Hey you! Are you about to comment about Deathscythe Hell being an old kit?! I know. I'm sorry. I have bought a newer one as penance for my crimes. Please don't hurt me. But thanks for watching the video I hope you enjoyed it.
Can't wait to see how your Gundam Schwarzette will turn out! A little word of warning regarding the small little pegs that come with the kit. These little guys have a solid side, and a hollow side. Make sure to read the instructions as it shows which way you're supposed to insert them into the model for its different forms. If you don't, the small pegs may become stuck and you'll need to force it out with something like pliers. Somehow, Bandai's magical plastic engineering is able to have the pieces magically pop out of you put it in the orientation that they recommend, so do be mindful. Another note to elevate this model is to invest in a display stand and weapon base. Since this guy is built for space combat, he poses naturally well when suspended in the air. In the show, the individual sword bits can become remote controlled drones that fire lasers, so having bandai's witch from mercury weapon display stands can help you emulate this effect if you're wanting a more dynamic display with this model.
No worries! It's just one of those gunpla quirks that's easy to miss for newcomers. One of the reason why gunpla is such an evergreen hobby is because practically nohing is ever discontinued. Even kits from 1980s are still getting reprinted every once in a while, so newcomers can't miss anything -also there are no rare expensive stuff. Also there are two camps of modelers in gunpla: those who believe that they should be played with, like train models. And those who believe that they're for display purposes only, like automotive models, or dioramas. Both can be correct, depending on how they build their kits. What really important is you're having fun Cheers!
Now the deathscythe is not a bad kit, but i would pick somthing more new. Now if you dont mind i have some that would be nice for someone whos is fairly new to the craft Eg- rx-78-2 gundam Hg - gundam aerial Mg - barbatos (a fan favorite) Rg - Hi-V or V gundam (2 variants)
@@gavindrake6525 I'd like to add to the MG list any of the kits that come with the strike ootori And the rg red frame is great for posing (though I always struggle to get the katana exactly how I want it)
I think, beyond the kit being old and fiddly (even for its era), the fact it's an MG is the biggest problem when comparing to 40k. MGs are 100% just display pieces. They're like those giant space marine action figures, which you'd also never actually use in a game. Meanwhile there are actually a handful of fan made war game rule sets out there using High Grade kits, which are much smaller and simpler to build (I can usually knock one out in an hour or two of work, and that's me still being a complete amateur at building) and a bit sturdier at only a slight hit to posability (due to fewer moving parts and simpler joints). Also even better would probably be - as some in the comments have mentioned - the SD kits. While they aren't as posable, they're almost just the right scale to plonk down on a game board and they're surprisingly stable standing even without a base. As for the point of fragility, at least if a part falls off you can usually put it back together and I've only had a part actually BREAK on me once... Meanwhile somewhere a Mechanicus player is crying in binary because someone looked at one of their models wrong and it disintegrated. Edit: Also I've seen this pop up in the comments a couple times but I second the recommendation of looking into Bandai's other kit line, 30 Minute Missions. They're my personal favorite and a lot of fun to put together and customize.
I will let you know as someone who's built a lot of both warhammer and gundam, that this particular kit is over 12 years old and they have improved a lot since. High grades (the most detail for the price, 15-30 for a standard one) are the best entry point i can see for someone new to it. they also hold together better and can be treated more like an action figure if you glue the fiddly bits. I also recommend the gundam base premium clippers for any plastic kits you put together. I bought some when i was in japan and i don't think I can go back to anything less. Plastic is now butter.
Were the Gundam Base clippers Single bladed (only one side is actually sharp?) Those type seem to be the best, they are buttery smooth like that and leave no stress marks. USA Gundam store and a few other places make a decently priced pair of these if you ever need to replace em.
The thing is, that Death scythe is $60-ish for a dozen sprues, where GW will charge you the same price for *two sprues.* It's living proof that GW is horribly over priced.
Gunpla can still be insanely expensive in Europe depending on what country you’re in. France and the UK are probably the best places for it since Bandai actually knows those countries exist. Everyone else relies on third party distributors to get their hands on whatever is left after the Asia and US market get their kits. Thus, due to demand and hardship of getting ahold of the kits, it can be pricey. The cheaper stores always have costly shipping too
Not exactly directly comparible, gunpla benefits from economics of scale, Gundam is $1billion franchise and the amount of Gundam kits produced dwarfs GW's output considerably. The costs of plastic injection molding are mostly frontloaded so the more you produce the cheaper each unit effectively gets. Add to that each part on a sprue is generally far more detailed on GW kits than Bandai's due to the type of models they're making and that tends to lead to a more intricate, and so expensive, cutting of the mold. Not saying GW aren't overcosted, they are, but a comparison with Bandai could never come out well due to the nature of the products and the size of the fanbases.
