Model robot
Encyclopedia
Model robots is an area of modeling with its origin in the Japan
ese anime
genre
of mecha
. The majority of model robot
s are produced by Bandai
and are based on the Mobile Suit Gundam
anime metaseries. This has given rise to the hobby's common name in Japan, Gunpla (or gan-pura, a Japanese
portmanteau of "Gundam" and "plastic model"). Though there are exceptions, the model robot genre is dominated by anime tie-ins, with anime series and movies frequently serving as merchandising platform.
styrene with snap-together construction requiring minimal to no glue or paint. Mecha model kits, being generally humanoid
and structurally simple, are traditionally posable. Older mecha models were usually styrene-only, and the plastic-on-plastic joints used for posing were prone to wearing down over time. Polycaps made of soft polyvinyl
were introduced in the early 1980s, in kit lines such as the ARII Macross kits, and have since become a common means of creating durable posable joints. More recently, the use of "ABS" parts for joints has become common. Hard plastic joints generally exhibit greater friction than polyvinyl joints, and are similarly more durable than styrene joints. ABS joints, however, require greater precision in tooling to ensure easy assembly, and in some cases, they require screws and a small gap between parts.
Gundam kits are the most common and popular variety of mecha models and so exemplify the general characteristics of models in the genre. Gundam kits are typically oriented toward beginners, and most often feature simple construction, simple designs, and rugged construction—less durable than a pre-assembled toy, but more durable than a true scale model. The result is that the majority of Gundam kits feature hands and other parts that favor poseability or easy assembly over accurate shape. They may also exhibit various draft-angle problems, and features like antennae that are oversized to prevent breakage. For the most part, other kit lines and other kit manufacturers in the genre follow suit, though there are exceptions.
Gundam is not the only line of model robots. Eureka Seven
, Neon Genesis Evangelion
, Patlabor
, Dunbine
and L-Gaim
, to name a few, are all represented by Bandai model lines. Other manufacturers, such as Hasegawa
, Wave
, and Kotobukiya, have in recent years offered products from other series, such as Macross
, Votoms, Five Star Stories
, Armored Core
, Virtual-On, Zoids
, and Maschinen Krieger
, with results rivaling Bandai's best products.
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese anime
Anime
is the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
genre
Genre
Genre , Greek: genos, γένος) is the term for any category of literature or other forms of art or culture, e.g. music, and in general, any type of discourse, whether written or spoken, audial or visual, based on some set of stylistic criteria. Genres are formed by conventions that change over time...
of mecha
Mecha
A mech , is a science fiction term for a large walking bipedal tank or robot, including ones on treads and animal shapes.-Characteristics:...
. The majority of model robot
Robot
A robot is a mechanical or virtual intelligent agent that can perform tasks automatically or with guidance, typically by remote control. In practice a robot is usually an electro-mechanical machine that is guided by computer and electronic programming. Robots can be autonomous, semi-autonomous or...
s are produced by Bandai
Bandai
is a Japanese toy making and video game company, as well as the producer of a large number of plastic model kits. It is the world's third-largest producer of toys . Some ex-Bandai group companies produce anime and tokusatsu programs...
and are based on the Mobile Suit Gundam
Mobile Suit Gundam
is a televised anime series, created by Sunrise. Created and directed by Yoshiyuki Tomino, it premiered in Japan on Nagoya Broadcasting Network on April 7, 1979, and lasted until January 26, 1980, spanning 43 episodes...
anime metaseries. This has given rise to the hobby's common name in Japan, Gunpla (or gan-pura, a Japanese
Japanese language
is a language spoken by over 130 million people in Japan and in Japanese emigrant communities. It is a member of the Japonic language family, which has a number of proposed relationships with other languages, none of which has gained wide acceptance among historical linguists .Japanese is an...
portmanteau of "Gundam" and "plastic model"). Though there are exceptions, the model robot genre is dominated by anime tie-ins, with anime series and movies frequently serving as merchandising platform.
Construction
Modern mecha models are generally color injection-moldedInjection molding
Injection molding is a manufacturing process for producing parts from both thermoplastic and thermosetting plastic materials. Material is fed into a heated barrel, mixed, and forced into a mold cavity where it cools and hardens to the configuration of the cavity...
styrene with snap-together construction requiring minimal to no glue or paint. Mecha model kits, being generally humanoid
Humanoid
A humanoid is something that has an appearance resembling a human being. The term first appeared in 1912 to refer to fossils which were morphologically similar to, but not identical with, those of the human skeleton. Although this usage was common in the sciences for much of the 20th century, it...
and structurally simple, are traditionally posable. Older mecha models were usually styrene-only, and the plastic-on-plastic joints used for posing were prone to wearing down over time. Polycaps made of soft polyvinyl
Polyvinyl
Polyvinyl is a group of polymers derived from vinyl monomers.Polyvinyl may also refer to:* Polyvinyl chloride* Polyvinyl acetate* Polyvinyl alcohol* Polyvinyl Record Co., an independent record label...
were introduced in the early 1980s, in kit lines such as the ARII Macross kits, and have since become a common means of creating durable posable joints. More recently, the use of "ABS" parts for joints has become common. Hard plastic joints generally exhibit greater friction than polyvinyl joints, and are similarly more durable than styrene joints. ABS joints, however, require greater precision in tooling to ensure easy assembly, and in some cases, they require screws and a small gap between parts.
