What is Gundam????

GUNDAM

Gundam (ガンダム) is a metaseries of Japanese anime created by Sunrise studios that features giant robots (or “mecha”) called “Gundam”. The metaseries started in April 7, 1979 as a serial TV show called Mobile Suit Gundam. That first TV series has since spawned a franchise that has come to include works released in numerous media. Titles have appeared in the form of multiple television series and OVAs, movies, manga, novels and video games, among other modes. The story from the original 1979 series has been considerably extended with sequels, prequels, side stories and alternate timelines. As a result, the title “Gundam” has become a collective term for the seven distinct but related timelines that can be pieced together from the stories that appear in the Gundam franchise. Generally speaking, the timelines do not intersect, but they do contain a few common elements such as the titular war machines called Gundam. However, all Gundam timelines/worlds long after their own anime series will eventually intersect and combine back to one in the series Turn A Gundam.

The original timeline for the Gundam series was the Universal Century (UC) series, which included Mobile Suit Gundam (1979) and Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam (1985). Since the 1990s, alternative timelines have been produced and developed, including the Future Century, After Colony, After War, Correct Century, Cosmic Era and Anno Domini timelines.

As of January 21, 2008, the Gundam franchise is a 50 billion yen trademark. In the 2008 ranking of average sales figures for anime copies sold in Japan (1970-2008 total sales figures averaged by episode), Gundam series were in 4 of the top 5 places: Mobile Suit Gundam ranked second, with Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Destiny third, Mobile Suit Gundam SEED fourth, and Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam fifth. Also, Mobile Suit Gundam Wing ranked 18th and Mobile Suit Gundam ZZ ranked 20th. Gunpla’s (Gundam Plastic model) holds 90% of the Japan character plastic model market.

Academic fields in Japan have also viewed the series as a good inspiration in research fields, with the Gundam academy (or officially International Gundam Society) being the first academic institution based on an animated TV series.

INNOVATION

Mobile Suit Gundam is said to have pioneered the real robot era of mecha anime.

Unlike its super robot cousins, Gundam attempted a realism in the robot design and weaponry, by running out of energy and ammunition or breaking and malfunctioning. The technology is practical and is either derived from true science (such as Lagrange points in space and the O’Neill cylinder as a living environment) or at least well-explained, feasible technology, requiring only a few fictional elements to function (such as Minovsky Physics as a means of energy production from helium-3).

The necessity of developing humanoid robots is also explained, albeit fictional. The fictional Minovsky particle pervasive in Universal Century is depicted as interfering with radar-guided long-distance cruise missiles, anti-aircraft guns, missiles, and all early warning systems, with weapons systems having to rely on human eyes. In Universal Century, the space-based Principality of Zeon rebels against Earth Federation, requiring a weapons system that could function in zero and normal gravity, be able to open and close air locks, plant demolition charges, and engage with enemy tanks and planes; with a robotic giant being an excellent choice. Once mobile suits have been developed by one side, the opposing force had to develop a similar system, just as British invention of tanks lead to the development of tanks in Germany, and eventually lead to tank-to-tank battles.

Gundam’s realistic scientific setting has gained a reputation in the field itself as well. 

On July 18, 2007, when MIT’s Astronautics Department’s Professor Dava Newman displayed a biosuit, 

the suit was referenced as Mobile Suit Gundam’s Normal Suit is now real by various news agencies. 

On February 14, 2008, when NASA proposed research into nuclear thermal rockets, Technobahn, a scientific journal in Japan, 

referred to the usage of nuclear thermal rocket engines on mobile suits in the Gundam universe.

Tips Using a Marker & How to Draw 2

-Step 2 : Paint with Gundam marker

Finish using the original kit color is good and simple, but if you want to have a better finish, 
try painting using a marker. Even if the kit is precolored, in some cases there are parts that are not colored because of something to do with the metal die. 
You can make your own unique finish by painting just these parts.


