Hi World, Gunjap Interviews today with Mechanoid Paranoid !!!
Hi World, Gunjap Interviews today with Mechanoid Paranoid. Let’s Start!
[G: Gunjap]
[M: Mechanoid Paranoid]
G – Who is Mechanoid Paranoid in the Gunpla Modelers World? And where do you
come from?
M – Thank you sir Gunjap! I am Mechanoid Paranoid, a.k.a. Shar Amro Re
Aznabeanable, a mocked name for Amuro Ray and Char Aznable. I am 38
years old from the Philippines and a long time scale modeler since
1980. I am a lawyer by profession and a common modeler in the Gunpla
World. I have four (4) Special Category Championship Awards for Gundam
Model Kit Cup (GMKC) and Gunpla Builders World Cup (GBWC), numerous
top, and even podium places from BAKAC (2003-2006), BAKUC (2007-2009),
BMKWC (2010-2011), in our local IPMS sci-fi competitions, and in other
scale model competitions.
G – When did you start building Gunpla?
And when did you made your first Custom?
M – I started building Gunpla in 1982 where the first-release Gunpla
was priced at only $1.00 after I decided to change building Matchbox
1/76 armor and 1/72 aircraft kits in 1980. I was building Gunpla out
of the box, down to painting the matched or even exact colors as it
appeared in the box art and anime. I made my first custom in 1992
using a Real Type 1/100 RGM-79 GM, kitbashed with Zoids parts, 1/35
Armor parts, and full scratchbuilt weapons, painted in light blue.
The kit never saw competition as I went on building 1/24 cars and 1/20
F-1 kits and more 1/35 Armor, as I was inspired by the military
hardware showcase featured in Operation: Desert Storm.
G – Do you have some inspiration for your creations?
M – I have a number of build inspirations for their build and painting
style, namely Francois Verlinden, Michael Fichtenmayer, Max Watanabe,
Takuji Yamada, Katsumi Kawaguchi, Adam Wilder, Miguel Jimenez,
concepts and designs from Syd Mead, Kunio Okawara, Hajime Katoki,
pictures from actual wars, and anime.
G – After you have finished snap-fitting a model, from where do you start to
mod it?
M – I randomly start my modifications. If my build is usually a
conversion to a variant that actually appeared in the anime or manga,
I start from the part where the modifications are most made, usually
at the limbs. The rest were either scratchbuilt, subtly modified, or
left as is. I just make sure that my modeling materials are complete
and ready to use, otherwise my momentum is lost. If my build is a
custom, the procedure is a little different, I start with a custom
kitbashed or scratchbuilt backpack, then the torso, then the limbs,
then the head, and finally, the head.
G – What do you think about Gunpla in all the World? modelers, attitude,
modelers behavior etc..
M – In the world setting, Gunpla is a success, thanks to Bandai for
bringing the hobby to the world and keeps on improving the craft by
introducing new toolings and new products! As far as modelers are
concerned, I am not fully aware of the world Gunpla modelers’ setting.
In our local setting, however, is such sadness. Way back in the
early 2000’s, Gunpla modelers are a real happy and a skilled bunch,
balancing real life and the hobby. Nowadays, division, schism, and
discrimination is all around the place, hate, intrigue, politics,
dumbed down people, posers, and fakers are the usual subjects of
controversy to the extent that the hobby of Gunpla building is not
enjoyable anymore. I tried to shy away from such matter as much as
possible, but everyone is so involved in it, like a cheap and stupid
gang-war. On my part, I keep on pursuing my passion, and sharing my
skills to those who really want to learn about the hobby, regardless
of whether or not they learn from it.
G – What do you think about GBWC Event?
M – GBWC event is an opportunity wherein all modelers, regardless of
age, skill, and gender are able to showcase and compete their best
build and gauge themselves if their build is are at par with the
fellow modelers in the regional level or to the World Cup level.
G – Please share some advices for modelers that wanna start building Gunpla for
the very first time!
M – This is the best advice that I can give but unfortunately a lot of
Gunpla modelers ignore: Start with the basics! Buy an ORIGINAL Bandai
basic kit for your first build. Do not go for fakes as you
automatically involve yourself in a controversy and subjected to a
mind programming technique employed by them, ending up being one of
them. A fake Gunpla builder. When you start to assemble your basic
Gunpla, VISUALLY UNDERSTAND the instructions very carefully if you
cannot read the Japanese language, and comprehend/familiarize the
orientation of the parts in the sprue and in the illustration in the
manual. Use the proper tools for the hobby. Be aware of safety, cut
the parts carefully, remove nub marks, cement the halves completely,
sand evenly, try not to lose the details, paint and detail it with
hobby paints. As always, practice makes perfect, there are
second-hand original Bandai Gunpla kits being sold in the market, they
are the best kits for practice. Do not go for Master Grade or Perfect
Grade kits immediately, or even jump to modifying your first build,
you will end up being frustrated. Again, focus first on the basics.
G – Have you a Website/Blog to show your Works?
M – Unfortunately, I do not have a personal website or a blog to
showcase my works. The Mechapinoy website will be re-launched soon,
that will include my works.
G – Future Projects?
M – Two conversions in Master Grade size, a Diorama, and a number of
1/35 Hard Graph kits.
Previous work featured in: http://www.gunjap.net/site/?p=96264
G – Many Thanks to Mechanoid Paranoid a.k.a. Shar Amro Re Aznabeanable for this Interview 
See You soon for the next!
