UGB WiP – Unicorn Gundam #0

With the Victory build done, it’s time to turn my attention to the next project, the GAF Unicorn Group Build Project.    This build will actually be a bit of a slow build, as I’m somewhat busy this month with a variety of things.  For those familiar with Japanese culture, they tend to base the end and start of things around March/April.  This is significant in school, new jobs, and of course, the fiscal year.  The means work is busy wrapping up the “results” of the last year of business, while mixing in those ever important company parties.  Also add into it that Sakura season starts sometime in the next week, and you’ll throw cherry blossom viewing parties into the mix.  Oh, and of course, something I’m looking forward to, the next Ryu Ga Gotoku drops in 2 days, which puts yet another game on my already hefty backlog list. 

Well, excuses aside, this will simply be a slower build over the next month.  I’ll try and make up for it, I promise.

So, you’ve seen the box.  Again, even after both kits being discounted 30% here, there was still a near 2,000 yen difference between the regular MG Unicorn Kit and the HD Color + Cage kit.  HD Color really pops on things like blue, red, and even gold, as we saw with last years HD releases of the Zeta, Hyaku-Shiki, and Gundam Mk-II kits, but when it’s white, you really can’t tell the difference.  A nice coat of clear gloss on white would probably give you the same effect.  Thusly, I decided to just go with the regular version.

The box again, for your reference.

So what’s the plan?  I’ll be doing this build for permanent display in Destroy mode, as the Psycho Frame is what I plan to show off on it.  This also makes it easy to paint like the Victory, and should be fairly fast once I get past the painting part to build.

Unbagged and ready to snip.

Of course, the main rule of the Group Build Project is, like the Sinanju Group Build Project, to paint at least part of the kit.  In a way I think this makes the Unicorn harder to paint than the Sinanju in respect to the available color schemes with the characteristics of the Unicorn Gundam.  Of course, anything is possible in actuality, but I think the first hard choice starts with the Psycho Frame, which comes in a clear reddish pink color.  Do you try and keep that clear quality, or do you go solid? Choices, choices. 

Speaking of choices, what colors am I planning to use?  GaiGun and I met up this last Saturday for our monthly pub and Gundam run in Akiba, and we took the time to look at paint.  And there is plenty to choose from…

Nice selection!

Now what to pick…

In the long run, I’ve settled on my main choices, but in regards to the Psycho Frame, I’ll refrain from passing on that info just yet as I want to see how doable my choice will be.  But for everything else  I’ll be using my staple favorites I think:

Inner Frame – Gun metal -> This will be used mainly on the areas that will be visible, so around the ankle, knee, elbow, etc, with plated silver highlights on areas (back of the knee, etc)

Backpack/feet – Dark Mica Blue -> My Sinanju color right here.

Weapons – Debating between light gun metal, gun metal, or metallic black.  For the gun, I’ll paint the ammo clips, not sure what color yet.

Thrusters – Metal parts maybe?  Still have some thrusters left over from the Sinanju…

V-fin – Gold or dark yellow.  

Over all Glossy finish, or, a pearl gloss finish (I really love pearl gloss finish right now….)

That’s my main plan at this part, and I’ll be starting in reverse with the Rifle and Bazooka to get that out of the way.  Regarding the Gatling, hindsight states that I should have gotten off my ass and gotten one off of Yahoo Auctions when they were around 1,500 yen, with this new release, the price seems to have skyrocketed up to around 4,000 yen, so, no plans on that soon.   I’ll hopefully knock out the weapons this week and start o the psycho frame, and if my choice of color works out good… well, we’ll see!