MG Exia - Trans AM mode - Phase 03 Final

Holy crap, it's November already ! 2 month since I last entry about the MG Exia.Actually, Exia has been completed and putting on display for a few weeks already, just that I have been so lethargic to do anything these days.

I am a man with many hobby but only finite time. There are so many things that I wanted to do, so much I wanted to learn and so much more I wanted to achieve but there is only 24 hours a day and I can't do anything without sleep and energy. Sigh. May be I can only truly involve in Gunpla after I retire ?

Anyway back to Exia . . .

From WIP - MG Exia - Trans AM

The "pink pearl"

The thing about buying special coated Gundam kit is that you probably think it saves you the trouble of painting it and achieving the effect yourself. And you are probably right. Assembly the kit , apply the labels , clear coats and its done !
Yet by not applying the manual paint job, there is no way hiding surface defects and the nip marks. Although I tried the water sanding technique, the result is not far from the original state. It is more of a technique to repair scratches than to really make it more shiny.

From WIP - MG Exia - Trans AM

Why did I get a special coated kit?

The reason of getting this special coated kit is that I feel I can't get the right mix of color combination if I'm going to paint it myself. Yet after completing this kit, I can't help thinking I should probably get the normal kit instead.

From WIP - MG Exia - Trans AM

GN Swords

Exia specializes close quarter melee combats. It is armed with 2 dagger GN swords, 2 beam sabers, 2 beam daggers and 1 gigantic GN sword ( prominent in the below pic ). That is the biggest design contrast in Exia design. The mecha is thin and slender yet its right armament seem to fell out of proportion. But that is the biggest allure in Exia's design. The depiction of small character wielding huge weaponry seem to be dominating Japanese pop culture. Unlike the American counter parts where heroes are normally muscle pack with or without multiple guns , Japanese prefer slick slender looking character wielding a huge sword , guns , whatever bad ass looking weird stuffs.
Seems to depict the notion of "strength is not seen from without , but within".

From WIP - MG Exia - Trans AM

After thoughts:

This might be the first and last time I get a special coat kit.
I still have a titanium coated MG RX-78 Gundam in my cupboard but seeing how much they are selling locally, I decide to keep it as collector's item.
Time to move on with my other kits . So many more to do . So little time . Yet even more exciting kits are coming out !

From WIP - MG Exia - Trans AM

Starting 2010 First Gundam Project ! - Master Grade : Exia Trans AM mode

I am finally starting my 2010 Gundam Project .
Gundam Exia - TransAM mode from the Mobile Suit Gundam 00 animation series.

From Japan trip 2010 - gundam quest

Trans AM mode is a color variant from the original blue and white color scheme of the mecha.
It is to reflect the "hyper" mode in the animation series where the mech glows pinkish red.

Since all parts are pre-colored, I should be able to finish it in no time right ?
Wrong ! There is still the problem of the dreaded nip marks !
As I am not going to use the surfacer and paint technique to cover the marks up , I will have to research and try out new methods to get rid of them . Delays to be expected.

This is also my first Gundam kit with LEDs. The 2 LED units require 4 LR41 batteries not included in the kit.
They are part of the "GN drive" which is installed in the mecha's chest area.

I have also setup the "celestial being" display base which I bought in Japan.

The urge to complete this kit in the rush is as much as the urge to make it perfect.

The Quest For the Perfect Grade Red Frame Astray in the land of the rising sun

I went to the land of rising sun , the birth place of Gundam , with some determination of getting the Perfect Grade Gundam Astray Red Frame (Ok I'm obsessed with robots holding a Japanese samurai sword). Not so much it is rare nor I can't get it in Singapore, but I want to get it cheap ! I just feel since I'm into Gunpla , I should get most if not all the kits that I want from there, to justify the cost of the air ticket I paid to get there and back .

From Japan trip 2010 - gundam quest

From Japan trip 2010 - gundam quest

First encounter of Gundam in Kyoto Bic Camera department store.In Japan, there are these 2 huge Electronic Department store chains (Yodobashi Camera and Bic Camera) which sells Gundams . As electronics stores, they mostly occupy many storeys in 1 single building and sell any electronic stuff from household appliances to PC to mobiles and toys , thus enter gundams ! And of course they sell camera and lenses . I really love playing with their camera display sets as they show case almost all available camera models for customer to try on and set aside lens for them to swap and play with !

