H3KnucklesBut we decide which is rightand which is an illusion.Registered Userregular
edited March 2018
Whenever I looked into Macross models or figures, the prices just seemed insane compared to gunpla of comparable scale/detail. I haven't really looked into model kits enough to know if gunpla is just an aberration of low prices brought on by economy of scale, or if Macross just has a crazy mark-up, but even the non-transforming OG destroids that served as the basis for a lot of Battletech's early designs seemed expensive.
Whenever I looked into Macross models or figures, the prices just seemed insane compared to gunpla of comparable scale/detail. I haven't really looked into model kits enough to know if gunpla is just an aberration of low prices brought on by economy of scale, or if Macross just has a crazy mark-up, but even the non-transforming OG destroids that served as the basis for a lot of Battletech's early designs seemed expensive.
It's licensing. Bandai owns Gundam, so they don't have to pay any rights for making Gundam model kits. Kotubokia on the other hand doesn't own the rights to Zoids, which is why a similar sized zoid kit is more expensive.
All I can figure on Macross is that whomever owns the license in Japan really charges a lot for it. Which is a shame. I will say that the VF-25 series by Bandai transforms really well (if a bit complicated). But they don't really look like the original VF-1's. And they become bricks when you add the Super Parts to them. It's a great looking brick, but it's too difficult to transform or make stand on its own now.
I kind of want to get another scope dog kit at some point.
The other one besides the red shoulder custom I already have.
I bet I can do a better job getting it put together this time too.
+1
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H3KnucklesBut we decide which is rightand which is an illusion.Registered Userregular
edited March 2018
Speaking of Yamato, they have a 1/60th Destroid Tomahawk (in olive drab)...
and Destroid Defender (in construction yellow)...
that I would love to have. I believe there's also a Phalanx, but I never really cared for that one.
I wish they had also made a Spartan...
...or some of the Zentraedi units (specifically the Glaug) in the same product series.
TonkkaSome one in the club tonightHas stolen my ideas.Registered Userregular
edited March 2018
When I started looking at getting in to Gunpla, I had a kind of reverse sticker shock. Like, these models are so cheap, but so well designed and fit together so well how is this thing only $20?!
Mind you, I came in to this from the world of Games Workshop tabletop miniature wargaming, so my perspective is extremely skewed.
H3KnucklesBut we decide which is rightand which is an illusion.Registered Userregular
edited March 2018
So I'm poking around Hobbylink Japan just now, and I see this new product from some series I'd never heard of, and I'm like "oh cool, is this a new Bubblegum Crisis spiritual successor or something?"...
Turns out the answer is no, it's this series about figures of mecha personified as anime girls coming to life and having battles coached by their owners, and this is what the normal/official design for that character looks like:
...*long, exasperated sigh*
@H3Knuckles I haven't been that excited and then immediately that disappointed in one post in a very long time. Would kill to get some BGC models, especially the motorcyles.
+2
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H3KnucklesBut we decide which is rightand which is an illusion.Registered Userregular
Oh man, the Tomahawk, I totally had the Exo Squad Knockoff of that as a kid.
Little nitpick, but the Exo Squad toys for Macross were official Robotech product, so not really a knockoff.
But then, neither really was Battletech's use of the designs either (they'd licensed the designs from an American company called Twentieth Century Imports that had licensed them for the purpose of making toys and miniatures from Studio Nue, the actual creators of Macross), nor Hasbro's use of the VF-1 for the original Jetfire/Skyfire transformers toy. It's a long, involved story about multiple Japanese companies (Big West, Studio Nue, Tatsunoko, and IIRC Bandai created the Valkyrie/Jetfire mold Hasbro licensed) having conflicting interpretations of who had which rights pertaining to the series, and a slew of American companies looking to exploit the 80's mecha craze in Japan to capitalize on the popularity of sci-fi action series in North America during the period.
Back when this all began, Harmony Gold (eventual makers of the Robotech localization) sought out another American model company that was already making figures based on Macross (I think via a license from the same company the Battletech creators got theirs from) and worked out a deal with them (interesting note, that company is the one who coined the Robotech name, not HG). They eventually came to an uneasy understanding with Hasbro, and thereafter felt confident claiming absolute ownership of the IP for any use outside of Japan. Because of the (now resolved, but then long-running) quagmire over the rights in Japan, no one ever felt like it was worth fighting them over it. But HG's deal with Tatsunoko expires in several years (and there doesn't seem to be much indication they'll be able to renew it), and several companies involved with modern Battletech/Mechwarrior products have chosen to resist a new legal challenge HG issued recently, so things are kind of up in the air last I heard.
