MC Gundoom

Keeping it real. Keeping it faux. I know there's a lot of conflict about this issue and I'm going to say my piece about it as I'm building one of these things from Model Comprehend. Their **** is good. It's 1/144 scale and that's looking good to me so far just from comparing it to the Zee-Zulu which I think is around the same height. I don't know for sure. But I remember the Nu Gundam being very tall and that tall style of MS stayed through UC 93-96. I'm really impressed with the fact that they can almost get a whole inner leg frame in. It is like one of the higher quality HG's like the GM Custom for example. They're very close to a complete frame here.

HG Strike Freedom - 1 - Snap fit

The cool thing about the Strike Freedom, and I realized this while building the PG, is that it's completely symmetrical, outside of some minor differences in the beam rifles so that they can combine together.

It's an older HG and lacks some of the modern joint technology implemented in more modern HG's (see any of the Unicorn suits) but it's not really that bad.

My biggest problem is the proportions.  The feet seem too big and the face seems kind of childish.  It's hard to say what it is but it doesn't look that fierce to me.  That's something I hope to rectify later.

My standard build practice these days is to cut most of the pieces off the runners (outside of the really small ones that can get lost easily) and combine their respective halves together lightly, just so that they're easier to find later.  Gunpla building has taken on an essence of building a 3d puzzle for me.  After I'm done cutting everything out I sort them by section (legs, waist, torso etc.) and then look at the manual for what PC parts I'm supposed to use.

I want to get as much plastic out of the box as I can so it becomes less confusing for me as time goes on.  I hate searching through the runners looking at the letters wondering if I have the right one or not.  I just do it by eye now.  Easier and faster.

So here are some shots of the runners and some just for the sake of testing out my new camera.  As of this writing I've talked to my friend about what colours she wants to use and I've separated the parts accordingly.  She decides the colours but I'm going to do the scheme.  The next step is to prep the parts for painting.

Glad I can get a clear zoom in for a change.  LOVE this new camera!

Time to get rid of this stuff!  Takes up too much real estate in the box.

Look at that chin!  WAY too long.  Ridiculously long actually.  That needs to chopped down.  And I did chop it down.

Another angle.  Don't like this face much.  I think it's the cheek things.  And that chin has got to go.

OK not bad!  It's got potential.  Now to see if I can unlock it.

HG Strike Freedom - Preface

This might be coming out of the blue for a lot of my regular readers but let me explain. I have a Japanese friend who visits me occasionally and she always asks me what Gundams I want so she can bring them when she comes. I told her how expensive they are here and how I don't really want to buy them in Canada anymore.

When we met she said that she used to like watching me make them and didn't know that so much went into them. Since it was something that she's always associated with good times with me and it's something Japanese she really wants me to have them. That and the fact that she's just really kind... She's brought me two Jesta's, the Shenlong (which I actually kind of chose for her. She was born in the year of the dragon.) The Phantasy Star Eleanor model for myself and two for my sister (Shino and Whitill). This time she brought me the Zee Zulu, 1/144 Yellow Submarine hands, Kotobukiya Gattling Gun set and another MG that for now shall remain unnamed.

I orginally asked for the RG Mark.II but the release date was pushed back on the AEUG version and the Titan's version was sold out on the first day. Bad luck. One of the things I asked her to do this time was to think about a suit that she would like to pilot herself. Something she though she could see herself inside. Her original choice was the MG Wing Zero Custom. When she went back to buy it it was sold out. What a dissapointment. I would have loved to have built that one but maybe I'll have the choice to do it sometime down the road. Her second choice was this one. The Strike Freedom. She said she liked it because it was something that needed a 'special' pilot haha.

She had seen me working on the frame of the PG Strike Freedom (at that time I had just finished painting it gold and was fixing the one wing. Sephiroth mode as some of you may remember.) She has since seen the completed suit that I finished during the "Gauntlet" but it didn't register when she picked it out that the PG I was working on and that she was so familiar with was actually the same HG that she picked up. Either way its kind of fitting... And I was glad for the opportunity to see what type of a woman she is from her choice. I am more than happy to make another Strike Freedom but this one will be a monument to her.