@@Herr_Gamertry mandarake, japanese retail shop with international shipment. At least for my country (poland) it's cheaper than buying from local 3rd party shop, and faster (i got my hands on michaelis and darilbalde 1 month before they appeared in my shops).
I think the biggest problem is that it looks like this is a kit from 2011. In the time since then, they have started adding English captions and the quality has largely improved. And, based on what you said, you lucked out not being taken in by a RG kit. Imagine the detail of your MG, but done at 1/144 scale with hundreds of tiny decals that are things like 'Warning: Stand Clear' near joints. Granted, they look amazing out together and the text is actual words scaled down rather than squiggles, but they aren't necessarily the first build you want for something like this.
MG Barbatos, HG Aerial, RG Nu Gundam, RG Force Impulse are just some kits off the top of my head that are just absolute solid Kits when it comes to possibility. No falling off here
Oh man, my first RG kit was the Zaku II and holy heck was I a bit in over my head there, especially putting on those tiny tiny thrusters. And those leg hoses, all those beads..... Course I went and got another RG kit later on ,the Zeong, haven't started on it yet.
funny you say that, rg stuff is my favorite ones to build because of the price/detail value, its not much more expensive than hgs where im from, and theyre much more fun to build for me/much more sturdy due to having the skeleton and everything. aside from one hg set and one sd set, ive only built rgs since and its the best hahaha
The newer Gundam kits are almost incomparable to these older ones. I’d strongly recommend giving any of the more recent witch from mercury kits a shot. The instructions are in English, the parts are better organized, and since they’re high grades, they’re simpler, more solid and easier to pose~
I wouldn't suggest anything from "witch from Mercury"... some of the worst designs from a modern series. Just go with 30 minute missions or anything UC instead
@@fillerbunnyninjashark271although I prefer UC myself, that's just personal opinion, the kits from witch from mercury are objectively great, the vast majority of UC kits are simply outdated, with a Witch from Mercury kit you're garanteed it's gonna be great, with a hguc it's gonna really depend on the year, you imagine if he got the unicorn hg? Or the zeta Rg?
even if YOU personally don't care for the aesthetic, the build quality and articulation on the Witch From Mercury kits are some of the best kits bandai have ever put out @@fillerbunnyninjashark271
The gundam Wing master grade kits are notorious for being rather "flimsy" it's due to their shared smaller frame from other master grades. Also yeah they are display pieces
Also the wonderful problem with their ankles and waists, plus the Epyons arms literally just fall off on my copy. I don’t own a Deathscythe, but I don’t think I need one
I collect both games workshop and Gunpla kits. After trudging through painting 20 marines, I find it a treat to sit back and 'clear the palette' with a simple Gunpla build for exactly the reasons presented in your video. Sometimes the repetition of the limb construction can be painful, but so is building and painting an army of near identical models. So a bit of both is a good idea.
This is exactly why I could never subject myself to starting a horde army. Having to build (let alone paint) 25 of the exact same model over and over is hair rippingly tedious.
Thats now, and only apllies to certain armies. Not to long ago, Space Marines got so many kits, that despite the familiar look, they would be different. Space marine commander; vanguard vets; sternguard vets; dark angel company vets; tactical marines, the old kit with only special weapons and a rocket launcher, the new kit with the grav gun, the blood angel tac box, the wolves kit, the upgrade sprues for iron hands, imperial fists, dark/blood angels; assault marines, the old kit and the new one with tactical rocks and the eviscerator; devastators, the kit of 5 with metal parts, the first full plastic kit and the most recent one with the grav cannon; bikes, the normal and the ravenwing kit; black templar kits and sprues; death watch power armor; sanguinary guard; death company; grey knights power armor; terminators, be it assault or ranged ones, blood termis, wolves termies, the dark angels termies with 2/3 builds, the tartaros and the cataphracti termis and the grey knights termis; the mk 3/4 power armor from prospero burns and betrayal at calth. And i wont add the upgrade kits and small squads sold at forge world, since they were quite pricey. Space Marines were the biggest and best range GW ever made.
Bandai has another line of kits, tangentially related to gunpla. They are called 30 minute missions, and 30 minute sisters. Very simple to build, and designed to be customized and moved around a lot.
Great video, as a hobbyist of both 40k and Gunpula I really enjoyed it. But I must say if your goal is to compare Gunplua to GW push fits, picking a Master Grade is a pretty bad choice. Higher grades of Gunpula are designed to fit more details and features on the model while still keeping it being a push fit, causing some of the older models to be not so solid builds. A much fairer comparison would be an Entry Grade or a newer(post 2019) High Grades, both have lower part counts, take shorter time to build, much cheaper in price, and are solid models that can withstand normal levels of handling. I think GW can really learn more from the lower grade Gunpulas, not the fancier ones. If you are interested in visiting this topic again, or just want to build more Gundam without spending too much time or money, I recommend trying to build at least one EG.
