[NEWS] Goodies from the 55th Shizuoka Hobby Show 2016

Plenty of exciting announcements and upcoming releases!

We are living in good times.

Gunplanerd in Seoul Part 2 - Cafe Unipla in Hongdae

During my adventure in Seoul, I stumbled upon this gem in the Hongdae neighbourhood. It is literally a Gundam Cafe, where you can build kits while sipping a cup of latte.

I'll let the images do the talking!

Gunplanerd in Seoul!

If you've been following my Instagram (@jamespartan) regularly, you would know that I recently visited the land of kimchi and hot girl groups with my significant other as a short getaway from reality. Naturally, I sought out the one place in Seoul I HAD to visit: The Gundam Base!

It's a pretty snazzy place, chock full of Gundam memorabilia and paraphernalia. Their posing game is also strong as well, with kits on display posed beautifully and more dynamically than many local toy stores and some hobby shops. 

Don't expect much in terms of kit selection though, although the myriad shelves are well stocked (to the brim) with the latest releases and older ones alike. What you can find here can be found via the usual channels as well, although prices here are definitely lower than all retail outlets in Singapore, especially with tax refunds for us tourists.

For example, the RE100 Efreet Custom costs S$42 at The Gundam Base (Seoul), with tax refunds lowering the price to a sweet S$40. In Singapore, the same kit retails for S$86.90 in toy stores and $50 at the cheapest hobby shop. So all in all, I got a pretty sweet deal for the RE100 Efreet Custom.

On a side note, South Korea is also the manufacturer of Academy Hobby military model kits, so prices for that are low, low, low in Seoul. Snagged a 1/72 F-22 at the Lotte Mart Toys'R'Us, just because it's cheap.

So if you're in Seoul, do pop by The Gundam Base, it's a must-go for all Gundam fans! Hit the jump below for more images of the awesome location!

[Metal Build] Bandai Tamashii Nations Metal Build 1/100 MBF-02 Gundam Astray Red Frame with Flight Unit

There isn't much to be said about the Astray Red Frame. 

There is just something about that sleek design, that overall look that screams Japanese by blending traditional elements with futuristic technology as well as that massive katana that is rather out of place in a mecha universe where laser beams fly fast and furious. However, the Astray Red Frame has transcended expectations and soared to immense popularity, more so than any of its other coloured brethren and arguably some of the protagonist mobile suits with plenty of airtime in the mainstream series.

Therefore, it was only a matter of time before Bandai dropped the Red Frame in Metal Build format. The groundwork has already been laid via the Metal Build Gundam Astray Gold Frame Amatsu Mina, which is a beauty in its own right, and fans have been clamouring for the Red Frame ever since. What was surprising however, was the fact that Bandai dropped the Flight Unit along with the release of the Metal Build Red Frame! As an Option Set that doesn't exist in any official 1/100 format, the Flight Unit can be seen as the final piece to the Red Frame puzzle, the one thing that completes a standard Astray Red Frame. The Red Frame by itself is a bare skeleton, while the Tactical Arms frankly looks bulky and awkward on a mobile suit as sleek and agile as the Red Frame. Hence, the Flight Unit complements the Red Frame perfectly, it is THE backpack for the Red Frame. 

The Metal Build renditions of both the Red Frame and the Flight Unit don't disappoint, although I feel that Bandai is cutting back on the die-cast quotient in their recent Metal Build releases. That's not to say that the Red Frame feels cheap and light; the main body has a nice heft to it and all the shine associated with the metal frame is there in beautiful, marvelous shades of metallic red. 

Of course, Metal Builds are not perfect, and come random nub marks or blemishes can be found here and there, although most of these are few and far between. One gripe however, is the design of the V-Fin attachment point. Rather that affixing the V-Fin to the head unit as per all other Metal Build releases, the V-Fin of the Red Frame is packaged away from the main body, and you'll have to pop it in place during "assembly". The design here is a little flawed, as the V-Fin pops out with the slightest touch. If you're not careful, said V-Fin can disappear into the 4th Dimension. However, this is an easy fix with a drop of glue or cement, but you'll have to be very, very careful.

Overall, the Metal Build Gundam Astray Red Frame is a sexy beast, definitely a must-get for all Red Frame fans out there.

[Feature] HGIBO 1/100 Barbatos Throne - Custom Build by Sydney Hobby Shop

In the ever-expanding and dynamic Gunpla community, thousands of customised builds and kitbash ideas exist, limited only by the depth of the community's creativity. It is inspiring and uplifting to see the myriad of works done by fellow builders: from the crazy ones that combine parts from a hundred different kits to the sleek works that look like they are manufactured from a factory.

Therefore, a new feature of the Gunplanerd blog will be to showcase builds from the company. The zany, slick, fantastic, ridiculous - all are fair game for sharing and learning!