H3KnucklesBut we decide which is rightand which is an illusion.Registered Userregular
@IronKnuckle's Ghost Well, it must be out of production because Hobbylink Japan doesn't even list it anymore, but Yamato made a crazy-awesome Priss in Hardsuit + Motoslave set I used to daydream about getting:
Aw dang, that's like exactly what I want. Oh well...
+1
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H3KnucklesBut we decide which is rightand which is an illusion.Registered Userregular
edited March 2018
Well, look around online. Just because it's not on HLJ doesn't mean you can't get it, just know the original price was like ¥ 6,800, so anyone trying to charge $100 or more is out of their mind if you ask me (fr'ex, there's an Amazon listing right now that wants $300).
Also, Aoshima made some model kits of the knightsabers with motoslaves in a similar scale that might do; ebay seems to have a few right now listed for various prices under $50. They don't look quite as good imho, but they don't look bad either.
H3KnucklesBut we decide which is rightand which is an illusion.Registered Userregular
edited March 2018
Regarding BGC, I always thought this was cool:
On topic: I really need to start assembling some of the gunpla kits I bought back in the day. I've got a Perfect Grade Gundam Mk. II (Titans colors), and Master Grade Gato's Gelgoog, Kampfer, GM Custom, Hyaku Shiki, and a Zaku IIJ. Some of them I'd like to try painting (the Kampfer's colors are nowhere near accurate, more like dark teal with orange thruster-cones rather than dark blue with golden-yellow), but the Zaku & Gato's Gelgoog are fine IIRC.
It's kinda sad, because it's big just for the sake of being big. You could buy any PG (and in many cases, two) and get as much as a presence along with a lot more interesting of a model.
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Dark Raven XLaugh hard, run fast,be kindRegistered Userregular
Anyone in here use airbrushs? I need to grt a good first kit and have no idea what to grab
For your first time airbrushing, do it on a simple kit you don't feel bad about ruining! I thought I was so prepared, I'd read everything twice and hen you start spraying and it all goes to hell. Spray some non grade stuff first, til ya get comfortable! IBO High Grades are pretty cheap too, and can look awesome with a little bit of work.
Also heads up spraying white is difficult over regular primer, so use a white primer or pick a non white kit ;D
Oh brilliant
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miscellaneousinsanitygrass grows, birds fly, sun shines,and brother, i hurt peopleRegistered Userregular
i'd also suggest like a OYW era zeon suit, since they generally have big shapes and solid colors
(that neo zeong would actually be pretty good for airbrush practice :P)
Anyone in here use airbrushs? I need to grt a good first kit and have no idea what to grab
I recommend this for a starter airbrush kit. While the airbrush is very cheap, it is a double action airbrush meaning you press to allow air flow and pull back on the trigger to control the amount of paint that will go through. The compressor comes with a tank, which is important as the tank will prevent surges in the pressure due to the compressor running. It has built in the regulator (to set air pressure) and water trap (to keep excess moisture from your paint). It also has a quick disconnect, which allows easy removal of your airbrush for cleaning.
The compressor portion represents $100 of what you're getting, and it's one I've been using for 5 years now (probably around 1500 hours total runtime). So you can upgrade your airbrush later.
For kits, I recommend one of the following:
HG Zaku II C Type - This kit has a good balance of flat surfaces and panel lines so you can easily customize a good looking color scheme with some simple masking.
HGBF Hi Mock - If you want a kit with a lot of flat open surfaces and a simple build, this is it. The Hi Mock was specifically designed by Bandai as a kit to practice customization and painting on.
HGUC Revive Guncannon - The revive line focuses on low price and articulation, and the Guncannon delivers on both. It also has a lot of flat surfaces with some panel lining, and is a good candidate for a custom color scheme.
Revive Guncannon is like, a perfect kit. It’s cheap but well designed, easy to build, easy to paint but doesn’t require it, and it’s got shoulder cannons. Really couldn’t ask for much more.
