Return to Gunpla: a ramble ral

So, for a couple of months now, I've been building lots of model kits lately. To be more specific: Gunpla. Gunpla is the generic term for plastic models based on the Gundam franchise, hence the name, which is basically the Japanese equivalent to Star Wars. Its got giant robots, and largely functions as a sprawling war drama, and its been going 40 odd years now, so I'm gonna gloss over a few things here. The major difference between a Gunpla kit and a western model like the Warhammer 40k stuff I do, is that you get a functioning action figure at the end, and paint is optional. Gunpla scales in complexity and price, although these days its not difficult to find examples for a tenner or so. Why am I doing this? Stress and anxiety management via creative outlets. And playing/modelling 40K has shifted into the “non-fun” category. So, after occasional purchases over the last few years, I find myself building robots, and justifying it as a form of self-care.

Well, I tried jigsaws, and that didn't work.

I've mostly done the “serious” Gundam stuff, so far . The so-called High Grade Universal Century line, which gets you a mobile suit of reasonable complexity and accuracy of about 5 inches in height. But I also did an “Iron-Blooded Orphans” with its internal frame, and then a “Build Diver”. The assorted "build" series are quite interesting to me, as these are all about model-making, rather than warfare. On first impression, I'd say this was a pleasant change of pace, and right up my street. Gundam media has a certain tendency toward long-winded bleakness, and wangsty teenage protagonists, so having a lighter toned spin-off doesn't hurt. Also, model kits were of course the original Gundam merchandise, so it's actually a surprise it took the company that owns Gundam, Bandai, so long to do something like this. On the other hand, it is dropping any pretence of artistic merit. What made Gundam important in the first place was the GRIMDARK war drama stuff with giant mecha, so going "hey cool robot model!“ is missing the point by a country mile, even if this has appeal been in the Gundam DNA since day 1. The assorted Build series are transparently model adverts, but as a Transformers fan boy, I'm not necessarily hostile towards this. What I do notice though, is how Build represents a convenient way for Bandai to reuse moulds, in a manner not dissimilar to the Transformers Combiner Wars and the Generations line in general. That said, I've not engaged with any form of Gundam media since about 2009, much less anime in general. So, I've not seen the series I mention, I just read around, so don't consider me an authority. That may change, as there is an official Gundam youtube channel, but I have a low tolerance for certain “problematic” tropes in anime, so maybe not.

Anyways.

I might blog more on this topic, (as opposed to tweeting,) might not. But here's what you came for, LOW QUALITY MECHA PHOTOGRAPHY!