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.

Bandai Hello Kitty / Zaku II SD Gundam Cross Silhouette Gunpla [Unboxing & Pre-Assembly Review]

 Only one word comes to mind when you lay your eyes on a Hello Kitty. It's kawaii and you just can't help yourself. Having not watched any anime involving this famous Japanese feline, I can't say I'm a fan of the Hello Kitty franchise. Neither is the missus. But it was she who suggested I do a project using a Bandai Hello Kitty kit. I was game because as supportive as she already is, it's not everyday the missus takes an active interest in my hobby projects. That she will get a cute display figurine at the end of it means it's also a win-win situation. So here then is an unboxing and pre-assembly review of the Bandai Hello Kitty/Zaku II Super-Deformed-Gundam-Cross-Silhouette (SDCS) Gunpla. For the uninitiated, Gunpla (or ガンプラ Ganpura) is a portmanteau of Gundam plastic model kit.

Bandai Hello Kitty / Zaku II Super-Deformed-Cross-Silhouette (SDCS) Gunpla

 This particular scale model kit is actually one of three that Bandai has in its Hello Kitty Gundam lineup with the others being the MS-06S Char's Zaku II and the RX-78-2 Gundam versions. In addition to the different SDCS figurines that these kits come with, the Hello Kitties come in different color schemes. More on these variations later, for now let's look at the side box art (see below).

Side box art showing the unique Hello Kitty Gundam configuration

Side box art showing the Hello Kitty and the Zaku II SDCS figurine options

More side box art, this time a closeup of Hello Kitty Zaku II 

 Being a kit that's meant to appeal and be accessible to less experienced hobbyists, I fully expect the build to be a straightforward one. And from what I gathered so far, the instructions do indeed lay out an easy to understand assembly process that should present no problem even to the absolute novice. The pamphlet itself comes in a mix of colored and black-and-white pages, with the former used for its front and back pages as well as a small section of the assembly instructions inside. And while it does provide a color guide for hobbyists who want to paint their model kits, the glossy finish to the plastic parts are so good that it becomes pointless to do so unless you want to customize the kit's colors.

Front and back pages of the scale model kit's instruction pamphlet

With instructions being clear and easy to follow, this build falls under the beginners category

 There are three distinct parts to the collection of sprues that come with this scale model kit. First are the parts that make up the Gunpla, specifically the SDCS Zaku II (see below). In this particular Bandai product line, the mecha kits are deformed into chibi anime characters. In fact the SDCS Zaku II is sold separately on its own. So if you aren't a Hello Kitty fan but like the chibi style Gundams, you can forego this kit completely. As for me, I don't like the chibi-style Gundams hence I've never done any projects involving them up until now, for reasons explained in the opening paragraph of this post.

Sprue A: Inner framework for the SDCS Zaku II figurine

Sprue B1 & B2: Dark and light green as well as clear parts for the SDCS Zaku II figurine

Sprue C: Black parts mainly for weapons; with some for the Zaku's chest, knees, and feet

 A unique feature of the kit is its not one but two Hello Kitty themed sprues that we find in the box (see below). One is shaped in the form of the iconic Hello Kitty head while the other resembles her ribbon bow. Both sprues contain all the parts necessary to build a Hello Kitty figurine holding an apple as well as a reasonably sized base that is shaped like an apple. Quality of plastic parts were generally superb especially the matte of Hello Kitty's head. In terms of finish, the base looked terrible with some plastic warping seen on its surface. Nothing a solid coating of the Mr. Super Smooth Clear flat/matte top coat can't fix, to be fair. Yet I wished they could've done better with the base.

Sprue A (alternate): Multi-colored sprue with parts for the Hello Kitty figurine

Sprue B : Red parts for the Hello Kitty base, her apple and ribbon bow

 Last of the sprues are parts for the conversion of both the Hello Kitty or the SDCS Zaku II into a Hello Kitty clad in Zaku II green armor. In the conversion process, parts from the Hello Kitty figurine (the head and ribbon bow) and the Zaku II figurine (essentially the body, arms, and legs) will be used with the parts in Sprues D and E below to form a whole new entity or a Hello Kitty Gundam if you will.

Sprue D: Green parts (note cute helmet with cat ears) for conversion to the Hello Kitty Gundam figurine

Sprue E: Clear tinted part used as the visor on the Hello Kitty Gundam figurine's helmet

 Apart from plastic parts, the kit also comes with a normal sticker sheet and a foil sticker sheet. The former is for use on the resulting Hello Kitty Gundam figurine as well as for turning the apple into a Zaku head. Meanwhile the latter is for use solely on the SDCS Zaku II and its weapons.

