GBWC Singapore 2016 - My views.

GBWC is early for Singaporeans this year. And it caught many off-guard. Although it was announced that it will happen in June since January this year, many folks are just not used to GBWC this part of the year. It will need some getting used to. We are like one of the earliest countries to kick off this competition. And this shows in the pathetic turn-out this round. A miserly 60 plus entries across all categories. I can't remember a worse showing than this in all my years here. It was that underwhelming. 

Well, I will jump straight to the entries since there's nothing interesting there and I can't be bothered with sales and limited items. 

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Malaysia GBWC 2014

Every year, I will make a trip to Malaysia just to see the entries at GBWC since we are so close. This year is no exception. The 4 hours drive there was surprisingly therapeutic. But definitely not the traffic in Kuala Lumpur lol. 

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The "5 minutes" Gunpla Expo

"5 MINUTES"

OK maybe I exaggerated a bit but that was how I felt after my trip from Singapore Gunpla Expo at Bugis Plus. So I took 5 minutes to do a complete tour of the whole expo? Why? Firstly,I find most of the contents a tad too repetitive. Except for some of the new upcoming and event exclusive products, there is really nothing much to shout about. 

I remember during Gunpla Expo in 2012, there were many interesting stuff like a huge display done by Hobby Art Gallery, a showcase of custom Gunplas done by celebrities etc. This time round, it is a little wee bit underwhelming. Well, at least they still have the Gundam Image Girls... (Sorry no photos of the girls)

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Project Jesta Deepstriker (abandoned)

This will probably go down as one of my most notable abandoned projects. This Jesta project was initially meant for the Poisonmonkeys Jesta Group. But I pushed it to the Mid Year Gundam Model Kit Contest in June instead. Unfortunately, I could not meet the deadline as I totally messed up my schedule (which is typical of me). 

Well, rather than crying over spilled milk, I thought I can share some of my wips and also my thought process with you guys. 

The concept is nothing new of course. I was inspired and impressed by Eday's Project GWEN, that I decide to do one myself, amid lesser details. There is no way I can replicate the details or techniques Eday displayed, so I had to stay true to my style. 

GBWC World Champion 2012

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Gundam Model Kit Contest 2014

The Mid Year competition is here again! Oh, Bandai had renamed it Gundam Model Kit Contest 2014. After skipping one year, they are finally back. And to my pleasant surprise, the turn out was fantastic. I'm seeing a lot more entries compared to the precious events. Obviously Gundam Build Fighters has revived or shall I say rejuvenated this competition. Lots of young blood, a few old farts. And lots of great entries. Here are some of  them...   

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GBWC (Tale of Two Countries)

I have always been interested in what my neighbours are doing for GBWC. Since geographically, they are the closet to us and we have many things in common. And not to mention that I'm half a Malaysian since my mum was from there. 

Not contented with just pictures online, a bunch of modeling buddies and me will make yearly trips to Malaysia to see the entries live. Nothing beats seeing the masterpieces in person! 

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My say...

So GBWC Singapore stop has just ended. This year, many big hitters did not enter the arena but nevertheless, there were several good entries. Let me just go straight to the two hot favorites and eventual winners, Shinigami and Aesalon. Both are conversions from the Sinanju Stein and Sinanju respectively. And both are real eye-openers. 

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GBWC Singapore 2013

Gunpla Builders World Cup 2013 is here again. This year, this competition is held in conjunction with Gunpla Expo. So you can expect it to be a large scale event.  

Photo courtesy of Open The Toy

This time, no photos on what's the event has to offer. Let's zoom in on the girls and GBWC entries instead, LOL... 

You can get coverage of this event here:- 

Open The Toy

Waylander

Chocofalcon

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2013 Gunplanatic Group Build at Hobby Art @ Work

Another busy day but fulfilling day for me! I hereby declared Gunplanatics 2013 Mecha Buildgroup a success! These young lads from Gunplanatics had organised probably their first official GB and I must say the response is pretty good. While participants posted their entries online, we managed to arrange for their works to be displayed a Hobby Art @ Work for today. 

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My Thoughts On GBWC 2012 Winners

Alright, GBWC is finally over! First and foremost, let me congratulate all the winners especially Eday from Hong Kong. And not to forget all the finalists and other contestants from their respective countries. You guys should give yourself a pat on the back for a job well done. 

