Since my last post was a bit of a downer, I thought I would lighten
things a bit with a post I've been meaning to write for a long time.
5 reasons why Gunpra is great (in no particular order):
1. Gunpra adapts to whatever level of commitment you are willing to
put into it. You can just snap a HGUC or MG together and still get a
good looking model. You can put in a few more hours and touch up some
areas with paint, maybe fill in some obvious seams, crisp some edges
up with sandpaper. Or you can do some major alterations and really
mod it up. I do all 3, depending on my mood at the time. Also you can
go back to a kit you just snapped together, break it down, and make
some changes to it. Gunpra can be simple or challenging. It all in
how you want to approach it, which is why it's great.
2. You can wait to buy Gunpra. Unlike toys or kits from other
manufacturers you don't have a small window in which to buy the item.
Since Bandai is always reprinting kits, you can put off buying it,
knowing that you can still pick it up years later at the original
price, or even better--wait for a good sale. There have been a number
of times where I've missed out on other mecha toys or kits because I
didn't jump on buying it soon enough. In fact, some hot or obscure
items you have put in a preorder, often with knowing little about the
item, or you'll miss out. If I all of a sudden feel like building
another MG Dom I know I can get my hands on one.
3. Gunpra are high quality. Gunpra are considered the pinnacle of
plastic model kit engineering. The various complaints of other
plastic kits are completely absent in Gunpra. Warped pieces, large
ejector pin marks, soft details, aren't present in Gunpra. I've never
bought a Gunpra that wasn't up to par or missing a piece. Bandai is
also constantly improving their kits, molding parts in the correct
colors, hiding seams, and improving stability and articulation.
Unlike Gundam video games or TV animation quality, Bandai doesn't cut
corners when it comes to Gunpra.
4. The feeling of accomplishment when one completes a Gunpra. Except
for a few botched experiments, all my completed Gundam kits are on
display in my apartment, about 50 of them. On the other hand, all my
gundam toys are boxed up in the back of my closet. It is really
satisfying to put in the time to build a kit, even if it didn't turn
out the way you liked. There is a connection you get with Gunpra.
When I look at my model shelf, I can remember what was going on in my
life when I was building this or that kit. I can feel pride in a
particularly difficult kit or building technique that worked well. I
can also look at my early kits and see how much my skills have grown.
5. Building Gunpra is a relaxing activity. Snap a kit together in
front of a DVD, or achieve a zen state, sanding parts to music and
feel the stress melt away.
---
Bonus: False and dubious merits of Gunpra:
6. Gunpra has a large network of enthusiasts who swap tips and show
off their kits...Okay this was what I was hoping for when Gundam came
to America. Sadly, it is the opposite. I mostly feel alone in my
Gunpra devotion. Oh I imagine it's true in Japan and parts of Asia.
7. True Otaku have built at least one Gunpra. Gunpra has pervaded so
much of Japanese visual culture that only by building Gunpra can one
understand the nuanced subtexts of Anime and manga. The true depth of
Keroro Gunsou cannot hope to be grasped by one who hasn't placed
polycap C inbetween parts A12 and A13.
-James
