Big thanks to the fine folks over at Japan Craft for having this kit in stock. No, this article isn't sponsored, I just imagine they'd appreciate the shout out, especially in these troubled times.
So I have my hands on a Gundam kit, and I'm gonna show off some things I felt were worth noting down during the building process. The first kit I'll be trying this format on is a kit I've had my eyes on for quite a long while, and portrays a mobile suit that's been on my mind ever since I first saw a certain episode of Death Battle long before getting into Gunpla. And that, as the title would indicate, is thePerfect Grade Gump Master Grade Epyon. I've already got the first ever part clipped out as of me typing this, so let's go!
(heading numbering based on where I am in the manual)
I also don't recall the previous two Master Grades I've built coming with polycap (PC) runners either, but whatever.
For the front of the chest, I've added some brown highlights to the yellow parts (A2/A3). I've photographed it with one of them done to show the kind of difference that panel lining can make.
We also have our first sticker! Except unlike every other Gunpla kit I've built, both sticker sheets come in their own tiny plastic bag that's a bit irritating to open. I suspect this might be because it's also the only kit I own that comes with a dry transfer sheet. This'll be interesting.
I also really like shiny stickers with clear plastic parts over it like in the case of A9 here.
And with that, the inner part of the torso is complete. Now let's encase it in some armor!
I'm also not too keen on how C1 20 is designed to loosely sit on top of the waist and then the body fits on top of the middle ball joint - it felt a little on the fiddly side to put it all together. I managed it though, and it does work, so...ok.
13.
So I have my hands on a Gundam kit, and I'm gonna show off some things I felt were worth noting down during the building process. The first kit I'll be trying this format on is a kit I've had my eyes on for quite a long while, and portrays a mobile suit that's been on my mind ever since I first saw a certain episode of Death Battle long before getting into Gunpla. And that, as the title would indicate, is the
(heading numbering based on where I am in the manual)
1. Body
1-1
The first thing I notice is that Runner H, the first part of the torso that comes up in the manual, is made of really nice, shiny plastic. The second thing I notice is that the part I clipped out is actually the pilot seat, and the first step involves adding the tiny seated Zechs Merquise figure. It's a little odd from what I've built thus far that the very first part that gets put together is the cockpit - I don't recall the other two Master Grades (the Gundam The Origin RX-78-2 and the Gundam Barbatos) doing this. Amusingly, the seated Zechs figure looks far shorter than expected compared to the standing Zechs figure. Maybe it's the longcoat, but I swear the seated figure would still be shorter by comparison if he was standing. |
| Don't you dare clip me or my son ever again! |
I also don't recall the previous two Master Grades I've built coming with polycap (PC) runners either, but whatever.
1-2
Part G23 was a little annoying because there was a tiny notch sticking out of the shaft that made me unsure if the part was even meant to fit all the way into G20. It is meant to, though. As the actress said to the bishop, it'll be perfectly fine as long as you push a little hard. |
| Giggity. |
1-3
Not so keen on how A15 (the lighter lavender-coloured neck part on the top of the cockpit) sort of loosely hangs about. I'm not even really sure it's secured in place by the darker blue E1. (sigh) If the instructions say so... |
| I'm too Zechsy for this cockpit...too Zechsy for this cockpit... |
For the front of the chest, I've added some brown highlights to the yellow parts (A2/A3). I've photographed it with one of them done to show the kind of difference that panel lining can make.
 |
| Left: No panel lining. Right: Yes panel lining. Behind me: Weird black-on-white panel lining |
We also have our first sticker! Except unlike every other Gunpla kit I've built, both sticker sheets come in their own tiny plastic bag that's a bit irritating to open. I suspect this might be because it's also the only kit I own that comes with a dry transfer sheet. This'll be interesting.
I also really like shiny stickers with clear plastic parts over it like in the case of A9 here.
 |
| I believe the symbol for the sticker is an abbreviation of the phrase, "Shai Ni Gurinu Secaru". |
And with that, the inner part of the torso is complete. Now let's encase it in some armor!
1-4
It was around adding the 1-4 header that I realized Wordpress had a pretty dreadful limit on uploading images (yes, there's still a maximum even if you fork out money), as opposed to Blogger which apparently only counts uploaded images towards storage space if an image is over 2048 pixels in either direction, so I spent the last 40 minutes previous to me writing this paragraph grumpily resizing images and slapdashedly migrating my previous post and all drafts to Blogger while wrangling with HTML to make them look halfway competent. I'll probably eat these words if/when Blogger ever collapses, but in the meantime, Wordpress can kiss my thrusters.
Anyway.
I can now confirm that nope, A15 wasn't being secured in place by E1. So why the manual specifies to put it on before E1 rather than no order at all is beyond me. Is it just the head that secures it?
I even had a look at this speed build video from ThatGunplaTho to see if I wasn't going completely mad, and they put A15 on after E1, supposedly having friction hold it in place. Well, that's pretty annoying if I'm seeing it right. Here's hoping the head does secure it further, because I don't like how tilting the ball mount at the top back too far causes E1 to come off. Makes me wonder why there would even be articulation there in the first place, but I'm sure it'll be clearer later.
I am happy to report that adding the first load of armor required bringing in that iconic Epyon red, so we're in business now!
1-5
Adding some more of the red armor. Some pretty gnarly nub marks (naturally, given the dark colour), but nothing my trusty craft knife couldn't at least make harder to see. Threw in some panel lining on the yellow hatch as well.
2. Head
2-1
First step of the head and I'm already seeing three sticker-related steps. Uuuuuuugggggghhhhh...