I've already built the Gattling gun and the extra hands and have place them on my MG Mark II ver.2 and the Ecopla 1/144 Mark II. They're both great additions and I totally recommend them. The only problem with the hands is that they are very fragile (obviously) and it was kind of pain to get everything to stay in place while I assembled them. As such I used a bit of glue to stiffen them up but it worked to excess bonding the plastic and now I've lost of articulation in the hands! I don't want to fidget with them too much and risk breakage so I'm just content to leave them as they are right now. Totally worth it though, especially for the price.

I had started on the Zee Zulu already and am mid-way through that snap-fit but after I talked with her today I've decided to switch over to the HGSF. She said that I should be doing that one first because she want's to see it quickly haha. I told her that I'd do that one last but she said "ダメ"　so I changed my plan for her. She was just joking and didn't expect that I would do that but now she's happier and if she's happy I'm happy. That's probably something most of us men should keep in mind when dealing with women. If you can make them happy and it's not really an issue just do it. That kindness will come back to you later.

Anyways here are some pics and some shots of my new work area. I've decided to combine my laboratories together in order to increase productivity. A true lab is one that you can sleep in and I finally have that now. Again. Haven't really had a setup like this since I left Japan. Refinement. That's what it's all about.

New Camera Test Shots

Just got this thing. Fujifilm Finepix C10. Picked it up at Walmart, clearance $50 while I was shopping for a lamp and a fitness magazine (Stacy Keibler AND Sara Underwood?! OMG yes) So I thought why not? I lost my old one in September during a drunken rampage in downtown Toronto. Jumped from rooftop to rooftop in order to get to random house parties. Crazy night.

I can already tell that this camera is better than the GE I bought in Japan at double the price. Funny, buying an American camera in Japan and a Japanese camera in Canada. Blah.

Black, compact, efficient, simple and mostly importantly, quiet. I like it already. Check out the prelim shots. I can get the detail I want with the lighting I want. And it was all cheap. This is hand held. I haven't used the tripod yet. Default settings.

AGE 3 Designs

I like them! I wouldn't mind having any one of these as toys. I knew I'd like AGE 3 the best from when I first saw it years ago. It all really follows the traditional Gundam timeline from Gundam to Zeta to ZZ. The designs of each AGE suit are reminiscent of their corresponding UC equivalent. But then add 3 versions to each. Except for AGE 2, which is odd. It needs another version besides the Dubble Bullet. Anyways I'm looking forward the plamo versions!

Gundam AGE Mashup

This is probably my favourite configuration so far.

RG Gundam Mk-II Titans

I don't think it's fair that this comes with extra shoulder parts. I really wanted the AEUG version but now I'm not so sure... Is it worth it?

Robot Damashii Seravee Gundam GNHW/3G

Checked my blog at work and realized how inactive I've been.  It's pathetic.  But time... time time time.  And ease.  So I'm just going to take same shortcuts and start posting quicker stuff.  Just based on volume.  So quantity over quality right now but something is better than nothing.  Check this out!

Robot Damashii Seravee Gundam GNHW/3G

New Beginnings

I suppose it's appropriate. I do kind of feel like I'm starting over.

At the height of my Gunpla career I was living in Japan and working full time. I think having a full time job helped with my Gunpla. I had a routine and I was always working on something. Be it assembling a new kit or painting another one. I'd do a little bit each night before I went to sleep. Kind of a thing to relax and unwind a bit before wrapping up the day.

Yet sometimes it did the exact opposite. Sometimes I'd get like a fever and really want to finish something and I'd just keep going and the time would fly by. That's the dangerous side of this I guess. In my case I can't finish until the entire section I've allotted for myself is complete. Like a checkpoint. And then after that I'd want to re-assemble things to see how it looks... and then I'd want to do a bit more and on and on. It can be brutal.

