MSG:Ecole Du Ciel

Mobile Suit Gundam: Ecole Du Ciel manga first look 

Ecole Du Ciel is a manga series written and drawn by Haruhiko Mikimoto, with mecha designs based off of concepts by Yoshinori Sayama, originally published in 2002. 

The plot of Ecole Du Ciel takes place in 0085, roughly six years after the events of the original 0079 anime that detailed the "one year war", and two years before the events of Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam. The story takes place at the Ecole Du Ciel training academy, which is comparable to a modern day military academy. It centers around a young cadet who is known for her rather lackluster skills at piloting a mobile suit, and has past ties to the Principality of Zeon, named Asuna Elmarit. 

Here is one of the Mobile Suit designs that we have seen so far, the TGM-79(C), the Training variation of the standard GM-79 Mobile Suit. 

I like the design, and it's one of the more unique mobile suit designs I've seen in a while. 

If you haven't read this title yet, having only read the first chapter myself I would recommend it as it shows potential. 

That's all for now, ya'll stay safe out there, I'll be back with another post, real soon. If you like what I post, be sure and tell me by subscribing to my mailing list to the right of the screen, so you'll get the content that I post delivered to your inbox. 

Giant Samurai Robots!

G'day folks 

Finished work on my RG Astray Red Frame earlier this week, oh is she a beautiful kit to put together. In terms of both detail and posability, the kit is above the average, my only complaint would be with the Gerbera Straight Katana in general. The Yellow-Gold bits don't look the best and one could consider them plain ugly. It is the same type of "gold" platic that is seen on the inner frame of the RG Strike Freedom Gundam. I probably will paint them with a coat or two of the krylon gold Plate I have laying around to make them look better. 

Another thing I noticed were the nub marks on the Katana's blade in general. While they can be removed without too much of a hassle, you can still see where they were clear as day in the right lighting conditions as the blade is prepainted in this georgeos chrome plate. It would have been nice if they had bothered to remove the blade from the sprue before they painted it, but it can't be helped I suppose. 

I ended up dry brushing Vallejo's Matte Earth, German Grey, and Nuetral Grey onto the edges of the model and then putting two layers of dull coat onto the mecha. It gives it the look of being fully painted, with minimal effort (And Time!) put into it.  

My apologies for the photos, I do intend to build a light box. (Soon.) 

After obstaining from the internet to avoid spoilers, I got to see the new Star Wars film, The Force Awakens! There wasn't anything to huge I could pick at like I was hoping lol. There were a few minor plot holes that I picked up on so the movie isn't perfect by any means, but they aren't so gawling that they keep you from enjoying the movie. I'll probably list the ones that I noticed later so as to not spoil anything for those who haven't seen it yet and are planning to. 

Real Grades A Plenty!

G'day folks... Has been a while hasn't it? 

My apologies for the lack of post lately, just have been caught up in the average everyday dealings of real life. 

Went to the hobby shop today and got some new Gundam loot... The new RG Astray Red Frame and the RG Gundam MKII Titans version. 

The Real Grade Astray is the latest, of this post, in the RG lineup, and so far, the build has represented just how far these kits have come.... it it is truly the pinnacle of how far Bandai has come with the modeling techniques they use. 

An interesting gimmick that I have never seen before in all of the RG kits I have built is located in the waste unit. The mount for the upper torso section swings upwards to allow greater mobility. 

One thing that I was dissapointed with immediatly upon opening the box was the detail on the extra sets of hands they give you... It is seriously dissapointing. You could expect this amount of detail in the average High Grade release. I justed expected something more. 

One excellent detail that I think particularly stands out on the MKII is the fact that they give you actual nylon tubing to use for the thrusters, it is a detail that will really pop once the kit is built. 

These two kits will be straight-bullt in the months to come, I feel that real grades don't need paint to be a display quality piece. I will however be dullcoating them as well as weathering them. 

More to come soon. 

