1.2.3.4.GO.HA.N! (K-On! figma mod)

I haven't blogged about figma modding for some time, especially of yui_style (or just Yui), a Hongkonger who has modded figma Lacus Clyne and summer uniform version of figma Shana in the past. While he has admitted that he has not done much modding recently, he did manage to pull off one for the 5th WonHobby PhotoCon (第五回ワンホビフォトコンテスト), an annual photo contest held by Good Smile Company & Max Factory.

And his chosen work for entry is from a scene in anime K-On!!, depicting the band girl's last live performance for their school festival during their high school years. More photos after the jump!

The Making:

According to yui_style, careful cutting is required so that he can make this process 'reversible', should he choose to do so one day.


The clothes. Yui has noted that he made cuttings at the back of the t-shirts to make them easy to wear and remove.


Mio with the shirt on. The arms are of figma Ein's, which are originally bare so this makes less work required.


The HTT star logos are apparently only 1cm long at this scale, and are transferred to the t-shirt via heat transfer.


The background requires 16 A3 papers. Yui originally tried 9 but that wasn't enough, so he had to make it even bigger. (This truly is humongous...)


A group shot of the girls as posed for the entry shot


Pianist: Tsumugi


Drummer: Ritsu


Second guitarist: Azusa


Bass: Mio


First guitarist: Yui


Another group photo with a different pose for Yui


The first photo again, which was the image used for the photo contest entry. The light source from the top right and the highlights on the metallic parts (e.g. the microphone stands) are done by Photoshop.


The scene is based on episode 20 of 2nd season (which is named K-On!! with an extra exclamation mark in contrast to the first season). Image is from Random Curiosity


In fact, this is the one that won the Gold Prize for the 5th WonHobby PhotoCon! My hat's off to him for his effort! Picture is taken in Wonder Festival 2011 event earlier this month, as seen from official figma blog


yui_style has said that he hasn't done figma modding for more than a year, and due to laziness and a lot of hard work required he had to rush this project a bit in order to meet the deadline for the photo contest. In his afterthoughts he commented that he specially chose to reliven the moment where the girl band was performing "Gohan wa Okazu", with the main character Yui in the centre of the highlight. The title "1.2.3.4.GO.HA.N" comes from a line from the song during the chorus.

I'm not sure whether he will do anymore in the future (most likely for future photo contests if he chooses to continue), as he has focused more on other hobbies nowadays (some really expensive ones) ^^; Nevertheless I'm glad that he managed to pull it off at the end, and even winning the 2nd price for the contest!

Source from yui_style's original blog post, as well as his forum post on OurToysLand (aka OTL)
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ANA x Unicorn Gundam

Quick-and-dirty recolouring of "blue" Unicorn Gundam in Destroy Mode

I remember when I first showed my sister the line art of Unicorn Gundam in Destroy Mode, the first thing she commented was "I'd love it if the red parts are in blue~". It looks like that her wish has become true.


For the ongoing ANA x GUNDAM Sky Project, the latest Gunpla to be released for this campaign will be the 1/144 HGUC Unicorn Gundam D-Mode ANA Original Colour Ver. 5000 Yen (tax and shipping included), and pre-order is available for domestic flights only.


Other than the clear blue psychoframe and (apparently) plated parts, custom marking stickers will be provided for this kit as well.


On the other hand, the availability of 1/48 Mega Size Gundam ANA Original Colour Ver. (picture as shown above) and the 1/200 ANA x Gundam Jet & RX-78 Gundam set will be extended to 30th April as well.


My sister now has her eyes on the blue Unicorn Gundam, as her humble wishes has become true~ But given the conditions to get one in the first place, getting one for my sister won't be easy, not to mention the price tag of 5000 Yen as well. I'm thinking of maybe getting one for my sister anyway, but I will have to find some local proxy services for it ^^;;;

ANA x Gundam Sky Project website:
http://www.ana.co.jp/dom/promotion/gundam/
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00 QAN[T] Full Saber

Continued from last post on HG 1/144 00 QAN[T], we shall head on to the GN Sword IV, which is a kit that comes with February 2011 Issue of Hobby Japan magazine. Combining the GN Sword IV with 00 QAN[T] gives the Full Saber configuration.


