As they say in Builder Fighters Try, let’s Try On and get the build rolling.
The instructions ask you to start by building the torso. I wonder how they decide these things: it seems like an arbitrary decision for all but the most specialized kits. Whatever the reason, torso it is.
Unlike more expensive grades, High Grades are not built around an internal frame. I wondered whether this would drastically change the nature of the build. So far I believe the answer is “yes and no”. For the most part, you end up connecting pieces in the same manner; there just happens not to be a frame in between them.
However, the lack frame does come into play in regards to the joints. The joints are created by small, nubby pieces which are sandwiched between larger pieces to create one of the two ends of a joint. Here’s how it looks in the manual.
During the first night of a build, I finished the upper torso, the head, and Core Fighter. All told, this took me a little more than an hour. That’s much faster than I expected, and I’m curious if this speed will continue through the rest of the build. Here are some photos:
A few observations so far:
I’m going to clear coat the head pieces before adding the eye decal. That should keep it good and shiny.
The head is a small example of the difference between a High Grade and a Real Grade kit. It’s made out of six pieces all of which are visible in the photo. In contrast, the head of the Real Grade Gundam Mk II is made out of ten. That might not sound like a huge difference, but the putting the Mk II’s head together felt like brain surgery in comparison.
In addition to being fast, I feel like my technique has never been better. In particular, I’ve been able to sand out sprue marks without leaving many scuff marks. I’ve used careful, flat, even strokes, and so far it is paying off.
Just because I already took this photo, here are all the kit’s runners dumped on the floor. Notice the teeny tiny sticker sheet:
