Department of Art Studies College of Arts and Letters University of the Philippines Diliman

Mecha Filipino: Simulacra and Masculinity

Mikhail O. Tizon Department of Art Studies College of Arts and Letters University of the Philippines Diliman

May 2012

Contents
Definition of Terms...2 Chapter 1: Introduction.3 Theoretical Framework.5 Statement of the Problem..10 Significance of the Study 11 Scope and Limitations12 Methodology 12 Review of Related Literature.13 Chapter 2: Overview of Philippine Gunpla18 Chapter 3: Modelers and their Mecha....23 Eric Capucions Bum-Ball-Bee23 Angelo Guibones Master Chief Zaku & 00 Uniqx..27 Alphonso Gos Zaku Kai Stutzer..33 Paul Velandos Visit to a Fallen Hero39 Giovanni Hilarios ELS Qan[t]44 Chapter 4: Analysis and Conclusion49 Analysis.49 On Gunpla and the Filipino ...51 Conclusion and Recommendations..55 Bibliography..57 Appendix..63

Definition of Terms: Gundam- The titular and fictional Giant Robot piloted by the protagonist of the anime series. For the purpose of this research, it is also the name of the franchise. Mobile Suit- The formal title of the fictional robots in most Gundam series. Model Kits- Smaller scaled, three-dimensional representationsoften made from plasticsthat are manufactured and sold to hobbyists and built for recreational purposes. Modeller- A person with interest in building and/or painting model kits. PlaMo- The fan-term for plastic scale modelling. Gunpla- The fan-term for Gundam Plastic Models. Scale Modelling- Building smaller than life representations of existing or fictional structures or machines for recreational purposes or competition. Scratch Build- A term that refers to the use of raw material (IE: Plastic Sheet, tube, brass wire) in the construction of a model that is not available for purchase. Diorama- Similar to a scale model, only it involves creating scenery to house constructed models such as a miniature forest or city, and may include the use of a painted or photographic background to add to the realistic effect. Custom/Customize- The act of personalizing an object or model by repainting it or physically altering its dimension. An equivalent term would be remodelling. A person who customizes is called a customizer. Mecha- A genre of anime and scale modelling that involves giant robots as part of the setting. Such as: Gundam, Voltes V, Mazinger Z, etc. Otaku- A Japanese term for someone obsessed with anime or the hobbies associated with it. Has since seen use outside of Japan to refer to fans of Japanese pop culture.

Introduction

Growing up in the 1990s I was highly attracted to the then new kinds of models being sold at department stores and Special Toy Center in the old Virramall at Greenhills, the Gundam kit. The Gundam1, an icon of the genre in Japanese animation called Mecha is a symbol of military power and technology and yet is also a tool where individuals attains their own identity by being plunged into a world and conflict that they had never dealt with before. Through the years the Japanese toy company Bandai has been steadily providing model kits of the titular robots to modellers young and old throughout Asia and recently in the west as well. Some buy original model kits produced by the company Bandai or copies from some small scale Chinese factory.Either way, they came across these models either through exposure to the animated show on local networks or through simply being attracted to the aesthetic design of the models. Some may have outgrown these things as quickly as they built them, others may have been stimulated by the complexity and myth (and I use the term in a general sense) behind the models that they collect with each new series. In some ways I am part of the latter, interested in the look of the models before the backstory. Once exposed to the different ways of building and making, I became familiar with the idea that each model built is reflective of the modeller, regardless of how many people build the

Yoshiyuki Tomino, Kido SenshiGandamu, Moblie Suit Gundam (Sunrise, 1979), an anime series that utilized a science fiction military drama theme alongside giant robots which was typical of some boys anime programs at the time.

same thing. And there are several individuals (whom I shall talk about further into this research paper) who have made this hobby an outlet for their creative energies and style. There are two terms related to this study that have resonated in the past few years between participants in the growing local plastic scale modelling scene; PlaMo and Gunpla, the former is a portmanteau or shorthand for plastic modelling while the latter is a variation of the former, and is shorthand for Gundam Plastic Models. Gundam and Gunpla has through the years grown to become the definitive standard for all other lines of the Mecha narrative, both in fiction or in the physical scale models built. Manufacture and distribution of kits and their TV programs have become icons of Japanese pop culture (Tatsumi,2008).Gunpla meritsits own grand events overseas like the Gundam Caravan touring the local malls in the Philippines showcasing the works of Filipino modellers. Contests like the BAKUC (Bandai Action Kit Universal Cup) pit thesemodellers and their works against others from Singapore, Hong Kong, Japan and other Asian countries. As a genre, Mecha and consequently Gundam contain several appealing aspects that make it attractive, namely I include: design, technological sensibility, narrative power and masculine symbolism, the model as simulacra. All of these factors into my study of Filipino Gunpla modellers and how they attempt to integrate or circumvent these aspects when bringing their own vision into the mix, in terms of presentation.

Theoretical Framework Mecha as a genre emerged in the 1970s with shows like Mazinger Z, Voltes V, Daimos and many others, with narratives centredon a war between humans and monsters or usually aliens, many times character driven as well, with the robots being there only to attract the attention of the children with their vibrant colors and many gimmicks. It can be said that these shows had a goal of making profit through merchandising. But towards the end of the 1970s and throughout the 1980s into the 1990s mecha began to focus heavily on narratives of war and politics as well.Therobots in the background serve as indicators of a technologically advanced (while politically contemporary) society, and ground them as plausible machines of war, between nations of human beings fighting other human beings, as was the case in Mobile Suit Gundam (Tatsumi, 2008). This formula appealed to older viewers due to the plot and the younger viewers due to visual design. A broader market that welcomed both demographics emerged when model kits of the shows robots became available for purchase. In observing what goes on within the works of Gunpla modellers and the framing of their works in model photography, the message is carried by the model and the framing of the photograph. The models, which are subject to the modellers whim and experience become a medium with which they can express an idea or a creative vision, primarily, in observing the build and overall look of the model and secondly in how this model is framed within a picture. The picture plays an important role;it is a means by which the modeller can promote his work online. While it is expressed and presented to many as a captured image rather than a physical model, most of the work in constructing the image/picture comes from the construction of the model to be photographed. Certain compositions make use of the medium of photography to
5

supplement the built model the most obvious pairing is with creating a diorama that provides a setting for the model, effectively creating a narrative through a single or a set of images taken of the diorama. Another simpler exampleand at the same time more elaborate in terms of effect, is the use of photoshop to enhance either the image itself (with effects like glowing eyes or laser/blast effects) or the composition (adding a digital background). Such diorama styles are common in thick-paged Japanese hobby magazines such as Hobby Japan2 or Dengeki Hobby3The model is represented in a fantasy situation on the cover, which introduces the reader to the main story of that issue and is continued in several or more photo-diorama-images inside the magazine. Aside from the included photo-story, there are also sections which deal with how the model for that story was built and what material or technique was used. In this study I will heavily apply parts of what Frenchy Lunning has explained in the section of his analysis Between the Child and the Mecha, entitled RahXephon as the Imago(7). Lunnings article analyses the mecha anime RahXephon4 by applying Lacanian Psychoanalysis, revealing several levels of meaning found in the symbolism of the narrative and the titular giant robot. It is almost always a staple that the protagonist is a young male, often inexperienced whose parent or parents took part in the development of the machine he is almost destined to

Hobby Japan, (Hobby Japan Co. 1969-present)- A hobby magazine that publishes the works of many different modellers as well as articles on how to build, remodel, and photograph kits, and news articles on the latest kit releases.
3

Dengeki Hobby Magazine (ASCII Media Works, 1998-present)- Similar to Hobby Japan, but also publishes licensed side-stories from different franchises with exclusively built models. 4 YukataIzubuchi, RahXephon(Bones, 2002)- Another character-driven mecha anime series that featured mecha with peculiar
, distorted humanoid designs and feature music/tonal based weapons.

