What? I SOMEHOW like Gundam Build Divers Re: Rise?

 

Oh damn. Damn, damn, damn. I didn't mean for this happen. I suppose it was inevitable that I would try Gundam anime again. And eventually find one I like. I just wasn't expecting it to be this one. I mean, I recently gave Iron-Blooded Orphans a go, and decided it wasn't for me. Why this one? Why? Is it just that its good?

Anyways. Build Divers Re: Rise is the latest in the "Build" subfranchise of Gundam. Here, Bandai drops all pretense, and makes the merchandise the main thing. Gunpla, the models, and building them is the entire point. It's honest in a late-capitalism sort of way. Re: Rise is the most recent installment, where the action has moved into a highly immersive online game. Microtransactions may be involved. But, you know? It's free on youtube, and it's better than the news. And before we go further, this is not a review. This is a stream of consciousness where I try to process why I like my first actually new anime in a decade. If it was a review, trust me, I'd have a few more critical things to say.

 Characters, left to right: Hiroto, Kazumi, May, and Parviz.

So, I went in with no expectations beyond a servicable-if-highly-derivative distraction, but ended up really enjoying it. For the most part, Re:Rise is concerned mainly with the dynamic of forming a team from social misfits whom were just LFG, rather than obviously fixating on the Gunpla. The Mecha bits are fun, don't get me wrong. But as a social recluse even before 2020, I'll admit I recognised myself in one or two of the characters. Main character Hiroto was traumatised by a still unclear tragedy involving a girl, making him disinterested in others as he searches for her. Kazumi is an enthusiastic Leeroy Jenkins whom talks a good game, but can't back it up. Parviz is a painfully shy newbie, with fox ears, whom sadly can't get out much. And May is distant-if-mature, but she's lying by omission about some important things. Its an odd mix on the surface. Hiroto is the closest thing to a leader by right of being protagonist, but managing people is not something he really does. Kazumi meanwhile acts like he's leader but thinks in cliches, if he thinks at all, Parviz is passive due to a lack of confidence/experience, while May matches Hiroto in the area of not communicating. They are individuals, casual new acquaintances, a D&D group that answered an ad. They aren't hostile to each other, but they aren't a team. By the time they begin to be one, something terrible happens.

Now entering spoiler zone.

If you kinda see a plot development coming, and are still affected by it, that's good drama, right? You recognised foreshadowing, maybe half-remembered something you read somewhere, and its still a punch in the gut? That at least says you've invested in a series, doesn't it? At first, Re: Rise does not appear to have any stakes at all, just character growth. But it drops hints something is going off from episode 1, with the Missions they play seemingly being new and somewhat non-standard. Then, we are reminded that the game is so complex it has its own life. Also, the game world inside the Missions is persistent. And then Hiroto receives an injury that he takes home with him. And then the confrontation with the "final boss" goes badly wrong. They don't win this time. And it's not a game either.

The “Missions” the players complete in Re: Rise actually take place on an alien world, and Hirato's little group have fucked up so bad an entire city of actual living creatures is now a crater.

Episode 13 has no combat, the same event having knocked down the world's communication networks and thus the game, instead seeing the characters meet in the flesh, as it were. It gets spelled out for the Kazumis in the room. Yes, the World of Eldora is real. Somehow, details remain unclear. Its possible to be trapped there. If you go there you may not come back. Death is seemingly an actual possibility, you've been in mortal danger the whole time. You wanted high stakes? THERE THEY ARE. The group has a mixed response to this revelation, but here's what made the series for me. They go back anyway. They are still a team, and one way or another, they will stop the conflict. Each with their own reason, but with a common cause. Nicely done, Re:Rise. You are a model advert, but you made me care.

When it becomes available, I hope season 2 lives up to my new expectations. But that's tomorrow, apparently. Not long to wait.

Gunpla: The EB-05s Schwalbe Graze (IBO HG)

A common design archetype in Gundam is the idea of a commander type. This is a mobile suit closely related to a rank & file machine, but with maybe a new head, a new model number, and a few performance improvements. This is closely related to the "Ace Custom" trope, although is not necessarily the same thing, as a commander type is usually an uncommon variation, not a personalised machine. The Schwalbe Graze is one such mobile suit, one explicitly intended for leaders and talented pilots. Its also blue and has a weapon on a string, which puts me in mind of the Gouf/Zaku dynamic. And its a good kit, but I fell down a rabbit whole of indecision.