-Painting Wide area

When the paint reaches
the pen point, paint in one direction quickly without 
overlapping too much.

Uneven brush marks will not disappear with just one coat, 

so allow the surface to dry sufficiently and paint it again at right angles.

Notes for using multiple colors

When using two colors, paint them neatly without overlapping. Base colors are sometimes dissolved by over painting.

-Painting fine parts-

You can paint fine parts neatly if you use the corner of the pen point. 

There is a tapered type, so use the right pen for the purpose.

If the pen point does not reach

If you need to paint even smaller parts, put paint in a paint dish and use a Menso brush (brush for line drawing).

-Usage example-

Painting silver trim or rubber trim on a car model Painting eyes of a figure using ink drawing marker 

Painting convex parts with a different color

You cannot help painting slip ups sometimes even if you are really careful not to do it. 

Here’s where the eraser pen comes in handy. A special solvent is contained in the marker, 

so it erases unnecessary paint just like a rubber eraser.

1) Ooops!! I was really careful but the paint ran over to the wrong part.

2) Push the pen point and rub the excess paint using the eraser pen soaked with solvent. 

Excess paint is transferred to the pen point. If some remains, rub it off with a cotton bud, etc.

3) Paint transferred to the pen point can be removed by pushing the pen point on tissue paper, etc. Try to keep the pen point clean at all times.

1)Collection Item: Gundam marker for painting is a popular marker with which you can reproduce the original colors of Gundam and BB Warriors easily.

2)The pen point is a “flat core” that is most suitable for detailed painting, and a good color and smooth coverage alcohol type paint is used.

3)6 metallic colors, 3 fluorescent colors, 7 special colors and an eraser pen, a total of 17 varieties are available.

Asuna Action Figure

The next beautiful Ani-Statue from Kotobukiya comes from Sword Art Online,
a Japanese light novel series by Reki Kawahara with illustrations by Abec that’s been adapted into manga, anime, and a video game.

First up is the main female protagonist of the game Sword Art Online,
Asuna Aincrad! A member (and sub-leader) of the Knights of the Blood Oath clan,
Asuna’s in-game avatar appears here in a stunning display as she seems to float in mid-air above a unique base with broken column and gold rings.

The girl wears her clan’s white and red “armor,” a beautiful outfit highlighted by its blood red skirt,
white top with long trailing coat, and tiny red crosses decorating the ensemble.
In her right hand Asuna wields her iconic sword, though her smiling face reassures you that there’s no danger she can’t handle.
The girl’s dynamic pose and outfit are sure to be a hit with fans of the series as well as collectors of beautiful Ani*Statues!
Asuna is almost 8 ½ inches tall floating above her display base.

Series: Sword Art Online
Height: Approx. 8.5 inches (21.5 cm)
Type: 1/8 Scale PVC
Manufacturer: Kotobukiya
Sculptor: Hirotoshi Nakamura

Bleach Action Figure Figures

Hi fellas,
Today,Let us introduce a Japanese popular comic Bleach that held a position amongst the top ten anime in the United States from 2006 to 2008.

Bleach follows an adventure of Ichigo Kurosaki after he obtains the power of a Soul Reaper.
He and his companies are involved into the battle against hollows that rub souls out of humans.

We think that the most attractive point of this comic is Swords.
Every Soul reaper has their own swords that have various abilities to defeat Hollows.

For example, Tōshirō Hitsugaya who is Ichigo’s company has Sword called Hyōrinmaru that means Ice-Ring.

Hyōrinmaru allows Hitsugaya to control water and ice. His slashes create an immense amount of spiritual power which overflows from the tip of the blade, creating a iced flow shaped like a Chinese dragon. The dragon flies towards opponents and instantly freezes anything it touches.

It is just one of many swords, you can find many other swords in the story.
Why don’t you watch the animation and check various Swords!

