21 January 2010

Gundam Expo Hong Kong 2009


I'm finally back, though a bit tired. Just as I said in the previous post, here's the coverage of Gundam Expo Hong Kong 2009 which took place in the Metropolis Hall in Hung Hom last month.

In addition, the Expo is also reported by robostrike and Asuka, who have both gone to the Expo on different dates. Ngee Khiong has also reported on it (in three seperate posts) taken from other sites and forums.


When I was on my way to the Expo, I did see an advertisment in MTR (Hong Kong's main railway) showing promotion between Gundam and MTR. Apparently you can buy tickets which will have images of RX-78 Gundam, Char's Zaku, chibi looking Exia or Flag on the ticket itself.



Just like the year before, large statues of Gundam Exia and 00 Gundam stand proudly in the entrance.


A large footprint of the RX-78 Gundam!









Various 1/144 HGUC on display, including the huge GP03 Dendobrium in the second image


Closer shot of the GP03 + the Dendrobium


The recently released 1/100 MG Victory Gundam. Seeing the actual model in person makes me appreciate its incredible small size! It's about the same height as a 1/144 HGUC Nu Gundam!


Shelf showing recent gunpla releases of the time - including 1/144 HG Masurao, 1/100 Mirage Frame, and the 1/60 PG 00 Raiser.


Robot Damashii action figures. Most are from Gundam 00 with a few exceptions in the middle section like the Turn A and Turn X, Crossbone X-2, and the uncoloured and yet-to-be released V2 Assault Buster (the middle one in blue and white only).


1/60 PG 00 Gundam (without the O Raiser) up close.


1/60 O Raiser up close.


A collection of actor Joey Leung's (梁榮忠) Gundam merchandise. I don't know much about him (along with a lot of the Hong Kong's entertainment), but he is well known as a Gundam fan.


A closer look of his custom painted PG 00 Gundam.



Closer look of his other merchandise, including the MTR tickets mentioned above, phone accessories, a Federation uniform, a signed Zeon flag, as well as books and catalogues on gunpla.


A runner of MG Sinanju's bazooka, which only comes with volume 8 of the Gundam UC novel. Unlike MG Unicorn's gattling gun, which could only be obtained from the Japanese version of the novel (volume 4). Sinanju's bazooka can be obtained from the localised Chinese version of the novel too.


BAKUC statue and cups on display.


BAKUC is a gunpla modelling competition (hence the full name Bandai Action Kits Universal Cup), as well as a mysteriously masked guy who is apparently "a top modeller" as well as a friend of Kawaguchi sensei (the "father of gunpla kits" or so people say).


Various recoloured models in display in the BAKUC section


A model submitted for BAKUC competition, showing a customised Guntank and Zaku I. I think this is the grand final model for this year's competition.


Closer look of the customised Guntank. It seems to have used parts from the 1/100 Tieren. Very nice I must say, and there's even an artwork for it too!



Various recoloured models on display.


A poor angle, but this custom built and painted MS-06RD-4 Zaku II caught my attention. It's a prototype of Dom using Zaku as the frame for testbed, which is seen in first episode of 08th MS Team.


1/144 XN Raiser conversion kit shown built and mounted on Cherudim Gundam and 00 Gundam. The kit was released with Hobby Japan sometime near September last year. I managed to get one myself too. May work on it over the Easter or the summer.


1/100 MG Asray Blue Frame 2nd Revise


A display of an Astray Red Frame that was used for photography for Hobby Japan December issue (i.e. this is NOT the MG Astray Red Frame, but rather it's converted from the MG Astray Blue Frame model kit).


Gunpla shop area, located in the same area like last year.


Various limited models on sale. Most of them are clear colour models which I don't take a keen interest on. For a full list of the limited stuff there you can check this post from Ngee Khiong.


1/144 HG Gundam Exia Repair x O Gundam clear colour bundel kit. Not interested in the kit itself, but love the art though.


