The Basic Build
If anyone was to ask me how to get into the model making hobby, I will always recommend starting with a kit by Bandai. They produce some of the most detailed, finely moulded kits I've ever come across, and they are perfect for beginners as they are snap-fit and moulded in the correct colours so you don't even have to paint it to get a nice model. They are most known for their Gunpla model kits (kits based on the various Gundam anime series, which is today's topic) but have also branched out to do some amazing Star Wars kits, which I have done in a previous project.
Anyhow, I wanted to do another build (ignoring all the other half-made stuff left on a shelf) and I found this rather bad-ass looking Marasai mobile suite kit. I love Zakus anyway so the idea of an extra evil one with a big rifle is just too enticing. It's a "High Grade" kit, meaning it will be less detailed or articulated--not forgetting all those glorious seam-lines--but my intention with this project is to modify it and paint it to make it something of my own. It's a good start before I ever can dream of messing about with a more expensive kit.
So the build goes along as any conventional Zaku kit would; you do the torso, add the head, arms legs, etc. This is a particularly "old" design for a kit, so it has some very pronounced seam-lines along the arms and legs.
It does use a technique that is put into practice in recent models, where seam-line are hidden in purposeful panel-lines, although the ones on the backs of the legs are rather more open than I would like.
The finished figure. Blimy, he's a chunky little git! I had a great time making this. Really simple, yet awesome all the way. Makes for a relaxing evening of making while listening to the radio.
Another good thing about the kit is the nice selection of weapons he comes with; a basic gun, two beam sabres, a whip/harpoon, and, best of all, a giant rifle that also has a beam sabre coming out the back of it! However there comes an issue with the weapons, but I'll come to that in a second. But first; its time for a photo shoot...
You see, for a basic High Grade, with some limitations due to its old design, it has some really good posing possibilities--even with its chunky legs. This makes me question why the photos on the box only show him in very basic poses.
And I also noticed that anything held in his left hand is put in such a way that it looks as if he's
confused as to what it is.
When it came to finally pose him for the photos I soon realised the issue--he can't hold his bloody weapons!
He comes with three hands; one loose left hand, a sabre gripping hand and a gun gripping hand. The left hand is near on useless altogether with how loose its shape is, and the gripping hands on the right don't grip at all either. The basic rifle has a little peg in it to go into the palm, though that does very little so the guns and beam sabres just rattle around. Thus when it comes to holding the many weapons it comes with it falls a bit flat, and posing with them becomes a bit of a nightmare. I ended up resorting to a little ball of blue tack just to give them some amount of support.
I won't let that hamper my view of it, though. It's still an awesome looking mobile suit, and he certainly does the job.
In my next post I'll be showing how I plan on modifying it, and after that the final paint-up (when I get round to ordering some new paints).
'Till then, ta-ra!
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