We have its main character figures Ichigo Kurosaki and Sousuke Aizen from Figurarts Zero

The XXXG-01W Wing Gundam Ver.Ka

Artist Hajime Katoki, following the mecha redesigns he made for the OVA Endless Waltz,
made redesigns for Wing and the other original Gundams as well, which were later used for toy model kits.
These variants were meant to resemble their Endless Waltz upgraded counterparts more closely,
even though Wing Zero is not an upgraded version of Wing Gundam, despite their similarities.

Flying mode

MG GNT-00

The Mobile Suit from the “Gundam 00″ movie: -A wakening of the Trailblazer- appears. 

The QAN [T] will come with its massive transformable weapon, which even can function as a shield. 

If you have MG Exia Ignition mode, you can replace its GN drive with LED GN drive unit!

Detail

1. Runner x16, Foil sticker x1, Tetron sticker x1, Decal x1, Instruction manual

2. The main MS of “Mobile Suit Gundam OO -A Wakening of the Trailblazer-” joins the MG series.

3. The sword has gimmicks for both separating and combining.

4. The launching form of GN Shield Bit is adopted as a new mechanism.

5. The panel line is newly designed for MG.

6. Each lens is recreated clearly and vividly.

Evangelion Plastic Model

There is a good new for Evangelion lover..
BANDAI has released Evangelion plastic model
These models are from its epic movie “Evangelion :2.0 You Can (Not) Advance” (2009)
that is second episode of four and rarely based on its TV program’s story.
Evangelion is the most successful and beloved Robot Story after Mobile Suit Gundam.
However people often say that Evangelion is the best one if measuring it in terms of deepness on the story.
But Not only that, the robots are also very stylish and designed in detail.

The kits come with cool effect parts, weapons and equipment that appear in the movie.

EVA-01 Evangelion The Movie HA ver
Features
Includes the marking stickers specific to the movie.
Runner x12, Foil sticker x1, Dry Decal x1, Instruction Manual
comes with an Entry Plug, Umbilical Cable, Pallet Gun, Progressive Knife, A.T. Field and extra hands.
Provided with Marking stickers

EVA-02 Evangelion The Movie HA ver
Features
Includes the large arm “Thunder spire”
Includes the special progressive knives for Unit 02.
Includes the marking stickers specific to the movie.
Runner x16, Foil sticker x1, Dry Decal x1, Instruction manual

EVA-03 Evangelion The Movie HA Awakinge ver
Features
Includes the “head”, two kinds of “regenerated arm” and the “ring of light”.
The “regenerated arm” has special glittering color which reminds you of the film.
Includes the marking stickers specific to “Evangelion:2.0 You Can (Not) Advance”.

Tips Using a Marker & How to Draw 1

1) Shake painting and weathering markers well with the cap on before usage.

2)When using for the first time or when ink does come out smoothly, press on the pen point. Be careful not to crush the tip.

Step 1 Ink Drawing

Well, let’s try ink drawing. Ink drawing is a method for increasing the three dimensional quality and reality by painting color in the engraved lines on the kit. 

If the kit is precolored, ink drawing provides a remarkable finish.

HOW TO USE INK DRAWING(WIPE TYPE OFF)

HOW TO USE INK DRAWING(ULTRA THIN PEN POINT)

Gundam Markers

TYPE MARKER
There are 2 types of Gundam marker for painting and ink drawing and 4 types for weathering. Each type is designed for a special use, so the level of finish improves if you use them according to the different purposes they were intended for.

GUNDAM MARKER FOR PAINTING

 The marker for painting uses good color smooth alcohol type paint,
with a flat core pen point that is capable of painting                   everything from big open surfaces to tiny parts
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GUNDAM MARKER FOR INK DRAWING (ULTRA THIN PEN POINT)

 The ink drawing markers are oil-based markers with an ultra thin pen point,
which is used for painting engraved parts. It fixes really well and provides a realistic finish easily.
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GUNDAM MARKER FOR INK DRAWING (WIPE OFF TYPE)

 The ink drawing brush marker is most suitable for painting even finer engraved parts.
The pen point is a brush type, and special water-based ink is used, so it can be applied on any kind of basecoat and paint run off can be wiped off.
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GUNDAM MARKER FOR WEATHERING

If you want a realistic finish, you should use a weathering marker especially for weathering painting. This is a water-based marker,
so you can weather the parts without affecting the base. There is a wipe off type and paint type available for a realistic finish.