@@TheDaemond6 I understand that, I don’t mean to say he purposely picked a kit that's bad for this kind of comparison, if that's how my comment read then I should’ve worded it better. Like I said I do enjoy the video and there is nothing wrong about picking your first kit based just on looks. I just trying to add that if he’s interested in more Gunplas, then there are kits out there that doesn't have the problems he pointed out(stability, build time…etc)
Important to note you're building a Gunpla from 2011, which is the equivalent of Sixth Edition minis. The current generation of RG and higher models are so much better that it's staggering how far the engineering has come in so few years. To add, a strong beginner contender (cheap, simple, and very very solid construction) would be the latest HG Witch From Mercury line. Look up the flagship HG 1/144 Gundam Aerial and give that a go!
As a Gundam fan who found this video from the algorithm, this was a fun video to watch and I’m glad you enjoyed building it. If you’re looking for models that aren’t, what we call, plastic hand grenades, so you can use them as Game Pieces, the High Grades/HG are probably your best option. Kits I would recommend are; Gundam Barbatos Lupus, Gundam Aerial, Earthree Gundam and the RX-78-2 Gundam (Revive), the Deathscythe (not Deathscythe Hell) recently got a new HG as well! And in regards to the manuals, they gained English text as well as Japanese as of late 2016, so anything released 2017 onwards will have English I look forward to a follow up video, take your time and have fun!
I would probably not recommend any of the IBO HGs (like Gundam Barbatos Lupus), since all of them suffer from kinda loose joints. Good recommendations otherwise though.
@@INTCUWUSIUA Agreed. The designs are good, but if you're someone who doesn't do anything extra to their kits after they build 'em, they definitely don't feel the best. If you tighten up the joints and paint the parts where those god awful, colour correcting stickers go, I'd say they're pretty good kits
There’s loads of things I really like about your videos, but one awesome thing is that you can use some pretty minimally animated figures and yet make me laugh out loud with the facial expressions you give them. So good 😂
If you want to do another gunpla kit I’d recommend researching what some of the “best of *insert grade here*” are because all gunpla are NOT created equal. Some kits are old, some kits are essentially hand grenades, some kits have poorly executed gimmicks (some transform). So doing a little bit of research into which to avoid will do wonders for your experience. As many others have said, the MG kits from Gundam Wing are notorious for the exact things you mention in your video. So I feel like getting one that’s a better build would be much more enjoyable, especially when it comes to posing.
I’d also want to note that generally the Grade isn’t necessarily a difficultly metric. Its mostly a metric of size. Hight Grade (HG) is the Smallest scale. Master Grade (MG) is the middle sized scale. Perfect Grade (PG) is the largest regular scale. The exceptions are Real Grade and Entry Grade. Both are in the standard smallest HG scale but boast either a lot more details and difficulty (RG) or a very simplified and streamlined build (EG). Some larger kits that are older or simpler designs can be as simple to put together as a Modern High Grade Kit. Some Real Grades have enough details and fiddly bits that they make the Deathscythe Hell look solid by comparison. Honestly while I do think a Master Grade was an ambitious place to start a lot of your issues were from the age and build process of this kit rather than the Grade itself. Something like an Entry Grade or a recent High Grade might have been a better point of comparison. Though you really did nail some key points between Warhammer being for play and Gunpla being for display.
There are also the Mega Grade/Scale kits that are a semi-regular grade that are on an even larger scale that comes at random. Technically, there is a smaller scale than the 1/144 of the EG/HG/RG kits, but its more used with ships and certain mobile armors and a few mobile suits that are scaled to them.
I just want to add there is new grade SDMG (Super Deformed Master Grade) = basically SD kit with scale of 1/100 with MG gimmick MGEX (Master Grade Extream) = Master Grade with more detail like add light effect or more detail in inner frame PG Unleashed = Perfect grade with more detail in inner frame and armor
I think it's more precise to say that the grade indicates a kit's scale AND relative level of detail. For example: HG is 1:144/low detail, RG is 1:144/high detail, FM is 1:100/low detail MG is 1:100/high detail, etc. This does reflect the difficulty, but not in the way you'd necessarily expect. For example, compare an MG with an HG - the individual parts end up about the same size between the two kits, so the assembly doesn't really get more difficult with the MG, it just takes longer.
@@fillerbunnyninjashark271 There are some at smaller scales than the 1/144 scale. There were several Bandai Battle Diorama kits at 1/250 scale, and a few sets that were to scale with the 1/1700 starships such as ones aimed at the models for the White Base to be used alongside the model kit for the White Base...and some large sets of them as well that you could get and still find from time to time.