Gundam kits are the most common and popular variety of mecha models and so exemplify the general characteristics of models in the genre. Gundam kits are typically oriented toward beginners, and most often feature simple construction, simple designs, and rugged construction—less durable than a pre-assembled toy, but more durable than a true scale model. The result is that the majority of Gundam kits feature hands and other parts that favor poseability or easy assembly over accurate shape. They may also exhibit various draft-angle problems, and features like antennae that are oversized to prevent breakage. For the most part, other kit lines and other kit manufacturers in the genre follow suit, though there are exceptions.
Scale
Anime mecha subjects such as Gundam are most often portrayed as being between 15–20 meters tall, and so the kits are scaled in a manner that brings the subject to an economical and manageable size. For machines in this size range, scales of 1:100 and 1:144 are most common, with 1:60 being reserved for larger (and usually more expensive or elaborate) kits. For smaller subjects, scales such as 1:20, 1:35, and 1:72 are common. Bandai kits are commonly based upon fairly extensive and radical redesigns, rather than the original designs themselves. Some of this inconsistency representation may be due to the inherent difficulties in turning a 2-D cel-animated design into a 3-D design. Additionally, newer versions of the same mecha could be very different from an older version, due to better manufacturing technologies.Practice
Gunpla is a major hobby in Japan, with entire magazines dedicated to variations on Bandai models. As mecha are fictional humanoid objects, there is considerable leeway for custom models and "kitbashes." A large amount of artistry goes in to action poses and personalized variations on classic machines. There is also a market for custom resin kits which fill in gaps in the Bandai model line.Gundam is not the only line of model robots. Eureka Seven
Eureka Seven
Eureka Seven, known in Japan as , is a mecha anime TV series by Bones. Eureka Seven tells the story of Renton Thurston and the outlaw group Gekkostate, his relationship with the enigmatic mecha pilot Eureka, and the mystery of the Coralians....
, Neon Genesis Evangelion
Neon Genesis Evangelion franchise
The franchise is an umbrella of Japanese media properties generally owned by the anime studio Gainax. It has grossed over 150 billion yen since 1995. The central works of the franchise feature an apocalyptic mecha action story which revolves around the efforts by the paramilitary organization...
, Patlabor
Patlabor
Patlabor also known as , is an anime and manga franchise created by Headgear, a group consisting of director Mamoru Oshii, writer Kazunori Itō, mecha designer Yutaka Izubuchi, character designer Akemi Takada, and manga artist Masami Yūki.The popular franchise included a manga, a TV series, two OVA...
, Dunbine
Aura Battler Dunbine
is an anime television series created by Yoshiyuki Tomino and produced by Sunrise Studios.Dunbine is set in Byston Well, a parallel world that resembles the countryside of medieval Europe with kingdoms ruled by monarchs in castles, armies of unicorn-riding cavalry armed with swords and crossbows,...
and L-Gaim
Heavy Metal L-Gaim
is an anime television series, begun in 1984, which was directed by Yoshiyuki Tomino. Its characters and mecha were designed by Mamoru Nagano, who would later go on to create The Five Star Stories. Heavy Metal L-Gaim takes place in the Pentagona System, a solar system made up of five planets...
, to name a few, are all represented by Bandai model lines. Other manufacturers, such as Hasegawa
Hasegawa
is common Japanese surname.- People :* Hasegawa Katsutoshi - Japanese sumo wrestler* Hasegawa Nyozekan - author* Hasegawa Tōhaku - Edo period painter* Hasegawa Yoshimichi - Chief of the Army General Staff* Hozumi Hasegawa - Japanese professional boxer...
, Wave
Wave
In physics, a wave is a disturbance that travels through space and time, accompanied by the transfer of energy.Waves travel and the wave motion transfers energy from one point to another, often with no permanent displacement of the particles of the medium—that is, with little or no associated mass...
, and Kotobukiya, have in recent years offered products from other series, such as Macross
Macross
is a series of science fiction mecha anime, directed by Shōji Kawamori of Studio Nue in 1982. The franchise features a fictional history of Earth/Humanity after the year 1999. It consists of three TV series, four movies, six OVAs, one light novel and five manga series, all sponsored by Big West...
, Votoms, Five Star Stories
Five Star Stories
is a manga series created by Mamoru Nagano, building on his work on the anime series Heavy Metal L-Gaim.The story is staged at an alien cluster of four major planetary systems. The God of Light, Amaterasu, the immortal emperor of the Grees Kingdom on the planet Delta Belune, is destined to rule the...
, Armored Core
Armored Core
Armored Core is a mecha-based video game series developed by From Software for the PlayStation Portable, PlayStation, PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and Mobile Phone platforms. Armored Core games are Mecha Simulation/third-person shooters, in which the player pilots a large mecha called an...
, Virtual-On, Zoids
Zoids
is a multi-media model-kit-based franchise originating from Japanese toy company Tomy ; though now produced by various companies through licenses. The majority of the franchise is built around and focused on the various model kit series...
, and Maschinen Krieger
Maschinen Krieger ZbV 3000
Maschinen Krieger is a science fiction universe created by Japanese artist and sculptor Kow Yokoyama in the 1980s.- History :The franchise originally began as the science fiction series SF3D which ran as monthly installments in the Japanese hobby magazine Hobby Japan from 1982 to 1985...
, with results rivaling Bandai's best products.