wield for his faction, whether he has clear political identifications with it or not. The mecha then in this case becomes a rite of passage for the child, a crutch for him to deal with the bigger world before him, and an image of power (Lunning, 269),In the context of Gundam though, which can be said to have begun the trend of the unsure child-hero, there is still that small element of proficiency with the protagonist. The protagonist has qualities that make them a prodigysetting them apart from the rest of their generation, society and often their immediate familythat has yet to meet their fullest potential. Their experience with and frequent use of the mecha exposes them to a world in constant conflict, they are hardened, and more mature, at first entering the machine as children and finally disembarking it as adults.Through this, the mechabecomes a transformative image, as far as character is concerned. How I view it in terms of the modeller is that it is another form of posturing, trying to appear as someone with great creative and technical skill. But expressing it in a forum that is composed of fans or, Otaku and these builders attempt to break away from the stereotype or positively reinforce it.Gunpla itself was an effect of an older audience that patronized the merchandise of the showthe kitsin an attempt to keep the show on-air, due to their fondness for the story. It is a case of a program which was considered a failure as a childrens show being picked up by the older male demographic, the Otaku (Galbraith, 21). In a way here in the Philippines, this is true as well, with gunpla becoming a niche for modellers with an otaku sensibility, in a hobby that is often considered mature with its cars, planes and battle tanks, where the often considered awkward individual steps up, steps into the mechanical shoes, and emerges as an entirely different individual.This is akin to the

originalshowMobile Suit Gundam, presenting their smaller scaled models with all the masculine symbolism and tropes in tow and exhibited for all to see, behind large acrylic cases or cabinets, on display. With visual design, Lunning posits its conventions as usually masculine, designed in a way to be an exaggeration of the male physique, exhibiting tremendous strength and mechanical capability, contained within a streamlined metal shell, housing the heart of a child and child-pilot (274) It contrasts with my own observation of female mecha designs being somewhat more curvy and/or sexualized, such as the Aphrodite-A super robot from the anime Mazinger Z, Neo Okusaer from the series Goddanar5a more recent example would be the Kunoichi mecha model kit from the series DanballSenki.6 (See appendix for examples) What factors into this is having most mecha designers as male, seeking to appeal to a generally male fanbase. Despite this, there are female modellers who also engage in this hobby but have no qualms with the overall design standards. This brings into consideration Gunplas appeal to the (usually) male scale modeller, who in several stages builds up this image of overcompensation, from build, to composition to photography, always seeking to position the model in its most dynamic and masculine, striving to make it exude as much (or more) fantastic power as it merits in its narrative depiction. There are also modellers, who begin by mimicking the forms of the original and framing them as physical and three-dimensional manifestations of their favourite robot from the anime.They go so far as to get the pose and composition as exact as they can when referencing
5

YasuchikaNagaoka,ShinkonGattaiGodannar!!, God Soul Combination Godannar!! (Oriental Light and Magic, 2004)an ecchi (sexy) comedy/action mecha anime known for its amount of fanservice, which includes panty shots and emphasis on animating the bouncing motion of some characters rather large breasts. 6 Level-5,DanbooruSenki (TV Tokyo Network, 2011)- A mecha anime series that has a corresponding model kit line like Gundam, but is more oriented for children and even includes rules for using the models in a combat simulation game.

scenes from the show or doing their composition in a way that would be considered typical of the type of character/machine the model represents. I would cite Baudrillard in this regard, of a copy that references something that exists outside our reality and into fiction, with the goal of blurring the line between what is real and what is simulation by framing the model as closely and as realistically as possible, or if not realistically, as close to how it appears in fiction.This can be seen as an exercise in simulation as posited by Baudrillard, in that there is no actual basis in reality for the canon of the model kits, and that they exist as representations of a concept found in a fictional narrative. Online, there are numerous articles written by modellers about how to pose the model built to better appreciate the effort taken in building it, which plays a special role to customizers who often build their models in a different way from what can be found on the kits instructions. One such entry online is found on the website Hobbylink.tv, taking off from the notion of replication of their anime counterparts (Gunpla and Photography: Posing, 2010). Most of what can be found in the article deals with dynamic posing and it translates a sense of action and urgency to the framed image, simulating a frame of animation so to speak. The choice of posing and framing also includes a sublevel of masculinity, usually drawing attention to the musculature which depicts a machine ready for or commencing in combat or emphasis on the weapon being held. This practice creates a fictional war narrative enacted by the models, something Margaret Higgonet had talked about in War Toys: Breaking and Remaking in Great War Narratives, an article that posits the thought that war toys are a means for children to understand the power play and reality of war, its politics and consequences through play or through a game. This premise is
9

similar to the idea of Lunning that the child in the mecha anime rapidly matures emotionally and accepts war and conflict in their life, but with the difference of being direct victims and actors in the war. Statement of the Problem Scale modelling is a recreational activity that involves the construction of a miniaturized (often plastic) representation of a real or fictional object, of which vehicles are often the subjects, it also involves the activity of recreating or remodelling the given object based on the modellers intentions. Mecha scale modelling is a sub-genre that focuses on building models of war robots from a fictional animated series. In this period of time no serious academic inquiry has been done while the hobby continued to grow, gaining exposure with the advent of popular anime and toy conventions as well as the internet. As the spaces and its participants continually expand and diversify, commentary and observations about it are left behind.Mecha Scale modelling becomes the subject of casual chatter and conversation between modellers meeting and commenting on their works never to be brought up again, or confined to the threads found on online message boards, which would also fade and eventually be deleted as time passes. This study will serve to document the hobby as practiced today, and how individuals of different age ranges attempt to use creative means to express their ownership and creative self by altering what is essentially a mass produced commodity. As mentioned before the model is a tangible and smaller representation of a real or fictional object, built to the specifications and reliant on the ability of the modeller. The modeller also invests a significant amount of time in preparing the model and in the lack of any exhibition
10

event or area, often resorts to capturing the models appearance in a digital photograph to be shared online, which will be seen by a majority of internet users or members of an online forum the modeller participates in. Because of this, the modeller takes care in presenting their model, making sure it appears interesting and worth posting about. Considering all of this, this study asks the questions: What makes them conform or deviate from the canon? o In relation to the broader canon of the Mecha Genre in scale modeling, what visual cues in their work ties into the Mecha as a masculine symbol? o What justifies them as being masculine in nature? Being based on a franchise that is in essence a work of fiction,how do these models act as simulacra? How and through what means is the Filipino quality of the work expressed by the modeler? Significance of the Study This study is limited in that there are almost no local scholarly articles or literature academically concerned with Gundam or Gunpla (though there might be a wealth of information written in Japanese), much more a study on the local scale modelling scene itself. While numerous hobby blogs and online forums as well as galleries, usually membership submission orientedmeaning only registered members are allowed the right to post their work in that gallerydedicated to archiving projects and discussions, their validity remains in question mostly due to posting either anonymously or under screen names, and lacking a proper system of documentation.
11

It is therefore the aim of this particular study to address this lack of inquiry by focusing on the individuals and groups behind this phenomenon in order to record their presence and lay the foundations for any further studies. Scope and Limitations This study will be limited in following only five gunpla modellers, two who have been participating for something short of one to two years in the hobby, two more who have been building for longer (ideally half a decade or so), and one individual who has received several awards for his work. Their qualifications for being selected include being representatives from long-standing fans of the hobby to the newly initiated builders from the last three years. One to two work/s from each shall be studied and analysed, one which they consider their best work (so far) and another that is taken from their individual galleries. All of them shall be from the metro manila area only and will thus be relevant to the main location of the study.

Methodology The archived works of the modellers and their accompanying photographs will be analysed, specifically looking at the symbolism or how the model relates with its canon. Secondly the photographs that frame the model will also be analysed, applying the same framework again but this time in how the images retain or change the meanings found in the model. Interviews with the modellers will be utilized in getting their point of view on what they built, and how they themselves treat or view the canon of their models. Their responses would
12

then be woven into the analysis to provide synthesis to the discussions about their works, or to contrast the researchers own perspectives on it.

Review of Related Literature The website Hobbylink.tv includes an extensive article on how to effectively show off the features and the form of a chosen Gundam Scale model or Gunpla. Primarily it draws from the idea that Gundam modelshave varying degrees of articulations that allows them to almost replicate poses like their anime counterparts (Gunpla and Photography: Posing,), with the intent of sharing the output of a model building project to a broader online audience. The author chooses to frame the model as a three-dimensional simulation of what can be seen in the anime and admittedly it is also the closest in terms of getting the message of the model across, which is it is a scaled representation of a fictional giant robot, and yet the modeller chooses as in the case of the author, to ask the question How will the real Gundam look?. The author answers this later on by stating that the modellers overall goal in framing their models within photography is the fact that it is just a model and must not cross the mind of the viewer, and that they somewhat accept it as existing in a realistic situation. This concept of making the fictionala mirror of reality can also be seen in Baudrillards Simulacra and Simulation where he posits that the image makes no reference to anything real, and that whether the image is real or not isnt important, as we have already been convinced that it is in fact real. Because it is with this same imperialism that present-day simulators attempt to make the real, all of the real, coincide with their models of simulation. (Baudrillard, 3) When

13

applied to Gundam modelling, the scale models act as physical copies of the Gundam machine or Mecha, which in itself has no roots in anything within the reality we live in (at least not yet).