I do find that more modern high grades are a lot more sturdy. I’ve also found painting high grades to be really enjoyable when I’m burnt out from painting miniatures.
i had to check before commenting, but this particular model is from 2011. which might not sound like that old, but in gunpla age its borderline ancient.
@@laurenmations4978 exactly. and one of the reasons gunpla is so big, and why people will buy newer versions of the same model, is because that time diference, pays in a better quality.
gunpla sprues have improved slightly since this model released, more recent models are better with their sprue management so you wont have to have multiple sprues out while building one segment. If you do decided to build another I highly suggest one of the more modern kits since they are more solid and more poseable compared to some older kits. If I were to give a recommendation i suggest the RG God gundam since its practically black magic for it to be that articulate and solid
The God Gundam aslo has a plethora of miniscule parts though. I’d say a good idea is to either seek out modern master grades or HG kits for an easier experience
As someone who put together his RG God Gundam recently, I have to agree that this thing is practically black magic. But MY GOD the myriad of small parts. This is definitely something not for beginners, especially if you are also doing a lot of proper parts cleanup.
What a pleasant surprise to see this. Also yes, the plot is completely right. Gundam takes up most of my pile of shame and ill be happy to introduce you to more.
Some gunpla can be more finicky especially old ones like mg death scythe. Which can be fixed by using clear nail brush, top coat paint of your choice on joints and ball sockets. Newer kits that arnt ten years old are more solid, have better instructions, better range of motion, better posability, just better everything. Gunpla improves every year unlike GW 😅
Give the current Entry Grades a try. Many fewer parts, much more sturdy. You lose some color separation in the mode itself, but they go together quickly and are quite sturdy. They also don't use the polycaps (the flexible joint bits) of the older or larger kits, but still have no trouble moving and posing.
I’m sure others have pointed it out, but one factor that doesn’t always strike you as important with Gunpla is the age of the kit. A modern kit, for example the MG Gundam Barbatos, is gonna be rock solid and able to take on damn near any pose you can think of. That kit is from 2019. Kits from 2015 and after are what I would generally call «modern» kits as by that time, a lot of the less great ideas had been ironed out, such as overreliance on rubber polycaps, stickers for colour correction and for the Real Grade like, prebuilt rubberized inner frames/skeletons. Also worth noting all modern kits have english in the manual as well. I’m very glad you decided to just throw caution to the wind and choose your first kit based on the rule of cool alone. That is, in my opinion, the best way to get into Gunpla. If the kit is cool enough, you don’t need the lore. That said, the lore is very good, at least for Universal Century. I won’t get into that now, but I’ll mention Deathscythe Hell is from an alternate universe and is entirely unrelated to the original old boxy white, red, blue and yellow robots. Hope you get deeper into it. There are a few growing communities around Europe that are all more than happy to help you with any questions or advice. Oh, and Sieg Zeon!
yep, was gonna comment that. this model is from 2011. and those were more focused on looking good first, with so many being borderline grenades. also, i feel like for what he wanted to do, it would be better to go with the 30 minutes models. as they are exactly the thing he was commenting about. sturdy, customizable, poseable and easy to handle.
I think this is what we call “early MG Syndrom”. Early MGs require a lot of work and some glue. Try picking up some of the new HG models from the Witch From Mercury line, like the Aerial. Also I can recommend the MG Gundam Barbatos. People have also used the Gunpla bases to make tabletop modes, since they are hexagonal
Yup, Gunpla push fit is better than GW as Bandai has had decades to get it perfect. I’ve been building Gunpla for years now. What I want from GW is to make their Knights, Vehicles, and, Dreadnought kits push-fit. It’ll make building them so much easier and switch load-outs easier. Also, some old Gunpla kits can be plastic hand grenades. They'll just fall apart with simple movements or posing as you came to witness by yourself. PSA: The newest Gunpla kits also now come with English in the instructions.
I don't think a knight should be push fit. You don't pick up a knight like a normal model. If a model is fragile you grab it by the base. You simply can't do that with a knight; you need to grab it under the arms like a toddler. If they were poseable and push fit they would crumble if you tried to pick them up.
