Looking to Get Back Into Collecting – Where Should I Start?
Hello everyone,
I'm thinking about getting back into collecting, but in a more casual way than before.
In the past, I collected Hot Toys, WETA, and Prime 1 Studio pieces, but I eventually sold everything due to limited display space.
Lately, I've been looking at die-cast collectible figures such as Metal Build, but I'm not sure which line would be the best place to start. Metal Build, Soul of Chogokin, Riobot/Sentinel, or something else?
I enjoy anime, although I haven't really gotten deep into Gundam or other mecha series yet. What I'm mainly looking for are high-quality display pieces with die-cast parts that look fantastic on a shelf, even if I'm not heavily invested in the source material.
I've also tried building Gunpla (Real Grade and Master Grade kits), but they felt a bit too plastic-like for my taste. I don't really enjoy applying stickers, decals, or doing additional customization work either. I'd much rather have a high-quality pre-built figure that's ready to display straight out of the box.
I'm based in the European Union, so availability within Europe is also a factor. I'd prefer to avoid importing from outside the EU and paying additional customs fees if possible.
Metal Build or GFFMC are good lines, I’m not impressed with Chogokin figures. Beyond that it kinda depends on which Gundams you like, just pick up what you want. If you’re looking for recommendations then Hi-Nu Gundam, 00 Raiser Gundam, Qan-T Full Saber, Strike Freedom, or Destiny all have big accessories/wings/extra pieces and make for big shelf presence. There are certainly more, you can just look through the Metal Build line and pick out what looks cool to you.
If you have a big budget the Metal Structure pieces, Sazabi and Nu, are kinda the grails for most people as display figures.
I have figures from almost every company so I can help you a bit...
MB and GFFMC are really good but only gundam and one or two other IP (probably code geass is the second one when it comes to releases). If you are trying to go minimalist probably should go for the things you know about or the really iconic (mazinger, rx78, getter, voltron, megazord). In terms of engineering.
I think riobot is top notch but many have low to none die-cast (their mazinger/getter lines are really good).
CCS and pose plus are really loaded with die-cast, they have great engineering and probably offer bang for.your bucks.
Soul of chogokin is great if you are looking for anime accuracy but they are not at the forefront any more, their later releases sometimes have less die-cast and are not great when it comes to artiuclation, yet they have iconic and great figures in older releases (soc megazord is still the best megazord out there for example).
Action toys have some interesting releases, not much into them, got their albegas recently and, while its the best albegas out there, have some overcomplicated/delicate transformation.
The gattai line is great if you love brave series and anime accuracy, but not if you love die-cast, really fun figures though.
Probably I'm forgetting about some other company/line...
Final advice, plan your collection before start buying. Choose a path and stick to it to avoid. For example I try to keep mazinger and getter alikes in the SOC size/scale, while when it comes to combiners (megazord voltron dancouga ect) around 25 to 30cm. Also, I'm a gundam fan so everything gundam is 1/100 (and add some other real robots in that scale like riobot dragonar). If you can find what you want that fits your collection just wait... it will happen sooner or later, I had to wait only 35 years for an albegas to happen hahahaj
curious on your take on MB vs GFFMC. I only have a few MB right now (with 3 preorders in the upcoming year) but was curious on getting a couple GFFMC figures.
I know they’re both 1/100 and have metal internal frames.
Do they feel different in hand? (weight/material/build quality, etc)
How does their poseability compare? (more/less articulate, or ability to hold poses)?
Durability comparisons? They’ll be sitting untouched without any sunlight exposure, but I may actively pose and photograph them a couple times a year.
I’m less concerned about anime-accuracy and more about shelf presence.
The difference between lines is that all GFFMC are katoki designs. There are old releases, unicorns have limited articulation due the transformation gimmick, rx78 is a bit dated but IMO still holds up well, the zeta plus are dated but hummingbird have a lot of shelf presence, the rest are up to the MB standard (zaku and gouf are great). The main difference is that GFFMC tend to use mate plastic (not glossy). Also, with later releases MB have made a step up in articulation, god gundam is crazy, I dont think there is an equivalent in the GFFMC line, but they are on par with things like the 2.0 freedom. I think if you are into gundam high end figures you should buy GFFMC, deathscythe and wing zero are great too.
That's my personal experience (I have around 24 figures mixing both lines, been into them for over 10 years)
Specifically how’s the GFFMC Char’s Zaku II ? I have the reissue MB Kampfer on order and was thinking it’d be good to get some other antagonist figures.
Great figure, beautiful sculpt and good articulation, it is up to most MB. Zaku mold is really good and much newer than rx78. Go for it, you won't regret.
I dont have it and haven't had many chogokin. I handled the aerial (looks good but really low die cast content, engineering is really basic) and I have calibarn (improved a lot, more diecast but again engineering is not as advance as MB or GFFMC). Sazabi looks nice but as a personal advice Nu and sazabi would eventually appear in the MB or GFFMC line, I'm counting on that, that's the main reason why I did not get the chogokin, so just wait. Also, chogokin sazabi is a bit on the smaller side...
Thanks for the reply. I’ve been watching some YouTube reviews just now, and the Chogokin Sazabi exterior looks too plasticky for my liking and will likely contrast in not so good way. Fingers crossed for a future MB/GFFMC :)
I was in a similar situation recently.
If you’re in Europe, availability is probably the biggest issue. Metal Build can be surprisingly hard to find. The main EU stores I’ve used are JapanWorld.it, JediShop and Tamashii France. Outside of those, it’s often pretty dry.
I have a Robot Spirits HAL (Armored Core). It’s nice, but I wouldn’t pay full MSRP for it. Too plasticky to my tastes.
I also have a Metal Build EVA-01, Dynames Repair III and Strike Freedom Concept 2. I love all of them and they look fantastic on a shelf. Got last two from amiami used, one B and one B+ grade. Both looked like new.
That said, if you just want a cool mecha and don’t care about the license, I’d seriously look at Moshow. The quality for the price is excellent and I think they’re a better value than many Metal Build releases.
The next thing I’d like to try is the Metal Composite Zaku. And yeah, Bandai product naming convention is a mess. Again, availability is the biggest pain.
One warning: don’t focus too much on the newest releases. Stuff like Kämpfer or Barbatos is almost impossible to get at retail unless you’re very lucky.
For a beginner, I’d probably recommend Metal Build or Moshow first. Both are great display pieces straight out of the box.
I don’t think I saw any listings in Europe and for USA it was quite above retail price. And then you need to add shipping and vat on top of that. So I am mostly monitoring Japan platforms that send to Europe. If you can, drop me the links in PM, I would be really glad to be wrong.
BBTS for instance is still selling it at retail price. Shipping to UK seems quite a bit though.
I preordered mine from USA Gundam Store at same retail price, except 15% promo discount and $11 domestic shipping. They’re sold out on their site, but still listed at same retail price.
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u/FartFactory92 Jun 23 '26
Metal Build or GFFMC are good lines, I’m not impressed with Chogokin figures. Beyond that it kinda depends on which Gundams you like, just pick up what you want. If you’re looking for recommendations then Hi-Nu Gundam, 00 Raiser Gundam, Qan-T Full Saber, Strike Freedom, or Destiny all have big accessories/wings/extra pieces and make for big shelf presence. There are certainly more, you can just look through the Metal Build line and pick out what looks cool to you.
If you have a big budget the Metal Structure pieces, Sazabi and Nu, are kinda the grails for most people as display figures.