I'd like to ramble for a moment to ask rhetorical questions about detailing gunpla. Consider blue boys model here, which is in a conventional 2D, and especially the areas around the thrusters. 

Are these areas actually black, or is this just suggesting shadow? Or is it dirt/burnt-bits that accumulated around the thrusters? Was it ever painted? The art style does allows for several interpretations. And then there's the kit, it's 1/144 scale, so design elements have to be fairly obvious or exaggerated to stick out. And then you ask which came first, the model or the kit? Are they both interpretations of the same idea, equally valid? And what my point actually is? Well, the point is you'd have to choose between realism and screen accuracy, and I'm still finding that balance. Or, how much do I paint, if at all? 

With the Swallow here I tried a few different techniques to detail it. First, I decided that the shoulder thrusters would indeed have a black around them, laying it on thick, then drybrushing with Game Color Silver to highlight then and the edges of the axe. I used stickers for the yellow bits, this being a colour I find troublesome, especially when its used in fiddly areas like the eyes. Meanwhile, I used my first big blue Gundam marker for some areas, and felt tips for clean up, before opting to ink wash the thing. The majority was done in the old standby that is Nuln Oil, layered thick on the skeleton, but otherwise moderated with a cotton bud. The blue segments were treated with Macragge Blue. The end result certainly isn't bad, but clearly I've done for “realism”, and not “anime accuracy”. My which I mean, its messy rather than clean.

The actual construction makes for favourable comparisons with the Astaroth, having a similar internal skeleton gimmick going on, but with colours more immediately pleasing and significantly less stickers. Some areas like the shoulders were a little annoying to cut & assemble, with some obvious seam lines, but little that's actually bad. Articulation is also in the goldilocks zone, moving well for something in such high heels. Where the kit starts to falter is with those design elements unique to it, as opposed to the regular Graze. The wired claw is weedy and prone to popping off, when I feel this should be a centrepiece. I ended up halving the length and applying Ard Coat to stop it flopping around. Something something your mum. The weapons inherited from its grunt sibling have more presence and did not require additional work.

In summary: it's definitely a nice kit, and I'm starting to understand why IBO models have such good reputations. But maybe there's another variant that's more up my street. And I still have much to learn. Especially with the damn robot photography.

Gunpla: The OZ-06MS Leo (HGAC)

Writer's note: As I run several weeks ahead on these blog entries, you won't likely see many references to current events. But, before anyone wonders: No, I don't intend to discuss the pandemic here. Moving on.



Like a significant number of English nerd people, my first interaction with the Gundam franchise was the Cartoon Network cut of Gundam Wing, AKA New Mobile Suit Report Gundam W. Fuck me. That was 20 odd years ago. Wing, as I shall call it, was Bandai's opening move to get the Gundam franchise sold to the West. Did it work? Well, we're both here, at least. Although Argos doesn't have any Gundam action figures any more. Today's subject, the Leo played the part of mecha mook in that series, one it fulfilled with memetic abandon. Obsolete even before the series started, the Leo was utterly outclassed by the protagonists, and had the life expectancy of an ice cube in an oven. If not piloted by anyone named, it would be more disposable than toilet paper. Inflatable dartboards last longer. An unguarded strip of bacon in the presence of a dog looks like Doctor Who when next to a Leo. You felt sorry for it after a while, TBH, and perhaps this is where my love of "grunt mecha" starts. In fact, I love the Leo so much I have a toy of it in a glass case. OK: bias noted, context given. Moving on...

So aside from being more pitiable than the last puppy in the petshop, what does the Leo have going for it? Well, it's pretty much where all the "real robot" tropes went in Wing, and this kit nails the look. The Leo screams anonymous military utilitarianism, even more so than its OZ sister machines. It has no flash. It technically has no face either, and you'd be forgiven for thinking it had no neck. It's green and brown, not white or bright. It's got a no nonsense gun. It can have a shield and beam sabers, plus other weapons sadly not in this kit. The Leo actually looks like a humanoid robot a military would build, but it is not without personality. While clearly a grunt, the long legs and ball shoulders add character.

Having built basically the same thing last year, this kit was a straight forward matter for me. As a model, the Leo bares many similarities to the 30 Minute Missions line of kits, and I'd like to know which project came first. This, to be clear, is a very good thing. The plastic runners are arranged in a similar fashion, with limb components being close together, colours being all but perfect and there being a general air of elegant simplicity. The kit is also designed so that cut marks and seams usually end up where they are less obvious, the forearms being a notable exception. You probably can get this together in 30 minutes also; clearly, you are intended to build several. So you can have a team of plebs to die in a needlessly one-sided manner.

