Danny Choo x AFA 09's Gunpla contest was a complete farce

9:00 PM on 01.19.2010   |   Andres Cerrato

For many Gunpla builders, there are not a lot of opportunities to compete on a grand scale. While there is BAKUC (Bandai Action Kit Universal Cup), the professionals make it nigh impossible to have a shot at winning. However, when the ever-popular Danny Choo announced a global Gunpla competition to be held at Anime Festival Asia, many Gunpla builders got to work, myself included, to take part in the competition. Creativeness, style and photography would come into play, so there were a lot of great ways to take part in the competition.

When the contest winners were finally announced, my jaw was on the floor. I could not believe the winners that were on display. It's not due to how amazing they were, but rather what didn't win. If you have a rules page, the winners should at least follow those rules.

Hit the jump to check out the winners, what should have won, and how this was a complete farce of a competition.

Before I begin, I feel it's important to take a look at the rules. It's the understanding that these were to be followed, but for the most part, were conveniently ignored.

In conjunction with the 30th anniversary of the Gundam, Bandai, Anime Festival Asia (AFA) and Danny Choo is running an online Gundam modeling competition to celebrate this most awesome occasion - introducing the Bandai World Gunpla Competition.

How

Folks who would like to participate in the competition should be registered at figure.fm and post their Gunpla work into 1 of 4 categories which are:-

1) Coolest free-style Gunpla
From MG to PG - kitbash or plain original. Please tag your entry "bandaiafa_freestyle"

2) Cutest Super-Deformed (SD) Gundam
Is your SD Gundam the cutest of them all? Please tag yor entry "bandaiafa_sd"

3) Coolest Gundam diorama
Inspire folks with your cool diorama. Please tag your entry "bandaiafa_diorama"

4) Most amusing Gunpla
We all need a good laugh from time to time and we want your Gunpla to amuse us all. Please tag your entry "bandaiafa_muhaha"

Rules

-Only Bandai Gunpla model kits are allowed entry into the competition.
-Kitbashing welcome for any category.
-You can only enter *one* model into *one* category.
-Must include photos from the front, side and back of the kit.
-Include as many photos as you want but make sure they are in a single post.
-Entry period is from 2009.09.01 through to 2009.11.01.
-If you submit early but decide you want to submit something else closer to the time, just resubmit - you can leave your previous entry or the comments will get eaten if you delete it.
-Don't forget to tag your entries. Entries that are not tagged wont be considered.
-Even though this is a collaboration with the AFA, you do not need to live in Asia to participate but need to live on Earth.
-Please include the region that you live in and tell us how long you have been building Gunpla for. Also tell us what Gunpla you would like Bandai to make and in what scale.
-Arms installation is complete - good luck!

 

With that out of the way, let's get to the results:

Freestyle Gunpla Winner: Modified 1/100 Astray Gundam Red Frame

I can't really knock this selection as a winner. I'm a lover of most things Astray and the Red Frame is no exception. The kit is described as a modification of the 1/100 kit into a more stylized, polished Red Frame. Other than the extra Gerbera Straight katana and an excellent paint job, it just doesn't stand out to me. In a category described as freestyle, where you could do anything you wanted, this entry just didn't feel like it should have been the winner.

What Should Have Won Best Freestyle: (tie) MSN-06 Sinanju Yellowbird and Blue Berserker





A group of modelers in Austrailia came together in a group with a common purpose: Create an amazing variation of the MSN-06 Sinanju. Of the four, my favorites were the Yellowbird and Blue Berserker. Each of these kits felt like a refreshing breeze on an amazing kit. As much as I love the Astray, I love what this pair of Sinanju have going for them. If I had to choose one, I'd go with the Yellowbird but could easily go for the Blue Berserker.

Best Diorama Winner: Green Horror



The Green Horror, as it was titled, is something to fear. This model of the NZ-666 Kshatriya was a scratch build, being composed of parts from the 1/400 Gundam Collection Quin Mantha and 1/200 HCM Pro Sazabi. The kit itself is amazing, especially when combined with the base. The hollowed out remains of the ground and its wiring strung about leave a real dramatic impact. As amazing as this is, it's not the best piece entered in the diorama category.

What Should Have Won Best Diorama: Make Modeling, Not War!



One lieterally needs to take a magnifying glass to capture every bit of detail in this entry. For one, we have a diorama of a Perfect Grade RX-78 Gundam completing a model kit diorama of a Z'Gok attacking a bridge. However, that was not enough for the entry from Italy. Tossed about the room are various other pieces, includng miniature pilot figures painted to be action figures, miniature bookcases and glass cases, each filled with even smaller Gundams and their boxes. Even the air brush compressor, paints, and brushes have been included. And on the Gundam's feet are Keroro Gunsou slippers.

How could this not possibly win best diorama? The only possible thing I could think of is that the display has technically pieces from other kits. Though this is a rule that proves to be of little consequence.

Best Super Deformed Winner: Strike Freedom vs. Destiny



So much for that "No more than one kit per entry" rule. Though let's take a look at this at face value. The kits are nicely painted and the Strike Feedom has been modified to allow its DRAGOONs to be out of the wings. It's a good effort, but nothing that really sticks out or leaves a memorable impression. At least not as much as one of the other entries.

What Should Have Won Best SD: H3-LL-00 Kitty (SD Gundam 00 mod)



This was easily the best entry the category. Everything on this kit is perfectly painted and its modifications left no visible signs of error, unlike the Strike Freedom's particle effect. Even though Hello Kitty is not cup of tea, the effort and detail on this kit are something to appreciate. It's clearly the best entry of the group and a shame that it didn't win.

Most Amusing Gunpla Winner: Gunpla Boot Camp



The category mentioned that the entry should be something to get people laughing, amuse them. I really can't get into this as I just want to rip into it without the sensitivity of a blowtorch. It's awful, tacky, and just about everything wrong that anyone's ever said about web-comics in just 4 panels. Out and out awful, and definitely should not have been in the running.

Oh, and there's 5 model kits in the entry. But looks like that rule was just conveniently ignored.

What Should Have Won Most Amusing: (tie) Night of the Living Nemo, Veteran GM



These two entries clearly understood what I felt the category to mean. Let the Gunpla do the comedy, not meme-spewing speech bubbles. The Nemo would have been my pic over the Veteran GM, if only for the reason that the Vet was created 4 yeas ago by Gamera Baenre (excellent modeler, check out his gallery here).



The Nemo was truly creative and actually made me appreciate the design of a suit that I, quite frankly, have never liked. The Veteran GM itself is great, and is definitely comedic. Only knock that I have on it is that it is a piece that's been around for quite some time.


My Entry: Lacus' custom ZEONG



I entered into the Most Amusing category, but I tip my hat to Falldog and Gamera. I finally finished this kit in part due to the Gunpla contest. However, I can't help but to leave it in this pose due to the outcome.

This contest had a lot of potential. However, the selection process was deeply, deeply flawed. I ask that should there be a contest for next year's AFA that better attention be payed to the winners and at least the rules be followed. It would also be nice if the winners could have been announced on something other than a user's blog post and semi-confirmation.