[Gunplanerd] 2018 in Review

I really, really like freeing Gunpla from their plastic prisons.

In the blink of an eye, 2018 is coming to an end. 

At the start of the year, I was filled with trepidation and unease as 2018 was to be a very busy year for me at work, along with mounting social and family commitments. Despite those, I still managed to knock out a sizable stable of builds - painted and straight alike. 2018 was surprisingly productive, to say the least.

The following are some interesting statistics from 2018:

• Total Number of Builds: 60
• Number of Painted Builds: 44
• Number of Straight Builds: 16
• Number of Painted Builds in HG 1/144 scale: 38

Very clearly, you can see my preference for HG 1/144 model kits: 38 of 44 Painted Builds were in that scale. Out of these 38, 18 of them are grunt units, i.e., GM-type mobile suits. 

In light of my increasingly busy schedule, HG 1/144 grunt-type model kits are increasingly preferred for their relatively simplicity, ease of building and short time frame from box to completion. Indeed, I can finish a painted HG build in a single day: cutting and prepping of parts before applying paint in the morning, assembling and applying waterslide decals in the evening. 

Modern HG model kits are also increasing in detail and sophistication, featuring greater surface detail along with fantastic articulation and other gimmicks. MGs, while undeniably cooler and sexier, take far too long to prep, let alone complete; the time spent on a MG's inner frame can be far greater than the time spent on an entire HG 1/144 grunt-type kit. It is however, interesting to note that out of the 8 MG 1/100 straight builds done for 2018, 6 of them are grunt-types.

Perhaps I should just focus my time, energy and paint on grunt-type model kits.

Here's to a productive 2018 and an even better 2019!

In case you're wondering how I display/ store my builds, the following pictures serve to illustrate the current arrangement:

While my current housing situation doesn't permit a full-scale display unit, this will change in 2019 when my own place arrives. Look forward to a proper, purpose-built gallery space which my builds (and other collectibles) will call home!

Gallery

You can read more about each build and see more images in the build's individual posts on my blog!