During the past year it's been pretty crazy. A lot of ups and downs and getting used to things and re-acclimation and whatever. Life and Gunpla are intertwined. At least in my case and my life is constantly changing so naturally the Gunpla follows suit. Actually, let's not say "changing". Let's say "evolving". Which brings me to my next project. I've decide that it's going to be the 1/100 HG Endless Waltz Heavyarms Custom.

Now from looking at this picture I can already tell a couple of things. They left some stuff out that you can find in the MG version of this. Specifically all the missile pods on the waist. They just aren't on this model.

I'll be starting a new job soon. It's my first full time job since I've been back... so hopefully it will bring a return of normalcy and routine back to my life. I'm been living for a year as a Ronin and it's kind of nice to have a master to serve again. I know it sounds strange to say that but there it is. Plus this is my first real job I've had in my home country. I hope everything works out but I'm nothing if not flexible.

Anyway after seeing all the images on the net recently of the new MG Heavyarms, I decided to pull my own out and take a look at it again. It kind of symbolizes what's been going on with me recently. Not quite complete. Not new. Semi discarded... very cheap but I'll find a way to make the most of it. Making 1 and 1 = 3 somehow. Realize what you have and make the most of it instead of always striving for the next and newest thing. Flies in the face of convention I know but consider it... This was isn't for everyone but it is for me.  I like this "Mecha Recycling". In the meantime I've been transporting the Gundams that I re-assemble to the display area in the basement. That's basically the process. There are only a few left in my room now.

Here are my sword fighters.

1/100 Red Frame - The Vangaurd

OYW Gundam with MG Red Frames swords.  2nd kit I ever painted, right after 1/100 Red Frame.

Musha still waits for his turn in the sun.  Only the frame work is done on him.

Asianskill1 this is all your fault.  If I hadn't seen your MG Heavyarms I probably wouldn't have went downstairs to grab my own.

This is one of the few Gundams that comes with an alternate face and I go and lose both of them.

I bought this guy when I was about 20 while in Buffalo, New York.  I was at a shop called Target.  We don't have those in Canada but apparently that's all about the change next month.  I got him for a really good price too.  Comparable to what I'd pay in Japan... but that was a different time.  A different era economically.

At first I was just going to do a simple clean up of this guy.  As in dust him off, re-assemble, pose and put him in the display case but as I was working with him I realized that it'd be very simple to make him look really good.  My skills now are light years beyond what I knew when I was 20.

This guy is just an HG and an old one at that.  It'd be very easy to disassemble him and spruce him up in just about every area.  Joint range, seam lines, details, panel lines and naturally I'm going to recolour him.  And yes... face fabrication.

I look at him with new, older and wiser eyes now.  Eyes that have evolved with time and experience.  New but old.  Old but new again.  Maybe some things are just timeless

Ah... I'm adrift in time. I just finished FFXIII-2 today.  What a time traveling mind **** that was!  But such a beautiful beautiful game!  Actually since I'm here let me drop some candy for the fans.

Anyway since that's done and I destroyed Skyrim I have nothing really to play until Mass Effect 3.  Which I'll get for sure but maybe after this guy is done.  No need to rush.  The games will always be there later. (Man I am getting old.)

But for now I just want to have fun with Gunpla again.  I don't care so much about what happened in the past.  The past will always be there but the present demands your attention. 

It's time to just live in the moment and work towards the goals in the future.  Starting here.

Sinanju "Ver.Ka" Poster

Trying to scan these things and I want a proper archive of them here.  Blogger won't let me upload the full file size (3200x2400) and re-sizes it down to 1600x1200.  I don't really want to keep them on my Flickr because access to that is temporary.  Oh well.  I'll think of something.

Just talking - Early Feb 2012

Well it's been a year since I've been back and I have to admit that I'm kind of surprised at the amount of gunpla I've managed to get in since I've been back. It really helps to have so many unfinished kits to work on.

