Hi World, Gunjap Interviews today with Raymund Victor Aguilar !!!
Hi World, Gunjap Interviews today with Raymund Victor Aguilar. Let’s Start!
[G: Gunjap]
[W: Raymund Victor Aguilar]
G – Who is Raymund Victor Aguilar in the Gunpla Modelers World? And where do you come from?
R – Hi. It’s an honor to be interviewed in your blog site. I’m Raymund Victor Aguilar. My online nickname in our Gunpla group is “Nakasuka Wasabi” but a friend in the group decided to go with a shortened version of my first name and they have been calling me “Remon” ever since. I hail from the Philippines, 39 years old. I’m currently doing freelance research and data work for various clients and also write articles for an automobile enthusiasts’ website. I was one of the five co-champions back in 2003 for the Philippine qualifiers for the Bandai Action Kits Asia Cup, scored a 3rd place finish in the 2011 Gundam Model Kit Contest, and also scored podium finishes in various contests including the Philippine IPMS Nationals a few times. Although I have not won a lot of contests I have been known to produce some very unusual “one-off” entries that surprise some of my competitors.
G – When did you start building Gunpla?
And when did you made your first Custom?
R – I actually started Gunpla back in 1990. My folks bought me a 1/144 scale Methuss kit from the Gundam Zeta series as a “Get Well” gift. previously I was more into Automobiles, Armor, and other Sci-fi kits. I went into full time Gunpla building around the year 2001 or so at the invitation of a friend of mine. My first custom work was a 1/144 scale HGUC Zgok which i custom painted Gundam-esque colors and renamed it “Federation Zgok” the color scheme was inspired by a Z’gok color scheme I saw in a PS2 game i was playing at the time which was “Mobile Suit Gundam Federation vs Zeon DX”. That kit was one of the five co-champs in the 2003 BAKAC Philippine qualifiers which earned me a trip to Hong Kong for the finals. My specialty is more on “Out of the box” or with some slight modifications. I have recently started to do some kits with more and more modifications to improve my skills further.
G – Do you have some inspiration for your creations?
R – I draw ideas or inspiration for my projects from just about any source. I would look at a particular Gunpla kit and would sometimes stare at it for quite a while, trying to picture in my mind what it would look like with a different color scheme, different weapons, modifications, etc. But sometimes, the reverse occurs when I see a random event, character, logo or product and i would try to think as to what Gunpla kit would look good with those colors. Probably the best example of my “Outside the box thinking” I did was an SD Byg Zam which I painted up to look like a hamburger with legs escaping from a McDonalds Big Mac box and calling it the “Byg Zam Burger”. I drew the idea for that while looking at a picture of the Big Mac and i suddenly pictured it in my mind what it may look like in mecha form. Sadly, I do not have pictures of it available and i am searching online for any surviving images. The actual kit is still with me awaiting restoration due to damage when mice ate at the sesame seeds(!) i glued to the body of the Byg Zam despite having sprayed clear coat to the model to avoid attracting pests.
G – After you have finished snap-fitting a model, from where do you start to mod it?
R – In some cases, the modifications start immediately while snap-fitting. I regularly modify some parts of the kit to make it easier to paint or improve the articulation. But for the major jobs like stretching limbs or torsos to improve proportions, I do those after snap-fitting to determine where to stretch or trim. Sometimes its trial and error and I’m still working on it. On those I draw inspiration from articles in Hobby Japan and Dengeki Hobby.
G – What do you think about Gunpla in all the World? modelers, attitude, modelers behavior etc..
R – Gunpla seems to be doing well around the world. I have met a lot of Gunpla modelers from other countries and they are very friendly and enthusiastic. We share tips and ideas and discuss various things both Gunpla-related or otherwise. But I have met a few people (mostly online) that seem to have a very snobbish, bordering on having a boorish attitude towards Gunpla. They tend to act as if they are the know-all, be-all of Gunpla and they insist that their word is gospel. When others try to correct or help these people, they would insult and even threaten them with violence because in their mind what they are right and everyone else is wrong. I’m hoping they would change their behavior soon enough. Gunpla is still considered a hobby of a minority and our community is too small to be fractured and splintered by these people. We should all just get along.
G – What do you think about GBWC Event?
R – I like to call the GBWC “The Main Event”. For me, to be able to get a project done in time to compete in this event is a victory for me. everything else that might happen afterwards such as a possible Top 8 result, Top 3, or even a win, is just a bonus. If I win, I win. If I lose, then no worries, just do a better job next year. I’m not the kind of person that will go mental and post hate messages at winners all day.
G – Please some advices for modelers that wanna start building a gunpla for the very first time!
R – Always start with the basics! Learn how to properly assemble a Gunpla kit, how to remove seam lines and “nub” marks, and how to paint properly. For beginners to the hobby, don’t go overboard and do too much to the kit. I have seen a lot of works that were heavy on custom weapons, bulky armor, and a lot of flashy gimmicks but on close inspection, a lot of building errors, paint issues and even assembly blunders that defy belief. Start out with “Out-of-the-box” builds first. Then start out with only minor modifications. Once you get used to it, you can then tackle some more challenging projects. Fortunately, recent releases from Bandai will ensure that modifying and customizing Gunpla will be a lot easier for us. And also, do not take this hobby too seriously. It just a hobby. Not a profession, nor a religion… It is just a hobby. Lighten up and enjoy it.
G – Have you a Website/Blog to show your Works?
R – Unfortunately i do not have a personal website or blogsite to show my work. I just upload some pictures of my work on my Facebook page. But I am currently learning to make a personal blog page and may plan to have one up and running soon.
G – Future Projects?
R – Currently working on my entries for the 2014 GMKC (initial painting) and 2014 GBWC (snap-fit stage and idea conceptualization). I also have lined up the restoration of my SD “Byg Zam Burger” and building a recently acquired vintage 1/144 scale Methuss kit to commemorate my first Gunpla kit (the original Methuss kit was lost when i moved house a few years ago).
Thank you once again for the interview. It’s a great honor.
G – Many Thanks to Raymund Victor Aguilar for this Interview 
See You soon for the next!
