B&W Challenge: Mecha Toy Photography, Part Two

Custom Modification: Crossbone Kali, ver. 2

The original mecha for this mod is the HGBF 1/144 Crossbone Maoh Gundam. However, for this mod, I've added pieces from various AGE mecha, and parts from Skull Weapons Sets. The idea started out as adding more arms for the Crossbone, but somewhere along the way, it just evolved to this.

Original Kali version here.

Apologies for the wide-angle distortion, am currently using my new phone's digicam, since the usual cam was being used somewhere else. 

Angel Versus Devil - Gundam AGE style

I got this idea from thinking about the ever famous St. Michael vs. Lucifer imagery.

Comedy: Gundam BoyBand!

There are times when things can get a bit boring at home.

Gundam: AGE Hi-Jinx

Just a little photo with some of my favorite AGE mecha - some of them modded already.

Review: HGAGE Shaldoll Rogue

I actually had this with me when I received the Perfect Strike, but I only had time to build the two Rogue kits this past weekend. Here are some photos and observations about the Shaldoll Rogue.

The Rogue is basically a recolor of the Shaldoll normal unit variant, the only difference being the colors, the faceplate, the battleaxe, and the gun hand. But even with these "minor" changes, it's become a much cooler unit already. As you can see in the first pic, you have an option to use four weapons: the cannon hand, the axe (impleid for left hand, as there are gaps that suggest it), the shield and the one saber from the backpack.

One thing that impressed me was how poseable was, thanks to the leg joints. However, There is construction issue with the waist ball joint - the cylinder where the polycap ball goes into is quite deep, and the ball itself may slip from the post. If it does, the polycap ball could get stuck deep in the cylinder. It sounds minor, but it really does play havoc with posability, One should fill up the empty space with wadding or a similar filler substance.

You can see the "empty space" at the axe hilt in this photo. You'd need putty to fill it in, but otherwise, the arm looks pretty good slinging the axe on the shoulder. To attach the gun hand, you have to remove the wrist collar. Since the connection is just set by friction, it's a good idea to use sticky-tac or Elmer's glue to keep the gun hand in place.

Funny moment: Remember, there are two different-colored pieces for the front collar. Use the grey-ish one!

The shoulder armor tends to lie flat to the shoulder mount, so it's relatively easy to keep the shoulder armor stable. Also: The shoulder armor design somehow reminds me of Front Mission 3.

Close up of the faceplate.


Click here for more reviews of other kits.

Photos: 1/144 Gundam AGE-2 Parts-Swapping

Angel and Archer

For some reason, I've always been a fan of the AGE-2's design, even if the clunky chest section left me a bit cold. Such was my liking of it that I have multiple versions of it - and I even bought the Artemis add-on system.

One thing that I didn't like, though, was that the Artemis lower legs look totally out of place with the massive shoulder-mounted cannons. So, using an AGE-2 Double Bullet variant as the base kit, I just used the "normal" legs, then added the cannon and two shields from the AGE-2 Normal type. I've taken to calling this kitbash the "Archer", as a wordplay on Artemis, though if I really wanted to be mythical about it, I'd probably use a term like Nimrod.

That left me with enough pieces to make another kitbash, which, due to how the Artemis legs mixed with the AGE-2 Normal wings, I've nicknamed "Angel".

I'll probably be working on these within the year. I have my entry for the Nationals to take care of first.

AGE-2 Archer - AGE-2 Double Bullet base kit, with shoulder cannons from the Artemis add-on, and shields and Rifle from the AGE-2 Normal (You need 2 Normal kits to get the paired shields).

AGE-2 Angel - AGE-2 Normal base kit, with Artemis lower-leg and Sword/gun weapon add-ons. 

Gundam Gunpla Mecha Anime Model Kit Assembly

Finished some Gundam/Gunpla basic assembly requests for Bankee. The name of the event is the 2012 SM Toy Kingdom Toy Expo, it should be from Wednesday to Sunday.

Here are some photos. Click ont he photos to see them in larger sizes:
 
This is the new HGUC Anksha. I'd actually thought it was just a variant of the old HGUC Asshimar, but it's not - whole it may share some parts and similar structure, it uses a more modern polycap set (same type used in the HGUC Nu kit) and has a btter range of movement and poportions.

I'd love to get my own kit of this - looks like a lot of fun, and can carry one other mecha (a la Base Jabber) when in Flight mode.

I also assembled the two pirate-themed kits from AGE. I like them both, but I prefer the faceplate detail of the JackEdge over the Dark Hound. On the other hand, the Dark Hound AGE-2 has those great wings/weapons systems.

 

I'll see if I can get more photos - as you can see, I also assembled a Delta Gundam.