Gunpla Chronicles 2: Conclusion

Here it is folks - the RX 78-2, completed.

Here's a closeup of the midsection.  The photo bit blurrier than I would have liked, but I'm a terrible photographer, and the Galaxy Nexus' camera is hardly a winner. Regardless, I think the decals work really well on the Gundam, especially on the shoulders.

From the back.  The red decals on the wrists make a world of difference, especially when lined up properly:

A very blurry shot of the head.  Notice how the eyepiece is fit deep into the back of the head, surrounded and protected by the helmet.

A closeup of the thruster pack on the back.  I left this part mostly alone after the top coat made it look all cloudy.  You can see the remnants of the accident on the thruster nozzles.

The Gundam and his old nemesis.  I'll have to find some non-impossible battle poses to put these two in.

A couple of final notes to wrap this build up:

• You can tell in that final picture that the Zaku looks a bit bigger than the Gundam.  Not just taller,  mind you, but wider as well.  I did some side by side comparisons, and the Zaku is indeed a bit taller, due to the gigantic soles that its feet rest upon.  The difference however is not as dramatic as this photo suggests.  On the other hand, I don't think it is actually wider across.  The Zaku's shoulder armor simply gives it that appearance.
  
  Believe it or not, in finishing the Gundam, I grew to have an even greater appreciation for its counterpart. It seems to me that some of the Gundams in the Real Grade line come with far more accessories and/or flourishes than the Zakus, which didn't seem particularly fair. But I've come to realize that rounded, concave style of the Zaku's armor give it a level of minute detail that simply doesn't exist in the Gundams. It isn't necessarily better, but I believe it puts all of the RG models on more equal footing.



• I did a better job this time around, but I made mistakes and repeated bad habits.  Since I don't forsee building another kit any time soon, I imagine my skills will atrophy again, and I'll be repeating myself should there be a Gunpla Chronicles 3.  That would be unfortunate, but to some extent it can't be helped.  I have a lot of fun building these kits, but I simply don't have the time in the day, or space in the house, to make this a regular hobby.  The only thing I can do is re-read these posts the next time around, to remind myself of what can go wrong.



• I think the Gundam's decals look fine overall, but I am starting to understand why purists out there insist on using permanent waterslide decals.  The standard stickers stand out against dark colored plastic, no matter what you do to avoid it.  After seeing this enough times, you can't help but be tempted to avoid this by using waterslides.