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TonkkaSome one in the club tonightHas stolen my ideas.Registered Userregular
Well, I wasn't going to buy a new kit, but they had an Astaroth Origin in stock.
turtleantGunpla Dadis the best.Registered Userregular
The Build Divers Age II Magnum is up on amazon if anyone was waiting on that guy. No prime though.
My gunpla purchases for like the rest of the year is probably going to just be Build Divers kits, I frigen love every single one they've shown so far.
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AthenorBattle Hardened OptimistThe Skies of HiigaraRegistered Userregular
Painting is probably the last big scary thing for me. I got some minis and started painting them, but it isn't my forte, and the idea of priming and painting the larger kits.. just.. seems scary. Do you prime the whole thing? do you have to match the original colors? Will you lose detail? Should you paint over the nubs left behind from the sprue trees, which I seem to make so much worse by shaving them down with my X-acto knife?
And this leaves me with boring, uninteresting models with maybe some black panel lines.
TonkkaSome one in the club tonightHas stolen my ideas.Registered Userregular
The thing with painting, is just take your time and think about the process. Which parts need attention and which do not. Find the pieces that will need a coat of paint to fill in join lines and seams.
And most importantly, paint it how you want to and don't worry about the "official" colors. You bought this model and you can do whatever you want with it.
Painting is probably the last big scary thing for me. I got some minis and started painting them, but it isn't my forte, and the idea of priming and painting the larger kits.. just.. seems scary. Do you prime the whole thing? do you have to match the original colors? Will you lose detail? Should you paint over the nubs left behind from the sprue trees, which I seem to make so much worse by shaving them down with my X-acto knife?
And this leaves me with boring, uninteresting models with maybe some black panel lines.
Ok first thing, those white marks left on plastic are stress marks from where the plastic was pulled away during cutting. If you shave it down and then press in with your fingernail, a lot of the original color will return because you're removing the tension from the material.
For painting, it's all up to you. I "painted" my MG Thunderbolt Full Armor Gundam with nothing more than metallic sharpies used to add detail. The only time I prime a Gundam is when I plan on doing a complete repaint. I would only paint over nub marks if you're painting that piece of plastic anyway, as nub marks are easier to forgive than mismatched paint/plastic colors.
If you decide you want to do your own color scheme, I personally break down the model and prime/paint everything. You can see my 1/100 Grimgerde as an example.
Do you have any particular grade (HG, MG, etc) or specific model kit in mind? If yes, I can help you come up with a plan for how to paint. The most important part of painting to me is planning things out.
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ArcticLancerBest served chilled.Registered Userregular
Painting is probably the last big scary thing for me. I got some minis and started painting them, but it isn't my forte, and the idea of priming and painting the larger kits.. just.. seems scary. Do you prime the whole thing? do you have to match the original colors? Will you lose detail? Should you paint over the nubs left behind from the sprue trees, which I seem to make so much worse by shaving them down with my X-acto knife?
And this leaves me with boring, uninteresting models with maybe some black panel lines.
It's really not, actually. For the most part you're likely to do a better job on a bigger kit than a miniature because it's easier to see detail at a distance and while things are a bit murky/wet. It's also easier to hit the piece you're aiming at when it's sizable, so all-round it's actually not as bad as it might seem.
Painting is probably the last big scary thing for me. I got some minis and started painting them, but it isn't my forte, and the idea of priming and painting the larger kits.. just.. seems scary. Do you prime the whole thing? do you have to match the original colors? Will you lose detail? Should you paint over the nubs left behind from the sprue trees, which I seem to make so much worse by shaving them down with my X-acto knife?
And this leaves me with boring, uninteresting models with maybe some black panel lines.
Yes. If you're planning to repaint an entire kit, you prime everything you're going to paint. If you're just doing touch-ups like @Heffling notes, then you don't want primer underneath because you want to keep things as close to the original colour as possible.
Painting is probably the last big scary thing for me. I got some minis and started painting them, but it isn't my forte, and the idea of priming and painting the larger kits.. just.. seems scary. Do you prime the whole thing? do you have to match the original colors? Will you lose detail? Should you paint over the nubs left behind from the sprue trees, which I seem to make so much worse by shaving them down with my X-acto knife?
And this leaves me with boring, uninteresting models with maybe some black panel lines.
That's up to you. You might want to if you're not comfortable with putting together your own colour schemes. However you can also always look up other peoples' work (I do this before any kit I paint because I find it interesting to see alternative ways people chose to break up their colours).
Painting is probably the last big scary thing for me. I got some minis and started painting them, but it isn't my forte, and the idea of priming and painting the larger kits.. just.. seems scary. Do you prime the whole thing? do you have to match the original colors? Will you lose detail? Should you paint over the nubs left behind from the sprue trees, which I seem to make so much worse by shaving them down with my X-acto knife?
And this leaves me with boring, uninteresting models with maybe some black panel lines.
Only if you're way overzealous with the paint. That's something practice will help with if it was ever an issue.
Painting is probably the last big scary thing for me. I got some minis and started painting them, but it isn't my forte, and the idea of priming and painting the larger kits.. just.. seems scary. Do you prime the whole thing? do you have to match the original colors? Will you lose detail? Should you paint over the nubs left behind from the sprue trees, which I seem to make so much worse by shaving them down with my X-acto knife?
And this leaves me with boring, uninteresting models with maybe some black panel lines.
Pick up some automotive sand paper if you're serious here. Nubs can be a pain in the ass and cutting them off is one thing, but if you really want to make things nice you're going to sand things smooth. This is occasionally helpful as well for sanding two pieces that should sit flush.
Just keep hanging out in the painting thread and don't be afraid to ask questions about the process as you go. We got'chu, fam~
LasbrookIt takes a lot to make a stewWhen it comes to me and youRegistered Userregular
I saw the HG Khastriya in store and damn I did not expect that box to be that big. I almost bought it but I already have 4 kits waiting for me to build and managed to hold off. Can’t imagine what a MG or PG would be like.
I saw the HG Khastriya in store and damn I did not expect that box to be that big. I almost bought it but I already have 4 kits waiting for me to build and managed to hold off. Can’t imagine what a MG or PG would be like.
Yeah the HG Kshatriya is damn near bigger than your average MG. All the official promo images show it on a 1/100 scale base too.
It's doubtful they'd ever do a MG. Probably have some severe weight issues.
Now an RE 100...
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AthenorBattle Hardened OptimistThe Skies of HiigaraRegistered Userregular
Okay. Now that my shame has been unveiled in the D&D chat thread.. here's the efforts of all my talking the last few days.
Shadow Fox (Front Center) and Cannon Tortoise (front-right) are new.
I desperately need to wash the older ones, and fix the ones that have broken.. Most notably blade liger's tail and berzerk fury's blades. Or I could find someone fluent in Japanese to see if they can use Kotobukiya's reorder forms...
AthenorBattle Hardened OptimistThe Skies of HiigaraRegistered Userregular
Okay. Finally took apart my Berserk Fuhrer's blades to see exactly what was broken and going on.
Basically, there was too much friction on the lever arm that connected the blade to the hub. Trying to flex that snapped the piece.
I have a couple of options, I think, because this piece is fairly well buried in the guts of the assembly.
1. I can really get that translation and see if Kotobukiya will ship me a replacement. It's part G- 17, so I would need a replacement G tree.
2. I can try just gluing the piece with plastic cement. It might hold well enough.
3. I can try pinning it.. somehow. It's an incredibly small piece, so I don't think I would be able to add much structural rigidity to the gluing process.
4. I could glue it to the central spoke, G-23. If I do this, it's a one way trip - I won't be able to disassemble this piece again. I would do it in such a way as to not lock up the moving parts, and it would likely be even stronger than it originally was. But... yeah. I am not sure if that is the right way to go.
This is probably the most noticable "break" on any of these models. Blade Liger's tail is pretty obvious too, but I can't do the cool attack poses of Berserk Fuhrer properly with this piece busted.
TonkkaSome one in the club tonightHas stolen my ideas.Registered Userregular
I got a little progress on the Astaroth, though I do need to blend a little more on the blue. I need to go back and paint some bits I forgot about as well and refill some panel lines, but so far. . . not too shabby.
Kotu US specifically states to send an email to questions@kotous.com to request replacement parts. I would try that first. My experience with Bluefin is that they will send the requested part only, not the entire runner.
Posts
It's licensing. Bandai owns Gundam, so they don't have to pay any rights for making Gundam model kits. Kotubokia on the other hand doesn't own the rights to Zoids, which is why a similar sized zoid kit is more expensive.