Going back to the Hobbylink.tv article for a moment, another consideration found in that article is the Gundams role as a machine of war and combat.Thus it is implied that in order to demonstrate this role, the model can also be posed in action that involves posing it using or firing a weapon from its arsenal, or to fly. In either case it is an example of what Frenchy Lunning in his article Between the Child and the Mecha calls a dynamic composition of hypostatized masculinity (2). Lunnings article deals with a psychoanalytic analysis of another mecha animated series, RahXephon by referencing the series narrative (and by implication most of the narratives to be found in any mecha animation) with Lacans the mirror stage, fort-da, and the Oedipal complex. In relating the mecha to the mirror, Lunning proposes the idea that in relation to RahXephons series. The protagonisthere identified as malesees his reflection within the mecha, and associates himself with it, severing his own identification with his mother and begins a new process of self-construction(Lunning, 7), which then leads Lunning to make the argument that the nature of the mecha is masculine overall, as existing in exaggeration and representative of the desire of the protagonist which he frames as an adolescent who is unsure of his place in the world, and that through/in the mecha he finds the ability to achieve the ideal, of having power and using it to aid in their formation of their identity, and in the case of the article is called profiles of masculine protection (8), becoming a double not unlike the heroic identities held by comic book superheroes, as opposed to their secret identities, which in this case is the child/pilot.

14

Margaret Higgonet on the other hand is concerned with how these models (or, in the case of her article, toys) figure in the creation and recreation of war narratives in her article, War Toys: Breaking and Remaking in Great War Narratives by using French war paraphernalia (toy soldiers, junior novels, uniforms, and toy guns, all geared towards children) of the First World War and until the Second World War. In this article Higonnet says that war becomes something accepted and every day and that, war is not simply an isolable event but an eruptionwithin a continuum that runs through what we call peacetime (4). Going on to explain that this becomes a preparation for the children utilizing the playthings and commodities to help cope with the reality of war later on in their lives, by living or becoming the simulacra of their parents and the older people in general who fight in the war, framing the event as a sort of game being played by adults which includes politics and social relationships.Adults such as generals, politicians, andcorporate leaders play war games, often with the ostensible purpose ofpreventing war.(5).

The article goes on to describe Toy Story picture books, narratives written with characters explicitly shown as toys, engaging in war that is allegorical of the First World War with the protagonists being French toys fighting against German ones. Here, Higgonet illustrates another facet of the children becoming the simulacra of their adult counterparts by partaking in roles that imply power, alluded to by virtue of the child towering above his toys, and therefore becoming the commanding persona or the main enemy in enacting their fictionalized exploits, Mimicking generals or leaders of nations as they are to their citizens or as the parent is to the child.

15

Contrasting this further on in the article, Higgonet also places the toy as a therapeutic object, as found in her analysis of the text from Marc Corellis Mmoires du Gnral Joffreen Plomb, where the protagonist is a lead figure of a soldier on horseback who narrates the events of his owner a child named Guy and his older brother Christian, a disfigured veteran of WWI. Through the text Higgonet explains the use of the toy (himself broken) as a mediator and object that Christian uses to deal with his disability and the terror of the war he went through, and eventually recovers mentally rather than physically.

Higgonets article ends with the statement, The toy as simulacrum serves as an imaginativemediator that enables psychic investment and displacements, familiar from everyday life, the toy offers a window into an unfamiliar world, to whichit provides imaginative access and the possibility of release (16).

Gunpla in itself also offers this sort of escapism and projection to the modeller photographer who by virtue of participating in the construction of the model also invests in the narrative from where the model has taken its physical manifestation. Takayuki Tatsumi frames the world of Gundam in his essay, Gundam and the Future of Japanoid Art, tracing its origins to Robert E. Heinleins novel, Starship Troopers, which introduced the concept of the powered suit.(3), which could be said to be the beginning of a trend that relates to the article of Lunning. The technology deals with a powered suit of armor that envisions unparalleled maneuverability and combat capability, with a human core dictating its every move and focus, shown in an illustration of the suit (Studio Nue) from a trade paperback cover included in the essay of Heinleins novel.

16

Tatsumi also visually links as an inspiration and model that the design aesthetics of Mobile Suit Gundam would eventually follow, taking in a utilitarian form that also emphasized speed and stylish agilitythe mobility to outflank any opponent.(3) That Tatsumi felt appealed to the social milieu of that period in post-war Japanese history. He also stated on the global impact of Gundam and Japanese pop culture in general as making Japanoids of us (fans) all, regardless of where we are, citing Donna Haraways Cyborg Manifesto as a parallel. Christopher Bolton goes on to react to Tatsumis essay which was featured in the catalogue for the art showGundam Generating Futures: Kitarubeki mirai no tame nia and describes several art pieces in the show that dealt with scale (a thing to consider in terms of mecha anime). A piece worth mentioning is a gigantic statue of one of the principal characters of the original series, Sayla Mass being depicted like one of the giant robotsMobile Suitsher mouth containing a pilots cockpit. Another would be a gigantic calligraphy brush, scaled to the size of the weapons held by the Gundam, along with a giant scroll containing lines from the anime. This, Bolton posits, is related to the way that Japanese derivations trump their so-called originals.For example, the complex web of Gundaminfluences and appropriations traced in the present essay underminesany simple notion of original and copy (8), this harkens back to Baudrillard. The exhibits, as Bolton observes, require a certain level of attachment and interactivity as well as subversion in terms of scale, and what he terms as the alienation that viewers feel towards the machines (7) and robots contained in the fiction of Gundam, which can be found in the text of Gundam Scale Modelling as well.

17

Chapter 2: Overview of Philippine Gunpla (Interview with Richard Leo Borromeo Ramos) Detailed documentation of such a niche hobby is almost impossible to find, despite the significant amount of time having already passed since it actually gained exposure in pop-culture or otaku events and exhibitions.Nevertheless, the modellers always have their own recollections of their time in Gunpla, often marked down in the models themselves, a topic to be talked about in a later section. But for now, well be taking a look at one persons account of the past decade of Pinoy Gunpla, formed by his own participation in (and management of) one of the earliest organized online gunpla communities to exist locally, the group known as Mechapinoy. Coming from a family which also built military scale models, Richard Leo Borromeo Ramos, 38 years old and born January 24, 1974, began building Gundam kits around 1994-

1996, a period where the anime scene was just only starting to really boom. Gundam model kits which had its origins in the television shows concurrently shown at the time, were available in department stores (such as SM) and hobby stores (Such as Lils or Special Toy Center) for anyone who wanted to build them and Ramos was one of the first generations to actually take an interest in it. At the time, the only communication on the internet between Gundam enthusiasts would be in the form of international mailing lists that communicated largely in English. Ramos mentioned that over time which was from 1999 to the early 2000s several modellers started talking in Filipino and as a result broke off from the international group to make their own community made specifically for local fans. This was the beginning of Mechapinoy.

18

Not surprisingly many members of the group who now built mecha models first had their start in other similar fields, such as table top war gaming (Warhammer 40,000 and Warhammer fantasy7), and traditional scale modellers, with each genre bringing a particular technique to the table, as well as in-house contests for the members to participate in (the winners of which would become the yearly standard). This matters in that the overall effect of this would be that there would be a spreading of knowledge and approaches throughout members and collectively boosting the experience of the group as a whole. One such example would be a perceived theme that would be evident in their work for each passing theme. Each person (usually) starts out with the basics, nippers to cut parts off the sprues, cheap spray paints or bottled hand brush paints in order to color the finished product. And ideally it would stick closely to the original show-accurate colors with only minor variations or color swaps, but this also leaves room for experimenting with spray and brush techniques for enhancing the look of a model, but overall nothing is outwardly changed in its appearance. Later on, Ramos would recall that the introduction of airbrush modellers would change the game due to how fine and accurate one could be with it eliminating the wasted overspray cans, and would eventually lead to a divisive issue itselfthat of elitism, since the airbrush set would be much more expensive than a set of canned spray paints. Both of these though would still strive for a sort of clean look that would define the Mechapinoy look for a time (and be reiterated in different means). One watershed moment, Ramos says, would be the introduction of a set of kits from another toy line geared at customizing models by using variation parts. This line is known as the
7

Games Workshop, Warhammer Fantasy, Warhammer 40,000 (Games Workshop, 1983-present) - Is a collectible miniatures table top war game. Figures are sold as kits and painted, and utilize a complex rule system for turnbased gameplay between two or more players on a table-sized diorama.

