r/Gunpla • • 11d ago

HELP ME [HELP ME] Bi-Weekly Q&A thread - Ask your questions here!

16 Upvotes

Hello and welcome to our bi-weekly beginner-friendly Q&A thread! This is the thread to ask any and all questions, no matter how big or small.

  • #Read the Wiki before asking a question.
  • Don't worry if your question seems silly, we'll do our best to answer it.
  • This is the thread to ask any and all questions related to gunpla and general mecha model building, no matter how big or small.
  • No question should remain unanswered - if you know the answer to someone's question, speak up!
  • Consider sorting your comments by "New" to see the latest questions.
  • As always, be respectful and kind to people in this thread. Snark and sarcasm will not be tolerated.
  • Be nice and upvote those who respond to your question.

Huge thanks on behalf of the modteam to all of the people answering questions in this thread!


r/Gunpla • • 13d ago

SECRET SANTA 2026 r/Gunpla’s Secret Santa 2026

129 Upvotes

Hello all loyal content contributors of /r/gunpla!

We are happy to announce the r/Gunpla SECRET SANTA 2026, a gift exchange program that we hold each year here at /r/gunpla in keeping with the festivities of the season. The moderation team has been organizing this event for over ten years!

If you want to receive something in this exchange, you are required to send something out.

We want the participants of this program to be made up only of the most upstanding members and contributors of this community. Qualifications are strict because we desire the best out of /r/gunpla and for this program to succeed without drama.


THE QUALIFICATIONS TO PARTICIPATE

  • To participate, you must have a reddit account created prior to 10-01-2025 (1 year old).

  • You have submitted your own created content to /r/gunpla more than 6 months ago (submitted prior to April 1st 04/01/2026). Created content includes a link or self-text post to a pic/album/blog/video of a kit you've built or are building. Linking to other's creations, news, or discussion posts don't count.

  • Must be an active participant of /r/Gunpla

  • Must be willing to meet the minimum gift price of 3000 Yen.

  • Your profile must be PUBLIC for us to view it.

  • Reddit Chat MUST be enabled for you to receive your match.


If you feel you have met those criteria, this is what you'll need to do:

  1. Sign up via the Google Form before November 1st 2026 (11/01/2026)
  2. Wait for the Mods to send you your match by November 15th 2026 (11/15/2026)
  3. Purchase and ship your gift to your giftee by December 1st 2026 (12/1/2026)
  4. Santas fill out the gift confirmation form.
  5. Giftees post a thank you to your Santa on /r/Gunpla

SIGN UP

SIGN UP HERE

That link will lead you directly to our Secret Santa 2026 submission form.

A Google Account is required to sign up.

Do not use auto-fill for the address line! It does not always provide the full address.

In the form, you will need to provide:

  • Your email address (the one that you use regularly and that we can reach you the easiest for correspondence and confirmation purposes if we can’t reach you on reddit)

  • Your reddit username

  • Your real name (This is for shipping purposes as some places will not release packages to individuals without some form of ID)

  • Your shipping address (This is very important to get right, the info here is where your Santa will send your gift so make sure it is correct and complete!)

  • Your geographic region (USA, Canada, EU, Asia, etc) & Country (USA, Denmark, Japan, etc)

  • Willingness to ship internationally. We will still match first within region but this is to help accommodate our farther flung Santas who are alone within their region.

  • A link to your /r/gunpla user created submission prior to April 1st 04/01/2026 (This is for mod purposes to assess your eligibility to the program)

  • Your wishlist (please be as descriptive as you like, but please keep it to one line, separate items with a comma. No line breaks!). Do not put, “anything,” as a response.


ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

  • Important Dates

    • Sign Up Opens: Oct 1st 2026 - 10/01/2026
    • Sign Up Closes: Nov 1st 2026 11/01/2026 00:01 GMT
    • All gifts must be shipped by: Dec 1st 2026 - 12/01/2026
  • Sign up process is now OPEN Oct 1st 2026 - 10/01/2026

  • Please fill the information to the best of your ability. The form may be edited up till the point sign-up closes.

  • Sign-up process will close on November 1st (11/01/2026 00:01 GMT). All submissions must be finalized at that time.

  • Pulling out of the exchange after sign up closes will impact your ability to participate in future events and the subreddit. If you need to withdraw, inform the organizers before the cut-off date.