Well, I have decided to write my thoughts about the 3 winning entries at GBWC 2012. I like to stress that these views you find here are solely my opinions and nobody else. You can agree or disagree with me.

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GBWC 2012 Singapore

The last time I saw massive entries for Gundam competition was several years ago. But this year the trend is back! It is safe to say that everyone is cranking it up for the competition. The free trip to Japan for the winner must be pretty enticing. After all  Japan, Diver City, why not give it a shot? 

Back to the main topic, the entries. I was there to submit my entry last evening and took pictures of all the entries that were there. Please accept my advanced apologies if yours are not in them. For starters, this year's entries are pretty good compared to last year. And that pleases me. At least everyone is improving. The layout of the exhibit area is also good with showcases well lit and this makes viewing a pleasure. 

Here are some of the entries,

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Deadline looming...

I got to admit. I just do not have the habit of posting Work-In-Progress pictures of my competing entry. Simply because I want it to be a surprise. It will not be fun if everyone knows what I am doing or seen my work before actual submission. But I thought I should let my readers know I am still around and trying very hard to complete my entry for this year. 

Hopefully by November, I can produce something that I'm happy about, for once. 

And since, everyone been showing snippets of their WIPs following up to GBWC2012, I will follow suit and leave you with something ;) 

See you guys in three weeks time!  

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Gundam Mid-Year Challenge 2012

Well, it's time again for our Gundam Mid-Year Challenge 2012. The event is now at Takashimaya B2. I went down last night to submit Waylander's entry, Age Trident since he is away due to work commitments. This year's entries are not bad. I saw a few interesting entries, a Gold Frame Amatsu, a nicely crafted Deathscythe, a green Epyon, a detailed Destiny and a few others. I will let the pictures do the talking but before that, I took a few pictures of the venue as well. So enjoy guys..

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Gunpla Builders World Cup (GBWC) 2011 results

As most of you should know by now, results for GBWC 2011 are out. This year, the Grand Champion is from Malaysia, Mr Jeff Ho! Obviously his entry titled "Kshatriya IV", won the hearts of the Judges. Well, this one gets my vote too! Once again, congrats to him. 

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G-Shot 2011

Gundam Guy / GG Infinite will be hosting G-Shot Gunpla Photo Contest which started in November 2011. Basically, this is a worldwide online Gunpla contest where participants submit photos of their completed model kits. There are five categories to compete in:-

1.  Best Gunpla Photo - A gunpla image that would 'WOW' the judges.  It doesn't matter whether the photo is from a diorama, customized kit or a straight build.

2. Best Diorama - An image of a diorama that tells a story, with details that show the modeler's skills.

3. Best Customized Gunpla - An image of a suped-up gunpla.  Your image needs to show us the mastery of your modelling skills, by rightfully implementing aftermarket/option parts, custom decals, pla-platings, panel lines, etc.  Basically we are looking for 'The Works' that looks the best.   

4. Best Paint Job - Obviously we are looking for more than just the stock color.  Creativity & painting skills are what count here.

5.Best Straight Built Photo - If you are a novice at building gunpla, we encourage you to send in a photo that shows the power of your straight build.  *Application of Panel lines are allowed using gundam marker.  Paint product such as top coat and other paint products are not allowed *

There are fantastic prizes allocated for each category and I suggest you have a look. For more information of the contest, please read here.


And thanks to G.G's kind invitation, I will also be involved in the judging process. So for those of you who are keen, do join in the fun and win prizes! 

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2011 Ora-Zaku Championship

I always look forward to buying the January issue of Hobby Japan every year. This is because there will be an article on the annual All Japan "Ora Zaku" Championship in Japan. To me, this event is like the "Premier League" equivalent of all Gunpla competitions that include BAKUC, GBWC etc... This is where all the heavy weights cross swords, pitting against one other with skills, creativity and ingenuity. The works on display make me look like a silly amateur all over again. 

I took pictures of some entries to share with you guys. To start off, the Grand Winner goes to this entry titled "Genote". Just when I thought I have seen virtually all dioramas featuring the UCHG Corefighter, this guy came up with another whopper. Just looking at the picture is already awe-inspiring. The cliff face looks damn realistic and the placement of the subject matter and interaction with the surroundings is perfect. The author created a very captivating scene and it tells me a story. The water looks so real that for a moment, I thought it was. It is a cool move to show part of the submerged Corefighter. 