19

Zoids Customize Parts (CP) kits, which included different guns and weapons what would offer a wide range of armament to the standard model. The challenge then would be how many guns you could slap onto a single Gundam model using these parts. The results were often exaggerated, overkill and in a way would confirm Lunnings mecha as the masculine ideal (274). When two International Plastic Modellers SocietyPhilippines (IPMS-Philippines), notably Karl Fritz Nualla, and Simon Pala came into the scene, they introduced another trend, going from overt physical modifications of kits to subtle aesthetic, proportional modifications and finer techniques in building, with an emphasis on minimalism and once more, show-accuracy. The current (2011-20XX) trend with the people of Mechapinoy is perfecting the pearlescent approach to a models stock colors, turning away from dull colors to candy colors, a difficult finish to achieve without a significant amount of time invested in honing their techniques. Years of experience now comes into the discussion, because in dealing with such an expensive hobby anyone who willingly does attempt to build a kit must consider all their steps as carefully as possible, especially if they are on a tight budget. Such constraints create an ideal environment for learning due to a no-waste mentality, and placing a high value on the clean approach which would eventually lead to a preference for a linear style. This would not mix in well with other modellers who would value more outward and raw modifications, and a tendency to break from canon designs. Newmodellers seem to be reacting to the standards set by older groups who took much more time to finish one kit as opposed to the quick and dirty way (experimentation on cheaper bootleg model kits) with which this newer generation is more familiar with. Ramos calls it,
20

Theinstant gratification problemand a lack of time investment. What this generally means is with the production of bootleg options to modellers, there is less planning and care taken in building since high price and investment is no longer a factor. Modellers become free to experiment but at the same time actually in their own little way harm the legitimate producers. But this sort of alternate route to gunpla can also shape how one builds, with a cheaper base to begin with they become free from the considerations inherent in subtle mods, and instead see it as an opportunity to become more free with design (however impractical it may appear to the canon sticklers), and thus emerges as a reactionary style. A polarizing event to say the least that would eventually lead to another group known as the Gundam-Mecha Arts and Crafts community or G-MAC, led by Vanz Hilario, who we will be taking a closer look at, later on. Style trends like this can disappear as fast as they arrive, especially when the pioneer of that trendsomeone like Fritz Nualladecides to retire from the scene for whatever reason. In a general sense, such a relationship between trends relates to a frequent shift from a minimalistic or essential way of building to a maximal or elaborate remodelling style. Ramos observed that most of the modellers working in the former style tend to be architects, engineers, and drafters, what he considers to be in the sciences, hence the more careful and calculated alterations, logical considerations in personal design (Ramos, interview). Members of the latter

meanwhile tend to have an artistic background, focusing more on presentation and imagination. The clashing of these styles both benefitted each other and at the same time heightened the political divide between groups. The benefit comes in a way that healthy competition

21

between styles can only further innovations in technique and execution but at the same time can lead to stereotyping and repression by community reactions. Yet influence comes from both sides, as when I had asked Ramos about what he thinks is the biggest influence in the style of Mechapinoy through the years, He responded,I think the biggest influence at this point is actually the conflicts Mechapinoy has had with other communities. I would consider it the same way with groups like G-mac and other groups, when one considers that they began as reactions to Mechapinoy to begin with, and with every contest that comes around, all the pieces on display stand testament to this.

22

Chapter 3: Modellers and their Mecha With the current situation of the gunpla scene condensed and dealt with in the preceding section, this new one begins with a profile of a few builders and their models, each chosen because of how varied their range is, in terms of experience and approach to their build. We shall be taking a look at how they interpret canon and define their method, and provide some analysis on some of the pieces that they consider to be what defines them as gunpla modellers in the present. Eric Capucion and Bum-Ball-Bee 41-year old Eric Capucion who describes his work as a freelance internet writer has a fairly late start in the hobby, starting only in 2008.His first experience was with the current incarnation of Gundam at the time: Gundam 008, but his first kit came from the Gundam SEED Destiny9 series, an FG (beginner grade) Strike Freedom Gundam, as it was still being sold on shelves and was relatively affordable to anyone wishing to start in gunpla. It was from there that he joined the plamo.outhere forum, gathering whatever tips he could in order to build the way he wanted. Eric builds kits from inspiration, often that inspiration can come from anywhere and once he has had an idea of what he wants to build, he tries to see how he can push himself with the new challenge in front of him.
8

Yosuke Koroda, Seiji Mizushima, Kido SenshiGandamuDaburu O, Mobile Suit Gundam 00 (Sunrise, 2007)th Sunrises 11 Gundam Series, and occurs in a separate universe from the first series. 9 Mitsuo Fukuda, Chiaki Morosawa, Kido SenshiGandamuShidoDesutini, Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Destiny th (Sunrise, 2004)- Sunrises 10 Gundam Series, a sequel of the last series from the same production crew, Gundam SEED (2002).

23

This led to the creation of Bum-Ball-Bee (fig.1), a piece inspired by the 2007 Transformers10movie aesthetic, which he applied to a 1/100 scaled RGM-Ball model kit (see appendix), which in its original form is simply a ball shaped robot with stick arms and a gun mounted on top.

Figure 1 Bum-Ball-Bee by Eric Capucion. Scale- 1/100 November 2011

What Eric did was to take an inner frame of another robot and wear the parts of the RGM Ball around it, simulating the effect of the Transformers which were able to change from vehicles to robots.

10

Michael Bay, Transformers (DreamWorks Pictures, 2007)- The Transformers Franchise deals with extra-terrestrial robots able to transform into common earth vehicles and utilities. Bumblebee, the yellow sports car (originally a Volkswagen Beetle) is one of the popular main characters present in most versions of the franchise.

24

Not being limited to that, he even went and mimicked the pose of one of the transformersAutobot Bumblebee, when composing his model on the diorama. Eric mentions that in his builds he only considers one permanent pose for each piece, always considering how it would look when photographed since its the only way it will be seen in its pristine condition and sort of making it immortal (Capucion, Interview), in doing so he makes sure that each gallery shot would be an interesting picture, whether it was putting emphasis on a specific part or framing a creative shot of the model. For this particular piece he chose to base the posture on the 2007 poster of Bumblebee (the namesake of the model) from the movie Transformers (Fig. 2.).

Figure 2 Comparisons between Bum-Ball Bee, and Bumblebee from Transformers (2007).

The model itself is very interesting; with its fusion of two completely different franchises it ends up being something of an odd mix that worked. I am familiar with this particular piece having seen it on display at a Gundam caravan exhibit once in SM Megamall last 2011, but I was not aware outright that this piece was paying homage to Transformers. Rather what first caught
25

my eye was the look of it. Something quite different from the normal aesthetic of the model kits which (traditionally) had a unified smooth form, Bum-Ball-Bee opposes this by having many protrusions and exposed mechanical parts with orange plates hanging out, which would imply the capability to compress into a fully sealed orange colored form. Secondly it was the dynamic posture that attracted me to the piece, which had a freezeframe effect on me, as if being brought to the second before it shoots its cannon, something that I had long accepted as a stock pose. In fact if it were not for the interview with the builder I would not have drawn parallels between this model and Transformers Bumblebee. Though by observing certain cues such as the pose and the conscious choice of placement of the orange plates one may infer a similarity, it emerges much quicker when one has a familiarity with the franchise being paid homage. On a general level this is a fine example of a masculine form, with rough edges and dynamic posture, standing feet apart while about to shoot a gun as large as its torsoan emphasis on armament (with a light effect to simulate it charging), at its feet lays the remains of a jet while the free hand clenches the detached cockpit (the area where the pilot of an aircraft can be found) of it, either rescuing the pilot as would be inferred from the homage of bumblebee, who is depicted as a guardian of sorts. Something consistent with Lunnings concept of the mecha as a protector, and one that is also massively armed to show power. These cues were carefully planted by Eric Capucion, that can appeal both to a casual viewer and a pop-culture nerdIf one looks hard enoughbecause of his emphasis on going beyond the confines of the canon, admitting that he considers not

26

watching the source material as an advantage in competition builds, it frees up his creativity when envisioning what he wants a piece to look like. He weds different influences together into a piece that is filled with little hints here and there about the origins of certain motifs and themes. While admittedly the appeal is lost to most except geeks themselves, the piece can still stand alone due to a carefully thought out presentation. Angelo Guibone and 00 Uniqx Younger than the previous modeller(and youngest in the study), 28-year old Regional Officer Engineer Angelo Guibone does share something in common with Eric Capucion in that he also began his gunpla hobby in 2008 as a collector with a First Grade (FG) kit but started actual modelling in January of 2009. When he started, he had relied only on Gundam threads found in the local buy and sell website Suilt.ph, until someone had recommended that he should visit the Mechapinoy website. And upon his registration and immersion in the group, what struck him the most,aside from the threads that contained instructional topics and techniques, were the in-house monthly contests held between the members, which had boosted his interest in the hobby. He works as an idea person and would consider himself a customizer based on builds, often drawing inspiration from what seems to be in at the time and incorporating that theme into his customized Gundam models with the premise that such a theme has not been used before. In one way it can be categorized as a crossover between two franchises like Eric Capucions Bum-Ball-Bee.

27

One good example would be his MG Master Chief Zaku which was based on the Master Chief (Fig. 3) character from the Xbox videogame HALO.11Using a Master Grade model of a Zaku II (Fig. 7) he remodelled the look and articulation of the kit to better fit the character of Master Chief.

Figure 3. Comparison between Angelo Guibones Zaku Master Chief and Master Chief game character from Halo.Scale1/100. March 15,2010

Similar in attempt to Eric Capucion but more overt in paying homage to the source material, from the clunkiness of the design right down to the color and weathering on the armor, which contrasts the sleek and smooth look of the base model. As of this time what he considers as his signature is his tendency for crossovers, creating a new figure by combining parts of other
11

343 Industries, Halo (Microsoft Studios, 2011)-A first-person sci-fi shooting game set in a future setting that deals with the human race fighting off an alien invasion.

