What I've Learned from Building Gunpla.

Every man needs a hobby. A particular interest that would help him in this roller-coaster ride that we call life. Admit it, life is actually pretty boring. We follow a set of routine from the moment we wake up until our final thoughts before we sleep, and it actually drains the life out of us. It kills the happiness and joy due to the endless routines and problems that we encounter.
And by Odin’s beard, we are fortunate that the gods have given us the gift of having to enjoy a hobby.

Hobbies that are created out of passion and interest. Hobbies that promotes camaraderie and builds relationships. Hobbies that may be quite expensive, but guarantees an escape from the endless routines of life.

I remember the time I bought my first Gunpla kit. It was an HGIBO Barbatos 4th Form. Personally, I do not know anything about the hobby, nor the anime. All I knew was that it was from a hit anime series in Japan, and the hobby was quite expensive and addictive.

So to continue, I was experiencing quite a stress during those times. I had to expertly juggle my time between work and school, and it was stressing me out. I was editing this film for our project, and at the same time, I am working on my daily task as an online marketer. This means that I have to be in front of my computer for quite a long time. I can literally feel my eyes burning out of the radiation that I constantly get from staying hours in front of my computer.

I KNEW I HAD TO BREAK THE ROUTINE.

That was the time when I got into the Gunpla scene. Again, I got my first gunpla, and without the proper tools (nipper and hobby knife), I used my hands to build my first plastic robot. The sense of fulfillment after you’ve snapped everything together was pure magic.

It took me an hour or two to finish my first high-grade, and from there on I knew something was stirring up inside of me. And that is the craving to build another kit.

From there on I have started to buy gunplay kits and build them straight-up. The pleasure of building up the plastic robot and posing it for various toy photography became my reward after a hectic day. I didn’t even noticed that in a span of 4 weeks, I already got 5 kits.

These kits were not dirt cheap, they actually costs a lot. There I have realized that I need to stop this itch or else I’ll be broke and be as poor as a mouse.

Fortunately, a friend of mine introduced me to customized Gunplas. Models that are meticulously built with great time and precision. He told me that if take more time to build my kit, I would spend less since a meticulously designed kit would be finished in a month or two.

From there on I have started to invest more time and effort on my kits. I watched endless tutorials on a daily basis, and practiced them on my kits. It may have took more time for me to master them, but the process was all worth it when you see the final results.

So what did these expensive plastic models taught a 26-year old geek?

Patience

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Patience is a vitue, a wise man once told me. Indeed, in building Gunpla I have cultivated my skill to be patient. Waiting for your paint to dry in order to achieve the best results and waiting for the perfect weather to conduct painting for best finishes, can make one very impatient.

I remember ruining my kit because I chose to paint it on a cold afternoon, due to my impatience to see the new color-scheme that I wanted to try. Fortunately, the kit was still save thanks to some tutorials, but the result will never be the same if I have waited for the perfect time.

Self-Control

With the success of its hit anime, kits are released on a monthly basis. This makes collecting them quite expensive. But not if you gain self-control.

In a short span of being engaged in the hobby, I have practiced more self-control. Control in buying what you really want, instead of getting a kit because of the hype. Let’s be frank, the hype won’t last, and it will eventually die down. Kits that were considered rare can get re-issues, and if you can wait a little longer, malls and online stores gives good discounts.
I have noticed that the amount of money spent on my hobby dropped nearly up to 50% when I began to be more careful with my spending.

leave a comment if you want to know tips and tricks on how to wait for the perfect sale and discounts

Camaraderie

Lastly, I have learned to build connections. Honestly I am a “Batman-Iron Man” kind of guy. I don’t want to work with people, nor do I enjoy forced conversations. But the hobby transformed me. Now I can freely share ideas about Gunpla to perfect strangers, and even learned how to ask questions to people who I don’t know regarding some tips on how to create good customs.

What makes this hobby more exciting is that now I currently run a Gunpla Facebook page with my buddies to help fellow enthusiasts to enjoy the hobby.

Check Lost Horn Studio at facebook.com

William Osler once said that “No Man is really happy or safe without a hobby”, and I strongly believe him. We all need a break from our routine, and there are countless of hobbies that we can engage ourselves into.

In my case, I have chosen Gunpla, and I have learned a lot from it.

So if you’ll take my advice, try these plastic robots (I know the gunpla community would kill me for calling them robots haha). These plastic mecha can give you more than meets the eyes.
And be not afraid to be judged that you’re acting like a child due to these “toys”.

Toys and hobbies knows no age, so start enjoying life! Build a Gunpla now!

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