Hi guys, pasting my info over here after feeling that this place needs it more than the Gamefaqs forum I have being visiting. This guide will apply to most newbies to Gundam, but can also serve as a helpful guide for others on Dalong's rating and online shops.


What are gundam model kits/gunpla?
Gundam model kits are a class of plastic model kits produced primarily by Bandai. Gunpla, or Gun-pla, is a shortened term used to refer to "Gundam Plastic Kits".

Building gunpla involves cutting out parts from a set of trees (Runner/Sprue) and fixing the kit up, which used to mean putting the parts together with cement in earlier days but now simply requires plugging the parts together (There are also "resin kits" and "scratchbuild kits" but this FAQ is primarily concerned with the mass-produced model kits produced by Bandai).


What are the scales of gunpla?
There are alot of scales really, but here are some of the most common ones:

1/1700 - The carriers and motherships, such as the Eternal, Archangel, etc, belong to this scale. Models of this scale are commonly referred to as "EX scale". It should be noted that EX scale models usually come in one color and are produced in fewer numbers than most other gunpla.

1/400 - Currently, only some (but still a significant number of) Gunpla belong to this scale. A few notable examples include Meteor, GP03 vs. Neue Ziel, and White Base.

1/144 - The department of No Grade and High Grade Kits. They usually only have the most distinctive colors that that mecha has and requires quite a bit of touching up to look good. Not too posable either, especially the No Grade versions, which only feature articulation on the main joints. Usually, only foil stickers are given to the kit, except for a few exceptions. Average height is around 12 cm.

1/100 - The High Grade, Master Grade, and SEED 1/100 (obvious, yes, but they don't have the High Grade label on them but are equivalent to HG in quality) kits lie here. While they sport more colors and look good straight out of the box, you'll need to touch them up to make them look really spiffy. The posability of non-Master Grades in general is good, with the recent productions getting closer to the MG quality (Astray Red, Legend) The MG kits in general, have excellent articulation and accurate coloring along with an internal skeleton to hold up the pieces. Average height for this scale is 18 cm.

1/60 - These are basically the biggest (30 cm tall when finished) and most expensive you can find (although in recent years, 1/35 gunpla are being produced by resin companies). The "Real Detail" (similar to High Grade in quality like the SEED 1/100), Perfect Grade, and "Glorious Series" kits are of this scale. The "Real Detail"s offer almost the same posability as their smaller High Grade counterparts but have a little extra detail. The Perfect Grade versions are technically the best of all the grades and the biggest you can find on the market. They have superb articulation and also, like the Master Grades, have internal skeletons to support the pieces and improve posability. Most PGs have metal parts, but recent versions (namely, the PG Strike) contain considerably fewer metal pieces than their predecessors. Also of note is that PG kits have LED lights in their eye(s) and, for some others, elsewhere in the kit (e.g. Zeta's beam sabers). The Glorious Series kits in particular contain quite a few lights.


I noticed that you have been saying NG, HG, MG, and PG. What do these represent and what are they?
Those acronyms stand for "No Grade", "High Grade", "Master Grade", and "Perfect Grade" respectively. In terms of quality, No Grade is at the bottom, followed by High Grade, then Master Grade, and finally, at the top, Perfect Grade.

No Grade - 1/144 scale only. These offer only limited posability and colors. They also have less than 30 parts and thus are dirt cheap (no more than a few dollars) and an easy build (not even a hundred parts). Accordingly, these are great for beginners or if you just want to build something quickly on the spot. However, unlike superior grades, older kits of NG transformable suits may not be able to transform whatsoever.

High Grade - Comes in 1/144 and 1/100 scale. The 1/100 kits are usually more posable, have more colors, and come with more parts (more than a hundred). They're also well-articulated and are gradually becoming more MG-like (sans the internal skeleton) in the recent years, particularly the Gundam SEED kits. Overall, construction is easy, and the price is fair (usually between 15 to 20 US dollars for 1/144 kits and 30 US dollars for 1/100 kits).