28

model kits to achieve the look of something that would be unrelated to Gundam as a whole. It is here that Lunnings analysis of the mecha as masculine is again fully exercised. From the pointed spikes of the shoulder armor to the broadness of the shoulders themselves there is an exaggerated, almost brutish appearance to the Zaku Master Chief that emulates the stance of a warrior, helped along once more by the oversized and macho weaponry and threefourths view stance in the picture. This is not really that far off from what the homage character tries to emulate through appearance and character archetype in-game

Figure 4. Angelo Guibone's 00 Uniqx Scale 1/100, February 5, 2011

with the Master Chief functioning as a Mary Sue.12 Meaning a stand-in for the player

which has characteristics that make him appeal to the often male player in that he is the protagonist and an alpha male, which is translated in the style of the model being discussed, and style that Angelo Guibone would come back to when he would return to this theme with another HALO inspired model.

12

Mary Sue- Literary term that is directed at the creation of Ideal characters who are also easy to project the reader or the creators persona on.

29

But he does not want to limit himself when making builds, and can easily adapt to another style such as his much cleaner 00 Uniqx (Fig. 4). This time though he did not have to go beyond the realms of the Gundam franchise to find a suitable combination.

Figure 5The 00 Uniqx and its weapon. 2010.

Another crossover piece but this time between two variants from the same franchise, namely; Gundam Unicorn13and Gundam 00 (see appendix) both of which are recent additions to the Gundam narrative, common again to both pieces is an emphasis on large weapons (Fig. 5),

13

Harutoshi Fukui, Kido SenshiGandamuYunikon, Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn (Gundam Ace/Sunrise, 2006/2012)- The latest series set in the same universe as the first Gundam anime. Originally began as a novel serialized in Gundam Ace, later adapted as an Original Video Animation series by Sunrise animation studios.

30

but in contrast to the Master Chief Zaku, the 00 Uniqx sports a weapon that fits the overall aesthetic of the robot wielding it, sleek but sharp edged. In terms of the robot itself, there is a more slender but angular feel to it, minimizing bulk for a streamlined appearance yet maintaining a sort of masculine effect through incorporating hard edges and sharp corners into the shapes that comprise the Uniqxs look. The original slightly curved slenderness of the 00 Qan [t] Gundam14 is downplayed and the motifs of the circular GN Drives (those green circular orbs on the body) which once served as the center focus of the design is displaced when the transparent red panels of the Unicorn Gundams Destroy Mode motif itself a motif used in the Gundam Unicorn anime to connote a state of violent power achieved by the mecha in the heat of battle are introduced to the Qan [t]s frame. His work comes from a desire to define himself from other modellers, with an emphasis on making his builds interesting, which he considers his own way of making his work Filipino (if only by affiliation). The Uniqx is peculiar in that it also has accompanying paraphernalia such as a specially made collectors box (Fig.6.) imprinted with the artists brand name of Mechdesigns- Creative Aesthetic Designs, and airbrush with simple stencil cover art.

14

00 Qan [t]- Double 0 Quanta, A Gundam from: Mobile Suit Gundam 00 The Movie-Awakening the Trailblazer(Sunrise,2010)

31

Even the gallery pictures include his watermarks bearing similar

information as well as the name of the specific model, immediately attributing the work to him. This effort made by the artist-modeller to establish a brand states to the viewer that this work is not intended to be anonymous or simply stand on its own but rather carry with it information on who made it. Thus, should it ever find its way to another website, it would then be immediately attributable to Angelo Guibone, a Filipino. The

works themselves are rather safer in terms of posing in their presentation

Figure 6.The 00 Uniqx with box. 2010.

than Bum-Ball-Bee but retain most of their articulation, which implies it is meant much more for occasional adjustment/repositioning than as a fixed display piece. Though there is no doubt the presentation is much more professional with cleaner photographs and the addition of a professional-looking watermark, much like what one would see in a brochure advertising a sports

32

car, all of which meant to highlight the quality of the finished piece, and encourage people to take him up on commission works. Something of note in particular with the works shown is the isolation of each piece from any such story. What I mean by this is that the isolation of the way it is presented simply frames the model as a model and without much implication of a backstory. It is there simply as a proof of concept, an idea the artist-modeller wished to put across visually. Even in their gallery pictures the way these models are framed, despite an attempt to recreate a real-world finish and an inclusion of at least one or two dynamic poses, these models never really come across as part of some created narrative, no attempt at creating or recreating scenes unlike what was shown by Eric Capucions work. And I think that it all relies on the intention of the modeller, which isto present the models as models. As I had mentioned, It is framed as how one would frame a sports car or any vehicle standing on its own with nothing else to distract the attention of the viewer from it. Alphonso Go and his Zaku Kai Stutzer Alphonso Go, 36 years old seems to be in the perfect situation for any scale modeller. Managing his family-owned hardware store, he has access to many materials one might need to build their gunpla and, one might assume, enough material to even begin creating their own designs. But Alphonso, a builder for 15 years now, likes to stick with what he knows, which is being as close to the canon designs as possible. Again one can posit the question, Wouldnt such an approach be limiting? But with the history of the Gundam franchise backing him up, modellers like Alphonso will never run out of design variations offered up in the official canon.

33

The concept of variation is right at home with the military theme of Gundam and is rooted in the real world sensibility of producing different combat vehicles for different types of battle operations. Some variations can only have minor differences, while others include a partial overhaul of the external appearance of a vehicle. The latter is what is usually more preferable to modellers as the changes are more overt while not creating a completely different looking model. For this study, Alphonso has chosen to share a work in progress instead of a finished piece, which I can justify in that it is a perfect example of the build process of one who does variation builds. From the pictures one would be able to observe the layers of work going into a specific model, from the base to the new additions made to it. The model in particular to be talked about is the Zaku II (Stutzer), which appeared in the serialized photo novelAdvance of Zeta:The Flag of Titans. This series appeared in the pages of Dengeki Hobby magazine, and many of the mobile suit variations seen in the series (aside from the Hazel Gundam) did not have any model kits made of them. The Zaku Stutzer is a variant of the simpler Zaku II (Fig. 7) which has received much iteration in model form throughout the years.However, kits of the more outwardly altered variants are few in production. This leaves many to make their own as Alphonso has done. What is remarkable about these designs are the inclusions of concept artwork in the magazines in which they are featured. More often than not, isometric views are made available as supplementary material in the serial chapters, making them readily available to native (Japanese) modellers or persistent overseas readers. While there is an exclusive resin conversion kit offered

34

by B-club,15 the prohibitive prices and its long sold-out status has led to modellers like Alphonso to go and build their own out of materials that they have.

In creating a model of the Zaku Stutzer,

Alphonso has utilized parts from many kits and even scratch built his own from sheets of styrene and other

random plastic bits. And

Figure 7.The Original Zaku II Design (left) and the Zaku II Stutzer (right).

while

in

its

current form it is not

complete, one can immediately see how close it is to the source material, and observe the different parts that will go into the finished piece. In choosing to go his own path in making the model, Alphonso has opened up for his own interpretation of the Stutzer. As seen in Fig. 8,There are some similarities in terms of a few of the parts used but overall the difference is there. Personal interpretations of the references lead to an even finer point of variation, though one can say that the very creation of a model kit for mass production is partly the realization of a personal interpretation of the kit engineer (or a team of them) as a response to the work of the mechanical designer, once more, a demonstration of
15

B-Club- A subsidiary of Bandai that offers limited production resin kits for converting mass-marketed releases, or kits exclusive to their model line.

35

Baudrillards Simulation and Simulacra (3). When it comes to the capable hands of a gunpla modeller the kit may undergo yet another reinterpretation, this time through the method of building or painting.

Figure 8 Alphonso Go's Stutzer build (left) and the B-Club Resin Conversion Kit Stutzer (right).Scale- 1/144. July 7, 2010

Closer views of Alphonsos mode (Figs. 9&10) shows the application of several modelling techniques in the raw which also helps illustrate exactly what goes into a build. There are parts which have been primered in preparation for painting and to detect flaws in melding, areas where gaps have been filled with plastic putty, raw sheet templates that are cut and glued into desired shapes to be refined with sanding later on. Details like this are hardly evident in the finished models and it almost seems that the build was an effortless and smooth attempt an effect that makes it comparable to the company built models seen on instruction manuals. But in

36

pictures like these one can see the rawness of a certain build the mixing of sometimes seamlessly fitting but often mismatched parts coming together for a cohesive design.

Figure 9 Zaku Stutzer back detail.

Such a sentiment is true for both those who conform and those who deviate from the canon when they build their gunpla. Alphonsos work is no different. While considerably advanced for the normal fare of gunpla building,( which is to say in terms of outward modification) the characteristic of it still being as accurate as possible to the canon design shows some restraint. There are no details which are not on the official art. Granted personal interpretation is still in play here, it is kept well enough in check. The builders choice in following the canon can limit
37

their persona from emerging fully in their build at least in this stage, but once finished, photography can be the second stage in which the builders presence and preference can be felt.

