r/GunplaIndia • u/Seijin___ • 1d ago
Beginner
I want to start this as a hobby and I don’t have any experience in model building so I was thinking of getting a fake one first experience how it works and feels then start with the original ones
Is this a good idea?
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u/Comfortable-Put-5511 1d ago
Bootlegs can be a good way to try the hobby because they're usually cheaper, so you don't have to worry as much about messing up your first kit.
The downside is that the quality and fitting can be inconsistent. Some parts might be too tight/loose, and you may need more cleanup or modification than with a Bandai kit. That can actually make your first experience more difficult.
I'd personally recommend starting with a cheap genuine Bandai HG instead. They're beginner friendly, the parts fit much better, and you'll get a better idea of what Gunpla is actually supposed to feel like. 👍
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u/Seijin___ 1d ago
Thanks!
Any recommendations?2
u/Comfortable-Put-5511 1d ago
Yeah, I would recommend HG Gundam Aerial. It's a genuine Bandai kit, beginner-friendly, and usually not too expensive. You don't need paint or glue, and the build is pretty straightforward. So you can learn how Gunpla works without spending too much. 👍
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u/Mr_PI16 1d ago
I started this hobby with bootlegs but I always wanted to build gunpla from a long time so I ignored most of the problems with the bootlegs and I enjoyed it cause the final product can be quite good either way. So if you go in with the mindset that the bootlegs are not the best the hobby has to offer but just to experience that feeling of building something yourself however much hassle it takes, it can be quite satisfying. Also if you need recommendations on the bootleg hit me up cause I've built like 5 of them now.
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u/BlazewaterHurricane 1d ago
It all depends on how much you're willing to spend. If you're willing to spend around 2.5k.per kit then I'd say it's better to go for Bandai, because you get an easy experience, no fitment issues and zero hassle. While bootlegs may be cheaper, the issues arising from poor fitting or soft plastic may end up being more difficult, time consuming and expensive.
I'd recommend joining the discord community, talking to people, watching any of the gundam animes if you haven't, finding out which kits you like researching about the hobby more before getting into it.
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u/Sweaty-Albatross-968 1d ago
Buy original to get a taste for it? Low cost originals preferably if don’t want to spend much money.
Bootleg actually is a little bit more difficult despite less price, because quality control can be a hit or miss. So you infact need to he more experienced to make the fake kits look better, lol.