  • After Signups end, please allow organizers time to process all applicants. No later than November 15 (11/15/2026 00:01 GMT) we will get in touch with you via Reddit PM and/or via email with the information of your Santa giftee. We will provide you the real name, shipping address, reddit name, and wish list of your match.

  • Purchase and ship your gift within 15 days.

  • Gifts should be postmarked by December 1st 2026, 12/01/2026.

  • Use a shipping service with tracking information. Paypal often includes free tracking with their discount shipping. Pirateship is a good option for saving some money on shipping costs. In light of the state of the world, untracked shipments are not allowed this year. Please ship domestically or via a speedier international carrier. Unregistered SAL and SEA shipments are not allowed. This goes for Amazon too, untracked Marketplace sellers are NOT ALLOWED.

  • Users will be randomly matched within their region.

  • Gift contents should be appropriate to post on r/Gunpla and new/unbuilt. Tools, paints, hobby magazines, etc. are excellent gifts, but the price floor should be met with kits.

  • Bootleg, unlicensed Gundam related kits, and items listed in the off-topic rule do not count towards the Price Floor. This includes unique IP products such as SNAA, Inera, etc.

  • Built models can be given, but do not count towards the Price Floor.

  • Participants may create a wish list to indicate what they want; givers are not obligated to use the wish list, so please set your expectations accordingly.

  • Organizers of this Secret Santa 2026 program are Moderators /u/goodguydan, /u/holocause, /u/StroudDavion, /u/MachNeu, /u/7x13, /u/JaguarDaSaul, /u/SoullessSin, /u/fury-s12, /u/EldritchBee, /u/LightxDarkness93, and /u/Feral404. Any official personal correspondence about SS26 will only come from those contacts.

  • /r/gunpla’s Secret Santa 2026 is wholly independent and is not run in conjunction with the former reddit-wide Secret Santa held annually.


DETAILS ABOUT THE GIFTS

We are using a standardized criteria of the gift price floor. This price floor will be based on the Japanese Yen MSRP set by Bandai.

  • SS26’s price floor is MSRP JPY 3000 YEN

  • If you are unsure of MSRP pricing, you can go to sites like HobbyLink Japan where the box price is described as "list price". To make sure you are seeing the Yen List price on HLJ, click the blue box in the top right corner and change it to Japanese Yen. Alternatively, you can check the Gundam Fandom's kit list pages such as their Master Grade page. Dalong.net is another resource that lists JP MSRP.

  • Shipping and taxes will not be factored into that price floor criteria. You must meet the combined kit minimum of 3000 Yen regardless of how much you pay for shipping or taxes.

  • You may acquire your gift(s) through any online or physical shop, but the minimum price of your intended gift must reach the Price Floor of 3000 Yen based on Bandai’s official pricing, not at the price you purchased it at.

  • We require all international shipments to use quicker shipment methods (EMS, Courier, etc.). We don't want gifts to get stuck in a warehouse for months waiting for SAL to return. This doesn't mean you have to shell out for next day shipping, but we do want purchases to arrive in a reasonable amount of time. Because of this, preorders will also be disallowed this year due to the delay in shipping.

  • Multiple kits may be combined to reach the price floor. Duplicates of the same kit do not count unless requested.

  • Additional tools like knives, markers, paint, action bases and other incidentals will not count to reach that price floor unless specifically requested by your giftee in their wishlist. All those extras are encouraged to be included in the gift if you choose but they should not replace the gunpla. Extra promo campaign parts fall into that category as well.

There is NO PRICE CEILING. As a Santa, you can be as generous as you like. If past SecretSanta’s are to go by, it's that the people of /r/gunpla are among the most generous around. Reap in all the upvotes you can get with the generosity that you provide.

If you are unable to provide a gift which meets the 3000 Yen minimum price floor, or if this minimum would present unnecessary financial hardship please abstain from the program this year. We understand that some of our members may not be able to participate in the giveaway due to this limitation. If you cannot participate this year, don’t fret! We will hold the event again this time next year!

Don’t be a scrooge! Participants that fail to reach the 3000 Yen mark will be banned from participating in future events and from the subreddit. If your intention is to join simply to take advantage of the generosity of our wonderful members there will be consequences!


TIPS FOR SANTAS

  • Once you receive your giftee's information, it is a good idea to get in contact with them.

  • Getting in contact with your giftee and updating them regularly (anonymously) will help alleviate any doubts and anxieties that your giftee may have about the status of their gift.

  • If possible, use a shipping service that keeps track of your packages so you can monitor its location all the way to its destination and share that with the parties involved.