It's  less refined than say an Alto, however. Joint tolerances aren't as tight as they could be, with the ankle guards being famously prone to popping off. I ended up using Ardcoat in a fair few places to compensate. On the upside, there is an unexpected bonus in that the drum magazine is removable, and the Leo moves better than it should, being able to pull off a running pose without support. The head does actually move, its just very subtle about it. Beyond that, it's a matter of Gundam Marker and some black paint for the tip of the gun. Its so close to the animation as to not actually need much work, but still benefit should you wish to. One thing I did decide to do was place a bit of foil sticker behind the transparent bit to make it shine. Possibly too well.

When you get right down it, the Leo is a simplistic kit of a simplistic Mobile Suit. Within those parameters however, it's pretty damn good.

Plamo: Assorted 30 Minute Missions Add-ons, featuring the Portanova

Here we go, the Portanova part 2. So, after the little mishap I mentioned, I ordered some kits to finish it off. The result is significantly more busy a design than I normally go for, but I do like how it all turned out. Especially with the flight stand. COMMENCE RAMBLE!

The new armour pieces are from the “Close fighting” set, and I gotta say, 30MM names are very descriptive, but not exciting. You will know exactly what something is, but you won't get a fun made-up word with an Engrish accent. It was not a difficult installation at all, but I still managed to have some more minor setbacks. I had not clicked that Shields attach to the underside of a Portanova's forearm, which is less than ideal. The new chest plate also went a bit wrong when detailing, Portanova build mishap #3, so I ended up keeping the original. However, the actual aesthetics worked well, thanks mainly to me choosing a complimentary colour to the base kit. The overall appearance puts me in mind of some kind of insect and samurai, although I'm sure there are better words to use. This would prove to have major synergy with the other sets, and TBH, I didn't really have a plan here. I wanted just to try some things out.

On the subject of bugs, insects do many things, but a notable one is fly. Or possibly leap into your hair. The “Option Backpack 02”, while also having a desperately unsexy name, covers that adequately. It does not interfere with a Portanova's other functions, but adds a sense of speed and flight. It's a little reminiscent of a Gundam 0080/83 design with those external fuel tanks, and its done in the same colour as the weapons, so an Alto could use it too. The splayed hands that come with it however are also cast in grey, which doesn't match anything. You'd need to either paint that, or replace the other hand with a weapon of some kind. Fortunately, the last set covers that latter option.

The Portanova weapon set proved to be an unqualified win, providing gubbins for at least two future projects. Its notable as it included one each of the standard weapons, rather than just the add ons. All the options are good too. Seriously, it was an effort to limit myself to just one for this guy. Eventually, I went with the spear, and decided to name this "The Hornet". Because it flies, stings people, and is generally a bit of a bastard.

Despite the mishaps, it all came good in the end.

Gunpla: The OZ-06MS(MPD) Leo NPD (HGBD)

So, this is, what? Model blog post number 10? Does that count as a milestone? Perhaps. So let's mark this event by looking at my first Mental Health Gunpla, the Leo NPD. A variant on the Leo from my old favourite Gundam Wing, this is apparently some form of drone Mobile Suit used in a fictional online RPG. NPD in this case is seemingly a play on "N.P.C", non-player character. While its an easy way for Bandai to double-dip on a mould, it's not without its charms.

You'll excuse me if I avoid making an especially deep commentary here, I'll have an article on the regular Leo shortly, and would prefer to save that stuff for then. In brief: the NPD bares many similarities to the 30 Minute Missions line of kits, which were released at approximately the same time. Its maybe not quite as good as 30MM, mainly due to the ankle guards and a tiny leg panel that effing vanished, but its still a quality kit. And from a purely functional perspective, its better than the original Leo release, although perhaps not as good looking.

As a "Build" kit of a generic dude, the NPD is designed with an eye towards customisation, and this greatly adds to the appeal of things. The new torso adds a backpack which attaches by a standard 2 point mount,  with is own mounting points, thus significantly improving compatibility with other kits. The showstopper however is the choice of three styles of shoulder guard, and three heads. Each with a choice of eye colour. I picked my favourite and then stained the transparent bit blue. Then I realised the original torso/head remained and did this. And that the shoulder guard was the wrong way up.