All I can figure on Macross is that whomever owns the license in Japan really charges a lot for it. Which is a shame. I will say that the VF-25 series by Bandai transforms really well (if a bit complicated). But they don't really look like the original VF-1's. And they become bricks when you add the Super Parts to them. It's a great looking brick, but it's too difficult to transform or make stand on its own now.
I've built two Macross kits, but neither were transformable, and both were expensive for their size/complexity.
Looking in the last week or so, those are up in the $500 range now.
The other one besides the red shoulder custom I already have.
I bet I can do a better job getting it put together this time too.
and Destroid Defender (in construction yellow)...
that I would love to have. I believe there's also a Phalanx, but I never really cared for that one.
I wish they had also made a Spartan...
Mind you, I came in to this from the world of Games Workshop tabletop miniature wargaming, so my perspective is extremely skewed.
Turns out the answer is no, it's this series about figures of mecha personified as anime girls coming to life and having battles coached by their owners, and this is what the normal/official design for that character looks like:
...*long, exasperated sigh*
Steam
Little nitpick, but the Exo Squad toys for Macross were official Robotech product, so not really a knockoff.
But then, neither really was Battletech's use of the designs either (they'd licensed the designs from an American company called Twentieth Century Imports that had licensed them for the purpose of making toys and miniatures from Studio Nue, the actual creators of Macross), nor Hasbro's use of the VF-1 for the original Jetfire/Skyfire transformers toy. It's a long, involved story about multiple Japanese companies (Big West, Studio Nue, Tatsunoko, and IIRC Bandai created the Valkyrie/Jetfire mold Hasbro licensed) having conflicting interpretations of who had which rights pertaining to the series, and a slew of American companies looking to exploit the 80's mecha craze in Japan to capitalize on the popularity of sci-fi action series in North America during the period.
Back when this all began, Harmony Gold (eventual makers of the Robotech localization) sought out another American model company that was already making figures based on Macross (I think via a license from the same company the Battletech creators got theirs from) and worked out a deal with them (interesting note, that company is the one who coined the Robotech name, not HG). They eventually came to an uneasy understanding with Hasbro, and thereafter felt confident claiming absolute ownership of the IP for any use outside of Japan. Because of the (now resolved, but then long-running) quagmire over the rights in Japan, no one ever felt like it was worth fighting them over it. But HG's deal with Tatsunoko expires in several years (and there doesn't seem to be much indication they'll be able to renew it), and several companies involved with modern Battletech/Mechwarrior products have chosen to resist a new legal challenge HG issued recently, so things are kind of up in the air last I heard.
Also, Aoshima made some model kits of the knightsabers with motoslaves in a similar scale that might do; ebay seems to have a few right now listed for various prices under $50. They don't look quite as good imho, but they don't look bad either.
On topic: I really need to start assembling some of the gunpla kits I bought back in the day. I've got a Perfect Grade Gundam Mk. II (Titans colors), and Master Grade Gato's Gelgoog, Kampfer, GM Custom, Hyaku Shiki, and a Zaku IIJ. Some of them I'd like to try painting (the Kampfer's colors are nowhere near accurate, more like dark teal with orange thruster-cones rather than dark blue with golden-yellow), but the Zaku & Gato's Gelgoog are fine IIRC.
sigh... one day.
For your first time airbrushing, do it on a simple kit you don't feel bad about ruining! I thought I was so prepared, I'd read everything twice and hen you start spraying and it all goes to hell. Spray some non grade stuff first, til ya get comfortable! IBO High Grades are pretty cheap too, and can look awesome with a little bit of work.
Also heads up spraying white is difficult over regular primer, so use a white primer or pick a non white kit ;D
(that neo zeong would actually be pretty good for airbrush practice :P)
I recommend this for a starter airbrush kit. While the airbrush is very cheap, it is a double action airbrush meaning you press to allow air flow and pull back on the trigger to control the amount of paint that will go through. The compressor comes with a tank, which is important as the tank will prevent surges in the pressure due to the compressor running. It has built in the regulator (to set air pressure) and water trap (to keep excess moisture from your paint). It also has a quick disconnect, which allows easy removal of your airbrush for cleaning.
