Bandai release schedule

SawbonesAdmiral said:
What does proper model even mean? A model kit is a model kit, I don't see how the method of construction, money poured, construction time, or scale should factor into it.
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I consider a 'proper' model kit as one which attempts to represent a subject accurately. Bandai has blurred the lines between glue and snap kits, but I personally consider the Revell snap together sound/lights/action kits to be more toys that that kids assemble more than 'proper' model kits. Those are mostly aimed at the young inexperienced market as entry level and they do come in a box in pieces, but they have minimal parts count, vague detailing and are designs to be put together and zooming around the room in a couple of minutes.

One caveat- in complete honesty my son has the Revell ISD and he is building it while I work on my Zvezda. It has far better detail than the original Ertl kit and a fair parts count. It has the play action features stripped out and it is building up to be a pretty good replica with additional detail and some battle damage...
 
SGK said:
Ah "bigotry", what was the meaning of that word again? Having an opinion I suppose... :rolleyes

The fact that the fans can build much better replicas from scrap speaks volumes about a company's products.
Call us modelers back when they release something worth spending a dime on, proper kits for modelers without all those exaggerated details and childish crap.

Whine on, B*ndai kids.
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"Us modelers....." Where are your models, any images to show?
 
SawbonesAdmiral said:
What does proper model even mean? A model kit is a model kit, I don't see how the method of construction, money poured, construction time, or scale should factor into it.
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And thats why I used the term bigotry. Some think the model needs to be difficult to build to classify in their own minds as worthy. Or big. Some just buy things other have built and think themselves as been above the rest. Yes pouring money just to buy makes you a collector not a modeler. You know what is the difficult task in modeling? Making it it realistic, that is only achieved in the painting, detailing and weathering stage. Thats where a lot of these self proclaimed know it all fail and they end up just buying what somebody has built for them. Its quite pathetic.
 
As much as I love Bandai kits, I will concede something I don't like about them, which is that the parts fit together. With older model kits, especially those made in America, companies would craft a challenge into their kits where pieces don't fit together at all, sometimes creating gaps up to and over a quarter of an inch. This attention to detail is lost with Bandai kits, which is definitely a downer.
 
JoeCS said:
As much as I love Bandai kits, I will concede something I don't like about them, which is that the parts fit together. With older model kits, especially those made in America, companies would craft a challenge into their kits where pieces don't fit together at all, sometimes creating gaps up to and over a quarter of an inch. This attention to detail is lost with Bandai kits, which is definitely a downer.
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PREACH SISTA! :lol I absolutely concur. For forty years I've wrestled with cutting, bending, trashing, re-shaping, re-sculpting, and more or less turning every Falcon model I've ever owned into a This Old House remodeling project simply because no kit maker ever, ever, evah got the basic flipping proportions right. Then along comes the PG and it's not only right -- and right down to all but a microscopic level of detail -- but it builds beautifully with little to no artifacts remaining of the build process (seams, gaps, sink marks, etc). It actually felt sinful building it because I've been conditioned for so long that major surgery would be required to simply get things passably right. I actually had to invent ways to modify the kit (like adding your original cockpit) because it's accuracy allowed me the creative freedom to try some fun stuff without worrying about basic geometry and proportions. Bandai kits are like the world's coolest Legos -- the pieces snap together with incredible tolerances, stay together (which can sometimes be a problem), and the end result is something that actually looks like the subject intended without squinting or settling for "close enough."

Would I love a bigger kit of the Blockade Runner? Of course. But smaller kits are their own challenge and this looks like a fun, affordable, and well-detailed kit that I'll still be able to light and zoom over my head while imagining my 11-year-old self sitting in a movie theater in 1977 about to have his world rocked. Fun, fun, fun.
 
Hunk a Junk said:
PREACH SISTA! :lol I absolutely concur. For forty years I've wrestled with cutting, bending, trashing, re-shaping, re-sculpting, and more or less turning every Falcon model I've ever owned into a This Old House remodeling project simply because no kit maker ever, ever, evah got the basic flipping proportions right. Then along comes the PG and it's not only right -- and right down to all but a microscopic level of detail -- but it builds beautifully with little to no artifacts remaining of the build process (seams, gaps, sink marks, etc). It actually felt sinful building it because I've been conditioned for so long that major surgery would be required to simply get things passably right. I actually had to invent ways to modify the kit (like adding your original cockpit) because it's accuracy allowed me the creative freedom to try some fun stuff without worrying about basic geometry and proportions. Bandai kits are like the world's coolest Legos -- the pieces snap together with incredible tolerances, stay together (which can sometimes be a problem), and the end result is something that actually looks like the subject intended without squinting or settling for "close enough."

