HGUC Unicorn Gundam (Destroy mode)- Completed!

Phew! Finally completed this kit. It had been a pretty hectic week in school. I'm so busy that I barely have enough time for Gunplas. Haha, anyway, lets get to the kit now!

Front view.

Rear view.

The design of the destroy mode has always been one of my favourites. It is very unique and amazing. ^^ Like what I heard somewhere before, I agree that the Unicorn's destroy mode is much more realistic than Celestial Being's suits going Trans-Am. The Unicorn armour just opens and reveals sparkling pink parts instead of the whole suit glowing in red.

The head of the Unicorn is really cool. It has a clear pink piece inside the head which can be seen from the vents and the chin. ^^ And this time, I hand painted the eyes rather than using stickers as I accidentally screwed the sticker up. But still, I'm pretty satisfied with the look of the eyes.

The torso does not resemble any other ones from a Gundam. Instead of the traditional red, blue and white, The white armour split open to reveal clear pink pieces inside. Very nice. ^^

 

The arms are better than the previous Unicorn in its unicorn mode. For some reasons, the one from the unicorn mode has a very loose joint and it tends to split apart when rotating it side to side. However, this does not happen for this guy. The arms are solid and because of the transformation, the beam sabers on the side of the arms can be rotated down to be beam tonfas!

The front skirts for the waist are rather dissapointing to me. I always thought that the armour pieces will pop out to reveal those pink parts, however, they are just flat there. The thrusters on the back skirts are also pretty loose. They are secured there but with just a little push to it, the whole thruster goes hidden in the back skirts.

The legs on this guy are really tall. It increases the height of the Unicorn and well, those knees look awesome!

I tried painting those beam saber holders and thrusters with grey and a tinge of blue to it. However, those parts still look grey to me. Still, the backpack looks really great with those armours and pink parts inside.

For accessories, this kit came with a simple beam rifle, an ammo pack, a shield and 4 beam saber holders. However, there are no beam effect parts for this kit at all.

 

For some reasons, the barrel of the beam rifle looks unusually long to me. O_O

The shield is really different form the usual shield designs from previous Gundams. The white armours slide open and reveals clear pink pieces resembling an "X". Well, I got to say that this is really one of the greatest shield design ever!

Those beam parts are from the Unicorn mode and well, this guy looks really great with his sabers. I guess Bandai wants the people to buy the unicorn mode to get these beam parts. Another evil money-milking scheme!

The twin beam tonfas look really cool. With this, this guy wields 4 beam sabers in total. He is surely not one that you can mess with!

The comparision between both Unicorns shows that there's really a great difference in terms of hieght. Just look how tall the destroy mode is! What's more, it is quite hard to believe that they are actually the same suit. Just look at the design of both suits! 

Total pwnage! O_O

So yeah that's all for this post! This kit is really great! However, because of its price, people might think twice before getting it. O_O But still, it will not dissappoint you. I'm really satisfied with it and I finally got the two Unicorns! Now, all is left is the SD one. I will be waiting... ^^

Oh, and lastly, thanks a lot to ChubbyBots for including some of my works in this great video. Be sure to check it out!

Till the next post!

Gunplas for 2009!

Haha, I know it is already quite late to post this since 2009 is already over, but I can't just help to do so. 2009 has been a great year for Gundams and Gunplas. It marks the 30th anniversary for Gundam, and then the end for the second season for Gundam 00 and the start of Sangokuden Gaiden!

Other than then, Sangokuden series 3 has also reached its climax which resulted in the great amount of new Sangokuden kits Bandai released in a month.

As 2009 is the 30th anniversary for Gundam, Bandai offered many great promotions for their kits.

1) Clear files!
2) MG Clear part Campaign!
3) HGUC Gundam 30th ver.!
These are all what I can remeber. And well, how can we forget the giant 1/1 statue of the grandaddy Gundam! It is just spectacular but too bad, it had been removed. That's a pity.

Gundam 00

For Gundam 00, the kits released during 2009 are mainly on the mechs from the second season. The HG line for the 00 series is just great. Gaddesa, Garazzo, Gaddess, 0 Gundam, Reborns, Arche and etc. These kits have such awesome engineering to them that they even surpass certain old MGs!