Granted I’m not always doing gunpla stuff... I spent most of my time looking at other people's work but gunpla has definitely been a consistent thing during the past year. Off and on. There’s always something to work on.

Recently it’s been trying to improve my photo taking ability and that really hasn’t worked out so well due to my lighting situation and generally how I like to take shots. I generally do it with one lamp light and it tends to flood the shot and cause some saturation making things 'glow'. Maybe there are some settings on my camera for it but... yeah.

My talent is in making models not photographing them. I can’t be bothered with the setup. I’m kind of a guerrilla photographer like that. I want to get the angles, the poses, keep my hands steady and go for it. I don't like spending a lot of time setting things up. It’s hard to get the angles I want with a tripod (even though I have one) so it all comes down to a cool hand in my case. What makes matters worse is that I generally shoot low light shots which just compounds the damage. What to do... Oh well.

Here’s a shot that I quite like of the White Demon and Ebon Enforcer, plus some shots of Elenor and Shino combination mode I called Elenor Assault Setting. Painting will be happening on both kits sooner than later. My sister said she wants my pink armour parts because she wants to go for purple and pink would be a good base for that. If I can keep the blue parts I may keep most of it as is and just do some highlights, detailing and panel lining. We're both gonna sit on the idea for a bit.

hm.. same camera but different light settings.  It's definitely my lighting setup that's the problem.

Got something planned for the dark face too.

A bit blurry and saturated.  Can't quite get it right with this lamp.

Jestas 2 - Main Assembly Complete

All done and it was a lot of fun.  Prepping the parts wasn't so enjoyable but it has to be done.  Nubs all over my clothes.  On the desk.  In the box.  On the table.  On the carpet.  Sanding.  Blah.  Messy.

But it was a nice opportunity to enjoy listening to music, talking to friends or family, watching stuff on TV.  Sometimes I wonder if it's not the Gundam's so much as being able to do the other things at the same time.

No way.  It's the Gundam's!  But it really is such a relaxing hobby sometimes...  I've learned a lot of stuff while building Gundam's and goodness knows it helps with women because they can just keep talking and I can actually pay attention to what they're saying because I'm doing something else at the same time.  Weird how that works.  Can't give a woman your full attention.  That's just ridiculous! (jk to all my female readers.)

Anyways, onward!  To the pics!

After the cleaning I brought out all the parts and organized them by section.  Guess work but when you've built as many Gundam's as I have this part is actually pretty easy.

Very fun!  Trying to think of names and which one is going to be #1 and which one is going to be #2.  Hard to decide since they were both made at exactly the same time and parts from either box have been intermixed.

Oh yeah!  Alternate configuration.  Ngee and I don't have anything in common there.  I NEVER want to do it the standard way like it is on the box.  I'm going to switch it up if I can.  I need to do it my way.

U.C. 0096 Big Boss.  I have 6 suits from that era now and they are all GREAT.

Tag Team Champions

Sinanju vs. Jestas x2.  Who wins?

Yes!

 Totally worth it!!!

Jestas - 1: Pre-production

Alright time to get started. For this build I've decided to just cut everything off of the runners first and then sort out the details later.  Here are shots of all the parts plus the runners they came from.

Ho ho this one is made in Japan.  Kotobukiya stuff is made in China.  At least that's what I learned from building Elenor.

Here are all the Jesta parts, minus polycaps and poly hands.

All parts for both Jestas

Quite a mass of plastic here...  Next step is to remove the nubs.  Gonna scrape and sand all of these.

In the meantime stored in the Crown Royal bag.  Hope I don't lose anything!  If I do... serves me right for doing it like this.

I did do a fair bit of work tonight while watching a special about Morgan Freeman's life.  Quite inspirational.  You know that guy didn't really become successful until he was in his 50's!  I know all of us are relatively young so that just goes to show you... life can have a lot in store down the road.  Our best days might actually be ahead of us!

More to come.