Reddit reviews Bandai Hobby Gunpla Starter Set: Gundam Vs. Zaku II, Bandai HGUC Action Figure

Welcome to the hobby! If you're new to Gundam then I would suggest looking into kits from the series you're watching/most familiar with. There's useful links on the sidebar for tips and tricks while building, but a Gundam Marker, A Hobby Knife, and a pair of Side Cutters for Plastic should be a decent start.

Actually I'd suggest getting the HG Gunpla Starter Set #1 or #2. This tool set is also a pretty good starting point for the tools you'll need while building.

Where are you from? Because if you're in the US there's a number of stores that sells gunpla. Otherwise there's HLJ and Hobby Search for importing.

Hope this helps. Let me know if you've more questions.

I've built two different Real Grade models and they are very difficult for experienced builders let alone amateurs. I would NOT get a "REAL GRADE" kit. Go for a HGUC (High Grade Universal Century) kit. Like this one:

http://www.amazon.ca/Gunpla-Starter-Gundam-Model-japan/dp/B003KX5OWS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1418329233&sr=8-1&keywords=hguc+gundam

Actually has two mobile suits (robots) in one kit, a bad guy and a good guy.

The HG Rx-78-2 Revive is a great solid kit. Fairly cheap and iconic too. In general Hg kits are sold individually, but sometimes you can find two-in-ones, like this but the kits are fairly old and you’d be better off buying the newer versions.

For tools you can go down to a hobby shop and grab some spruce cutters and a hobby knife. Maybe some sandpaper if you want to go more in depth, but I wouldn’t worry too much about your first kit. Shouldn’t run you more than $15.

So these will be the first models i will buy. The idea here is that if i finish building these, and maybe modifying them some if i feel confident in my skills at that point i will move on to more advance models and tools! Well thats the plan anyways.

There is a beginner kit with a rg-72-x and a zaku. both are HG and have a lot of seems, you can also get the kit pretty darn cheap

http://www.amazon.com/Gunpla-Starter-HGUC-Gundam-Model/dp/B003KX5OWS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1418936135&sr=8-1&keywords=gundam+starter+kit&pebp=1418936150678

What about this?

so many questions! @_@ I'll try and answer what ones I can

• for your first kit I think I'd most highly recommend the hg rx-78-2 revive, on top of being just an all around amazing kit it is also really inexpensive averaging around the $12 range and I bought both of mine at Barnes and noble (yep, I like it so much I have two) but there is also amazon, hlj (hobby link Japan), gundam planet, etc where you can buy it
  
  
• beginning tools wise a pair of side cutters is pretty much a must and they can vary greatly in price but honestly a cheap pair from a local hobby shop will serve you just fine, an x-acto knife and sandpaper/sanding sticks/file set for sanding down or taking care of nubs is the next two things I'd recommend and with that stuff you're good to go
  
  
• I don't have a light box so I can't really answer this, as a poor man's solution I've sometimes used the bottom half of the gunpla box on its side with some white copy paper laying in it (2-4 sheets) to make like a fake light box
  
  
• the thing about rx-78-2 and zaku/char's zaku ii is that since they are from the oldest gundam series and so well known and iconic there are like a zillion (not really) versions of them floating about in the ether so it may be a little hard at first to get them matching each other perfectly unless you go for like a specific set that you know matches like say the real grade line and get each of the three suits from just that line, but I wouldn't worry too much about them looking like they match up perfectly with each other because it can be surprisingly easy and fun to collect several versions of a single unit (I have 5 rx-78-2's in just high grade form and two of those are the exact same kit, the revive with one as an out of box build and the other painted and customised slightly)
  
  
• I guess now I'll just list off with links (to Amazon, though you can search yourself and buy them elsewhere if you want as Amazon doesn't always have the best prices so don't be afraid to shop around a little) that I'd recommend to you
  
  
• http://www.amazon.com/Bandai-Hobby-RX-78-2-Gundam-Revive/dp/B00WW4F8YA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1463326812&sr=8-1&keywords=rx-78-2+gundam+revive the rx-78-2 revive is such an amazing kit, it looks incredible despite being a deceptively easy build and is super articulate, capable of basically any pose you want it to do, just buy it @_@
  
  
• http://www.amazon.com/Bandai-Hobby-Gunpla-Starter-Set/dp/B003KX5OWS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1463327018&sr=8-1&keywords=Gunpla+starter+kit two kits in one box, both a rx-78-2 and a zaku ion and they definitely match each other the only downside is they're a little bit older kits but still great
  
  
• http://www.amazon.com/Bandai-Hobby-Gunpla-Starter-Set/dp/B004L21CMI/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1463327220&sr=8-2&keywords=Gunpla+starter+kit this kit comes with a grey gundam marker for panel lining and was also made to be panel lined which means that once you do it will look awesome and it also comes with the gundam hammer, downside is the one beam saber is all white plastic
  
  
• http://www.amazon.com/MS-06S-x3000-Kidou-senshi-GUNDAM-Origin/dp/B00T41F4P2/ref=pd_sim_21_4?ie=UTF8&dpID=51gbGYR4qeL&dpSrc=sims&preST=_AC_UL160_SR140%2C160_&refRID=079SCS6R87B7N8X46D6E char's zaku ii the origin version looks crazy detailed for a high grade and just looks great!
  
  Finally, welcome to gunpla and I hope your first kit whatever it may be is a blast to build! And hopefully my ramblings were at least a little helpful