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GUNDAM MARKER FOR ERASURE

The eraser pen cleans up paint run off quickly just like a rubber eraser. By rubbing over the area run off, excess paint is dissolved and cleared.

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New ZZ Gundam

Hi fellas,

Tamashii Nations new mobile suit figure Robot Spirits ZZ Gundam has come out in Japan!!
It was kinda surprising that ZZ Gundam came out before Zeta Gundam. The backpack can’t be angled and its body line is a bit odd which is disappointing…
However paint and texture are well done!!

ROBOT SPIRITS ZZ GUNDAM

Height: 125mm (4.9′)
Material: PVC and ABS
Comes with: Body, Interchangeable hands (4 each), Mega Beam Rifle, and 2 Beam Sabers

Calendar System at Gundam

Gundam's Calendar SYSTEM

The majority of Gundam, including the earliest series, occur in the Universal Century (UC) calendar, with later series set in alternate calendars or timelines mostly unrelated to the UC system (at least three of these calendar systems were actually initially numbered after the year that the series premiered, with 1979's Mobile Suit Gundam taking place in UC 0079, 1995's Mobile Suit Gundam Wing in After Colony 195, and 2007's Mobile Suit Gundam 00 taking place in 2307).

Mobile Fighter G Gundam takes place in the Future Century (FC), where space colonies have gained the upper hand over Earth, consequently attempting to put an end to the internal power struggles now plaguing the planet.

Mobile Suit Gundam Wing takes place in the After Colony (AC) calendar system, set after the foundation of the first space colony, where Earth firmly maintains repressive control over its colonies.

After War Gundam X takes place in the After War (AW) timeline, set after the conclusion of the 7th Space War, where the Earth is devastated by massive colony drops.

∀ Gundam takes place in the CC (正歴 Seireki^?) calendar system, which director Yoshiyuki Tomino intended as the distant future of all previous timelines. The CC sees the colonies becoming much stronger than the Earth, but unlike the FC timeline, takes a more aggressive stance towards it. The English acronym of CC is Correct Century (コレクトセンチュリー), in the official Japanese ∀ guide book.

Mobile Suit Gundam SEED, its sequels, and spinoffs take place in the Cosmic Era, with CE referring to the years after the foundation of the first space colonies.

Mobile Suit Gundam 00, is so far the only series to occur during the non-fictional Anno Domini (西暦 Seireki^?) timeline. This is reflected in the show with a worldview that more reflects the modern world, and the presence of real-life conflicts and rebel groups such as the Real Irish Republican Army and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam.

Mobile Suit Gundam AGE takes place in the Advanced Generation (AG) calendar system, which is set after hundreds of years of space colonization and is characterized by the end of all wars in the Earth sphere and a period of peace before the sudden attack of the UE.

Bandai and Japanese-speaking fans unofficially refer to projects not directly related to the first Gundam series or its staffers (such as Gundam Sentinel and Mobile Fighter G Gundam) as "Another Gundam" stories, and to projects made after 1989 as "Heisei Gundam" stories. On a survey for a video game that would become Gundam: True Odyssey, the Cosmic Era series (including Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Astray) were collectively referred to as "21st Century First Gundam" (a reference to the original Mobile Suit Gundam series). English-speaking fans have used the term "Alternate Universe" ("AU" for short) as a nickname for the stories that do not take place within the Universal Century timeline, but this is made unofficial for use in Japan.

Exia Gundam

Series: Mobile Suit Gundam 00
Manufacturer: BANDAI
Release Date: 2013/3/31