Figure 10 Zaku Stutzer raw build.

Here though, neutrality wins out, as the open intent of the builder is to simply show what has gone into the model as of this time, to me though it is no less an impressive attempt.

38

Paul Velandos Visit to a Fallen Hero Paul Velando, a 27-yearold Subject Mater Expert at Sitel Philippines is a toy person. Like many who grew up in the late 1980s-early 1990s, he enjoys indulging in nostalgia, collecting transformers toys and the like, being able to enjoy what he could not afford when he was younger. Including Gundam, with Paul building kits in his childhood but with less than stellar results, Paul had kick-started his recent gunpla hobby though experimenting with repainting his transformers toys. Paul considers his work on gunpla as a therapeutic exercise meant to de-stress from work. However, the very activity also implies a higher sense of awareness in building and a finer sense of craftsmanship. To this end, Paul has steadily improved his craft over a short span of three or so years, guided by older enthusiasts like Giovanni Hilario. Paul would be a product of what I consider the GMAC School of modelling. This is characterized by affiliation to Vanz Hilario and his open and inclusive approach to sharing technique with the gunpla community, through an easily approachable website/page. Paul has yet to consider having a style but his range of work is varied in a sense that most are experiments in different types of finishes. He attributes this to mood, depending on how he feels on a certain project, and what he wants to accomplish, two separate styles are combined in one composition. An example of Pauls exercise in mood is seen in his piece called Visit to the Fallen Hero (Fig. 11), a diorama piece that incorporates two scale models: the 1/144 Kshatriya and 1/144 RX-78-2 Gundam. The diorama illustrates a custom Kshatriya painted in the red and black deco of Char Azanable (a lead character and antagonist in the original Gundam series) hovering over a fallen

39

Gundam, implied to be the mecha of Amuro Ray (the protagonist of the aforementioned original series). A closer detail of the diorama (Fig. 13) also reveals a lone pilot figure standing next to the fallen Gundam, assumed to be Char Azanable16himself. In one picture, the framing of that part of the diorama holds a very solemn atmosphere to it, despite also putting emphasis on framing the work done on the embedded model. Zooming out again one also observes the Kshatriya itself, weapons deployed and sabers on the ready with wings spread fashion. On his Facebook profile where an album (Velando, out in an angelic

Visit to the Fallen Hero, Facebook) dedicated to this piece is posted, Paul takes the time to take pictures and frame them in a way that creates a
Figure 5.Paul Velando's Visit to the Fallen Hero, Scale- 1/144. November 2010

narrative around the individual

16

Char Azanable- The main Antagonist of Mobile Suit Gundam (1979)

40

elements that makes up the entire diorama with pictures not just focusing on the detail and effort put into the models (though surely it is part of that) but instead there is an attempt to create a mood in several pictures, as already shown in Figure 12, and again seen in Figure 13. With the Kshatriya emerging from the pitch-black background and dramatically lighted on the front only. One could say it is meant to emulate an effect of being in outer space, as inferred earlier by the cratered surface of the diorama base but this time, the off-panel lighting can be taken as the reflected light taken from a (relatively) nearby celestial body like a planet, star or a space colony. Though a straight line cuts through the dark background on the lower left portion of the image, somewhat breaking the illusion, it is still a fairly good attempt at painting a picture of the model in a creative way, different from images like Guibones.

Figure 6. Kshatriya Detail

41

Figure 7. Detail of the 'Fallen Hero'

Another picture(Figure 13), has elements of selectively isolating portions of the diorama to tell a story, where one sees the fallen Gundam which has been all but eaten up by the cratered surface but nonetheless weathered to show age and decay. Whereas the Kshatriya is painted in a vibrant red color and is clean, the Gundam is painted in dull earth tones which match the surface of the diorama base, indicating age and destruction, with grime and paint wear and dust building up on it. In the image (fig.13), the vignette of the image added during editing helps the already black background into isolating the viewers vision into further focusing on the apparent subjects seen in the photo, emphasizing on the lone red pilot figure occupying the empty space on the

42

left-hand part of the image, and slowly moving towards the dead mecha to the right, as one slowly observes all the details of the machine. Mood can be inferred from the pictures, and what can be immediately felt is a sort of cold distance or rather death a great solitude that envelops the viewer into quietly looking as if from a window, looking clearly at an event unfolding but never feeling like a part of it at all. The inclusion of this piece illustrates a tendency in some to create a story through their craft, and as taken from my interview (Velando, 2012), Fallen Hero was born from an idea of a side story, something created within the confines of the canon and yet exists solely for the pleasure of the fan and anyone they wish to share it with, and not part of the official canon as a whole. What occurs is a modeller is given the elements of the bigger story, which they take to create their own smaller stories, something that they can claim for themselves. Sometimes the story revolves around a certain theme that is subject to the creators discretion. When it is put into practice, the results can become very telling, an effect that is magnified when the creator uses minimal elements in his diorama, striking a balance between telling a story and engaging in a show of skill with their viewers. Paul succeeds in this piece, creating a story out of creative framing, minimal elements, and a good theme.

43

Giovanni Vanz Hilario and the ELS Qan [t] Giovanni Hilario has a very open personality. Thirty-four years old, he has worked in Ueno, Tokyo, Japan as a bartender and master cook but has since returned to the Philippines under a senior position at a call center in Libis. Vanz has been a builder since 1997 through the encouragement of his Japanese brother-in-law who had bought him the complete 1/100 scaled Gundam Wing Endless Waltz kits. At first he built only for a personal collection but he eventually joined online communities in an effort to build better models. Being impressed by the modifications being done by experienced modellers, he soon found himself in an environment that would habitually shun new hobbyists whenever they asked the older masters for tips and tutorials. Not being discouraged, Vanz decided to learn everything he could on his own time and share whatever he learned on his blog or to those who would ask him. Though now he is well versed in many techniques of building and painting he never considers himself as a master of the craft. He considers himself to still be someone who is continually learning, even going so far as to decline being called sir or master by fans of his work and to simply ask to be called kuya Vanz or daddy Vanz in an attempt to become more approachable. In a similar vein to the previous modellers, Vanz wants his work to be recognized as something that he owns. In one aspect he achieves this by attempting builds which have never been attempted officially by Bandai. He even goes as far as scratch building them; that is, to create models from the most basic materials such as plastic sheet, glue or epoxy putty, with little or no base models to work with. Even with commissioned pieces where the person paying him to make the model usually holds the cards in regards to the specifications of the project (color scheme, look, details, etc.), Vanz still appeals to put his own personal touch on the project.

44

One of his latest finished projects, the ELS Qan[t] Gundam [Fig. 14], based on a 1/144 resin statue kit, he has built up a 1/100 scaled version, with fully movable limbs and detailing, in an attempt to bring it into a Master Grade17level of finish.

Figure 8. Vanz Hilario's ELS Qan [t]. Scale- 1/100. November 8, 2011

17

Master Grade- Is a term used for 1/100 scaled of Gundam kits that feature a lot of parts, usually it has a mechanical frame underneath the streamlined armor that adds to the believabilityand difficultyof the kit.

45

Vanz labels his works under Anazasi Custom Styles which is what he considers his signature, and visually this translates into titanium colored and clean finishes, or finely blended gradients on a well-built base figure. He usually searches for projects which are challenging to build and keep within the source material, though he can often manage conceptualize on his own, when he commits to a pre-made design [Fig.16]; he tries to be as accurate as possible with the piece.

Figure 9. Comparison with the original 1/144 resin kit and Vanz's 1/100 scaled custom model.

In regards to how he makes his models, Vanz is what I consider close to the Japanese style in scratch-built models. The Qan [t] is a good example, the clean finish and tedious research about
46

the original 1/144 scaled resin kit and adjustment to the 1/100 scale [Fig.15.] is a departure from the previously shown pieces. It is more subdued and elegant in look with minimal weapons or exaggerations in design, with nothing beyond what it was based upon. The ELS Qan [t] as it is depicted in Figure 14 (its final state of presentation) is presented to be viewed in person, as the builder lets it speak for itself, something different from how it appears on his blog site in a static standing pose.

Figure 10.ELS Qan [t] concept art.

Vanz allows his model to be framed by other photographers or casual observers which is consistent with his openness to share his work. Depicted mid-flight, arranged in a way that lets it look good from most angles, the angelic flight of the Qan [t] is both elegant and imposing, appearing to move the ground in opposite directions as its wings are spread, This is helped along

47

by the angled projection of the crystals on the diorama base spread out in directions where wind from the wings would blow whats more is the choice of proportions of the extremities are meatier than that on the concept art, which might possibly be a result of preference. Elegant in that it lacks any of the battle worn weathering shown on other models, if anything it appears too clean, even pearlescent, with curves that give it a feminine attribute, something that appears to be prevalent in the 00 Gundam series. The presentation of Vanzs ELS Qan [t] is almost the opposite of what Eric Capucion did with Bum-Ball-Bee. The Qan [t] does not show a rough, gritty, form, in fact it is as clean as Guibones 00 Uniqx but it does not present an idea that is separate from the canon. It is instead the copy of a copy concept of Baudrillards Simulation and Simulacra (going so far as being a copy of a resin model which is based off of a variant of a mecha seen in the animated movie, instantly granting it four layers of being a copy). Though framed to be viewed by a present observer (that is to say that viewer was in the same space as the model), it nonetheless still frames itself with reference to the source material.