The compressor portion represents $100 of what you're getting, and it's one I've been using for 5 years now (probably around 1500 hours total runtime). So you can upgrade your airbrush later.
For kits, I recommend one of the following:
HG Zaku II C Type - This kit has a good balance of flat surfaces and panel lines so you can easily customize a good looking color scheme with some simple masking.
HGBF Hi Mock - If you want a kit with a lot of flat open surfaces and a simple build, this is it. The Hi Mock was specifically designed by Bandai as a kit to practice customization and painting on.
HGUC Revive Guncannon - The revive line focuses on low price and articulation, and the Guncannon delivers on both. It also has a lot of flat surfaces with some panel lining, and is a good candidate for a custom color scheme.
So I did.
My gunpla purchases for like the rest of the year is probably going to just be Build Divers kits, I frigen love every single one they've shown so far.
And this leaves me with boring, uninteresting models with maybe some black panel lines.
And most importantly, paint it how you want to and don't worry about the "official" colors. You bought this model and you can do whatever you want with it.
Ok first thing, those white marks left on plastic are stress marks from where the plastic was pulled away during cutting. If you shave it down and then press in with your fingernail, a lot of the original color will return because you're removing the tension from the material.
For painting, it's all up to you. I "painted" my MG Thunderbolt Full Armor Gundam with nothing more than metallic sharpies used to add detail. The only time I prime a Gundam is when I plan on doing a complete repaint. I would only paint over nub marks if you're painting that piece of plastic anyway, as nub marks are easier to forgive than mismatched paint/plastic colors.
If you decide you want to do your own color scheme, I personally break down the model and prime/paint everything. You can see my 1/100 Grimgerde as an example.
Do you have any particular grade (HG, MG, etc) or specific model kit in mind? If yes, I can help you come up with a plan for how to paint. The most important part of painting to me is planning things out.
Yes. If you're planning to repaint an entire kit, you prime everything you're going to paint. If you're just doing touch-ups like @Heffling notes, then you don't want primer underneath because you want to keep things as close to the original colour as possible.
That's up to you. You might want to if you're not comfortable with putting together your own colour schemes. However you can also always look up other peoples' work (I do this before any kit I paint because I find it interesting to see alternative ways people chose to break up their colours).
Only if you're way overzealous with the paint. That's something practice will help with if it was ever an issue.
Pick up some automotive sand paper if you're serious here. Nubs can be a pain in the ass and cutting them off is one thing, but if you really want to make things nice you're going to sand things smooth. This is occasionally helpful as well for sanding two pieces that should sit flush.
Just keep hanging out in the painting thread and don't be afraid to ask questions about the process as you go. We got'chu, fam~
Perhaps I can interest you in my meager selection of pins?
Steam
Yeah the HG Kshatriya is damn near bigger than your average MG. All the official promo images show it on a 1/100 scale base too.
It's doubtful they'd ever do a MG. Probably have some severe weight issues.
Now an RE 100...
Shadow Fox (Front Center) and Cannon Tortoise (front-right) are new.
I desperately need to wash the older ones, and fix the ones that have broken.. Most notably blade liger's tail and berzerk fury's blades. Or I could find someone fluent in Japanese to see if they can use Kotobukiya's reorder forms...
Basically, there was too much friction on the lever arm that connected the blade to the hub. Trying to flex that snapped the piece.
I have a couple of options, I think, because this piece is fairly well buried in the guts of the assembly.
1. I can really get that translation and see if Kotobukiya will ship me a replacement. It's part G- 17, so I would need a replacement G tree.
2. I can try just gluing the piece with plastic cement. It might hold well enough.
3. I can try pinning it.. somehow. It's an incredibly small piece, so I don't think I would be able to add much structural rigidity to the gluing process.
4. I could glue it to the central spoke, G-23. If I do this, it's a one way trip - I won't be able to disassemble this piece again. I would do it in such a way as to not lock up the moving parts, and it would likely be even stronger than it originally was. But... yeah. I am not sure if that is the right way to go.
This is probably the most noticable "break" on any of these models. Blade Liger's tail is pretty obvious too, but I can't do the cool attack poses of Berserk Fuhrer properly with this piece busted.
.. Thoughts?
spoiler alert: it's P-bandai, but look at it
some other recently announced kits (still P-bandai
basically, some pretty cool shit, but it's priceyyyy compared to gunpla otherwise