Sticker set for the Hello Kitty Gundam and for turning the apple into a Zaku head

Foil stickers for the SDCS Zaku II figurine and its weapons

 Of course, the completist and OCD in me means that I'll likely work on the rest of the Hello Kitty Gundam series in Bandai's lineup too. It's always great to finish projects that the missus can relate to, not unlike my previously completed Toy Story projects. And while a fair amount of time has passed since my last post, I have a good non-malaise reason for skipping the hobby. These past two weeks I had been writing a short story for submission to a scifi periodical. It's not everyday I find a US-based publication that welcomes diverse voices from other countries. Come what may, I'm just grateful to be given an opportunity where my story can even be considered. Anyway, I'm digressing. Hopefully my hobby projects will get back on track soon. And as always, I wish you well and happiness!

MS-09R Rick Dom [Videos of the Unboxing, Assembly, and a Completed 360° view with Weapons]

 With every new video uploaded to my YouTube channel, I am slowly coming to grips with editing videos using Adobe Premiere Pro. For example, I am learning how to increase a video's accessibility using closed captions. These series of videos on the Rick Dom project are the first to sport closed captions on my channel FourEyedMonster Miniatures. In addition, I also attempted to make more interesting and informative YouTube thumbnails using Adobe Photoshop. Of course regardless of any cosmetic improvements, content is still king. And in that respect, I still have much to improve on. So whilst I go about doing just that, I hope you'll still enjoy the Rick Dom videos below.    

Thumbnails of the Rick Dom video series, for actual links please see below

 First up, we have the MS-09R Rick Dom Part 1 of  4: Unboxing and Pre-Assembly Review video, which takes a detailed look and what's inside the Bandai 1/100 scale mecha model kit. Since this is an old kit from way back in 1999, it contains a pleasant surprise in the form of a large glossy poster of a painted Rick Dom. That is reason enough to check the video if you ask me!

 Following the unboxing, we then proceed to assemble the Rick Dom's head and torso on camera. The parts and sub-assemblies for the head and torso had been painted, top-coated, panel-lined, and partially put together off camera before being undergoing the process you see in Part Two below.

 Meanwhile in Part Three, the assembly process continues with the Rick Dom's limbs (see below). And as in Part Two, the parts and sub-assemblies of the mecha's arms and legs were either top-coated or painted, as well as panel-lined. Also similar to the preceding video, all markings seen here were either sticker decals or dry transfer decals. But unlike the torn dry transfer on back of the Rick Dom's torso, all the relevant decals on its arms and legs were applied without a hitch.

 In the fourth and final part, the major sub-assemblies of the Rick Dom such as its head, torso, arms, and legs were put together at last to complete the project. In this video, the mecha's weapons consisting of long-range weapons like the gigantic Beam Bazooka, the smaller but still big 360mm GB05R Bazooka, as well as its melee weapon i.e. the Heat Sabre. There's more! We finally get to see the Rick Dom in all its 360 degree glory as it is placed upon a rotating turntable and filmed.

 Apart from content which can always be made better, there is perhaps a case to be made for a tighter edit on hobby-related videos that I upload to my channel. And because I'm not doing ASMR-type content, I also might have to do away with detailed work-in-progress assembly videos, and increase screen time for the finished article e.g. review of the fully-assembled/painted kit in a larger variety of poses. In any case, all this alludes to more growing pains for my FourEyedMonster Miniatures YouTube Channel content creation process.     

 If you are interested in viewing videos of other projects, please subscribe to my YouTube Channel FourEyedMonster Miniatures by either clicking on (a) the banner above or (b) the following link: => https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFKjSgN9sR4U2Lg5_wSFZhg My next project will involve a mecha model kits with a cute twist. Until then, stay well, and be happy.

MS-09R Rick Dom | 1/100 scale Master Grade Zeon Mobile Suit [Completed]

 Every time a Gunpla project is completed, there is a sense of relief that goes along with the natural feeling of accomplishment. Relief that the Gundam model kit's lengthy top-coating and painting process is finally over. Relief at having an end result to display after having to deal with numerous complicated parts. And most of all, relief that all that planning - namely which parts to paint, which to topcoat; how to paint them i.e. individually or as a sub-assembly; what colors to use; how to secure the numerous tiny pieces for painting; etc. - actually came to fruition rather than fail horribly. This then is my take of the Bandai 1/100 scale Master Grade MS-09R Rick Dom model kit.

