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use of multi-color molding, which allows parts of different colors to be molded on the same sprue. In some cases, compromises have to be made - for instance, molding a part in an incorrect color, or a two-colored part in only one color - to ensure that the model is structurally stable and not overly complex, particularly when the intended retail price is low. One criterion by which enthusiasts assess the quality of a kit is its color-accuracy - that is to say, the correspondence between the molded color of the parts and the intended color of the finished model.
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for larger (and usually more expensive or elaborate) kits. For smaller subjects, scales such as 1:20, 1:35, and 1:72 are also common. Bandai kits will commonly use a fairly extensive redesign, rather than the original design itself. Some of this inconsistency in representation may be due to the inherent difficulties in turning a 2-D cel-animated design into a 3-D design. Additionally, newer versions of the same model could be very different from an older version, due to better manufacturing technologies.
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pre-assembled toy, but more durable than a true scale model. The result is that the majority of Gundam kits feature hands and other parts that favor poseability or easy assembly over accurate shape. They may also exhibit various draft-angle problems, and features like antennae that are oversized to prevent breakage. For the most part, other kit lines and other kit manufacturers in the genre follow suit, though there are exceptions.
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Anime mecha subjects such as Gundam are most often portrayed as being between 15 and 20 meters tall, so the kits are scaled in a manner that brings the subject to an economical and manageable size. For machines in this size range, scales of 1:100 and 1:144 are most common, with 1:60 being reserved
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One distinctive feature of model robot kits since the 1990s, as opposed to most other plastic model kits, is that they are molded in color: each part generally is made of a colored plastic corresponding to its intended color on the finished model. Bandai in particular has become well-known for its
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Gundam kits are the most common and popular variety of mecha models exemplifying the general characteristics of models in the genre. Gundam kits are typically oriented toward beginners, and most often feature simple assembly, simple designs, and rugged construction—less durable than a
65:, a Japanese portmanteau of "Gundam" and "plastic model"). Though there are exceptions, the model robot genre is dominated by anime tie-ins, with anime series and movies frequently serving as merchandising platform.
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were and still are used for this purpose, although they tend to degrade over time and thus have been less frequently used since the 2010s. Hard plastic joints generally exhibit greater friction than
121:" A large amount of artistry goes into action poses and personalized variations on classic machines. There is also a market for custom resin kits which fill in gaps in the Bandai model line.
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Gunpla is a major hobby in Japan, with entire magazines dedicated to variations on Bandai models. As mecha are fictional humanoid objects, there is considerable leeway for custom models and "
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Because the subjects of model robot kits are typically humanoid and/or possess limbs, joints are required in order to make the finished model poseable. For decades,
277:"BANDAI SPIRITS Strengthened Its Productive Capacity for Models like GUNPLA with the Bandai Hobby Center's New Building Opening Today! | GUNDAM.INFO"
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joints, however, require greater precision in tooling to ensure easy assembly, and in some cases, they require screws and a small gap between parts.
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Gunpla kits are also sorted by a grading scale, which signals the complexity, and sometimes the art style, of the model.
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GUNDAM.INFO | The official Gundam news and video portal
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228:"Essential Tools for Gunpla Building"
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253:"The Best Tools for Gunpla, Ranked"
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300:Ashley, Clayton (2021-10-22).
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203:"How to Fix Broken Gunpla"
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37:. The majority of model
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803:Mecha anime and manga
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226:Lauren (2021-01-20).
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23:with origins in the
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87:polystyrene
837:Categories
713:Port Revel
703:Kitbashing
465:Matchstick
311:2023-09-12
286:2023-09-20
262:2023-09-12
257:Gunpla 101
237:2023-09-12
232:Gunpla 101
212:2023-09-12
207:Gunpla 101
188:References
174:Virtual-On
154:Kotobukiya
119:kitbashes.
53:metaseries
645:H0m scale
640:H0e scale
608:Protofour
448:Materials
439:Wargaming
392:Dollhouse
83:polyvinyl
79:poly-caps
750:Category
718:Room box
686:Aircraft
603:OO scale
598:HO scale
593:TT scale
414:Military
367:Aircraft
360:Products
146:Hasegawa
134:Patlabor
113:Practice
89:joints.
63:gan-pura
25:Japanese
665:V scale
628:1 scale
623:O scale
618:G scale
613:S scale
588:N scale
583:Z scale
578:T gauge
470:Plastic
460:Diecast
434:Railway
387:Diorama
306:Polygon
158:Macross
848:Robots
698:Gundam
479:Scales
424:Rocket
402:Action
397:Figure
180:, and
162:Votoms
152:, and
58:Gunpla
51:anime
48:Gundam
43:Bandai
39:robots
792:Mecha
660:16 mm
566:1:700
561:1:500
556:1:350
551:1:285
546:1:200
541:1:144
455:Brass
419:Robot
409:Horse
178:Zoids
35:mecha
31:genre
28:anime
691:Cars
650:Gn15
536:1:72
531:1:64
526:1:50
521:1:48
516:1:43
511:1:35
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