A lot of people have remarked on how old this kit is and it shows. I've only gotten into the hobby recently, most of the kits I've built are quite new. But yes, overall Gunpla kits are intended as display pieces, not active objects or action figures you'd let kids play with. RG and MG contain too many small parts that might shake out with use, although the MG Barbados I have is quite solid otherwise. Gunpla is, in the end, about the experience of building and posing a figure, an additionally painting or customizing it further if you wish. This is especially true at higher grades, where you will get high detail interior frames, that you then cover in high detail structure support, which you then cover in high detail armor. You'll never see the insides again, but the journey of building it up is the experience. I think in the context of tabletop, HG kits or even SD (miniature, super-deformed chibi versions of gundams) would be more equal a comparison. The HG Zaku II and HG RX-78-2 I have hold poses very well and can stand on their own, although if I were to use them as game pieces I would probably attach them to some kind of simple base. Most kits are intended to be display in action, and are thus aided significantly by having a base. However, a lot of Gundam are space-based and pretty much require these bases in order to stand due to engine or wing units (after all, they don't need to account for being top-heavy in 0G). As for price, if your intent is to collect and build and paint, it doesn't seem like there is a question. You could build, pose, customize, and paint a whole army of HG Zaku II's for the price of a single Hydra tank half their size. Or you can grab a massive MG (preferably one not as old as the Deathscythe) and spend weeks on it. WH40K models are more detailed, but that also means the Gunpla has a lot of room for detailing it yourself. But then again, you can't place a Gundam on the battlefield, so if your intent is to tabletop you're mostly paying for that. In terms of straight plastic prices, there's just no comparison.
This was really interesting to watch. Earlier this year i crossed from Gunpla into 40k. A couple of thoughts and tips: >The Bandai parts spread over the Bandai sprues are that way for a couple of reasons: some sprues get used in several different kits (especially for the internal frame), so for any particular step you may have parts coming from one of these "recycled" sprues, and some coming from a sprue unique to that particular kit. >Bandai puts a lot of thought into where the gate (the bit of plastic between the piece and the sprue) connects to the part, especially in newer kits. This, combined with the comparatively smaller gates on the Bandai sprues makes cleaning up and/or hiding nub marks sognificantly easier. >I have a MG Wing Gundam from the same line as the Deathscythe you built. Can confirm, they fall apart if you look at them too long. The friction between press-fit pieces is a compromise: firm enough to hold a pose, loose enough that you're not going to snap plastic trying to pose things. An easy fix for loose joints is to brush a thin layer of glue onto one of the surfaces and let it dry before connecting them. This will stiffen the joint up SIGNIFICANTLY, especially on ball joints. >While not directly applicable to the Deathscythe, a quick and easy way to panel line on white (which a lot of Gundams predominantly are) is with a mechanical pencil.
I've been building gunpla for 25 years and never once needed to read the Japanese instructions in the manual. The pictures are so clear and self-explanatory that it's hard to mess most of it up. Also, I'd say Real Grade are more complicated to build than Master grade. They're basically modern master grade kits, but at a smaller scale, making them more fiddley. If you want something quick and simple, go with High Grade.
12:30 I will say this is an older set to they can be a bit fiddly, but more moderation sets are pretty solid and parts falling off aren’t that much of an issue (unless it’s one of the more complex ones like the unicorn gundam). Also I’m surprised you didn’t pick a zaku since they look similar to a space marine.
DBZ, SpyXFamily and Nichijou is such an unlikely top 3 (especially for an avowed non-otaku) that I’m now desperately curious to learn how that happened.
Hi, new to this channel here! Gunpla has been around for somewhere around the ballpark of 50ish years, and has used every moment to innovate the model kit experience. _And it shows._ The one you picked up is actually pretty old, and comes with a lot of that old build experience. A few people have made the ballpark of about over a decade, and _that's actually a long time ago for Gunpla._ If I remember correctly, that was before the HG Revive project went live, let alone the when the HG Moon Gundam rolled around. Since then there were a ton of quality of oife improvements for Gunpla builders in the building department, making for less finnicky builds. If you're looking for playability, the HG lineup is actually where you want to look into. Also the Entry Grades. These are made of a lot more chunkier plastics and less moving small parts(most of the time). And also because of their small size, they tend to be more compact. You'd still have to watch out for things like V-Fins and antennas, but that's unavoidable with hard plastic. Your mileage may vary of course. What I mean by this is that MG and HG isn't a perfect indicator of build complexity, things like the HG Nightingale and Moon Gundam are infinitely more complex than the MG G-Cannon, for example. Gunpla is _extremely_ varied compared to something like Wh40K, and I don't mean in terms of quality control, you may want to look into reviews of a particular kit, and look into the release date of a particular kit, to know what you're getting yourself into, because Bandai sometimes releases updated kits in any given line(HG or MG being the most likely, RG hasn't received any updates yet, though that's probably because that particular line appears to constantly innovate itself with each new release). One last thing, the more you build Gunpla, the more you kinda just get the hang of the instructions and you stop needing to translate it(at least, that seems to be the common experience). It's entirely possible to shave build time down to an hour or less if you're only doing a straight build and none of the painting.
Firstly, thank you for posting this video. I'm a 40k player and was wondering what gunpla was like. Models do look amazing. Secondly, love your content. Thank you for sharing the ups and downs of the hobby. I think your honesty helps new and experienced players alike through their hobby struggles.