  • In the spirit of keeping things a surprise, we encourage you to use an alternate or throw-away reddit account to get in contact with your giftee to maintain anonymity and surprise for the recipient until the actual arrival of the gift.

  • Personal touches like handwritten notes and trinkets are always positively received! Your goal is to make someone's day, so send a gift you feel worthy of that goal.

Be generous Santa's! This is your time to shine and show how big your hearts are.

FOR GIFTEES

  • Giftees are responsible for any import duties and fees imposed by their country. Please let your Santa know if this is a concern for you. Leaving a note in your wishlist is recommended.

  • Create a “Thank You” post on /r/Gunpla with a picture of your gift! We highly encourage you to show-off what Santa has brought you and share with the community the fun you've had. It is highly encouraged that if you participate and get your gift, that you share and post it.

OTHER INFORMATION

  • If you need to contact a moderator, please use the Modmail function

  • /r/gunpla Secret Santa 2026 is the official and only Secret Santa we will be holding.

  • As with official /r/gunpla rules, box photos of gifts received for this year's SS26 program will be allowed within reason. Only certified Official /r/gunpla SS26 participants get this pass.

  • Don’t want to see Secret Santa posts? Use the filter in the sidebar!

  • If you have a storefront business pertaining to Gunpla that would like to aid in the effort of this exchange program in the form of promos to assist our members in their gift finding, get in touch with the mod team.

Use the comments section below for any questions you may have. Past SSanta participants can also use that area to share their previous experiences with the program and provide tips on where to shop, best places for shipping, methods of gift-wrapping etc. If you guys find any leads to some good shopping options that fall within the SS26 time period, be sure to share those as well.


With this all said, please have fun and enjoy this celebration of plastic fighting robots. Advanced Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays everyone.



r/Gunpla • • 2h ago

NEWS/REVIEW Gundam Base Manila confirmed, 5th floor east wing at EDSA Shang

Post image
220 Upvotes

r/Gunpla • • 12h ago

My RX-78-01 [Late Type] aka “Stormbringer” is done!

Thumbnail
gallery
1.2k Upvotes

My head cannon for what the RX-78-1 would look like in the later stages of the OYW.

Original kit: [MG Stormbringer P.F.]
Paints:
Mostly Army Painter “Air” paints via airbrush
Vallejo White via airbrush
Citadel leadbleacher with a toothpick for weathering
Gloss varnish to finish


r/Gunpla • • 16h ago

CUSTOMIZING Update on the PGU Nu [part 2]

Enable HLS to view with audio, or disable this notification

1.7k Upvotes

Thought I should share a short video as well 😋


r/Gunpla • • 7h ago

BUILD 3D Resin Print Build - 1:60 Kampfer

Thumbnail
gallery
250 Upvotes

After repainting my motorcycle gas tank a month ago I had about 1/2 a quart of 2K clear left that I didn’t want to waste. I commissioned this to be resin printed in 1/60 scale. This is the first time I’ve done a resin printed Gundam, my background is mainly Bandai kits and your tradition garage/resin kits. I must say I kind of prefer these resin prints, the clean up for pieces were minimal and they were pretty much ready to paint without washing (I’m lazy). I used Gaia Surfacer Evo to prime with no adhesion issues. Followed by Gaia Ex-Gold as the base coat. The blue is Gaia Clear mixed with blue metal flake from Didspade, with a final coat of clear mixed with blue-to-purple shift flakes. Two coats of 2k clear on top, Zeon suits lend themselves well to hotrod style glossy paint jobs. It doesn’t quite color shift like I wanted to but otherwise I’m pretty happy with the results. I have a Sazabi on order so I’m excited to paint it with a candy red and some flakes. Hope you enjoy the photos!


r/Gunpla • • 6h ago

Starting to have doubts.

Post image
187 Upvotes

I've had to correct my instructions three times already to get this far. The head is together but there's part of me that knows it doesn't completely sit flush. I started on the body, and it's the first time I've ever had to use any type of hammer on a model kit. On any model kit. (it was a plastic hammer to center the metal piece where the ahab reactors are ).


r/Gunpla • • 6h ago

BUILD Perry the mobile suit!