The kit comes with 2 runners: One blue one and one of clear green. The clear green is slightly lighter in colour than those on the blades of the 00 QAN[T].


I'm no serious modeller, so I just use my usual Gundam Markers to do the colouring. Grey is easy to do, but white is a pain which requires layers after layers of painting. Luckily a number of the parts where colouring is required are well separated, which makes things not too dreadful for someone casual like me.


The end product, with GN Sword IV on the left and the extra backpack add-on on the right.


The backpack add-on simply goes over the back of the 00 QAN[T]. The GN Shield had to be disconnected along with its arm and reconnected on the new hole on the backpack. As the polycap is now used up on the backpack, the GN Shield will lose one point of articulation.


Backpack add-on and GN Shield attached. The signiture cone-shape back that are prominent for the 3rd generation Gundams (those that appeared in 1st season of Gundam 00) makes a return here.


Comparison of 00 Gundam Seven Sword's GN Buster Sword II (top) with the GN Sword IV (bottom)


Front view of 00 QAN[T] Full Saber configuration.


Back view. The GN Sword IV now takes the highlight and kind of balances the original asymmetric look, or even takes it away to the other side as it's bigger than the GN Shield on the left.


GN Sword IV consists of the "main blade unit", "main grip unit" (the two are currently attached together as seen above), and 3 GN Gunblades. There are many different ways to combine them (hence different modes), so I will just show the majority for examples.


The GN Gunblades can switch modes between gun mode and blade mode. Just a swivel the green blade and there you go.


With the GN Gunblades 00 QAN[T] can dual wield just like Gundam Dynames, Cherudim Gundam, and Gundam Zabanya from the same series with their respective pistols, or even Strike Noir from Gundam SEED C.E. 73: Stargazer


2 GN Gunblades can combine together to become "Twin Edge".


The GN Sword IV has 2 rifle modes. One way is to have the main blade unit facing forward and have the GN Gunblade in gun mode attached underneath.


Another form of rifle mode is to simply have the main blade unit to go the other way round.


GN Sword IV without the GN Gunblades


GN Sword IV in Full Saber mode.




N.B. There are 3 parts that are to be used in junction with other Gunpla kits, but I have decided to leave them out as the post is focused on the 00 QAN[T], and that I do not have the Gunplas that go with them (e.g. Gundam Zanbanya, Gundam Harute).

The GN Sword IV fills the "empty" space on the right shoulder of 00 QAN[T], and it has made the Full Saber configuration look more 'balanced' in a way, with a slight resemblance to the 00 Raiser.

According to the settings, the GN Sword IV itself only existed in data as the technology on the Gundam itself is so well refined that GN Sword IV is not needed for synchronising the Twin Drives that are running on the 00 QAN[T]. As the current weapon 00 QAN[T] uses is the GN Sword V it could imply that the GN Sword V (and the GN Sword Bits) inherits features from GN Sword IV to achieve the end result, making the GN Sword IV obselete in a way.

In terms of the model itself, there is a good amount of playability for the GN Sword IV, with different modes and combinations one can do here and there. I kind of felt that this is the true form of 00 QAN[T], with the huge sword acting as the other binder for the Gundam to look like 00 Raiser, and the cone-shape back that resembles Setsuna's first Gundam, Gundam Exia, with more implications showing how 00 QAN[T] is derived from both Gundam Exia and 00 Raiser.

Overall, GN Sword IV is a nice add-on kit to make the 00 QAN[T] Full Saber. It may be a bit hard to find the kit as it only comes with the February 2011 Issue of Hobby Japan magazine (which was released in January). It's not hard to build, and it's not as hard to paint compared to, say, the XN Raiser kit that was released back in 2009.