Yes, I know, counting my blessings - at least it's a 1/100 scale kit, so it doesn't have quite the same fiddliness of a 1/144 scale kit's head stickers, but I'm still bitter about losing the eye sticker while repairing my RG Unicorn Banshee after a missing part miraculously turned up.
 |
| Easy way to get a groan out of me - hand me an inner face frame part. |
I swear to god there's something wrong with the eye sticker. It doesn't seem to want to stick to one side of the inner head part. Perhaps it just needs time to dry, but alleviating wonky-eye syndrome is kind of uphill work. At least the stickers on the front and rear camera units worked fine.
(he types right before the rear sticker starts coming off)
2-2
Phew, finally got the outer part of the head armor on, that should secure those accursed stickers in place.
Anyway, now that the head's red parts are in place, that's looking a bit more Epyon-esque!
And it thankfully fits snugly onto the ball joint with the bothersome A15 part. Sweet!
 |
| It's like a miniature version of those 1/35 bust figures! |
3. and 4. Arms
I decided to bundle these into one heading, since steps 3-1 to 3-5 are for the inner parts of both arms. Though that being said, there wasn't really much to doing the arms, it all went by smoothly. I know better than to leave you without pictures, though.
6. and 7. Legs
6-1
I started on the first foot, and noticed that the instructions specify a sticker on the first part. That's probably got to be the first time I've seen a foot sticker that isn't an optional transparent decal.
6-2
And it's only partly visible when the outer red layers from the C1 runner are attached.
6-3
Ah, it does the same "shiny sticker behind a transparent part" thing as the chest.
6-4
It's around this point that I glance ahead and notice the number of "x2" markers on each step. You can practically take a drink every time one appears and you'd be unconscious before you even get to the individual leg steps.
6-6
I get to this point and I'm stumped as to how G1 is supposed to fit into the curved slot of G6 - forcing it in seems to cause a stress mark to appear on the plastic and adding G5 like the instructions say doesn't seem to hold it in place. Back to the aforementioned video I go...
...alright, so it's supposed to be able to loosely move up and down when G5 and 6 are together. Let's see if I can get that going.
(10 seconds later)
God I'm an idiot, I also had G1 upside down. So no wonder the horizontal hinge didn't fit.
 |
| This part is the prime candidate for my arch nemesis. |
6-7
Now that the inner part of the leg is together, G1 makes more sense - it's one of those parts that shifts when the leg bends like you get in all grades besides high grade and superdeformed. I really like those.
6-8/6-9
Blech, the side fins (C1 6 and 7) were annoying to clip on, but I did it.
Now to make it into an actual leg.
6-10 (Right Leg)
Perfect! Now to do it all over again for the left leg!
7. Left Leg
 |
| Awkwardly-placed phallic Xbox One controller handle not intentional. |
8. Waist
Right. Can't put the legs on until there's something to put them on to.
8-6/8-7
Note to self and anyone looking to build the Epyon - the blue back flaps of the skirt unit fit by clicking them into place sideways then swivelling them into the normal position.
 |
| The stuff near the bottom looks like dust or nub marks. I promise it's actually the lighting. |
9. Bottom
It's literally just part H23.
 |
| Riveting. |
Why is this it's own section in the manual?!
At least it means the body is ready to be assembled-
10. Body Assemble
It's literally just part C1 20.
 |
| Riveting. |
I'm also not too keen on how C1 20 is designed to loosely sit on top of the waist and then the body fits on top of the middle ball joint - it felt a little on the fiddly side to put it all together. I managed it though, and it does work, so...ok.
Phew! Just the wings and the weapons left.
11. Wing Unit
11-1 - 11-3
Blech, two of the first handful of parts (both G38s) are on separate runners. A minor complaint, but I'm nonetheless thankful I'm in the habit of alphabetizing the runners before starting.
11-4
So, the blue stripes down the sides of the first large wing parts (image below, second from the left side)? Yeah, that's a pain in the arse to put in - the top part seems to refuse to fit flush regardless of how much I file it down. Is it just not supposed to fit flush? The nub mark on this image from Dalong seems to suggest it doesn't.
 |
| Featuring the special guest appearance from my Razer Blackwidow. Thank you, small desk! |
11-9
Getting the wing unit onto the back of the Epyon was a little annoying, since there's a lot on the front that sticks out and comes off easily, but I managed it. So that's good - the actual gundam itself is finished! Only got the weapons left!
 |
| Bottom centre: Standing Zechs figure. |
12. Beam Sword
It fits onto the bottom right corner of page 15, so this won't take long at all. It's so short that the first step of the shield is in the same place.
13. Giant Whip Thing Shield
Yeah, I don't know why it's called a shield either. But here we go with probably the first and only "x10" instruction I've ever seen. For the sake of my sanity, I'll only photograph one of them inidividually.
And here's all ten of them.
Oh this is why the manual calls it the shield.
Odd that it would start with the segments of the whip part and then put the title there.
Something to note, be careful when trying to break in the movements of the whip - I ended up breaking one of the hinges, so I had to plastic glue it back together, and I'm gonna leave it to dry for as long as necessary. Hmph.
At least I got to fit the effect part on the sword!
And with the final front end of the whip added, it's time to secure it to the arm!
And with the final front end of the whip added, it's time to secure it to the arm!
And like that, aside from the stickers and the transfers, we're done! At least if the plastic glue was left to set for long enough.
So what have we learned today? We've learned that...
- Head stickers on a master grade are preferable to those on a real grade, but that's not saying much.
- Just because a part has a hinge on either end doesn't mean it fits either way up.
- Be very gentle with bending a line of tiny blue sharks into the correct position, lest you snap one of their tails off.
The Good
+ Iconic design
+ Effect part is striking
The Bad
- Nothing in the way of accessories besides the beam sword
- The whip joints need some breaking in that runs the risk of snapping them
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