Nice choice for your first kit. What I would say that you got right was picking based on what you designed for your kit. The fact that you went in blind was fantastic, versus building something that is on a community accepted "good model" list. Some of the recommendations had flaws that could have made for a worse experience. You avoided the RG line, which likely would have made your first experience a lot worse due to the sheer size of the parts being excessively small, due to the excessive color separation on those at the smaller scale. In terms of what you got wrong, only the scale indication of difficulty, each grade has their share of more difficult and easy kits. EG kits are meant to be the ones at the easiest difficulty as they are made for children and don't require tools or decals to get a consistent color separation. I am positive many gunpla fans are going to go on about the age of the kit not being representative of the current technology, and that is fair. But there are flaws with some of the suggested kits that could have made this a much worse experience. Every bandai kit has some sort of quirk that needs to be overcome, and part of that comes from experience with the products. Both Versions of the deathscythe have the same issues with floating parts causing assembly issues in the head, waist, and knees. But to help out with that scythe pose. Take the hands off first, attach the hands onto the scythe then move the arms to where you want the scythe posed, then reattach the hands. That was how I managed to get mine posed with a double handed grip.
Well sure most Bandai model kits have flaws, but when looking for something to compare to a game model, buying a kit from a line that's known for being flimsy doesn't really seem like a great choice. I do however agree that the suggested models in the comment he showed were also significantly flawed and would give a much worse experience than this as he didn't even like the models. A great choice for starting your Gunpla collection though, unique and definitely a cool design.
I mean in terms of picking what you think looks awesome yea it’s a fine first kit but in terms of reviewing gunpla in general it’s a terrible first kit… this kit is literally like 20 years old.
This is a pretty great take tbh. Though I'm in a really small of people who say that GW should do what Gunpla and bandai are doing by lowering the damn prices. Like holy shit man, a single squad of intercessors retail, can cost as much as 5 regular HG kits.
The end point is a fairly spot on one, end of the day do I want a flexible, reposable space marine size or smaller infantry model? Hell no and that is completely unpractical for gaming, what I want is being able to pose and customise it to how I want then glue it together and its fairly solid and usable from there. Do I want maybe a more centerpiece model like a dreadnought or something similar to posable? Maybe but then they kind of are, just not the push fit ones so much. That is what you get really, push fit models are for starter sets, quick to put together (and generally cheaper) way of getting models. You then accept the custombility is not there on poses and weapons etc. but they do the job and they are still robust for that job. The more complicated kits with weapon options and more poses etc. you stick together how you want and some of the bigger ones come with a bit of movement if you should wish. I think GW push fit does exactly what they are supposed to do, quick easy to put together cheaper models so people can get them on the table and get an army together. You don't want complicated or flimsy for that. The only main criticism is the organisation on the sprues, the numbering is crazy, but more and more sprues you see now they seem to be getting certain models all the bits onto one sprue.
There's ways to counter the older MG models fragility like adding some paint or glue to a joint or slot and letting it dry before assembling it to add friction. I'm a former 40k fan and current gunpla builder so i don't have much experience with GW snap fits but from what i remember, having modular models seems like a necessity for the amount of wargear. It just needs to be designed for function. A space marines fingers don't need to be articulated for example. Lessons can be learned, it just doesn't have to be copied
This kit is actually a really old kit so there will be plenty of finnicky and flimsy parts. If you want to avoid older kits, buy the ones that has the blue Bandai logo. The red ones are the old Bandai kits, so not all of them are made properly. If its for tabletop stuffs , High Grade is pretty much your easiest choice, they are made to pose and build rather easily too. And also cheap.
the algorithm works in mysterious ways, I accidentally backed out too far trying to look at a video on the recommended page with a provocative thumbnail image, it disappeared and I tried in vain to refresh the page hoping it would reappear, and I got this vid instead, something that would usually never come up. worth it
Man, that explanation of Gundam Wing and Endless Waltz was epic! I would love for the older Gunpla models to get the Witch From Mercury line treatment. They got rid of most of the polycaps and made the limbs a lot more durable for posing. I think GW's main issue for the push fit models is the awkward angles of some of the pegs and they can be hard to actually push fit, leading to gaps.
Paul, this was an older gunpla model (red label). Old gunlpa have a red bandai label on the box. Newer gunpla have the blue bandai label. The newer gunpla is made with better materials and many have better push-fit connections. This is just an informative post to explain the blue and red Bandai logos. SEp. 2019 Bandai Co., Ltd split into 2 companies, Bandai and Bandai Spirits. Bandai has a red logo and will focus on toy products aimed at younger demographics and other markets such as confectionery, trading cards, and apparel. Bandai Spirits has a blue logo and contains products aimed at the mature collector demographic, these would be Model kits + Collectible figure products + the lottery items from Ichiban kuji. so if the gunpla has a red label it is 5+ years old and out of current standards.
