getting into gundams
 

ok im getting into gundams :clapping: and i want to know the basics. like price point for each grade (i already know the grades and scales) anything else you think i should know and good places to get them in Calgary, Saskatchewan or Vancouver.
:primelaugh:

Re: getting into gundams
 

Since you're new, I'd suggest getting an SD or a High Grade. AmiAmi and HLJ are the two best places to grab Gunpla. But if You're looking for something a little closer to home, then try checking out Gundamstoreandmore or gg infinite.

Re: getting into gundams
 

I can't speak for Calgary or saskatchewan, but Vancouver has a very large Gundam building community, once upon a time there was a shop called Gundam workshop that catered exclusively to Gundam modeling, but they closed about 5 years ago, sadly. Nowadays, Imperial hobbies in Richmond had a decent selection the last time I was there and site sponsor Ages 3 and Up in coquitlam carries Gundam kits at pretty good prices. I'm sure there are many more out there, but those are the ones I'm familiar with. If you ever find yourself in Edmonton, try out comex hobby in West Edmonton mall, they have a pretty good selection, but their prices are lousy.

As for prices, they really run the gamut, the 5" 1/144 scale models typically run from $20-40, while the larger, more advanced master grade models range anywhere from $40-150, depending on the mobile suit. The perfect grade series I think is mostly dead these days, but you can still get your hands on some of the older kits now and then, they range from $200-400 or so. If you're a total novice, I'd recommend getting a few smaller kits under your belt before you tackle one of the larger master grade or perfect grade kits.

Good luck!

Re: getting into gundams
 

Old school Gundam fan here (ie. UC era only, and mostly Zeon/Neo Zeon). I always buy my gunpla from HLJ when they have sale. Amiami is a bit flaky as I can't get tell how much they will charge for shipping. Buying directly from a Japanese shop usually save me some 20% than buying one locally from some hobby shops.

Also the price points for gunpla vary a lot even within the same grade or scale. 1/144 HG ranges from 300JPY to 28000JPY (That Massive 1 metre long GP-03 Dendrobium). 1/100 MG range from 2000JPY to 14000JPY.

I never got into PG. It's big but the details are not as good as MG.

Also FYI amazon.com and amazon.ca sell gunpla too. Prices are quite competitive. Just search for gundam and select amazon.com/.ca as the seller, so you don't buy from some resellers asking for ridiculous prices plus shipping.

I grow up building gunpla as a kid but it's quite a time consumer hobby. Even more so than TF. I have boxes of MG gunpla kit still in their boxes...

Also in case you didn't know, Bandai also produce the Robot Tamashii line for MS figures. They are readily made robot figures like TF. And there's also the high end FIX Figuration (GFF) and even higher end FIX Figuration Metal Composite, which is the MP equivalent for Gundam figures. They range from $100-200+

Re: getting into gundams
 

So sd or hg woupd be good? Im head to vancouver so A3U is good? What other places are good. I dont want to blow to much money.

Re: getting into gundams
 

If you are coming to Vancouver and want to see gunpla kit in store, then definitely check out A3U and Metropolis Comic.

Re: getting into gundams
 

I'm a huge gundam nut but am in toronto so can't help you on locations where your looking at but can agree with the others that you should go for a hg or nograde kit to get the hang of things. Once you move on to mg complexity if you like the smaller 1/144 scale check out the real grade line. They are the smaller size but the complexity of the mg series just beware because of that there is a lot more really small pieces compared to the larger scale of the mg line.

I disagree about saying that pgs are dead. I personally LOVE the pg line but they are really expensive and can take a REALLY long time to build. Definately do not start/learn with a pg kit.

I think I have 8 pg kits and prob 50 or so mg kits and 6 rg waiting for me to have time to build them ;) lol and prob about 25 of the chibi kits lol

Re: getting into gundams
 

For the record, I wasn't saying the perfect grade line sucked, I love the pg series, I've built nearly all of them, and I'm still patiently waiting for a pg freedom to compliment my strike and strike rouge...I refuse to accept that it isn't going to happen! And No, the strike freedom isn't god enough! What I was saying was that they've been releasing them so infrequently, used to be they'd release a new one pretty much every year or so, but nowadays it's closer to one every 2 years or more and that makes me sad.

Re: getting into gundams
 

With the exception of the original Gundam show and Zeta which each has two PGs (RX-78-2, Zaku II, Mk-II, and Zeta), it's been one suit representing each series if it gets a PG ie. Wing Zero Custom, GP01, Strike, Red Frame, Strike Freedom, and 00 Raiser. (I think that's all of them.)

I doubt they are going to break that trend anytime soon. I think you're more likely to see a 00 Qan[T] for the 00 movie than the Freedom. My thoughts based on looking at the inner frame of the 00 Raiser and it seems like it's already set up to be adapted to be a 00 Qan[T]. And it's not like you can take the Strike Freedom and swap the weapons and get a Freedom out of it. They look very similar but like 50% of the parts would need to be changed. I mean that it's not something that can be done quickly and easily like the Strike to Red Frame, where the inner frame was almost identical. Also, since Unicorn is hot right now and they already have the prototype for the PG Unicorn designed, just too expensive to be made and sold right now, that is probably more likely to happen first.

And also, with so many lines and shows to support -current and future- I'm not surprised to see the PG line put on the backburner a bit.



But anyways, for Vancouver, there's the shop in Crystal Mall that is near Metrotown. They have pretty much a bit of everything from HG to PG and from a bunch of shows too. I like to buy from there if I'm in the Gunpla mood (which is rare) becuz I like to support that shop. Online you can try hobbywave.com. They have virtually everything and flat rate shipping to Canada for $18 no matter if it's one kit or a dozen.

It will be somewhat more expensive than going to amiami or HLJ and buying it directly from Japan.

Like others have said, you should start with a cheap SD or HG kit and just get the feel for it. It's not hard, but you will do a crappy job and better to do it on a cheap kit than a MG Wing Zero or whatever that cost $60.

Re: getting into gundams
 

I think the most difficult part about getting into gundams is making sure your arms and legs are out of the way, so they don't get crushed...I guess tripping and falling off the platform is also a hazard, so make sure your shoelaces are tied, and watch where you step!

-BT