Would I love a bigger kit of the Blockade Runner? Of course. But smaller kits are their own challenge and this looks like a fun, affordable, and well-detailed kit that I'll still be able to light and zoom over my head while imagining my 11-year-old self sitting in a movie theater in 1977 about to have his world rocked. Fun, fun, fun.
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The first time I built a Bandai kit I started to glue everything down! I started presenting the parts together and thought......mmm, I need to use my Tamiya liquid cement for these pieces, they fit so tight! Then I realized the fricking cement was not needed! It gave me something to think about for days......
 
Lichtbringer said:
Less work the better (glueing, seam filling and sanding, that what is really the "building" in the hobby, not the easy snapping of more or less perfect parts and being done), fast easy success - not too much engagement involved. A ever-growing disease today with younger generations. Not only at model"building". And Bandai serves that mindset.
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Wait.... what?

Is this a real opinion or trolling? Serious question here. Since when is model building defined by difficulty of assembly? Of all of the models I've built over the decades, I've never once started a project by rubbing my hands together and hoping the kit will make me curse the invention of styrene. Sure, I've gotten satisfaction from the end result of solving a difficult assembly problem, but I'd just as soon not had that frustration to begin with.

This bias against Bandai because they are somehow "too easy" stinks of the "not a true fan" argument.
 
My criticism of Bandai is not because the kits are too easy, but the way certain things are engineered to accommodate molded in color pieces or a snap fit sometimes causes gaps in places where there normally wouldn't be on typical glue kits. And the panel lines sometimes are way out of scale

All in all though, Bandai has attention to details have resulted in the most accurate Star Wars line to date.

I may sometimes shake my head at the over complexity of some things (like the X-with fuselage being a dozen or more pieces when it easily could have just been 2 halves, but in the end I take Bandai's over any predecessors kits
 
Zuiun said:
Serious question here. Since when is model building defined by difficulty of assembly? Of all of the models I've built over the decades, I've never once started a project by rubbing my hands together and hoping the kit will make me curse the invention of styrene. Sure, I've gotten satisfaction from the end result of solving a difficult assembly problem, but I'd just as soon not had that frustration to begin with.
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I fully agree, but it is also true that it is in our nature that we sometimes find difficulty in embracing new tools that enable newcomers to easily surpass what we were only able to achieve through toil and suffering.
Such tool poses a threat to an established sense of superiority and self-esteem, especially to those who have built their identity heavily upon such esteem, and thus often become subjects of attack in an attempt to invalidate them.
 
Lab said:
I fully agree, but it is also true that it is in our nature that we sometimes find difficulty in embracing new tools that enable newcomers to easily surpass what we were only able to achieve through toil and suffering.
Such tool poses a threat to an established sense of superiority and self-esteem, especially to those who have built their identity heavily upon such esteem, and thus often become subjects of attack in an attempt to invalidate them.
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If thats the case how immature could someone be? BTW, thats some deep ****e, friend! LOL!
 
I remember well the time, when I built models, which parts didn't fit together, some parts were deformed. You don't have to cut them only from the sprues, instead you have also to cut them free from some material, that ran out of the form. Sometimes the mounting-pins were on the wrong position, etc. AND I know the frustration about it. Especially als beginner, when you not experienced in putty and sanding. And I know the frustration about spending money for a kit of a model you desire and not being able to built it not nearly as properly as you wanted, because te base-material prevented it. How many times have i cursed and was angry about the companies producing so many mistakes in one kit.

And now some guys are whining exactly about those mistakes, because they miss this mess (exept the sarcastic posts ;-) ), and only then you are a "real" modelbuilder? Really?

The fact is, alt least here in Germany modelling more and more disappears - most of the models you have to order in the internet, if you find some shops, the only have Revell and sometimes, if you are lucky, Tamiya.

It may have the reason, that the new generation has not the "nerves" to put kits together and spend a lot of time for a accurate model. Maybe the are satisfied with the models you can get ready assembled (and take a look at fantasy flight games - to get a blockade-runner in this quality out of a kit box and build it so accurate is (at least for me) aready a challenge - not everyone has building itself as main-target - for some people the finished model is the target and in between are all types of builders)... But maybe, if we had as accurate kits as today back in years, some more people woud still have fun on building, and were not driven away from frustration... Just my 2 cents...
 
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Everything evolves. The kits are better. Better engineered. And some people you have to pull along screaming. Just like cars- they don't break down anymore like they used too. And people hate that, I guess, they can't tinker in their garages anymore changing water pumps or whatever.

But I also can see the younger generation that likes to open the box and out it on the shelf ready made. And that's where we are today. I want it now! That is the gift if technology I guess. And we don't have the time to glue and fill seams. I like either way. But not having to glue the PG Falcon? Thats amazing. So I'm happy with that.
 

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