Gunpla is a portmanteu for Gundam Plastic Model. While not always about Gundams, it was Gundam that really launched this hobby.
Basically, you know those little model planes and tanks you can buy and build with glue and shit?
Now imagine if no glue was involved and you could build nearly any mobile suit in existance? That is Gunpla.What do you need for Gunpla?
That really depends on how far you're willing to take this hobby.
One of the things you'll want to buy is the Bandai Toolkit. It contains all the tools you'll need to make your first model including clippers to cut parts and a tool to get parts loose again.
You can find them online under Bandai G-tools.
You'll also want some Gundam Markers. These are basically markers with a really fine tip which allows you to add detailing. You can get them in all colors but you'll want a black one. The difference between a detailed and undetailed model is huge.
A small thin knife or a file could be useful for removing seams.As for the rest, you'll grow into it. More experienced tools include Putty, paint and can go as far as an airbrush.
Types of Gunpla.
Gunpla comes in many sizes and shapes. Usually, the models are ranked using scales. These scales represent how big the model is as opposed to the real Mobile Suit.
These scales also coincide with the grades. Gundam models are ranked in grades. The higher the grade, the more detailed and bigger it is.
The easiest ones are Speed Grades. These are pre-painted 1/200 models for kids. They're also great for learning the basics of modeling as there is very little room to fuck up and the result always looks awesome. The downside is that they're small. Still, they're the cheapest ones you can get and every Gundam show has speedgrades. They usually cost 6.5 euros (7.5 dollars) and you always get a good model. Their abbreviation is SG.
After Speed Grades you get High Grades. High Grades are 1/144 models and are usually used for practise. They're harder to build than the speed grades but are a lot bigger. Most people start with these and nearly every mobile suit has a HG model. HG are also fairly mod-friendly thanks to their relatively low price so they're great for practising your painting/spraying skills before trying them on the more expensive models.
Some HGs can be 1/100 but they're usually exceptions to the rule. While you can find HGs of any Gundam, most shops stock Gundam Wing, Seed and 00. They also stock the HGUC series which are UC models at higher quality than the usual HGs.
HGs retail for 7.5 to 20 euros (8.5 to 22 dollars) depending on the store. Unlike the SGs, the price really matters since what you get is what you pay for. Don't expect a 7.5 euro model to hold a candle to a 20 euro one.
Popular ones include the Wing Gundam, the RX 78-2, Char's Zaku and the Gouf.The next level is Master Grade. These are the most common ones. Master Grades are scale 1/100. The difference between HGs and MGs isn't just the size but also the quality, the number of parts and the system. MGs have a special system called Interior Frame. You build a black frame first and then latch the armor parts on to it This allows better movement and posabillity. MG models are usually only reserved for more popular models.
MGs retail for 35 tot 55 euros (40-60 dollars) depending on the store and yet again... what you pay for is what you get. Most MGs come with a display stand though that depends on the price.
Popular ones include Wing Zero Custom, the One Year War series and Strike Freedom. Perfect Grades are ultimate models. They're made at scale 1/60 and always have all building innovations that Bandai has at the time. Ultimate quality and ultimate posabillity are the norm here. A lot of Perfect Grades include things like leds (to make the eyes/boosters light up) and voice chips (so you can hear the pilot shout something).
Because these extras require wiring, they tend to be harder to build than MGs. They also cost more. Perfect Grades start at 65 euros (75 dollars) and can go to over 350 euros. (450 dollars).
Only the most popular models get the Perfect Grade treatment. Examples include the RX 78-2, Wing Zero Custom and Strike Gundam. Bandai has said they're planning an Exia and 00-Raiser one.Then there are the non-scale non-graded ones. These are usually made by other companies. Mostly so other popular robots that Bandai doesn't have licensing rights too get models. These vary in size and quality. You'll have to research these yourselves.
While most of them follow the Bandai snap-fit system, some might require cement glue. A popular example here is Kotobikuya's Super Robot Wars OG series and their absurdly huge 38 cm 1/144 scale Dygengaur model.
How to build a Gunpla.
That's actually pretty easy. Just follow the instructions on the manual perfectly and don't fuck up.
There are some techniques I could teach you but... instead of explaining them to you, I'm gonna let this mexican wrestler do it for me. He's building an MG Strike Freedom by the way.
