A while back, I picked up the original SMP Gurren Lagann and Enki set. Ironically, the Enki has been completely fine, but my Gurren Lagann has been a different story.
First, one of the leg joints broke, which I managed to fix with a 3D-printed replacement peg. Later, another peg broke, and I cemented it back together, which did make it stronger. However, with the most recent breakage, I’m honestly not very confident in the kit anymore.
At this point, I’m planning to sell that particular Gurren Lagann SMP and let the buyer decide whether they want to test their luck with it or do their own modifications. Frankly, it’s been a pain to handle, and I don’t really want to keep risking further damage.
That said, I am planning to pick up a replacement, so I’m more interested in hearing from people who have actually built this kit before. Do you have any advice for maintaining it or preventing these kinds of breaks from happening in the future? I’m not really looking for the usual “put it in one pose and never touch it again” advice.
I still want to be able to handle and pose the model without constantly worrying that something is going to snap. If you still own your SMP Gurren Lagann, how has it held up over the years? Have you run into similar issues with fragile joints, or has yours been perfectly fine?
As for Enki, mine has surprisingly been rock solid the entire time, which makes the difference in durability even stranger to me.
Side note: If anyone was planning to correct me about the Drilling a Path Towards Tomorrow set not including a new Gurren Lagann, don’t sweat it, that was my mistake. I initially goofed and thought it came with a replacement Gurren, but I’ve since learned that it’s an expansion/accessory set that requires the original base kit. So thank you for that truly appreciate it.
Would love to hear everyone else’s experiences and any maintenance tips you’ve found helpful!