To kick off this new feature, here's a custom made throne made of spare parts from the 1/100 Barbatos, created by the proprietor of Sydney Hobby Shop!

If you would like to be Featured here, drop me an email at spartan1171@gmail.com with nice pictures of your build(s), along with some text describing your work(s).

For now, enjoy this Barbatos Throne!

[Kit Insight] MC Model SD 1/144 MSN 04-02 The Red Comet NIGHTINGALE SPRAYING Ver.

Bandai never got around to making a SD-scale variant of the surprisingly popular Nightingale from Char's Counterattack - Beltorchika's Children. So Chinese model kit manufacturer MC Model took it upon themselves to create a SD Nightingale, which was rather well received for its design, quality and finish, although blemishes still exist.

As an alternate representation of the same SD Nightingale, MC Model released this SPRAYING Ver. of their own model kit in 2016. Essentially a pre-built, pre-painted and pre-finished MC Model SD Nightingale, the entire kit feels more like a Gundam Fix Figuration or Chogokin action figure, with the gleaming, airbrushed metallic surfaces. Gorgeous.

The 2016 SD Nightingale comes with a plethora of stuff: the SD-fied Beam Rifle and Shield, all 10 removable funnels with accompanying funnel display effect parts (basically bendy clear plastic rods), one open hand, three large fuel tanks, a clear SD stand as well as metal decals of Char's personal insignia. It also has a LED as the monoeye sensor. All these fit nicely packaged in a huge, shiny box that is reminiscent of action figures, with a clear window showing the finished product sitting in its well waiting for you to free it from its bonds.

Don't expect much in terms of articulation. The massive Nightingale is not renowned for its ability to strike dynamic poses, and this SD variant is no different. The bicep armor pops off rather easily as well, although a little cement should eradicate that issue once and for all. The "toes" on its massive feet flap around as well, although the Nightingale looks much better when standing on solid ground. The Nightingale also looks imposing and cool just standing still doing nothing.

Apparently, this iteration of the SD Nightingale is only limited to a thousand sets, but take-up for third party model kits is slow to begin with, so at this moment, it should still be easy to secure a few sets.

The 2016 SD Nightingale from MC Model is definitely a looker with its fabulous paintjob, just don't expect to really play with it much.

[Kit Insight] Kotobukiya Frame Arms Girl - Materia (White Ver.)

Bandai may have its Super Fumina, but Kotobukiya has a whole range of Frame Arms Girls to give Bandai a run for their money!

[Kit Insight] Bandai NX Edge Style ASW-G-08 Gundam Barbatos

The release of the Barbatos in NX Edge Style format is logical and timely, since season one of Iron Blooded Orphans is currently building up to the climax. Being the latest in the line of highly articulated finished figurines, the NX Edge Style Barbatos brings its unique appeal to the fore. 

[Kit Insight] Bandai HGIBO 1/144 ASW-G-11 Gundam Gusion [Ver. GPN] (Painted Build)

The Gusion is an oddity: it's heavy, fat, bulky and it's also a Gundam. That said, the Gusion holds immense promise and potential as an adversary to the lean Barbatos, but that vision was cleaved in half when Kudel was cleaved in half.

Nonetheless, the Ver. GPN build represents my take on this non-conventional Gundam, painted in a colour scheme more befitting a militant organisation such as the Brewers. I also switched out its hands for larger, more menacing ones.

Now, we wait for the Barbatos-Gusion hybrid to hit the screen!

[Kit Insight] Bandai Star Wars 1/72 TIE/fo First Order TIE Fighter (Mass Production Type) (Painted Build)

Bandai has been doing a great job with its Starpla releases, and fans (like myself) were pleasantly surprised to see kits from the latest The Force Awakens appearing on store shelves! Being a closet First Order junkie, I picked up a couple of their sleek black TIE Fighters, intending to someday recreate the chase on Jakku, substituting the Millennium Falcon for a Gundam.

Maybe.

The First Order TIE Fighter model kit is at base a reissue of the Imperial TIE Fighter, which has the same design, but actually has many subtle differences. First of all, the First Order TIE Fighter has more parts, with the four pylons by the sides of the cockpit being separate parts and not molded with the main body, as on the Imperial version. Secondly, the distinctive solar panels by the sides of the First Order TIE Fighter are built more efficiently, with massive parts instead of smaller ones. Lastly, the First Order TIE Fighter has larger cannons and an antenna (that breaks very easily), along with a revised control interface for the new pilot.

Simply put, the First Order TIE Fighter is not simply a recolour of the original TIE Fighter: it is an improved version of an existing design, updated to reflect the First Order's emphasis on peace through power.

Now, I shall wait for the Special Forces squadron leader for my TIEs to be released in March!