Now, it's probably fair to say that Bandai designers have a firm handle on making robot kits in their specific gunpla style. This experience and technical innovation is most evident in projects like the Entry Grade kits and 30 Minutes Missions, which represent the platonic ideal of what they do. The designs featured in Kyoukai Senki, AMAIM Warrior at the Borderline are however a bit of a departure the house style. The HG kits for this line are 1/72 scale, half the scale of a typical gunpla, but the actual size in hand is about 25% bigger, if the Jo Hound is representative of things. The differences come from a generally less humanoid, more DARPA vibe and the relative complexity that results. While I have yet to watch the anime at time of writing, my understanding is that the Jo Hound is an outdated American design which operates in Japan, which has been partitioned in the manner of Germany or Korea. Cutesy AI avatars also appear to be a thing... I’m sure that won’t create an issue with tone.
As a project, the Jo Hound evokes some of the more involved HG kits that don't use polycaps. This best way I can describe it is that it's a luxurious kit of a robot that's minimalistic/utilitarian in design. Take the hands for example. You get four, two open, two closed, each with their own armour plate, so no corners cut there, its all you could reasonably want. The hands are however a two-thumbed design, which would simplify logistics at lot. One hand for both arms, clever. There's a fair few touches like that, armour plates with colour separation, one part for the inside, one for the outside, a "parked state", and slide down knuckledusters. There's a lot of stuff that could very easily have simplified and I wouldn't have minded. One thing I did mess up though was the sensor eye, which has a closing mechanism. I misread the instructions, and put the sticker in the wrong place. I just wasn't paying attention, so I broke out the paint, and ended up doing the same for the gun cameras. Stickers are something I usually struggle with anyway, so I'm not holding that against the kit, especially its the only remotely annoying thing about it.
Once completed, the Jo Hound is pretty damn good. It's a skinny and long-limed robot that's been bulked out with armour. Thuggish and top heavy. It's definitely on the real robot end of the super/real axis, although it's aiming for 2022 kind of real, rather than a previous decade of militarism. Its not a Scopedog or a Zaku, whom have more a world war thing going on, or something from Patlabor, which was more of a 90's future. Plenty of joints in it too; it's still a model kit, but what's there is, is very effective. You've got a lot of simple joints which play nice with the visual design. So, yes, this is playing into my love of mecha grunts quite strongly.
To finish things off, I applied some basic but meticulous weathering techniques. First a very light drybrush of gunmetal for all the edges and plausible points of wear, like near joints. I then applied small amounts of Agrax Earthshade, take two drinks, to pick out bolts, panels and such. Finally, I applied my home-made mud paint to the feet and knee area. I think I did the kit's grunt stylings justice.
Is this best kit I've worked on this year? Maybe. It's definitely top 3 material, and if this is representative of the line, somebody needs a raise.
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