gundam

MG Sinanju Stein – Finished
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MG Sinanju Stein – Finished

After a long and frustrating process my MG Sinanju Stein is finally complete.

My Stein gave me a lot of grief, which was duly returned over the course of this build. I had initially intended for this kit to receive a paint job that, accidentally, matched the Hi-Nu colour scheme. I wanted to keep things simple but couldn’t decide on what colour to run with until I saw nrvblanco’s PG 00 Raiser WIP over on the Gundam Australia Forums. He mixed silver with blue to create a great looking colour which I tried to replicate. From there I add a bit of gray and the next thing I knew after plotting all the colours on Fury S12’s Stein designer I realized I had a MG Hi-Nu scheme going. read more

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MG RX-78-2 Gundam Ver. 3.0 – Review – Updated 5/16

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Welcome to my review of Bandai’s latest Master Grade Gundam model, the RX-78-2 Gundam Version 3.0. The redesigned kit takes after Bandai’s new and improved vision of the original Gundam, matching the giant statue in Tokyo and the previous Real Grade release. While it features a more traditional frame than the RG, the MG is, for better or worse, simply a scaled up version of its little brother.

I should point out that I don’t have a RG RX-78-2 so I can’t compare the two directly. While I could compare the RG and MG based on other RG kits I figure it be best to make most of my comparisons within the same product line. Though I will reiterate that the MG and RG look exactly alike (other than the size and some panel gap issues, more on that later), even down to the included markings. Between the Mega Size, Real Grade, and Master Grade it wouldn’t surprise me if Bandai re-released the Perfect Grade in this scheme as well… anyhow, I digress… read more

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Revisiting Gundam SEED – Part 2

 

Welcome to part two of my four part series on Gundam SEED! My goal with this series has been to rewatch Gundam SEED for the first time since it originally aired back in 2002. It’s a rewatch with open arms and an open mind after almost a decade of seemingly universal SEED hatred within the North American Gundam community.

So far my experience has been mostly positive. There are some rough parts, not really with the characters, but the weak plot and setting. Certainly nothing to justify the vehement hate. read more

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Revisiting Gundam SEED – Part 1

If you asked me my thoughts on Gundam SEED I would quickly tell you I don’t like it. If you asked why I would respond with, "the characters were awful," then proceed to give some vague remembrances from years past before mumbling off. Chances are I’d also mention how much I loath Hisashi Hirai’s character art while I was at it. The short of it is, I don’t quite remember much about Gundam SEED.

I can tell you that I watched it when it first aired almost a decade ago. I watched it for a long time, just how far into the series I don’t remember. My memory tells me that the characters were pretty unlikable even as the story pretty much took its plot points straight from Mobile Suit Gundam. The suits I remember a bit more, especially the Strike Gundam, which I consider to be one of the best all time Gundam designs (I have two PG Strike kits). There was also the four legged suit which I liked the design of until I saw how poorly it was used in the series. The enemy grunt units though, man how I hated them (and still do). Where the Strike was a classy remake the want-to-be Zaku’s and like looked as though they were styled by a child. "Eh, here ya go. We just messed with the shapes and added some spikes here and there. Oh, you want more? Well here it is with a horrible mohawk contraption." With such fragmented memories I thought it appropriate to reintroduce myself to the series and rewatch Gundam SEED. Is it as bad as I recall? Was I looking at it too much through rosy UC glasses? Will I discover anyone in Northern America who actually likes the program? read more

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Gundam: Looking at the franchise’s future

With Gundam AGE wrapping up in the next six weeks or so and the mysterious Gundam: The Origin just off the horizon (I’m not sure Bandai has revealed how they’re going to do the adaption yet) I thought it would be a good time to sit down and discuss just what we want from one of our favorite franchises.

Below are some of my personal ramblings about what the series has been lacking as of late along with what it needs moving forward.

Make the story the most important aspect

Every series strives for something, whether it be to tell a story, comment on society, showcase animation, etc. Typically the shows which stick with us though the years focused on the story, the characters, and did so in a quality way (e.g. Cowboy Bebop, Planetes). Over the years Gundam as a franchise has shifted more from that dynamic to a vehicle to drive product sales. It’s a case most evident by how Bandai treated Gundam AGE. Products accompanying the series were announced early and many of the new designs to show up in the series were revealed on screen, but as merchandise. Save for a huge twist at the end many will likely remember the series as having a strong premise, some good designs, but a below average with every other facet. read more

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Gundam AGE Episode 27 Review

Episode 27, "I Saw a Red Sunset"

  *****SPOILERS*****   Synopsis: Flit sorties in the AGE-1 as the battle continues, closing in on the Veigan fortress ship. Asemu tears through the enemy until he encounters Zeheart’s MS. Flit strikes a blow against the fortress, but it’s still able to use is forcefield. The AGE-1 is damaged by a suicide attack, and Flit decides to return to the Diva. The Photon Ring Ray destroys the fortress’s shield. The fortress is on a collision course with the colony so the beam weapon is used again, which sets it off course. However, it takes the Diva with it as it heads towards Earth. The main cannon is damaged, so Remi goes out to repair it, but is attacked. The beam weapon fires again, freeing the Diva. Remi dies. Asemu decides to destroy the core of the fortress to prevent it from falling on Earth. Zeheart follows Asemu, intending to do the same (as damaging Earth is not his goal), leading him to the core. The self-destruct is activated and the two escape as the fortress explodes. The Diva descends to the Earth to retrieve Asemu.      Comments:   Oh noes! They killed off Glasses Girl! How shocking.    Well, it was obvious from the beginning of their relationship that something bad was going to happen to either Redhead Guy and Glasses Girl. It had all the death flags. Sudden relationship between two characters with little or no personality? Check. Romance on the battlefield without being main characters? Check. Promising to marry each other before one goes off to fight? Check. Close to the end of this story arc? Check. My only mistake was predicting Redhead Guy’s death instead of Glasses Girl. Though there was some stretch of believability when she left the ship to repair the cannon in the middle of battle. That’s a little convenient, isn’t it? She couldn’t have taken a beam to the chest while working in the hanger? Well, now I won’t have to deal with this shitty subplot anymore, unless Redhead Guy plans some massive revenge. In fact, I doubt we’ll even see him again after this arc. Being Redhead Guy is suffering.   Just so you know, that subplot was complete ass, so the death of Glasses Girl was entirely worthless. Now if they had only killed the both of them…    (But to be honest, I thought Kayra’s death in CCA was sad, even though she was barely there… hypocritical, I realize. Maybe I just felt bad for Astonaige.)   Asemu was pretty awesome in this episode. Going toe to toe with Zeheart on an even level, despite not being a X-Rounder, was great. Then there was his risking his life (even seeming to think about sacrificing his life) to destroy the enemy fortress before it hit Earth, even interrupting his fight with Zeheart to do so. Then he was able to put away his anger to work in tandem with Zeheart to destroy the core. Asemu has grown a little bit over time, and it shows in his conversation with Zeheart in the core. He now understands that the Earth is just as important to Zeheart as it is to him. This is the sort of understanding Flit lacks.    The whole bit in the fortress reminded me of Heero and Zechs in the remains of Libra, with Zechs deciding to use the Epyon to destroy Libra’s power plant. I half-expected Asemu to have to race to the atmosphere and use his Double Bullet to destroy the remains. What we did get was the last of the Magicians Eight sacrificing himself so Zeheart wouldn’t die in re-entry. At least one of them was useful.    Looks like the arc is winding down.    Overall Score:

4 out of 5

 
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