Just so you know the Master grade you got is old there's a few problems with the older kits that they refine than the newer kits, however you did very well for newbie
Long time gunpla builder here, I just found the channel from this video. I do like seeing gunpla from a warhammer's perspective. I actually play a tabletop game for gunpla, it uses rules very similar to warhammer 40k even using a point based system with the army, thou usually needs much much more room if you want a cool big game. Its called mobile suit gundam skirmish, and its just a game a buncha people made for 1/144 scale gundams. Personally I know most people have said what I would probably say so i wont repeat it but one thing I would love to see is a follow up, maybe a grunt unit, or a more simple unit that will show they arnt all grenades of plastic. My personal recommendation are some newer HG like the "HG Dagger L". Personally a top their grunt unit and really shows a simple solid build that you could toss all around and it would be fine, bonus almost completely color accurate with no stickers. I have a small army of about 6 of them for my skirmish games. I do understand the "you dont want warhammer to just do what gunpla does" but theres a lot of things that games workshop can learn from them. Mostly pricing, but im sure many people have said that.
As someone who is a long time Warhammer collector who only resently started to build and collect Gunpla i really like the ease i can put a HG together in an hour or 2, and have a nice display model vs say well any Warhammer model. If you plan on doing any future gunpla I recommend Witch from Mercury HG kits its where i started myself, and i've not be disappointed with them.
The only g-witch kit I’ve had problems with has been the Mechaelis (oh god those stickers) but they are so fun it’s sorta hard to start building older HGs afterwards
personally i think master grades can be easier than high grades, depending on the model, simply because the parts are bigger. real grades are definitely usually harder because it’s a similar level of complexity but at a smaller scale
@@PaulIsBadAtStuff to be fair most Anime you can do both. Dragon Ball Z that you and most people love, myself included, has enough recap per episode that you can skip every other one.
The fiddly fall-apart-ness is mostly a product of this specific model being rather old. The master grade deathscythe hell is a kit released in mid 2011, having assembled both older and newer kits stability is something that has been improved on a lot. For a more modern more solid experience I reccomend something in the high grade witch from mercury line! All very solid yet inexpensive and easy to assemble kits with about 9 years more engineering prowess behind their designs Great video, by the way! I find it fascinating to see what someone who assembles a very different kind of plastic models thinks of the kind I build as a hobby
I’d recommend trying one of the witch from mercury hg kits. Those are the newest ones coming out this year and might make the building experience easier than a Mg from over a decade ago. I mean grades do make a difference. Entry grades are relatively new and the most beginner friendly . So it’s not the best comparison for getting an understanding of gunpla now and the strides they’ve made technology wise.But they are the usual ones for people to start with. PG are the biggest and insane challenges, RG have tons of detail. MG are for me the best mix. But yeah welcome to Gundam and Gunpla. You definitely should watch gundam and build gunpla.
Yeah, the Deathscythe Hell Custom is a little finicky at times, but he does look cool. More recent kits tend to be higher quality and more stable. As for the pulling from every sprue thing, it’s because, to save time/money, a lot of kits from the same show will share a lot of parts. So, the common parts will have dedicated sprues and the other pieces that make the kit visually unique are on a different sprue.
If you ever do look back at the hobby of Gunpla, consider getting some more recent high grades; they’re a step above entry grade, the same size as them, but they have a higher sprue count (not as much as Deathscythe!) and the pegs are smaller which makes them easier to put together. Granted, smaller size than master grades mean smaller parts, but seeing the hands on some warhammer kits they should be alright
Oh, it's always adorable to see someone try Gunpla for the first time almost blind. Everyone else seems to have pointed out the age of the Deathscythe Hell EW kit, but another note on complexity: The grading is more EG < HG < MG < RG < PG, in my opinion. Entry Grades, High Grades, and Real Grades are all marked by being 1:144 scale, but because the "Real Grade" stuffs roughly the same amount (or more) detail and articulation than a Master Grade into the scale, it often ends up being more complicated and fiddly than a Master Grade to put together, especially the earlier Real Grades. Some of the early Real Grade kits are famous for being "grenades" -- prone to popping parts off at the slightest nudge. But more recent kits like the RG Hi-Nu and God Gundam are absolute master classes in 1:144 scale modeling, and push the boundaries of what you can do with injection molded push-fit models. Perfect Grade, at 1:60 scale, is a league of its own. Go watch the Adam Savage gunpla build to get an idea of the kind of stuff the PG line gets up to. For the actual conclusion though, I think GamesWorkshop could learn something from the tooling and engineering that goes into Gunpla, but I agree that the engineering requirements are much higher for game pieces that need to be moved around a lot and display pieces that decorate shelves. But that's also the point where I start breaking out the Tamiya Extra Thin and Milliput and at that point the line between push fit and traditional assembly starts to get a bit blurry.