 SDs aren't that bad too. SD 00 Raiser is pretty cool, but SD 0 Gundam just brings the line to another level. For the 1/100 scales, I don't really think the Designer's colour version kits was a great idea. The LEDs are okay, but those dry decals might be a pain to put them on for beginners. Other than that, I think the release of these designer's colour version kits just pisses off those people who bought the original release. Despite that, the release of MG Exia and it's ignition mode counterpart just boosts the 00 series.

So overall, the kits from 00 are doing just great! I'm really looking forward for the kits from the movie. However, the next big thing will be the HG 00 Gundam 7 Swords/G which will be release next month! I'd already seen pictures of it and I am really impressed.

High Grade Universal Century

HGUC kits are improving greatly too! Some of the kits now rely on the polycaps from the HG00 kits while the others just does not use any polycaps at all! Therefore, these kits are starting to have MG-like articulations and even details that are just awesome! However, with all that features, the HGUC kits are staring to get a lot more expensive than before. Many HGUC kits now range from 1800 yen to 2100 yen. Hmm.... that's a problem already.

However, with the start for the new anime for the Unicorn series this year, I doubt the HGUC line will slow down in the near future. ^^

Master Grade

MG kits really shined last year. Although I did not get any MGs last year, there are really great releases like the Exia, Blue Frame 2nd Revise, Guntank and the recent Victory Gundam Ver. Ka! The version 2.0 kits for the mechs ffrom the 0079 line are really great too. For a HG and SD modeler like me, releases like the Gouf and GM really made my hand itching for a moment. Other than that, the re-released kits like Hiyaku-Shiki HD ver. and the Shin Musha with his display stand is also awesome. What's more, like I said previously, the on-going MG clear part campaign have realeased almost 30 kits already. Wow...

Super Deformed

It's pretty obvious that Bandai is focusing on the Sangokuden line when it comes to the SDs. There are some huge releases last year for Sangokuden like the Mokaku set, Koumei Nu and even the giant Senjin Gasshin Shu Gundam set which was released last month. However, with the addition of the Gaiden and the Sengokuden series, the original Sangokuden just can't help but to be pushed aside sometimes. I'm neither a fan of the Gaiden series nor the Sengokuden series, but some of those kits do impress me too.

I never had a Sengokuden kit before. Instead, I went for the Gaiden line. I wasn't going crazy when the series was first announced because of the kiddy-like look of the model and the reusing of parts. But still, I got my hands on Ryuuho, Shuutai and Yue Jin. They are pretty good but not the best, still it adds as a great kit to your collection.

SDs are now more to mushas and are driving away from normal mobile suits. However, the upcoming SD Unicorn surely is highly anitcipating, I will look out for that!

For me, I got my hands on many kits. They are all really great too!

HG 00- GN Archer, Gadessa, O Raiser, Seraphim Gundam, Garazzo, O Gundam Type A.C.D, Arche Gundam, Ahead Smultron, Exia Repair II, Susanowo, Arios GNHW/M, Gaddess, O Gundam, Reborns Gundam, Trans-Am Raiser and Masurao.

HGUC- RX-78-2 Gundam G30th, Full Armour Gundam 7th, Unicorn Gundam (Unicorn mode) and Nu Gundam.

SDs- Full Armour Gundam, Perfect Gundam, OO Raiser, O Gundam Type A.C.D, Exia Repair II, RX-78-2 Gundam G30th, Guntank and Turn A Gundam.

Sangokuden- Emperor Ryuubi Gundam, Shibai Sazabi, Kakouton Giros, Kochu Gundam, Kan-U Gundam, Shuusho Gundam, Bachou Gundam, Rikuson Zeta-Plus, Chokou Zaku III, Souhi Gundam, Mokaku Gundam set, Kyou-I F91, Sonsaku Physalis and Soldier unit

Sangokuden Gaiden- Ryuuho Gundam, Shuutai Gundam and Yue Jin Gundam.

Keropla- Garuru, Chibi Kero and Chou Kaioh King Kero Robo.

So yeah, that is all for the kits that I got last year. It's quite a huge amount of kits there. I might wanna cut down Gunpla expenses these year!

For my unbuilt kits, I'm still left with SD Taishici, SD Shuutai, HG Reborns, HG Arios GNHW/M, HGUC Zaku II, HGUC Unicorn Gundam (Destroy Mode) and King Kero Robo.

It's already quite a pile of boxes even when the Unicorn and the Zaku II is not there!

So yeah, that's all for this post. Enjoy your weekend everyone!