Do check out chubbybot's reviews on the GN Sword IV too on The Toy Room!
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HG 1/144 00 QAN[T]

It has been a while since I have last done a post on a Gundam model (Gunpla). I still build them from time to time, but just not much reviews or posts about them. For a change here is one from one of the latest Gundam franchise: HG 1/144 00 QAN[T] (pronounced "Double-Oh Quanta") from Gundam 00 the Movie: A wakening of the Trailblazer.


Assembly is fairly straight forward. Forgot to put all parts up for that image, which was quite silly of me back then -_-;


Tried to colour the GN condensers with green highlighter, but it turned out to be very uneven. My sister tried putting a top coat on top of it and it turns out... Funny.


Now the GN Condensers look as if they're flooded with individual GN particles inside that you can see. An unexpected side effect but it's nevertheless interesting.


GN Shield in the middle with GN Sword Bits (outer pair: Sword Bits A; middle pair: Sword Bits B; inner pair: Sword Bits C). The GN Sword Bits dock with GN Shield when they are not in used.


The Gundam can kneel down pretty well. Not many HG 1/144 models can do that as far as I know.


I've decided to colour the two sides of the faceplate grey instead of keeping them white like how it should have been. This picture was still in an early stage of colouring there were still a lot of areas where colouring is kind of off. It's also worth mentioning that the head part requires the most colouring (more if you colour the eyes too like I did instead of using foil stickers).


00 QAN[T] completed and standing. The asymmetry does give a rather unique appearance, much like the Nu Gundam with the fin funnels on one side.


It can pose pretty well even while standing, as a lot of features are inherited from the HG 1/144 00 Gundam (and its upgrades), one of the most articulated gunpla for its scale that I know of.


00 QAN[T] in flight. Love the "bling bling" stand that the kit provides as it mimics the GN particle effect.


GN Sword V in rifle mode. The shape of the weapon now looks like a fencing sword of some kind. Left spread palm is used to make the pose seem more 'dynamic'.


GN Sword V in sword mode.


The GN Shield is connected to the back and hangs over 00 QAN[T]'s left shoulder. As it has several joints in its arm it can move to the front or the back of the Gundam.


Deploying GN Sword Bits. They're more for support role rather than for offensive purposes as seen in the movie.


The GN Sword V can combine with the GN Sword Bits, but this will require a different blade part to combine them together (as seen on the left in the picture above). There are two ways to combine it for two different functions (Buster Sword and Buster Rifle), but the differences are very minor.


GN Sword V (Buster rifle mode)


Gn Sword V (Buster Sword mode)


00 QAN[T] with its oversized buster sword. This was never seen used in the movie, but the buster rifle mode was used in Trans-Am mode very briefly.


One of the last features of 00 QAN[T]: The GN Shield can swing to the back of the Gundam, then have the blue flap open up, revealing a GN Drive inside the shield. Rotating the GN Drive to align and join with the GN Drive at the back of the Gundam to activate the "Quantum System", of which the feature is story-related so I won't spoil the beans here.


Final picture of 00 QAN[T] about to activate Quantum System.


The 00 QAN[T], being the last ride for the protagonist Setsuna F Seiei in Gundam 00, does have a rather unique appearance, combining features of his previous machines Gundam Exia and 00 Gundam. The assymetrical look and a lack of backpacks or wing-like binders is a nice change from a number of superpower Gundams too.

Model-wise, a fair bit of colouring and panel lining is required here and there, especially the head. Articulation is pretty good (these little fellas are getting better and better nowadays). The clear green parts for GN Sword Bits do need a bit of sanding before I could push them inside the blue parts, but otherwise there are no real problems with it.

Settings/story-wise, this is one of the few Gundams that do not have "Gundam" on the name. Supposedly the most advanced and powerful mobile suit in its own era, ironically 00 QAN[T] had a very brief appearance compared to other very powerful Gundams, and its offensive moves were seen even briefer. While it is capable of destroying an entire armed force, it is also capable of communicating with them the peaceful way to avoid further unecessary bloodshed...

And with all that away, next post will be on its extra armament: the GN Sword IV from Hobby Japan magazine to form 00 QAN[T] Full Saber!
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