48

Chapter 4: Analysis and Conclusion Analysis From the selected works, there is a good tendency to fall in with the tropes that define the genre of mecha, that is to say a conscious choice to work within a canonin this case meaning the bigger traits and characteristics that define mecha anime aesthetics, which is translated through their execution of the build. We can observe the broad-shouldered, angular and muscular build of each piece, dominantly masculine visual cues on most of the models; of course there is also the war machine aspect of them which is inherently something that is male as well. One notable example is Velandos Kshatriya (Fig 10 &11) with its broad and wide proportions evoking strength,it is overblown even more with its extremities that visually resemble wings. One can notice how large and bulbous they are, giving mass to the entire model both literally and figuratively. Its bright red coloration and horned face also connotes a sort of devilish impression. This fits in with the reputation of the pilot character of the mecha, Char Azanable, who is sometimes coined as the red comet (Char Aznable, My Anime List) a persona feared by the enemy army. The battle worn appearance connoting an existence in a war-like state can be found meanwhile in pieces like Capucions Ball-Bee and Guibones Master Chief Zaku. There is a lack of a streamlined appearance in the mentioned pieces, emphasizing more what Lunning had mentioned as exaggeration (274), shown with the exposed panels in Capucions work which, aside from implying the ability of the mecha to compress into a smaller form also extends the musculature of the model as well, making it appear broader and more imposing. Guibones example meanwhile makes use of armor plating and spikes, with a rugged appearance created by

49

weathering, something one can compare with a faded army jeep or any other combat-ready vehicle that is in a constant state of war, an aggressive act most often linked to men. The chipped paint and rust, weathering and dirt effects coupled with the massive and phallic weaponry and a matte finish firmly puts the model within a male framework. Go and Hilarios works meanwhile become examples of the concept of the simulacra (Baudrillard, Simulation and Simulacra) where there exists a physical, three-dimensional manifestation of a concept from something fictional, which in itself is a product of marrying previous thematic concepts together to form an image that takes cues from many sources while existing only in the realm of fiction. This concept is fully expressed in how the modellers had paid attention to details, making sure that their interpretations would end up as accurate to the source material as best as they could build it. Often double-checking isometric views and reference pictures to fit the 2D representation or instead redefining their copy and creating variation, a combination of copies to create something somewhat original yet still firmly rooted in the themes and visual cues of the archetypal source, like Guibones Uniqx or Velandos Red Kshatriya, none of which are canonical at all but carry visual cues that are specific to Gundam and its canon, making them plausible enough to exist in that universe. All of the works exhibit a sort of masculine posturing as well, including Gos work, as seen on one full-body picture. While incomplete, it is still posed the way a man would pose. Feet often apart and firmly planted, shoulders wide and fists clenched and brandishing a weapon, or if in a dynamic posture, it is either in a defensive or offensive pose, denoting a state of combat. These choices in posing act as signifiers, evoking a particular message to the viewer. In this case playing on the masculine aspect of the model, presenting that it is built to fight, which is why it adopts a warrior stance, and is built with warrior-like proportions.
50

As an activity, Gunpla becomes a de-stressor or an exercise in fiction making, all of the modellers interviewed take a step out of their real life to indulge In the building of a fantasy machine, pooling all of their knowledge of the subject or their own re-imaginings into the build and their working on the model now becomes an act of play to them, though their final output is anything but a childs plaything. On Gunpla and the Filipino Throughout this study, I have found that from my five interviewed modellers there is a consistent standard of quality of their work that can be said to apply to any gunpla enthusiast when it comes to the quality of the build. In relation to that, a tendency falls towards mimesis or accuracy when it comes to making a build, even in trying to emulate or combine two different visual styles there is an attempt to combine them both in a way that the individual elements of each are easily discernible or at least identifiable. In discussing the quality of work, I observed the finish of each piece is consistent with a certain standard, which was hinted at in the beginning of the last chapter that discussed a condensed history of Philippine gunpla. It seems that the quality of finish is often a key factor in how a completed piece is viewed by both the builder and his intended audience, as a piece is deemed only fit to photograph in its entirety only when it seems clean enough, even with the battle damaged models such as Guibones Master Chief Zaku or Velandos dead Gundam in Fallen Hero both appear to be dirty in a clean way, as if the weathering and age appear to have been planted in fact emphasizing the details of the kit even more. In Velandos Kshatriya (from the same diorama) and Hilarios ELS Qan [t] the clean finish is found in the gloss top

51

coating and how shiny it appears, like a new sports car, a shine that can also be found in the way the mecha appears in their respective series. This brings me to my second observation in relation to making their builds. When presented with the option to freely make a build, modellers have a tendency to attempt to create something that lacks an official release and lay first claim on it as a featand once it has gained much attention it is labelled as proudly Filipino. In the process of making it they value accuracy, rather than personalization which becomes a sort of mark of skill in the community, in being given the barest or raw material, to work with measurements and reference materials and some engineering, one can produce a build that is of production quality, and faithful to the original concept. Why is such a thing considered very highly? My hypothesis lies in the exactness of the builder when they make their models. Even a slight deviation from the design (such as the arms being too long on the build as opposed to the artwork) can throw off the modellers entire attempt at creating a simulacrum. Most inexperienced modellers would hand-wave this away and simply claim it as being the (X)version of the design (with x standing in for their handle or nickname in this context, for example, calling something the Anasazi Version of something attributes that peculiar build to a modeller who calls himself Anasazi), meanwhile older modellers would favour re-doing that entire section of the model that is out of proportion with the rest of the project due to it being more of a challenge to their skill. Ramos mentioned it is often the most minor modifications that began as lengthy and calculated attempts (Ramos, 2012), the payoff being able to trick the viewer into thinking that absolutely nothing was altered, or making the modifications seem natural.

52

It is a big deal to gunpla builders to gain this sort of mastery but of course there also exists the creatively inclined, builders who chose to be visual rather than technical. I mean this in the sense that they value their personal vision and design over the cookiecut templates of the official canon, they create pieces that blend influences. With these types of modellers it may become a game to either subtly insert certain visual elements or make them blatantly apparent, but striking a balance is essential for any undertaking of this sort to succeed, visually. A good example would be Capucions work and Guibones work, the former was able to hide elements of the Transformers theme well, while the Latter made good use of the visual cues to bring out the look of the Master Chief, working over the smooth and almost featureless shape of the base model and adding as many detailed areas as possible. Another topic that I would like to discuss is the concept of Filipino in the context of these works. I had in my mind a working theory on how the Filipino quality of a work might show, and I assumed it would have made itself visible in visual cues, again working with elements that one can assume to be Filipino such as visual design based on warriors like Lapu-Lapu, Katipunero motifs, Philippine flag imagery, etc. anything that would immediately point out the identity of the work as Filipino. Yet in the course of my brief research I have found that the Filipino quality of the work is something that is more subtle. Trying to strike a happy medium between too clean and too gritty, combining several techniques to bring out certain elements such as details, weathering, personalized insignias, or composition, there is always something that keeps the eye moving around the model, paying attention to intricate details or differences, what I would personally compere to a habit similar to what is done with the old Spanish-era miniaturismo painting, indeed one is tempted to come

53

nearer to look at the model to fully appreciate certain parts of it, rather than looking at it as a whole. Though it is unfortunate that for this study the sources of the pictures often lack detailed shots, it can be said that gunpla and scale modelling as a hobby is meant to be looked at inperson rather than just through pictures, though pictures are themselves essential in framing pieces a certain way for example as part of a narrative, to fully appreciate the craft of it one has to be there and view it freely, and in some lucky instances, to be able to touch the model. Another angle modellers often use to gauge the Filipino-ness of a piece is through attribution, which is much more direct. In my interviews a few of the respondents mentioned that how their work is considered Filipino is through knowing that a Filipino made it. Often it has nothing to do with visual style rather than the person behind the build. To know the modeller and make the connection to his ethnicity determines (for the modellers) the Filipino-ness of the work, this implies that something finely crafted can be expected from a Filipino modeller, a standard that some of the older generation of gunpla enthusiasts would try to promote. It may sound simplistic and circular but this sort of comment has its roots again in technical proficiency. The more tricks one has under his sleeve, the more one can experiment with their work, you recognize the skill and mastery of the individual not through the individual himself but instead through his background, or identity, you make the association with Anasazi customs and how Vanz would proudly associate it to his being Filipino. To them, it can show the international community that the Filipino modellers can perform at the highest standards of the hobby, and in some cases even exceed and redefine it. This is how personal nationalism is expressed in the hobby, to be able to dance toe-to-toe with other builders of different nationalities, to never miss a step, and eventually lead the pace, the concept of Proudly Pinoy.

