Women and Gunpura - Round 2

Perhaps a re-occuring topic at this blog.

Thanks to everyone who commented in that last post. I read my gf some of your comments and she was very surprised at a lot of your reactions because she thought that it was something normal to do. You give the people you care about something that they like for Christmas. It's really that simple to her. And I suppose it is to me too.

But some of you mentioned how your gf or mother dislikes the fact that you are into gunpura. And I started to wonder... what makes it such a bad hobby to begin with?

Is it too otaku? Would it be better if we built tanks or airplanes instead? Would that be more acceptable?

Even though I live in Japan I rarely outright tell people that I'm into Gunpura even though many people know what it is. I tell some of the men because I automatically become more 'Japanese' and thus more approachable. That works with women sometimes too because I usually get an automatic reference to their father or ex-bf or something.

I tend not to talk about it in public unless someone asks me directly. It seems as if there's a stigma attached to it at times?

Anyone else our there feel that way? One final question out there to all of you and I really want to hear your opinions on this.

Why on earth do so many women (regardless of race, culture or ethnicity) hate Gunpura so much?!

Finally a couple of up to date pics of my progress on my X-Mas models. Exia is finished. Just need two more LR41 batteries to finish off the GN Drive. Zplus C1 is getting there. Lotta pieces for that guy. Way more difficult build than the Exia but that should be expected considering it transforms.

Apparently my gf supports my hobby...

She got me these for Christmas. I was quite surprised actually! I thought she wanted me to do other things in my free time but then she goes ahead and does this!

She said that since I spend so much time looking at Gundams this was the best way to get me to think about her at the same time because she knows I'm going to associate these two with her. I think she remembers me telling her stories of how I 'dedicate' the Gundams I make to the people who have given me kits and I make them with those people in mind.

I asked her why she chose these two. This is what she said;

About Exia - She thought it was cool how it lights up and she knows I've been doing some work with LED's recently. She also watched the better part of Gundam 00 with me and it was her first Gundam series. She thought that Exia was the coolest one from the show and that it's design was quite different from the other Gundams I have around my place. She thought it would be good for me to have more variety. She also liked the shiny swords.

About Zplus C1 - She bought that on a whim while she was shopping for something else. She saw it and thought I'd definitely like that because 1. It transforms 2. It's colourless. 3. It has a big gun. Pretty simple!

Needless to say I was pleased and impressed with her choices! I guess she actually likes me!

I do believe that she bought these for me so that I'll think about her more and, in an odd way, I have to admit that I will.

I've already started on the Exia and I know what I'm going to do with it... Same with the Zplus I think. Still though... I haven't completely finished a model in some time! Hopefully I can keep my motivation but recently I've gotten it into my head just to build these kits first instead of keeping them in the box and then once they're all built I'll work on painting them one by one. I don't want any more unbuilt kits stacking up.

So a question to all of you out there who have gf's or wives. Do they support your hobby? Do they even care? or... Do they do it too?!

Well I guess that's it for me for 2009! Hope you all had a successful year and that 2010 will be even better!

Much peace and love! さようなら 2009!