Have a good one. 

Tobe! Gundamu!

In other news, I stopped at the local hobby shop to pick up the paints for my next project, and I happened to pick up the Gunpla starter set with the RX-78-2 gundam instead. Lol. 

My apologies for the photoquality, just got a new camera and am still struggleing to figure out how to use it properly. 

I've opted to go for using only the mace included with the kit. It's a giant space samurai robot weilding a mace... What's not to love? 

Because I've already got the Revive version of this iconic Mobile Suit, thought I'd compare them.  can say this on the get-go the starter set edition focuses primarily on being more detailed, while the revive version focuses solely being entirely accurate to the original 0079 anime. 

Showing the overall posability of both revive and standard issue HG. The revive definitally wins hand-over fist in terms of posability because the socket joints rotate up, instead of forwards, making some iconic poses much more achievable. 

Both are very solid kits, and stay together very well. However, which ever kit you decide to go for relies on what you want in a highgrade. The starter-set edition has lovely detail while the revive has greatest posability. If you want a jack-of-all trades, the Real Grade RX-78 would be your best bet. 

Also, I've been threatening to show off my finished MWO banshee for a while now... Here she is in standard second sword of light colors. I aimed to achieve the look in seen in most mecha anime so extreme panel lining was the name of the game. 

You guys be careful out there; and I'll be back with another post, real soon. 

Progress is progressing... Progressively..? And other ramblings

The Tristar Zaku build is going pretty good, I've almost finished the job, all I've to do is paint the right arm and then she's good to go. I got the idea to use a sponge and brown paint to put rust spotches on the sheild. I then painted around the splotches with various shades of blue, building up to a light blue. This gives the look of the blue layer of paint chipping off and the edges reacting with the light. 

It's a solid kit of which I should have complete by the end of this month. 

In other news, got the chance to start watching One Punch Man, and Heavy Object from this fall's anime season; both are very worth the time to check out when you get the chance. One Punch Man is worth watching just to see the animation alone, it is easily the greatest animation I have seen in an action based show in a long time. Heavy Object's three episode-long plots definetally keep you interested as combat scenes don't get the point where they are stretching it and the generous time for plot really gives the viewer a chance to get absorbed in every minut detail of the plot. The two main characters; Quenser and Heivia's constant "We're totally screwed!!" Attitude makes things all the more so entertaining to watch. I've still got to watch the latest addition to Mobile Suit Gundam: Iron Blooded Orphans, I'll post my thoughts by the end of the month when I've got the zaku done and ready to show off. 

That's all for know. Thanks for looking! 

Mobile Suit Gundam Iron Blooded Orphans first thoughts

Finally got a chance to watch the latest Gundam series Mobile Suit Gundam: Iron blooded orphans. 

This series is a lot grittier than series before it and shows a lot of promise. The first ten minutes or so of the episode is devoted to the standard character and plot introduction, every pilot episode of just about any series has. The rest of the episode ends up in a battle between the two main forces (haven't gotten the chance to remember there names) and without spoiling anything, we see the new MS Barbatos in action. All in all this episode has left me with a feeling that I haven't gotten with a lot of gundam series before it. It definitally shows promise and we'll just have to see where the series ends up. If you haven't seen the pilot episode, I'd give it a go, it's totally worth the watch when you get the chance. 

I should have some updates on the Zaku II as well as a painted MWO banshee to show off in the next few weeks. Until then, stay safe out there. See you soon. 

MWO Timberwolf For sale!

G'day folks,

 here to mention that one of the Mechwarrior online mechs I posted last week is now available on ebay for a limited time, so if you've wanted a MWO sculpt but haven't found one, here is your chance. 

Here is your chance to own a model of the infamous Gold Kahn edition timberwolf, at a fraction of the price! 

~Auction can be found here~

http://pages.ebay.com/link/?nav=item.view&alt=web&id=141792071378 

Thanks for looking!