A small shelf showing the the latest Model Plus magazine with the 2 differently coloured 1/144 HGUC Kshatriya used for the front cover.


A bird's view (or rather view from an escalator) of the Expo's shop section. Boxes and boxes of gunpla can be seen~


Candy toys (shokugans and gashapons etc) section. Showing various candy toys including the StandArts on the top section, the relatively new Digital Grade (DG) miniatures, as well as the chibi Gundams from gashapons at the bottom.


Various Sangokuden models on display. Too bad I am not familiar with this particular line of gunpla.


The (notorious?) Gundam SEED VS Astray line of gunpla kits. They are supposed to be new models for the upcoming new side story manga of the Astray series. I am not sure whether the first chapter of the manga is out on magazines yet or not, but there are already quite a few models released since the summer.


A small diorama showing various Gundams in battle from Gundam 00. I find it interesting how Seravee Gundam is literally staying up in the air using the thin pink beam as a support.



Various Gundam 00 gunpla on display. Most are from Season 2.









Various Sangokuden models in diorama display.


Closer look of the Unicorn Gundam in Destroy mode for the StandArt shokugan minature. For something that's even smaller than 1/144 scale this is a very detailed pre-painted pre-assembled model.


Kshatriya StandArt


Tiny SD Gundams gashapons


Luminodot - something like art display of some sort. For reference you can read this post from Ngee Khiong (old images are gone unfortunately)


Stage area for the Expo, various gaming, speed modelling, or even quiz events will take place according to the daily schedule they have planned in advance.


Foldable spray booth from BAKUC for those who need an easy setup for spraypainting. What got my attention wasn't the spray booth itself, but rather the runners that are on display, since I have no clue on where this sniper rifle or the bazooka are from.


A timeline showing all the aired animated series for Gundam franchise from the first Mobile Suit Gundam to Gundam 00.




The middle enclosed section of the Expo shows photos of the construction of 1/1 Gundam that was displayed over the summer in Odaiba.


1/30 scale referecnce model of the Gundam that was used for its bigger brother.


Nice shots of the completed Gundam in full glory.


Also included in the middle section was the promotion of the upcoming Gundam UC (Unicorn) OVA series, showing models and promotional video of it.


A prototype of the GFFMC Unicorn Gundam. As one can see it's not completed yet (like the unpainted black head), and its weapons other than the beam rifle are not dipsplayed here. Well let's just hope that it will not disappoint the fans like the Zeta Plus released earlier last year.


Robot Damashii action figures of Unicorn Gundams (both Unicorn and Destroy mode), as well as Geara Zulu.


StandArt minatures mentioned above.


Upcoming model of HGUC Rezel. In fact it has *just* been released as of writing this post.


1/144 HGUC Kshatriya, already released.


Main display area of the gunpla models for Gundam UC.


Final shot showing the entrance of the Gundam Expo just before I left the place.


Overall, the Expo is keeping its standard like the one before. Not like super impressive, but a fair number of stuff on display including upcoming models and BAKUC entries, but hey there's no admission fee so one can't really complain too much about it. It's more like a small Expo intended for the general public as well as big fans to appreciate the Gundam franchise. While I did not buy anything over there, it's nice to stroll around freely and appreciate the models and photos that are on display.


Album: Gundam Expo Hong Kong 2009

13 comments:

  1. I saw vol 1-6 of the localised UC novels when I was there... Dang! if i saw the sinanju issue I would have snapped it up! =P

    and damn! I missed the event T.T

    ReplyDelete
  2. dude... I drooled buckets... thanks for the pics. Now to continue my drooling...

    ReplyDelete
  3. " this is NOT the MG Astray Red Frame, but rather it's converted from the MG Astray Blue Frame model kit"

    -But you just know that's what the MG red frame will exactly be (plus a few extra parts) when it is released!!