Bandai 1/100 scale Master Grade Zeon Mobile Suit: MS-09R Rick Dom [Completed]

 Although the Rick Dom isn't fully-painted in the sense that some of its parts were top-coated with a clear matte coat in lieu of being airbrushed with colored paints, the end results still looks like a fully-painted scale model kit. At least it does to me. Shown below is the Rick Dom posed against an azure background, mimicking the mobile suit when it's being deployed planetside as opposed to in space.

MS-09R Rick Dom placed here against an azure background made out of two cutting mats (front view)

Because its fingers can be individually manipulated, the Rick Dom is able to make a hand-horns or 'rock-on' gesture ...

... although admittedly the hand itself should've been facing the other way for the gesture to be correct.

On the Rick Dom's back is a yellow heat sabre attached to its rear rocket vernier thrusters

 However as you can see, the Rick Dom together with the heat sabre on its back is too big for my azure background material which consists of just the bottom sections of two mid-sized azure cutting mats. Nonetheless the azure background does cover the Rick Dom itself reasonably well to give a good view of the Zeon mobile suit's color scheme when contrasted against an azure background.

Back view of the MS-09R Rick Dom against an azure background

All the Rick Dom's grey and black armor plates of have been top-coated with a matte clear coat ...

... as has its heat sabre (both handle and blade) while the red as well as desaturated violet armor plates ...

... and all the metallic parts have been airbrushed with Mr.Hobby Mr.Color lacquer paints.

 One of the unique selling points of this particular Gundam scale model kit is the fact that it includes one of the largest weapons found in Gunpla. In terms of length/height, the Rick Dom itself measures about 18.3 cm, the 360mm GB05R Bazooka about 18.0 cm and the Beam Bazooka about 26.0 cm. In simple layman terms, the Rick Dom have a set of really huge fraking bazookas!

Here the Rick Dom is carrying the huge Beam Bazooka horizontally in both its hands ...

... while here the Zeon mobile suit is doing the same thing with the smaller 360mm GB05R Bazooka.

 To see how the Rick Dom would look in its other natural operating environment i.e. outer space, I had posed the mecha against a black background (see below). Although the Rick Dom has a muted color scheme of black, grey, and desaturated violet with small splashes of bright, vivid hues - like the reds on its head and the yellow insignia on its left shoulder - it still manages to stand out fairly well against the darker background. Admittedly, both the azure and black backgrounds are just lazy substitutes for a green background which would allow me to do some nifty "green screen video editing". Such editing would've enabled me to put in either a cloudy blue sky or star-filled space as a background.

MS-09R Rick Dom now against a dark background made entirely out of black cloth (front view)

Even against a black background, the Rick Dom still manages to retain contrast and stand out

One of my key goals when painting the Rick Dom was to ensure that its surfaces weren't too glossy 

A combination of a matte clear topcoat and semi-gloss paint resulted in the desired not too glossy look

Back view of the MS-09R Rick Dom against a black background

Having a solid, stout body with curved lines making up most of its outer armor ...

... the Rick Dom sports a very recognizable silhouette among fans of the Gundam universe

Without a doubt, the MS-09R Rick Dom is one of my favourite mobile suit designs

 Below then is the Rick Dom with its weapons against a black background. There is a slight difference from when it posed against an azure background in that the weapons were arranged vertically here to show a better sense of scale. You can see the huge Beam Bazooka tower over the mecha.

MS-09R Rick Dom with its complement of weapons from a heat sabre to bazookas

Beam Bazooka towers over the Rick Dom while the 360mm GB05R Bazooka is nearly the same height

 So the 1/100 scale Master Grade Zeon Mobile Suit known as MS-09R Rick Dom has the honour of being my first scale model kit project to be completed this year. I certainly didn't foresee my first finished piece to surface so late, nearly a quarter of the way into 2023. Barring further mishaps, I hope to pick up the pace to compensate for all that lost time. Because I also hope to resume drawing seriously again, I had better get cracking if I want to make a dent on my significantly longer hobby-related to-do-list. As someone wise but unknown once said ... There’s no such thing as being too busy. If you really want something, you’ll make time for it. And that's just what I'm going to do.