12 Reasons Why Gunpla Is A Good Hobby
Many people around the world, including myself, are fans of the Japanese mecha anime series Gundam. And most of us know that it is a great hobby, but did you ever take the time to think about why is Gunpla a good hobby?
For people outside this hobby, Gunpla may look like a toy or not so much as a hobby. But it is actually one of the best hobbies that exist and I’ll explain why.
Gundams Are Cool
The first and most obvious reason to build Gunpla kits is that Gundams are awesome.
The Gundam series is based on giant robot mobile suits in a war drama, with a cockpit where the human controller sits. The series depicts real-life interactions between regular people and realistic machinery.
The mobile suits in the Gundam series were originally depicted as mecha anime when the series began under Mobile Suits, but have since been changed to the awesome figures that they are now, and are so widely recognized that it has become the franchise that gave birth to Gunpla.
Gunpla kits are nice anime-style mecha figures that have animated looks, and extra accessories, can change positions to assume different war positions, and some can even change form completely. If you ask me, that’s pretty cool.
Gunpla Makes You Use Your Brain
Another advantage of building Gunpla models is that it forces you to use your brain more, which aids in brain development. A typical Gundam kit, especially one of Master Grade or higher, is not simple.
They are usually complex and necessitate the use of creative and critical thinking skills to fit some parts.
Kitbashing (or kit-swapping) is another activity that involves combining different parts from different kits of the same size to form one mega Gundam model. This requires skill and good brain use to pull off, but it will also help you improve your creativity.
Gunpla Makes You Creative
Gunpla building entails more than simply snapping plastic parts together. While this is what “building” means in this context, there is much more you can do with your Gunpla kits.
Gunpla building is full of activities that will help you unlock your creative side, from cutting the parts to the last bit of customization you do on your kit.
Aside from the obvious painting and layering, which are by no means minor creative skills, there’s a lot of customization you can do to flex your creative muscles and completely personalize your action model.
To personalize your model, you can drill metal pieces, glue plastics, or even make extra armor to attach.
Building A Gundam Model Can Be Hard (And Fun!)
If you enjoy getting your hands dirty and truly experiencing the rigors and challenges of any physical activity you’re currently involved in, then you shouldn’t hesitate to get started with Gundam building.
It’s like a real-life 3D puzzle, with irregular shapes and parts, and it comes with instructions.
Well-detailed, complex grades like Perfect Grade and Real Grade can be challenging, but they’re also a lot of fun.
Some Gunpla kits, particularly recent ones, are equipped with advanced Bandai engineering that makes them higher quality than their predecessors and also more difficult to build. However, in activities like this, the greater the difficulty, the better and more fun it is.
They Are Beautiful Display Pieces (That You Build Yourself!)
The goal of building and collecting model kits, particularly Gundam, is to display them. Yes, building is a hobby, but who wants to spend the time and resources required to build one without displaying it to the world?
Gundam kits make excellent display pieces.
Whether you want to display your fully built and customized model as the main attraction in the room with Perfect Grades (1/60) or you prefer to display them in a collection on a shelf or table with smaller 1/144 or 1/100 sizes, Gunpla kits will cut it right for you.
Gunpla Is A Whole World With Many Cool Models And Grades
Gunpla is its own ecosystem. It has a massive selection of kits to choose from at any time, with hundreds, if not thousands, of kits.
There are grades, just as there are various models. Bandai has released various grades of kits over the years, with some being permanent collections and others appearing only occasionally.
The amount of grades and models means that this hobby is endless and there will be always a cool and interesting build around the corner.
One such cool kit that I recommend you build at any time is the PG RX-0 Unicorn Gundam, a Perfect Grade kit with an excellent color scheme, engineering, and overall appearance. Although it is better suited to experienced builders.
They Give You a Sense Of Accomplishment
If you’re a regular Gunpla model builder, you’ll know what it’s like to finally see a fully formed Gundam model standing right in front of you after weeks of hard work and dedication.
The sense of accomplishment that comes with completing a Gunpla kit that you’ve built is incomparable to anything else.
Every step you complete brings a sense of fulfillment and the energy to go for more, and every step you fail brings a lesson learned and a sense of pride in your personal progress.
Gunpla Can Be A Great Start For Some More Complex Model Kits
While Gunpla has some fairly complex kits, it is not the most difficult model kit-building system.
There are some model kits on the market that are far more difficult to construct than even the most difficult Gunpla kit.
As a result, for kits like this, Gunpla can serve as the ideal bedrock, providing you with the necessary foundation to tackle tougher challenges ahead.
Finish Building A Gunpla Is Addictive
Perhaps you need a new hobby in which you can completely immerse yourself and forget about the outside world. If this is what you’re looking for, look no further than Gunpla, where you can not only engage in an entertaining hobby but also become addicted.
When I’m working on a kit, I lose track of time because I’m so focused on finishing it that I can show it off to my fellow Gundam fans.
It is not uncommon for a Gunpla builder to skip meals and even sleep at times to ensure that the task at hand is completed, only to wake up the next morning and resume working on it. That’s how addictive Gunpla building is.
Building Gunpla Can Be A Therapy
Gunpla is much more than a hobby or a pastime. Unlike anything else, it transcends the physical and enters the psychological realm for some. Some people use model-building as an escape from reality, and some use it as a coping mechanism.
Many people have admitted that building Gundam models has helped them overcome challenges such as alcoholism and disorders such as PTSD.
Focusing your mind on one thing such as building Gunpla is very beneficial to your brain.
It is A Great Community
The model-building world is quite large, with millions of people worldwide participating in figure-building in some way.
Gunpla building alone has attracted a sizable online and offline community. There are numerous Gunpla communities, as well as social media platforms.
These communities are full of wonderful people who are always willing to assist and support one another with problems and be there for one another.
The community is just as strong offline. Aside from local Gunpla societies around the world, there is also a global community. Bandai held a World Cup in Canada in 2019 for Gunpla Builders from around the world to showcase their skills and compete for a grand prize.
Gunpla Is Freedom
Gunpla has no rules; anything goes. This is one of the most impressive aspects of the Gundam model kits. When building a Gunpla kit, you are not limited to the manufacturer’s instructions.
Although your kit should look like the model on the box, Bandai allows builders to choose whether or not they want their kit to look like that.
The kits are designed in such a way that you can choose which parts go where and they will still fit.
Gunpla truly represents freedom.
Your Next Step—Where To Buy Gunpla
You should be ready to purchase your first Gunpla kit now that you understand the benefits of building them. It should ideally be HG, but you can also go with MG.
Gunpla kits are frequently available for purchase in most hobby shops; find one in your area and pick up a pack. If this is not an option for you, you can look for online Gunpla stores or online model stores that sell Gunpla kits.
You will most likely become confused by the grades and will need to decide on the best grade for you. Check out my other posts for grade comparisons.
