A talented Gunpla modeler customized their RG 1/144 God Gundam into a Buddha statue-inspired masterpiece.As reported by Oricon, Gunpla modeler Tacker-01 customized their model by staining the statue gold, creating a Buddha statue-inspired Gundam. Tacker originally planned to customize it into its "Hyper Mode," which would see the figure painted a beautiful shining gold. However, once the opportunity arose for Tacker to begin their customization work, they realized there were already many excellent examples of the Gundam in "Hyper Mode" and wanted to do something to set their custom creation apart from the rest. During the customization process, Tacker took special care to ensure the figure looked authentic by making the peeling uneven and leaving gold on the edges so as not to blur the figure's silhouette. Tacker's post about their custom model has over 7,500 likes and over 2,200 retweets, not including quote tweets.
The God Gundam Model Was Popular From Its Release
Since its release in August, the RG 1/144 God Gundam model, also known as the Burning Gundam piloted by Domon Kasshu in Mobile Fighter G Gundam, has been popular among gunpla fans for its incredible articulation. Perhaps because of its fantastic articulation, modelers challenged themselves to create the best custom creations using the kit. Bandai also offered an expansion set for sale, which included a Fuunsaiki model.
Gunpla (ガンプラ) is a portmanteau of "Gundam" and "plastic model," also known as plastic model kits. The kits are popular among mecha enthusiasts -- particularly Gundam fans -- worldwide. However, it wasn't always that way. Naturally, gunpla's popularity began in Japan before expanding to other Asian countries in the '80s. The hobby would spread to North America and Europe in the '90s due to the international release of Gundam through video and manga. There are differences in quality and design, with some requiring glue and paint. The differing qualities are First Grade (FG), High Grade (HG), High Grade Universal Century (HGUC), Real Grade (RG), Master Grade (MG), Reborn-One Hundred (RE/100) and Perfect Grade (PG). In addition to these lines of gunpla, there are other series that include non-plastic Gunpla made from resin and Super-Deformed (SD) kits that don't have a particular scale.
FG models are 1/144 scale kits that offer a limited range of motion when built. University Century released the original FG line as part of 1999's Gundam 20th Anniversary Big Bang Project. Based on the original kit from the '80s, these kits were molded in one color and contained no polycaps. Introduced in the early '90s, HG models feature a higher quality of molding plastic than its predecessor leading to greater posability. The models are 1:144 scale, although older kits were 1:100 scale. HGUC kits came out in May 1999. Created using modern injection molding technology, these 1:144 scale models offered mechanical improvements. RG kits came out in 2010 as part of Gundam's 30th Anniversary. The design takes elements from MG and PG and provides the most extensive range of articulation. MG models were introduced in 1995, and came in 1:100 scale. These models are more expensive and take longer to build than other gunpla kits. Bandai released the RE/100 kits in September 2014, and although the 1:100 scale figures lack an inner frame, they offer articulation levels that are at least better than the 1:144 scale HG models. Finally, as its name implies, the PG or Perfect Grade gunpla model is the highest-quality kit, with the 1:60 scale models even having metal components and LED lights.
Bandai released the RG 1/144 God Gundam in August 2022 in Japan. The American release is open for pre-orders until Oct. 4, 2022, and has a planned delivery date for sometime in November.
Source: Twitter, via Oricon