Bandai Hello Kitty in Green Overalls [Completed]

 A key feature of the Bandai Hello Kitty Gunpla series is that each kit allows for the creation of three unique figurines via the sharing of parts. This post will showcase the first of the three namely a figurine of Hello Kitty herself dressed in a yellow shirt and green overalls. In the finished build she is holding an apple, and can either be stood or seated on top of a flat base shaped liked an apple.

Bandai Hello Kitty scale model kit; completed (standing pose, front view)

Bandai's version of this popular anime feline is not only well proportioned ...

... but also designed with an excellent color separation of the various parts ...

... with no need for either painting or panel-lining for the figurine to look good.

 Being a straightforward out-of-the-box build, the Hello Kitty figurine has had absolutely no paint work or panel-lining done on her at all. Due to good color separation as well as excellent gloss, semi-gloss, and matte finishes on the plastic, the finished build of Hello Kitty already looks good as is. However, the end result is not perfect in terms of color separation. So if you want to nitpick, then there is a case for the figurine's accessories to be painted for full color accuracy. These are the apple fruit that Hello Kitty holds in her hand and the apple-shaped base that she either stands or sits on. Both have stalks that can be painted in brownish hues as well as leaves that can be painted in greenish hues.

Bandai Hello Kitty scale model kit; completed (standing pose, back view)

Perhaps the only complaint one might have about this Hello Kitty figurine ...

... is the fact that the base she is standing on, and the apple she is holding ...

... are both mono-colored, hence for complete color accuracy one will have to paint ...

 Hello Kitty has two simple poses predicated on the limited freedom of movement found withing its simple leg mechanism. Both legs have a 90° freedom of movement. Therefore she can be posed in either a simple standing or seating pose on top of the flat apple-shaped base provided with the kit.

... the stems of the apples (both base and fruit) in brown and the leaves in green.

Bandai Hello Kitty scale model kit; completed (seated pose, front view)

Apart from the simple standing pose, the Hello Kitty's legs can be manipulated ...

... to allow her to be in a sort of a laid-back seated pose atop the flat apple-shaped base ...

 Apart from it being in just one flat color, another thing about base was its lack of a secure attachment point. This means the Hello Kitty figurine sits or stands only loosely atop the base. To be fair, this arrangement is probably fine for most hobbyists who would just place the figurine in a display cabinet and never touch it again. If I were to hazard a guess, I believe Bandai didn't want to mar the surfaces of either the base or figurine with a peg/hole connection points. Moreover hobbyists, experienced or not, can get around this little problem by using a bit of Blu-Tack adhesive at the point of contact between Hello Kitty and the apple-shaped base. So no harm, no foul.

...  which unfortunately does not have a peg and socket joint to secure the figurine to it.

Bandai Hello Kitty scale model kit; completed (seated pose, back view)

Overall, this is a straightforward out-of-the-box build that is simple to put together ...

... yet rewards you with a great looking figurine at the end; this is perfect for the novice hobbyist.

 For something that was put together almost effortlessly with no painting required, the results are admittedly fantastic. So far, that is after checking only one of the three figurines possible from this kit, I already believe this to be a great kit for beginners to the scale modelling hobby. Young ones, especially fans of Hello Kitty, will be thrilled with what they can create with almost minimal effort. Heck, even as a jaded hobbyist with mid-life crisis issues who is not even a fan of the feline, I find the Hello Kitty figurine to be an absolute delight. Coming up next is the second figurine that can be build from this kit i.e. the Super-Deformed-Gundam-Cross-Silhouette (SDCS) Gunpla in the form of the Zaku II. That promises to be another new experience for me, which I'll share in the upcoming blog post. Until then, stay safe, and may you be well and happy.