From Japan trip 2010 - gundam quest

A layout plan of Bic Camera departmental store in its elevator

I did my research before I made this trip. I checked the online price of the Gundam kits and marked down the expected price of the kits that I may be getting.
And I was pleased when I saw that these 2 department store are actually having a major Gundam kit discount where all their kits' prices are lower than I had anticipated. BUT, they don't have Perfect Grade kit that I was looking for .

From Japan trip 2010 - gundam quest

People fishing around the ponds

From Japan trip 2010 - gundam quest

Cherry Blossom sightings

From Japan trip 2010 - gundam quest

Latest Doremon movie cardboard poster

From Japan trip 2010 - gundam quest

Mecha from Virtua On - A mecha battling video game by SEGA

From Japan trip 2010 - gundam quest

From Japan trip 2010 - gundam quest

It is like visiting a "Transformers from the 80's " museum

From Japan trip 2010 - gundam quest

From Japan trip 2010 - gundam quest

From Japan trip 2010 - gundam quest

In the end, my hunt is in vain. All the stores either had sold out or mark up its price to an absurd amount .

Turn out to be that the big offer the department stores throwing in causes the PG Red Frame to be sold out ? I can never know .

Sorry bout the photos quality . They are the products of my handphone camera instead of my D90 .

My Gundam assembly on my study table

From My Gundam Collection

What better way to start a new year other than a total celebration of all my gundams together. Joining them the newly completed strike Gundam.

2009 has been a fun year for my hobbies .
First I got my dream camera the Nikon D90 , and then I revived my old hobbies of Gundam making !

2009 it all started with watching Gundam 00 anime , bought SD Exia and 00 Raiser. And then started reading blog post and youtube videos on Gundam modeling techniques. My first experiment with the surfacer and soon fallen in-love with it. Suddenly painting is fun again ! My 30th Anniversary SD RX-78 is a huge confidence booster. So as you know , next I painted the SD Exia and Wing 0 Custom. To close the year, I completed the Master Grade Strike Gundam IWSP .

I have not really decide what's the next project I will be taking on yet . SD Strike Freedom ? Or get new MG Kits ? I thought since I am going to use the amount of time and energy for this hobby anyway, might as well use them on Master Grade kits ? They are really satisfying I think.

The start of the year is always hopeful , a new beginning where we can anticipate good things coming ahead of us . After all , what's life without hope , fun and laughter ?

Bakuz challenge entrees display @ Ngee Ann City Basement foyer

Now @ Ngee Ann City basement foyer, Takashimaya is holding its Xmas toy fair . There are 20% discount on its Gundam kits and tools. Also, there is a showcase of entrees pieces for the Bakuz 2009 challenge . I was kind of disappointed with the display as the glass cabinet is cramp, seems there are not many entrees to boot , and not to mention the poor layout of each piece.
There is no complete range of gundam model kits on sale : just the later ones from MG , Gundam 00 and SD Sango series . Fortunately it is not so important to me as I need to get only a couple of display stands and the bandai cutter.

From Bakuz challenge 2009 entrees display @ takashimaya

From Bakuz challenge 2009 entrees display @ takashimaya

From Bakuz challenge 2009 entrees display @ takashimaya

From Bakuz challenge 2009 entrees display @ takashimaya

From Bakuz challenge 2009 entrees display @ takashimaya

From Bakuz challenge 2009 entrees display @ takashimaya

From Bakuz challenge 2009 entrees display @ takashimaya

From Bakuz challenge 2009 entrees display @ takashimaya

Small Rest - Big Plan

From IceKnight web gallery

Time to lay finger on the new kits which I bought from the Gundam fair at Compass Point , Seng Kang , couples of months ago. I thought I just want to fix up the 2 "eco-plastic" SDs and leave them be . I fixed up the zaku and spray a layer of semi-gloss top coat. I feel it won't do. It is still very "plastiky" which I don't really like. But I don't want to paint it up with color like the rest of normal kits . It won't feel unique anymore . So how?

From IceKnight Web Gallery

Easy, I am going to paint it black !

From IceKnight Web Gallery

Apply the surfacer , then the metallic black .

SD Exia

The thing about SD Gundams model kits : they are cheap , they are simple . So simple that most of the time 1 single piece contains many different color parts . The panel lining is no more simpler. And my skill in panel lining don't really help. Yet I'm quite satisfied with this outcome. Atleast now my SD Exia looks closer to something that resemble the anime rather that just cookie cutter plastic color.