    I can't say I'm surprised that they didn't pose many PG 00 Gundams in 00 Raiser mode...
    They probably saved a lot of space!
    And all the MS in Victory gundam were pretty small in comparison to their predecessors. In terms of the animated media, the Nu gundam and Sazabi were among the largest mobile suits created (psyco gundam is the largest and the Xi gundam and penelope were larger than the nu. Everything else bigger were Mobile armours i think). They started downsizing after that.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Orange PG 00 raiser, surely someone is a big fan of TMR, oh wait, He didnt do a song for Gundam 00...

    ReplyDelete
  5. Nice.
    A Gundam expo, I wish my country could make something like this. >_<

    want to look these with my own eyes.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Thanks for the awesome pictures buddy! This looks like it was a lot of fun!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Q,

    Thank you for your coverage on the event and sharing with us the wonderful photos in the event.

    You did a service for people like us, who did not have the chance to personal participate the event, to be able to at least have a glimpse of what happened during the event.

    ReplyDelete
  8. WOW - that looks like a load of fun. Nothing like that here in the US that I know about. I am kind of glad as my son would of asked for all the SD figures.

    ReplyDelete
  9. @ AstrayP03:
    Yea it's a pity that you came just a bit too early for the 8th volume of the novel as well as the expo ._. But oh well at least you got an MG Astray Blue Frame for a good price along with a few other stuff.

    @ bd77:
    Haha yea lots of eye candy indeed. Glad that you like it!

    @ gundamjehutykai:
    Yea the actual MG Astray Red Frame will be very similar to the Blue Frame. Heck, even the Tactical Arms is there too!

    It appears that the MS have begun to downsize after Unicorn (UC 0096). I did reckon that the Victory would be small, but didn't know it would be that small, especially when the HGUC Nu Gundam was just in the next cabinet for me to compare with! It's actually impressive to see how much they can put in in such small MG, especially the transformation mechanism!

    @ GunStray:
    Haha TM Revolution... Maybe it's just a coincidence ^^;

    @ divinelight:
    I must say that I am pretty lucky to have things like these over in Hong Kong. Maybe with the popularity of Gundam increases more of events like these can happen over in your area too one day?

    @ Apt-1B:
    I am glad that you like my coverage! Even though it's just looking around here and there, one can't complain about it when it's free!

    @ Jacques:
    This is not supposed to be a service of any kind, but I am really glad that you appreciate the things I have shared out with, and I have to thank you too for appreciating.

    @ Bluedrakon:
    Haha SD Gundams sure are popular with the younger fans and audience, but they are also popular with some of the older ones too!

    ReplyDelete
  10. hey, i love the pics you took.
    do u know when the gundam expo will be for 2010 and where it will b held? many thanks

    ReplyDelete
  11. @ matthew li:
    Thanks man! Glad you like my photos for the coverage!

    Given that Gundam Expo occurs in the same place for the past 2 years I've been I'd say it will still be in Metropolis Hall in Hung Hom between late December and early January. Hope that helps!

    ReplyDelete
  12. Nice coverage.
    I must say, the 2 metre tall statues just look awesome, I would buy them if they are for sale......

    Say, do you happen to know if there will be a Gundam Expo in HK 2011? If so, any rough ideas of where and when?

    Reading your comment previously, you mentioned that the Gundam Expo 2010 may be around late December and early January, do you mean late December 2010 and early January 2011?

    Thanks for this.

    ReplyDelete
  13. @ Lelouch:
    Welcome, and thanks for visiting my blog!

    I would not like to imagine how much the statues would cost even *if* they are available for purchasing, but since they do appear in both Gundam Expo and ACGHK, I know I can see them again ^^;

    Given that Gundam Expo Hong Kong has taken place in the same area for the past 3 years I've been (2008 to 2010), I would assume that 2011 will have it in the same place again (i.e. Metropolis Hall in Hung Hom). And yep Gundam Expo Hong Kong 2010 did take place between late December 2010 and early January 2011, so the same pattern should take place for the 2011 Expo.

    Hope that helps!

    ReplyDelete

Be sure to copy long comments to clipboard in case of Internet or server problems