I learned the secret to Gunpla's popularity by building one myself.

Okada : By the way, Tashiro, have you never built a Gundam model kit before?

Tashiro Gundam is Zero. When I was a child, I liked things that moved, like model cars.

Okada : I see. I'm from the generation that grew up with plastic model kits, and when I tried building a Gundam model kit, I was honestly surprised by the technology. The parts are already color-coded, you don't need glue, and the finished product has a wide range of motion.

There are many appealing aspects to Gunpla , but the ability to customize them to your own liking is one of the secrets to their popularity. This is just my personal opinion, but I think "fashion lovers are definitely Gundam lovers." Gunpla is a form of self-expression, and how you interpret the same materials and customize them to become the person you want to be is similar to fashion. Also, the Gundam animation itself is great!

Tashiro: That's true, in our line of work we inevitably worry about whether something "looks cool," but with Gunpla, there's no right or wrong answer, and everyone can enjoy it in their own way. Even if you don't know the story, I think it's cute as an interior decoration object.

This is a shot taken by Nakata at his home. The inclusion of a pilot model in the photo creates a sense of realism.

Okada: I made about five models in one month, and when I was making them at home, my kids got interested and asked, "Why is Dad making plastic models?" and we ended up making them together while talking about it. I also "discovered" that I enjoy placing the finished models on the balcony or on the grass in the park and taking pictures of them with my DSLR camera!

Tashiro : Oh, that's a great idea! Any boy would definitely be interested in that.

You could even give Nakata more weapons to recreate famous scenes. That kind of free-thinking is part of the fun of Gunpla!

Building your next Gundam model kit is easy and fun to get started!

©Sotsu/Sunrise