High Grade Universal Century - These are UC mecha that have gotten the new High Grade treatment and have been aptly labeled "HGUC". I say new High Grade treatment in order to distinguish these kits from the High Grade kits Bandai made of UC mecha a couple decades ago, which were of considerably lesser quality than the HG kits produced today. Other than the fact that HGUC kits only come in 1/144, they're no different from other modern HGs.

Master Grade - The best grade you can get in 1/100 scale. MGs have internal skeletons (to hold up the armor and enable more realistic poses), very accurate coloring (sans a few kits such as the Kampfer), and often a number of gimmicks (e.g. Strike Freedom "Full Burst Mode" and Hi-Nu both include a set of wires and effect parts to enable poses involving their dragoons/funnels). Many later, more imminent MGs include stands for mid-air poses and some of these either support that kit's gimmick (e.g. the previously mentioned Strike Freedom "Full Burst Mode" and Hi-Nu) or is itself a gimmick (Aile Strike and Zeta Ver. 2.0's stands both take the form of launching pads). Construction-wise they're generally harder than HGs, since there are more parts for the scale (a few hundred) and many of those parts are quite small and precise, but not too bad if you follow the instructions properly. For the most part, they cost between 30 to 50 US dollars although a number of kits cost more than that, and some of the biggest MGs (e.g. Ex-S, Sazabi) can cost as much as 80 to 90 dollars.

Perfect Grade - Technically, the best of all grades. All PGs feature internal skeletons, completely accurate colors, incredibly deep articulation, and maximum posability but are only available in 1/60 scale. Most earlier PGs contain a number of metal parts to support the model, but improvements in modeling technology have minimized the amount of metal needed to support the kits' massive weight (the most recent PG, the Strike, only has three metal parts). However, construction is very complex and lengthy (yay for several hundred parts), and, although not required to complete the kit, if you want the LED lights to function, rudimentary wiring skills are required. Additionally, the price is a major factor to keep in mind, as all the kits (sans Skygrasper) cost over 100 US dollars, and the most expensive ones (e.g. Zeta, GP01) cost well over 200. Due to research and manufacturing costs as well as the market risks of such grand model kits, this line of model kits usually only features the most imminent and popular mecha from all of Gundam.

Other - First, "Glorious Series" kits. They're all 1/60 scale and of PG quality (as is its price). The main difference is that they're much more electrical than PGs and call for much more wiring. Put bluntly, don't attempt these at least until you're ready to build a PG. Secondly, Super Deformed, or SD, kits. They differ from all other gunpla in that their appearance is intentionally deformed, particularly their super-enlarged heads. It's best to look at a picture to understand exactly what SD kits are about *points to an image search engine and the words "SD Gundam"*. In any case, these are relatively small kits, both in terms of size (6-7 cm tall) and number of parts (less than fifty). They're not very posable or color accurate, but they are very cheap (a few dollars) and extremely simple to put together, even for a beginner. If the SD style appeals to you, by all means buy one.

I see, so where can I find these kits?
Well, if you live around Japan, you should have no trouble finding them in hobby shops or department stores. If not, then you'll have much more trouble finding them that way, since many retailers won't risk spending the money to import them. Your best chance (and best selection might I add) is to be found here on the net.

For Singaporeans: HAG, Nakamoto, Hobby Point. HAG and Nakamoto are located at Sunshine Plaza and Parklane Mall respectively while Hobby Point has a branch at Tiong Bahru(Im not so sure about the new place they shifted to.)

Ok then, so what are some good online stores to get those kits and whatever else I may need?


Model Kits

Hobby Link Japan
http://www.hlj.com
One of the best selections you'll find on the net, and the kits are at cheap prices too. However, since they're based in Japan, the shipping can cost quite a bit and it takes a while for your orders to arrive.

Hobby Wave
http://www.hobbywave.com/
One Stop Source for Gundam Models. Huge selection, flat-rate shipping and with every purchase, you can earn credits towards your next purchase.

Gundam Store and More
http://www.gundamstoreandmore.com/
An excellent US store with good prices and a solid selection (albeit slow to update). Plus, the shipping is flat-rate and very cheap, the service is excellent, and your orders usually get to you within the week you filed it.

Hobbysearch
http://www.1999.co.jp/eng
Good website. Although it was better than HLJ at first, they recently changed their shipping policy to the same as HLJ's, losing that edge.