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Singapore Gundam Expo 2011

I went down to Gunpla Expo 2011 this evening to have a better look of the entries. I felt that there is a dip in standards this year. That could be because of new participants entering the fray, I did saw a lot of unfamiliar names. If this is the case, then it is a very encouraging sign. Old folks like me could call it a day and let the young generation take over. Anyway, I took some entries selectively (it was very crowded) and hope to share with you guys. 

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Gundam Expo and other updates

15 November 2011. Mark your calendars guys! Gunpla Expo is finally coming to Singapore! This Gunpla exclusive event is finally making coming to our shores. Personally, I am pretty excited about this. Why? Because I bet the organizers will make this a grand event. Some of the highlights of this event include:- 

1. Introduction of the brand new series, Gundam Age. 

2. Gunpla Builders World Cup 2011 (Singapore) entries on display. 

3. Release of the Real Grade (RG) Freedom Gundam ( a must buy for me). 

4. Custom Bearguy exhibition, this will be fun to watch. 

5. Model kit session with Mr Kawaguchi.

6. Gundam Caravan.

7. Gundam Image Girls (not interested).

Event exclusive merchandise includes:- 

- HG 1/144 Gundam Age-01 Normal Full Colour Coating Version

- MG GNT-0000 00QAN[T]

- HG 1/144 GPB-04B Pink BearGuy (Limited Edition) 

- HG RX-0 Unicorn Gundam (Unicorn Mode) Pearl Clear Version 

And for your information, Shengtai, the local distributors for Gunpla products is looking for promoters for this event. If you are interested, please contact Sheng Tai Toys at 6743-3636.

So, see you guys at Sengkang Compass Point! 

And for those who are participating in GBWC2011 and Custom Bearguy, do take note that photo submission has been extended to 8 November 2011. 

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Important announcement for Singapore modelers

As you guys may have known by now, some of our neighboring countries have announced the year-end gunpla competition. Likewise, this year the annual competition in Singapore will be re-named as Gunpla Builders World Cup 2011 (GBWC 2011). This time, there are a total of five categories namely Open Category, Junior Category, New Challenger (Open Category), New Challenger (Junior Category) and lastly, Best Master Grade (MG) Category. A whopping 15 placements to fight for! 

Interestingly, we will have top three winners for the new challengers of both the Open and Junior Categories. I thought this is very good move as it encourages more people to take part. For contestants, it is a possibility to get placements in the New Challenger, Open and Best MG categories all at the same time! This year, the organizers are very generous!

One point to note, the mid year MG competition has been integrated into GBWC2011. I think it is a good idea so participants can concentrate all their efforts for the final one in November/December. So this time I expect to see you local guys to FLOOD GBWC!!! 

Hence, for those of you who have yet to start, it is time do so. And for those who are currently building, you have just been given extra time to work on your project. Or better yet, submit another entry! 

Oh boy, am I excited.... See you guys at year end... 

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Toymaker vs DC23 (MG The-O)

Six months ago, I readily accepted DC23's challenge for a Build-Off using Bandai's Master Grade PMX-003 The-O. And only when I started this project recently did I realized that this could well be my most challenging build todate. 

Simply because I don't have a "feel" for this mecha. I don't like it at all. It looks clumsy and fat. The more I look at it, the more I want to give it an overhaul. For the past few months, I have been doing some research and have came up with several concepts but I am not satisfied with any one of them. To do something revolutionary is very tough and may not be within my means. Nevertheless, I will never know if I don't give it a try. 

On the preliminary, I want a slimmer profile but at the same time, retain it massiveness. Yes, it sounds contradicting but I believe this can be done. I am going to alter the body structure and re-designing the armors making them more streamline (and massive at the same time "duh"). And being a supreme mobile suit,  I want to give it a majestic aura. And so, I named it "Odin". 

As for weaponry, I will not do the traditional blaster, cannon or "BFG" as some affectionately calls it. Probably some short to mid-range guns or such and maybe a saber or something similar. It got to be unique or at least different for sure. 

Anyway, here are some snap shots of The-O OOB (Out-of-Box).

Box Art 

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