I fell asleep on the instructions last night and left a nice, big crease.     Too much excitement no doubt.  So anyway, the kit is based on the 1/100 scale Master Grade Zaku 2.0, which is what MZ3 built in his awesome thread.  The Prototype Gouf uses most of the Zaku's underpinnings with new exterior armor parts.  I like the overall design, but two areas I am thinking of tinkering with are the backpack and left arm.  The Prototype Gouf has a normal arm without the 5x 75mm gun "fingers" of the standard Gouf.  I am thinking of making something "in between", like an add-on pack or something.

"A Gouf without finger machine guns is not a Gouf, boy!

Not a Gouf!"

[mz3]

BUILD IT!!!