Post image
106 Upvotes

The hat was so tricky ngl


r/Gunpla • • 2h ago

Holy Grail HG Zaku I Sniper

Thumbnail
gallery
46 Upvotes

I will forever LOVE this little HG kit


r/Gunpla • • 21h ago

COMMUNITY First time being the best of something

Thumbnail
gallery
1.1k Upvotes

Entered SAPMA for the third time, brought my A game and won not only the first place within the Gundam category, but also achieving the "Best Sci-Fantasy". I'll be bring better entries for next year to come, for sure. The 3rd pic is the entries that won both for me.


r/Gunpla • • 9h ago

NEWS/REVIEW HG Murasame Kai (Initial production type) announced

Post image
123 Upvotes

Releasing December at 2970 yen


r/Gunpla • • 9h ago

Bulky guy

Thumbnail
gallery
103 Upvotes

r/Gunpla • • 4h ago

BUILD First RG and I Don’t Like it.

Thumbnail
gallery
44 Upvotes

I’ve been slowly working on the RG Zaku II for the past month or so, really taking my time on it. I enjoyed the build, even with some of the really bad design choices in this kit. But at the end of the day, I don’t like how it turned out.

All of my nubs are smooth, but still show discoloration from sanding. It makes me feel like if I’m going to sand, I need to paint. And I haven’t done any painting or airbrushing yet. (Suggestions welcome.)

The stickers add a lot at a distance but look bad close. But the stickers that cover multiple spots really just came off as sloppy and made it look worse. I’m finally mostly comfortable with water slides but these just being stickers with a clear backgrounds come off as really cheap up close.

I really wanted to build a Zaku, and I really like him but I’m disappointed in the RG quality. I’m not a fan of HG, and I love the detail on the RG but this one just didn’t come out well. I think I’ll still stick with MG and the occasional PG for now. Maybe I’ll come back and try another RG Zaku at a later date.

Still one of my top three favorite kits I’ve built, i’m just disappointed in the product that I thought I was going to get with a RG.

(Yes, he’s standing on my backlog PG Strike Freedom.)


r/Gunpla • • 8h ago

NEWS/REVIEW Unnamed HG Gundam RG XARX-ZERO kit A, releases Apr 2027 for ¥2860

Post image
89 Upvotes

r/Gunpla • • 8h ago

NEWS/REVIEW HG Strike Freedom (SEED Freedom Zero ver.), ¥2970 for Jan 2027

Post image
82 Upvotes

r/Gunpla • • 8h ago

BUILD First time painting an IBO kit

Thumbnail
gallery
74 Upvotes

I was excited to pick out details on the frame and experiment with how they'd show through the armour. Not the finest paintwork, but I'm really happy with how it came out.


r/Gunpla • • 5h ago

BUILD This kit is a must have

Thumbnail
gallery
37 Upvotes

MG freedom 2.0


r/Gunpla • • 14h ago

BUILD MG Ground Gundam got gold! And capybara got a shoutout

Thumbnail
gallery
170 Upvotes

Thanks everyone who wished me well in my previous post. I am happy to report the Ground Gundam is a trophy winner! And my pink Gerbera with the capybara got a shoutout. I attached a picture from when I finished it, as it's out of focus in the group shot. Also included some cool non Gunpla models at the show. It was a lot of work putting this together but it's good to know that when I give it my all, people will recognize it.


r/Gunpla • • 6h ago

BUILD Kit finished: HG Powered GM

Thumbnail
gallery
33 Upvotes

W/ HG GM Type C


r/Gunpla • • 8h ago

SALES, DEALS & PREORDERS P-Bandai US: PGu V Gundam and more!! Pre order starts soon

Thumbnail
gallery
45 Upvotes

r/Gunpla • • 14h ago

CUSTOMIZING MGSD Aerial custom

Thumbnail
gallery
125 Upvotes

r/Gunpla • • 1h ago

BEGINNER UMONSAMON 1/60 BALL

Thumbnail
gallery
• Upvotes

The sheer absurdity of this kit is funny and kind of cool to be honest. Overall it's a fun kit to build.


r/Gunpla • • 22h ago

WIP So close to the finish line

Thumbnail
gallery
510 Upvotes

Definitely learning new things as I go and feel like earlier parts could've been done better in hindsight. Using this knowledge for the next time I do resin again.

Now back to the sanding mines.


r/Gunpla • • 20h ago

OTHER MECHA KaiserGreymon & MagnaGarurumon, together at last

Thumbnail
gallery
316 Upvotes

r/Gunpla • • 3h ago

BEGINNER My Hy-goog but coloured.

Thumbnail
gallery
12 Upvotes

Not sure how canonical that folding position in the last pic but I think it's more optimal since both leg and back engines work together.