Rest in Pieces

This is my first entry in the Gunpla section of the blog.  To elaborate what "Gunpla" is to the uninitiated, I'll be introducing "Gundam" as well.

The Japanese animated series Mobile Suit Gundam, released in 1979, is basically about space wars fought with giant robots.  Called the "Star Trek of Japan" by some, Gundam would evolve into a metaseries, which continues to this day.  But Mobile Suit Gundam Wing (above), airing on American TV in 2000, is credited with popularizing the franchise in the States and beyond.

And as with any popular franchise, they're gonna sell a bunch of merchandise to promote it.  That's where Gunpla--or Gundam plastic models for short--come in.

As far as hobbies go, Gunpla is the most versatile, with a wide variety of kits available (this is just a portion of my collection).

Each model consists of snap-fit, color-molded parts, soft plastic joints for articulation and stickers for detail.

Though the instructions are mostly in Japanese, they provide easy-to-follow diagrams.

Though a straight build is faster, painting and detailing complements the completed piece.  Things like custom paint jobs and mixing-and-matching parts can create a one-of-a-kind robot.

I suppose this should really go into the blog's Toys section.  But the more my collection grew, the more sense it made to give said collection its own category.  Some if you may remember me blogging about Gunpla before, but will I keep the momentum going this time around?  Find out as I continue making my way to the TOP OF THE HEAP.  See you next time!