If you are a Gundam fan, and you know how to build the best looking, most bad-ass Gundams in the world, then you may want to enter the upcoming Gunpla Builders World Cup qualifiers.
The Bandai GunPla Builders World Cup is an annual competition sponsored by Bandai Hobby and held in several countries to determine the world’s best Gundam model builder who is awarded the title of GunPla World Cup Champion.
Bluefin is Bandai’s official U.S. GunPla product distributor, and the toy company will hold regional qualifiers through 2016.
- Anime Central in Rosemont. IL
- FanimeCon in San Jose, CA
- A-Kon in Dallas, TX
- Anime Expo in Los Angeles, CA
- Otakon in Baltimore, MD
- New York Comic Con, held in Manhattan, NYC
If you are the top qualifier in the U.S. you will win a free trip to Japan to compete in the final round.
Competitors are encouraged to create customized models utilizing Bandai Gundam model kit(s) as the starting point. Many contestants blend different kits and add a variety of custom fabricated parts and unique accessories to make their creations truly one-of-a-kind. The competition has produced jaw dropping work ranging from highly detailed designs from the various Gundam TV animated series as well as completely original designs.
You can find the complete rules and all the information you need to enter at www.bluefincorp.com.
Gundam building kits are pretty fun to play around with, and if you are a model maker, I’ve seen some pretty incredible builds. I used to give kits to my animation students and tell them to model and build the Gundams in their favorite 3D programs to help develop their skills at adding detail to their models. They were then tasked with animating the finished product. At least one of my students did so well he eventually landed a gig doing work for one of the Transformers movies.