Rainbow Ten
http://www.rainbowten.co.jp/english/
Another great site to order from - fast shipping and very good customer support, often replying to your questions the day you posted. However, their navigation is strange, which is actually a set of lists which shows their items for sale, and you need to e-mail your orders to them rather than order them on the site.

GundamShop
http://www.gundamshop.com/
This blast from the past is on it's way back.

ImageAnime
http://store.imageanime.com/
US Store. Not too bad. Some out of stock stuff.

PlaJapan
http://www.plajapan.com/
Prices range from really high to really low, depending on whether or not there's a sale.

House of Anime
http://www.hoaoutlet.com/
Reasonable pricing and "discount sales" (up to 50% off). A good source for Hobby Japan & Dengeki Hobby.

tisinc99
http://www.tisinc99.com
A little bit of everything from anime/manga.



Resin and Recasts

E2046
http://www.e2046.com/
Resin recasts.

HobbyFan
http://www.hobbyfan.com/
Resin recasts.

Ako Creations
http://akocreation.com/
Kits and conversions. Cool stuff!



Supplies and Parts

MechaSkunk
http://www.mechaskunk.com
Fulcy's store. Aluminum bells and great option parts and bits.

HobbyLinc
http://www.hobbylinc.com
Great place for tools, styrene, and metal supplies. Kits too.

The Barrel Store
http://www.bentbutnotbroken.com
Canadian store. Good selection of armor accessories and MIG pigments.

Samuel Decal
http://www.samueldecal.com
Waterslide decal store.

Dixie Art
http://www.dixieart.com/
Airbrushes and accessories.

K&J Magnetics
http://www.kjmagnetics.com
Best source for incredibly strong neodymium rare earth magnets.

What's the best way to identify bootlegs?
The best way to identify a bootleg model is by looking at the boxart. Bandai always puts their logo at the bottom right corner of the box, so when you look at the logo, there should be a whole red box with "Bandai" in white letters in this formation:

BAN
DAI

Also, bootleg models always have very uneven runners, which means you can spot a lot of jagged plastic jutting out from the sprue.

The most infamous bootleg company is Bendi. Additionally, "Gundam" is often changed to "Goda".

So I've got some kits... now what do I do?
Good for you on getting the kit! The first thing you should do is read through the construction manual and study the parts. Use a cutter to free the parts from the runner and NEVER TWIST THEM OFF FROM THE RUNNER. I REPEAT. NEVER. You will only damage the parts being pulled out. After cutting it out, you might want to trim down the leftover sprue on the piece and clean it up. Always follow the instructions too, step by step, so that you don't get confused. Only start jumping around the steps once you're competent and confident enough in your modeling skills.

I've finally built my kit! But there's still something left to be desired...
Of course, a kit built straight out of the box generally lacks a certain degree of depth. Therefore, you should fill in the panel lines. See all the armor on your kit? Look closely and you'll see a bunch of thin lines running across them. Carefully use a thin black marker (0.1 mm and thinner) to trace along them carefully. There, now you've added a little depth to your Gundam.

I still feel something is missing...
Let me guess... not anime accurate? You could always paint your gunpla. Not the usual poster colors, but a special type of paint called lacquers or acrylics. You'll need special thinners to get the job done.

Umm... any further instructions on it? I'm very interested in getting my Gundam to look just right.
Ask and thou shalt recieve. I redirect you to:

http://www.fichtenfoo.com/02GiantRobots/...HowTo.html (Courtesy of FichtenFoo)

http://www.dannychoo.com/blog_entry/eng/...+Tutorial/

http://www.gamerabaenre.com/toolsandtechs.htm

http://www.missing-lynx.com/rareworld.htm (a good amount of info for weathering and detailing for military kits.)

http://www.swannysmodels.com/Tools.html (again, focuses on military kits, but info such as this is very helpful if you are interested in moving up to airbrushing and such, or at least knowing about it)

http://www.starshipmodeler.com/faq.cfm

Where can I find news on the latest kits and whatnot?
Besides from online stores, you can also see info on upcoming kits from a blog called Gunota:

http://aeug.blogspot.com/


I'm considering buying a kit, but I want more information on it first.
Then your best bet is here:

http://www.dalong.net/

This site has all the information on virtually every kit from the 1/400, HGUC, SEED/SEED Destiny HG or 1/100, (older) SD, MG, PG, and Glorious Series lines. Although the site is in Korean, you can gather all you'll need for making up your mind from the mountains of detailed pictures in each review.

