Alright, so I'm not one to really care whether or not the meme of making tier lists out of things that aren't directly from fighting games is over. So I made a tier list of all the Gunpla kits I've built as of me writing this. Tadaaa...
Made myself with GIMP, because screw any site that wants my email address just for making one of these.
I'm sure you're glancing at this and recognise a few of those kit boxes, wondering what my opinion on it is in more detail. Well, although I do have thoughts of reviewing these kits in greater detail on this blog, it only makes sense that I do it right here.
The only C-tier kit that isn't a superdeformed on here is the HG Gundam Sandrock, which was kept off the higher tiers for having all the simplicity of the Blue Destiny Unit 3, but ranked higher than that kit thanks to its memorable weapon design. Can't go wrong with them there heat shotels.
Everything else on this tier was mainly in the realm of, "Liked it, but the higher tiers were better", like the SD 00 Raiser, the HG Zerachiel Gundam (the first 1/144 high grade I ever built and I keep it around as a reminder of how far I've come - botched backpack unit and all) and the resident blog mascot SD Musha Gundam Mk. III.
I bring up the RG Unicorn Banshee Norn separately because the only thing keeping it off of the S-tier despite being similar to a kit on there is partly because the top part of the head didn't feel quite as secure when transforming it, and I wasn't so keen on the backpack unit compared to the rest of the design.
Also topping my tier list is the (as of now) best iteration of the most iconic mobile suit ever, the MG Gundam The Origin RX-78-2 - a splendid introduction to the Master Grade and an absolute beauty even after all those decades of the franchise.
And to wrap things up, there's the HG Mazinkaiser - the only non-Gundam gunpla kit I own, and a phenomenal centerpiece to my display with its menacing metallic sheen and glorious wingspan. Any complaints I have of the usual High Grade lack of articulation or a pointless untransformable Kaiser Pilder are simply irrelevant in the face of how gorgeous this kit is.
So what do you think of my tier list? Agree? Disagree? See any missed opportunities in there? Feel like I'm not validating your opinion by holding one that differs slightly from yours? Put your feelings on public display in the comments section - that place which is always a guaranteed venue of fun and joy on the internet!
I'm sure you're glancing at this and recognise a few of those kit boxes, wondering what my opinion on it is in more detail. Well, although I do have thoughts of reviewing these kits in greater detail on this blog, it only makes sense that I do it right here.
D-Tier: meh
There really aren't any kits that I out-and-out despise overall (man, is that tempting fate), but if I was to pick out a kit that did nothing at all for me, it would be the HG RX-79BD-3 Blue Destiny Unit 3 "EXAM" [Metallic Gloss Injection] kit. I want to say that this kit stands out as something I put together to practice panel lining on, but I can't quite remember. Which is a shame, because even if I do remember panel lining it, this Gundam doesn't stand out to me in any way at all. Not even the fact that this is the only P-Bandai kit I own (judging by the grayscale box) could make it any more special in my eyes.C-Tier: ...'salright.
Not a bad start in hindsight, given that we start with the first kit I ever built, the SD RX-0 Unicorn Gundam. And I've always been thankful that I came across this one and not the untransformable EX-Standard version they released later where they had the bright idea of making most of the psycho-frame using stickers. This tier also includes two more superdeformed kits - the SD Sengoku Astray Gundam, which I used to experiment with black panel lining on white parts, and the SD Sengoku Souketsuden Zhou Yu Akatsuki, which looks nice up close, but feels a bit samey in the colour scheme in my opinion. |
For that REALLY...mildly inconsistent cel-shaded effect.
|
The only C-tier kit that isn't a superdeformed on here is the HG Gundam Sandrock, which was kept off the higher tiers for having all the simplicity of the Blue Destiny Unit 3, but ranked higher than that kit thanks to its memorable weapon design. Can't go wrong with them there heat shotels.
B-Tier: Pretty good.
In the case of the RG Gundam Astray Gold Frame Amatsu Mina and the RG Crossbone Gundam, both were lowered in my estimation thanks to balancing issues from the parts that stick out of the back. |
| I legit cannot find a way to display my RG Crossbone Gundam in any eye-catching way without leaning it against a wall or something. |
A-Tier: Really like it!
The RG Gundam Astray Red Frame's Gerbera Straight katana. The HG Char's Zaku II's ammo chain. The SD Sima Yi Destiny Gundam's gauntlet and wings. The HG Penelope's sheer size. These singular pitches can easily bring across everything I like about these kits in one short burst.I bring up the RG Unicorn Banshee Norn separately because the only thing keeping it off of the S-tier despite being similar to a kit on there is partly because the top part of the head didn't feel quite as secure when transforming it, and I wasn't so keen on the backpack unit compared to the rest of the design.
S-Tier: If you don't build these kits, what are you doing with your life?
Duh, obviously I had to go with the most easily-available, acclaimed kit of one of my favourite mobile suits ever, the RG Unicorn Gundam, for the highest tier. That kit looks gorgeous whether in Unicorn or Destroy Mode. It's at the very least got me super-hyped to have a crack at the Perfect Grade when I finally get my hands on it.Also topping my tier list is the (as of now) best iteration of the most iconic mobile suit ever, the MG Gundam The Origin RX-78-2 - a splendid introduction to the Master Grade and an absolute beauty even after all those decades of the franchise.
 |
| And yes, the life-size one is coming back. As is a smaller one that moves! |
And to wrap things up, there's the HG Mazinkaiser - the only non-Gundam gunpla kit I own, and a phenomenal centerpiece to my display with its menacing metallic sheen and glorious wingspan. Any complaints I have of the usual High Grade lack of articulation or a pointless untransformable Kaiser Pilder are simply irrelevant in the face of how gorgeous this kit is.
So what do you think of my tier list? Agree? Disagree? See any missed opportunities in there? Feel like I'm not validating your opinion by holding one that differs slightly from yours? Put your feelings on public display in the comments section - that place which is always a guaranteed venue of fun and joy on the internet!
Comments
Post a Comment