Till the next post everyone!

Testing Gold!

I've been searching for a gold colour which is shiny and quite rich in yellow. However, the best I can find in shops so far is the aqueous hobby paint version which is still not what I'm looking for. Therefore, I decided to try using clear yellow as a coat, going over different types of gold paints and even silver to get the best result of a shiny gold. ^^
Here, I use my Burst Ryuubi as the guinea-pig. ^^

So here it is, the linings are still quite messy here though. Anyway, the overall look is pretty nice to me, however, the V-Fin looks too bright and it doesn't really fit the entire look of the colour scheme. ^^; Anyway, lets get to the details. =)

1) For the collar, I used the gold aqueous hobby color as a base coat and go over it with clear yellow. Pretty nice and is also close to what I'm searching for.

2) For the vents and the fancy designs around the body, shoulders and stuff, I used the gold from the Mr.Metal series and go over it with clear yellow. It's okay to me, but is not what I'm looking for.

3) The whole body is painted with the gold from the Mr.Metal series while the lines at the tip of the front skirts are painted using the gold from the aqueous series. The "V" on the waist is painted using Gundam Marker.

1) The swords are being painted using the same gold from Mr.Metal and being coated with clear yellow which gives off that same honey-mustard colour previously.

2) The gold for the fancy dragon designs on the swords are actually from Gundam Marker. ^^

1) The dragon on the forhead is being painted with the same old gold from Mr. Metal. A coat of clear yellow then goes over it.

2) The V-Fins are painted using silver from the aqueous line, a few coats of clear yellow then goes over it. Hmm.... looks more like metallic yellow to me.

3) The jewel, like the collar mentioned previously, is painted using the gold from the aqueous line and coated with clear yellow.

So yeah, that pretty much concludes this post. However, I had forgotten to test the gold from Mr. Color and the brass from the Mr. Metal line. Haha, I might try them out next time. Anyway, here's a preview for what's coming next!

SD Yue Jin rolls out!

Till the next post everyone!

HGUC Unicorn Gundam (Unicorn Mode) and HG Masurao- Completed!

Just finished Masurao yesterday! I've already completed the Unicorn before the holidays end, but I never had the time to post it. Anyway, I've decided to combine these two posts into one just to save time. ^^
Lets start with Unicorn first! For some reasons, I added weathering to it and well, the end results are pretty good. ^^

Front view.

Rear view.

For accessories, the kit comes with a hyper bazooka, 4 beam sabers and one shield. The beam magnum isn't inculded as it's already in the destroy mode release of the unicorn.

The bazooka is really solid. It helps the Unicorn to pull off some really awesome poses too. ^^

What's more, the bazooka can be stored on the backpack. The ammo pack can also be stored on the back skirt armours.

The kit comes with four beam saber handles, but there are only 2 beam effect parts. Therefore, only the ones on the backpack can be used. The ones in the arms will only be in used in the destroy mode.

The shield has lots of details underneath it, and well, it really makes the Unicorn looks a hell lot better with it. ^^

Overall, this kit is another must-get. It's just too great. Great design, great accessories, great kit. ^^ However, the only flaw is that the joints on the arms are really loose. Just a little fiddling on it and it comes apart. But still, despite that, it's really good. Get the destroy mode too they will be great add-ons to your collection. ^^

That's all for Unicorn. Now, lets get to Masurao! This Samurai-looking flag suit has always been one of my favourite mech in the series. For this kit, I only did some linings and painted some parts yellow. Simple yet awesome! =D And if you think this kit is just a simple recolur, then you are wrong! This kit comes with new joints for the side skirts and new open palms and a close fist. The head ornament, and even the tri-punisher is also different!

Front view.

Rear view.

For the accessories, Masurao comes with its trademark twin beam kantanas, called Howard and Daryl. The names are actually Mr. Bushido's (Graham's) late comrades. They were both killed by Celestial Being, so maybe that's why Mr. Bushido has such a grude against them .O_O

Awesome!!

The cannon in the torso is being sealed up. No more tri-punisher for Masurao. =(

A new open palm is added to the left hand to recreate his trademark pose. ^^

Like Susanowo, a beam chakram can be added to the head. However, I didn't took a picture of it as it's still unpainted. Hahas.

Anyway, that's all for Masurao. If you haven't get the Susanowo, get this!

 

That's all for this combined post. Thanks for viewing and well, till the next post everyone!