The detailing of the kit came, much, much later, as part of the preparation for this article. I realised then I'd made a bit of mess of seperating parts from the runners. It was after this kit that I decided to buy new clippers, IIRC. Still, hard to tell from the crappy pictures, I suppose.


I'm not a huge fan of the purplish & blue/green shades, and the new parts don't match that well with the traditional Leo parts. But, assuming the colours are no issue for you, it's very hard to dislike the Leo NPD as an entry level kit and conversion fodder.

Gunpla: Faffing about with the Action Base 5

So, here's the story, I got myself a Real Grade Tallgeese. I kinda love the Tallgeese. It was a joy to put together, and I decided to get a flight base for it, as a bird's gotta fly. The stand arrived several weeks later, only for me to discover that the Tallgeese had somehow suffered a catastrophic breakage on a key piece of the spine, splitting it in two. I don't know how this happened, but I'm pretty sure that it should not have happened, given how central it was to the kit. As you might imagine, this was somewhat of a kick to the nuts. However, this does mean I have a base going spare, so I used it for my Portanova review, and then started prating about. So here's a few shots of me trying to use it.

I'm not going to talk too deeply about the the stand, its an entirely functional device, with a variety of adapters for older/quirkier kits. Its mainly intended for a single robot at a time, although the instructions do highlight a method to handle two at once.

A quick word on the Alto, which has benefited from the “Arm Unit Rifle & Large Claw Weapon Set”, which offers a few arm/hand replacements. With the rifle, you can plug the main barrel into a segment with a side-handle and stand, giving something of a "squad support weapon" feel. I felt it worked for a Sniper Alto, although the fit of parts is a little loose. Do however be mindful of the claw, as I reversed a part by mistake, and things went a bit wrong. Before you ask: no, this isn't what happened to the Tallgeese. Not a part you can reverse, yes? ;)

Gunpla: The MS-06 Zaku II (HGUC)

 Righty, I keep mentioning the Zaku 2, time to talk about what I'm referencing.


The Zaku II or Zaku 2 is iconic. Real iconic, not Ubisoft iconic. We're talking Mario iconic. Arnie in The Terminator iconic. Perhaps not as iconic as the titular Gundam, but they don't necessarily revamp the Zaku as often, so it's kept its lustre over the years. Fictionally, it's the giant robot equivalent to the Panzer 3. In execution, it's a Stormtrooper out of Star Wars. If you do gunpla, you are obliged to build at least one. Therefore, it pains me to say this one was less than exciting once I'd finished it.

I can't quite remember when I started this one, TBH. It may have been sitting on the table, limbless, for two years. Not the first project I forgot about, but hold that thought, it may be important. Anyways, this fellow invites immediate comparisons with review subject #1, the Hizack. Because this kit came out six years later than that one, and is, ya know, iconic, and therefore got more love, its not a comparison the Hizack does well in. I'd say it was like looking at an Mega Drive 2, versus one with the 32X addon. The Hizack does have a waist joint, while today's MS omits that on aesthetic/lore grounds, but the Zaku 2 is a much more complete package. You've got the gun, which can be held by both hands, an axe that stores, a bazooka that stores, and two sets of leg missiles that stay on. Kinda. The axe is a little loose in hand, although that supposedly happens alot.  It's all nicely done, with a rotating drum for the monoeye. Have you noticed the elephant in the room yet?

Yes, this attempts to replicate the actual 1979 vintage animation cels, as opposed to tarting things up, which often happens with the titular Gundam. So, traditional proportions, no new technogubbins, minimal added detail, and no backpack thrusters. This makes it a marmite. It also means that detailing the kit is somewhat redundant, because there's so little meaningful to do with the endless smooth surfaces.  I tried to panel line this, but there are hardly any panels, and I couldn't be bothered with the hoses. Just attempting to detail the thing feels contrary to its design principles. You do need to paint the axe, but given that it's in a fairly neutral grey, and you'd need to do it purple, why bother? Otherwise, it's good on its own terms, has a fairly complete selection of accessories, and nothing to really apologise for on the posing front. A solid build too, more complicated than it looks. There's definitely more joints in it than they actually needed, which was a pleasant surprise during construction. Otherwise though, its an example of how competency can be boring.

All in all? It's perfectly fine, but I didn't find it especially engaging. Sorry, Zaku, its not you, its me.  You're fine, its just you aren't quite what I'm after in a model. Fortunately, there's plenty more versions of this.