Additionally, all the MG kits are graded out of 100. Before the final grade though, Dalong grades out of 5 stars certain aspects of the kit. However, unless you read Korean, you won't be able to read them, so here is the designated order of those categories and their meanings:

Quote:Seamline - How well the kit hides (or at least makes less obvious) the seam lines between parts.
Plastic Color / Color Separation - How good and accurate the color is out of the box. (i.e. if the plastic looks cheap, and/or if you need a lot of touch-up paints to make it look good, the score goes down.)
Proportion - Self-explanatory
Mobility - Self-explanatory
Joint Strength - Self-explanatory
Internal Frame - Self-explanatory
Detail - Self-explanatory
Weapons / Extra Parts - Self-explanatory
Number of Parts / Price - The ratio between the price and the complexity of the kit. sometimes Dalong gives a high rating in this category if he feels quality outweighs the quantity of parts (like with MG Acguy).
Uniqueness / Specialness - Dalong's way of saying, "How meaningful is this kit?" and, "Is it worthy of being in the MG lineup?"

Regarding the rarity of model kits by Bandai
While Im not sure about other series of kits that Bandai produces, like Evangalion and etc, I am however, VERY sure that for the Gundam series, there's no such thing as RARE. By means of rare, I mean kits that are not released in limited quantites as stated by Bandai.

The reason why the kits appeared to be "rare" can be the following reasons:
1.)Series or shows have already passed quite some time after the release of the kits, and interest has died down. (Gundam Wing, Gundam X, Turn A, etc...)

2.)No demands for the particular kit, which will cause shopkeepers not bringing in them for fear of being unable to sell out.

3.)A better, upgraded version of the kit has being released, which will cause a slow down of production in the old kits.

Basically, these are the 3 reasons as to why the kit will be "rare" to get, but definitely not unable to get. Bandai has a knack of reusing molds as much as possible, and this old kits will still be re-released back into the market, either through new packaging, reprint versions, or still the same old kit. Thus there is not a need to believe the so called "RARE" kits, or the sellers selling them.

In short, you are going to get ripped off badly if you are going to buy into their words.


HOWEVER,

Like I said above, there are kits that are very rare to get, and those are called "Event Special" model kits, these kits usually comes in clear plastic colours, or plated, with new box packaging or retain the old packaging, but with a sticker pasted onto the box stating event special.

These kits are considered rare because they are only particularly released for the event only, and getting them after that might be a bit impossible.

Likewise, you are still getting the same old kit(Only in different colours) at a relatively higher pricing, and ultimately, its also up to you whether you want to make the plunge.


So, how do I prevent myself from getting ripped off?
Do your market research!

Alot of the newbies into this area(Or any other hobbies), more often than not, do not do a thorough market research on the pricing, which leads to them getting ripped off. The price may seem right to you, but have you ever wondered whether you can get it at a even cheaper price?

Your best bet is to go through the list of shops which I have given above and get the estimated pricing of the kit, before swooping down to your nearby stores and buying it or from other sellers. To be on the safer side, you can actually buy from these online shops as they are reputable and the pricing is pretty good.

However, I wouldnt reckon Ebay though. They might be selling the kits at a lower price than other shops you can find, but you cant guarantee that the kit you are receiving is from Bandai, who knows you might be getting a bootleg version of the kit, but paying the original price.

Just remember, always do your research. If you don't want to get ripped off, that is.

***

I hope this clears up most of your questions. If there's anything more you want to know, just make a topic and ask. ^_^


Thanks to :
Paltheos - Edit my first version, which has some spellings errors and adding some new info.
PlanetKeron - Contributed new modelling links.
Tivor - Contributing to the Dalong's grading category translation.


Version 2.2 as of May 07, 2007

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Useful post. Thanks Kira, will sticky this thread for people who are unsure of Gunpla to read.

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