54

Conclusion In this study, we have observed how five individuals use this hobby to become a means for expressing their interest in a certain field. What can also be seen is the eagerness to compete or make a place for them within the hobby. It is clear that they make an effort to document their works whenever they can, sharing it on social networking sites, hobby forums or their own personal blogs, directed at a broader audience, not only to those who participate in the hobby but to common observers as well, often intending that their work encourages others to try the hobby themselves, which is what modellers like Giovanni Hilario tries to do. While there are some peculiarities and context clues laid in some works such as Eric Capucions or Paul Velandos work, it is framed in a way that can be appreciated both in the general and in a particular sense, with the latter serving more as an Easter egg to any a keen fan. Familiarity with the work also has its own rewards, when one recognizes a design or a certain choice of build, they share in the accomplishment of the builder, and the builder in turn feels gratified to have this specific aspect of their work recognized. As such this reinforces the modellers tendency to stick to canon, or what has been established when they can help it, feeling secure that they can be able to reach a better audience, something that also influences their conscious decision to do gunpla at all, having the confidence that their work will find viewers or critics, and being recognized/ appreciated within the fandom for their work is something that is important to the modeller, reassuring them that what they do is not a waste of time. The works presented in this study have revolved around a world of tropes and archetypes, and each one is a stand-alone interpretation of this long-standing canon. There are breaks from it as asserted by many modellers who seek to differentiate what they do from what everyone else

55

does, but there is no hiding the fact that more often than not they go back to the canon so as to keep their works recognizable to long-time fans of the franchise. There is similarity in their work with what has been done; there is a need to create physical simulationbuilding models for their own pleasure and gratification. And throughout the course of their hobby there is a drive to try and bring something of themselves to the table, it manifests itself in how they interpret concepts like masculinity in the form and appearance of their work, sometimes these are concepts they are aware of, sometimes it may be something that just seeps into their work with years of exposure in the medium of gunpla or the Gundam stories themselves. In as much as they make a conscious effort to be different, they do so in a way that they will still be tied to Gundam as a whole. This brings about a multitude of other topics that can come forth from what this study has brought up, such as the proliferation of other gunpla groups in the Philippines, or how each group can develop a tendency towards a house style of building, the place of gunpla in a popcultural/ otaku backdrop, taking a look at female modellers in this generally male dominated hobby, and what, specifically, is Philippine gunpla. For now though this paper has merely scratched the surface of this bigger topic of the phenomena of Gunpla, nevertheless, it is the researchers sincere hope that others may keep digging at it and gain even newer insights to this creative outlet.

56

Bibliography Baudrillard, Jean. Simulacra and Simulation.Trans. Sheila Faria Glaser.Web. 28 Aug. 2011. <http://www9.georgetown.edu/faculty/irvinem/theory/BaudrillardSimulacra_and_Simulation.pdf>. Capucion, Eric. "Mechapinoy Gallery: Collections." MECHAPINOY.ORG Official Website. 2011. Web. 19 Jan. 2012.

<http://www.mechapinoy.org/gallery/index.php?fb_source=message>.

"Char

"The

Red

Comet,

Quattro Web.

Bajeena,

Edward 27

Mass,

CasvalRemDeikun" 2012.

Aznable."CharAznable.

Apr.

<http://myanimelist.net/character/1336/Char_Aznable>.

"ELS Qan [t] Image." Web. 27 Apr. 2012. <http://gundam.wikia.com/wiki/File:Jznxzc.png>.

"Gunpla and Photography: Posing HobbyLink.tv." HobbyLink.tv. Web. 13 July 2011. <http://www.hobbylink.tv/gunpla-and-photography-posing>. Galbraith, Patrick W. "Akihabara: Conditioning a Public "Otaku" Image." Mechademia 5 (2010): 210-30. Project Muse.Web. 6 July 2011.

57

Go, Jr., Alphonso. "IMG_0413." Flickr. Yahoo!, 07 July 2010. Web. 9 Feb. 2012. <http://www.flickr.com/photos/23699712@N07/4773114600/in/photostream>.

Guibone, Angelo. "Mechdesigns: 00 Uniqx." Mechdesigns. 5 Feb. 2011. Web. 19 Feb. 2012. <http://mechdesigns.blogspot.com/2011/02/00-uniqx.html>.

Guibone, Angelo. "Mechdesigns: MG HALO - Master Chief - Zaku." Mechdesigns. 15 Mar. 2010. Web. 27 Apr. 2012. <http://mechdesigns.blogspot.com/2010/03/master-grade-zakuver.html>.

Higonnet, Margaret. "War Toys: Breaking and Remaking in Great War Narratives." The Lion and the Unicorn 31.2 (2007). Project Muse.Web. 10 Aug. 2011.

Hilario, Giovanni. "Dark Side of the Sun." : GNT-0000 OOqan[t] 1/100MG Scratch Built ELS Project by Anazasi Custom. 8 Nov. 2011. Web. 27 Apr. 2012. <http://gmac300.blogspot.com/2011/11/gnt-0000-ooqant-1100mg-scratch-built.html>. Lunning, Fenchy. "Between the Child and the Mecha."Mechademia 2 (2007): 268-82. Project MUSE. Web. 7 July 2011.

"Master Chief Image." Master Chief (Halo) vs Sheppard (Mass Effect).Web. 27 Apr. 2012. <http://lounge.moviecodec.com/images/polloption/master-chief-17237.jpg>.

58

MECHAPINOY.ORG Official Website.Web. 13 July 2011. <http://www.mechapinoy.org/>.

"Mobile Suit Gundam." MAHQ.Web. 13 Apr. 2012. <http://mahq.net/mecha/gundam/msgundam/index.htm>.

"Mobile Suit Gundam UC (OAV)." - Anime News Network.Web. 13 Apr. 2012. <http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/anime.php?id=10806>.

"NEWS." Mobile Suit Gundam 00.Web. 13 Apr. 2012. <http://gundam00.bandai-ent.com/>. Velando, Paul. ""Visit to the Fallen Hero" Char's Kshatriya." Nov. 2010. Web. 27 Feb. 2012. <https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.466832941312.244364.625011312&type=3 >

Tatsumi, Takayuki, and Christopher Bolton."Gundam and the Future of Japanoid Art Response."Mechademia 3 (2008): 191-98. Project MUSE. Web. 7 July 2011.

"Zaku II Image."Web. 2012. <http://images.wikia.com/gundam/images/f/f1/Ms_zakuii_a.gif

"Zaku Kai "Stutzer" Image."Web. 27 Apr. 2012.

59

<http://images.wikia.com/gundam/images/e/e6/Ms-06f-stutzer.jpg>.

Interviews:

"Interview with Eric Capucion."Online interview.19 Jan.2012.

"Interview with Alphonso Go Jr."Online interview. 19 Jan 2012.

"Interview with Angelo Guibone."Online interview. 19 Jan 2012.

"Interview with Giovanni Hilario."Online interview. 19 Jan 2012.

"Interview with Richard Leo Borromeo Ramos."Personal interview. 7 Jan. 2012.

"Interview with Paul Velando."Online interview. 8 Feb. 2012.

60

Appendix Images:

Achilles Web. 2012 <http://images.wikia.com/danballsenki/images/a/a6/LBX_Aquiles_juego_Danball_Senki_PSP.png>

Gundam Heavy Arms, Web. 2012 <http://www.mahq.net/mecha/gundam/w/xxxg-01h2.jpg>

Gundam Qan [t], Web. 2012 <http://images4.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20100610042813/gundam/images/5/5b/00_Qan( T)_GN_Sword_IV.jpg>

Gundam Unicorn, Web. 2012 <http://images2.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20080812025343/gundam/images/archive/3/3a/2 0091215130951!Rx-0-destroy.jpg>

Kunoichi.Web. 2012 <http://images3.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20110527192730/danballsenki/images/5/53/LBX_Kunoichi_juego_Danball_Senki_PSP.png>

Master Grade Ball Web. 2012 <http://www.yahobby.com/products2/gd_mg_ball_ms_08th_b.jpg>

61

Okusaer, Web. 2012. <http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3446/3726977758_7dffdeb0f4.jpg>

62

Appendix

Reference Images- Chapter 1

Figure 11-A. Designs from DanballSenki: Achilles (left) and Kunoichi (right).

Figure 12-A. Designs from different franchises. Heavy Arms Gundam from Gundam Wing (left) Neo-Okusaer from the series Goddanar (right).

63

Reference Images- Chapter 3

Figure 3-A. Master Grade "Ball" Model. Base Model of Eric Capucion's Bum-Ball-Bee.

Figure4-A. Concept Art for Gundam Qan [t] from Mobile Suit Gundam 00 (left) and Gundam Unicorn from Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn (right).

64