What a fine choice! Even if this kit is old, it still holds up. One of my favorites. I'm glad you chose the DeathScyth as your first kit. There are also "upgraded" versions that you should try of this kit.
as a person who has built gunpla from back in 1999, the high grade models have made leaps in quality. the witch from mercury kits are top notch. you can shake those little things and they will hold their pose.
I’m just glad he didn’t get the old HG wing Gundam from that era, that thing was absolute garbage. The only kit I’ve trashed because I hated it in the 60+ kits I’ve built. It looked like a bad McDonalds happy meal toy. 🤣🤣🤣
To Basically Summarize what Google Lens Translated in the Original Anime, Duo Maxwell was attempting to Destroy the Gundam Deathscythe before the start of Operation Meteor as the Original Planw was to Drop a Shit Ton of Colonies onto earth and causing mass destruction to the planet, once phase 1 was completed, 5 Gundams would be sent down to the planet to basically do a "Clean Up" Operation, Professor G, along with the other Scientists were already against the idea of the original plan, and he not only convinced Duo to just steal Deathscythe, but to also use it by his own means and he experiences a ton of hardship and the Deathscythe being destroyed one time and getting upgraded, after the end of the Anime he and other Gundam Pilots thought peace would finally come but there was one more thing they needed to do which leads up to Endless Waltz Endless Waltz is an OVA/FIlm that takes places 1 year after the Anime and the other Three Gundams (Deathscythe, Heavyarms, and Sandrock) should be destroyed too in order to achieve true peace, one of the other pilots, Wu Fei doesn't give the Altron Gundam (Nataku) assuming he'll be disposing it himself and the two other pilots of their respective gundams were originally supposed to be smelted directly at the sun which was suggested by Quattre (Sandrock's Pilot), the idea was going ahead quite well, until a splinter group known as the Marimeia Army basically wanted to restart Operation Meteor's Original Plan and they took over a Government Base first in Brussells, the three Gundams fought the Marimeia Army making sure to not actually kill anyone and just disabling their Mobile Suits all three were basically at their Ammunition and Weapon Limit but luckily the Wing Gundam Zero basically destroyed the Bunker and the Preventers stopped the attempted coup, at the end of the Anime all of the 5 Pilots finaly Destroyed their Gundams using Remote Detonation
The Entry Grade kits are by far the best thing i've ever seen in terms of push to fit kits. For something so cheap, it gives such a good product that im comfortable kitbashing. 15nzd is a steal.
Going back after my first build to say this video actually got me into gunpla and after building the hg Ariel I very much enjoyed it and will be buying more in the future so thanks Paul hope to see more videos about builds in the future
Your assessment is fair. Gundam builders have cultivated a number of techniques to tighten up those joints when needed and ways to make the kits more solid. Decades of experience have taught gunpla builders how to handle the issues you encountered. People often forget that when they say things like, "Gunpla is better!"
Oh man, you started your gunpla with an older MG. The deathsythe is what we call a “hand grenade” kit. If you touch it it explodes in pieces. The new kits are solid as a rock and much more technical. I’d check out the RG Nu Gundam. Best kit I’ve ever put together.
It was a great first build for sure. However, If you really want the absolute best of the best that the current Gunpla line of kits has to offer in terms of rigidity, I would recommend looking into the newer High Grade "The Witch From Mercury" (HGTWFM) kits from the most current standalone tv series of the same name. These kits are pretty inexpensive ($10 - $30), and are absolutely rock solid once put together. Judging that you're a 40k fan, I think you'd get a kick out of a mecha mobile grunt suit called the "Dilanza". There are 3 versions of this kit, but they all pretty much build the same with the only difference is color and certain accessories. They are chunky bois and can be painted to look like they'd fit with the Warhammer aesthetic. Another simple, yet incredibly rigid, kit would be the HGUC Gouf Custom. This guy has an amazing construction for its age, with a really cool shield that also has a gatling gun built in. If you would like an example of this, I'd recommend watching a video from a channel called "Millennial Model Mayhem", where he takes a gunpla kit, and paints it like a warhammer miniature. And if you're still on the fence for Gunpla as a whole, another great video to help you understand the gunpla hobby more would be an amazing video done by a guy called YouSeeGundam where he made a video called "The Ultimate Gunpla Beginner's Guide." It's 30 minutes long, and taught me all I know to set me on my plastic addiction journey. Also PS: That model kit you built has an updated model in the High Grade (HGGW) line that was made in 2021 which is leagues more Robust than that old plastic Grenade of a MG that you built. The difference is the model is 1/144 scale and not 1/100 like the MG.
This was a really great video to watch as someone who only builds Gundam and doesn't do Warhammer, because you had some really interesting insights and a fresh perspective, thanks! One of the funny things about your video is that I've probably build over 30 kits five of which have been perfect grade and I've never used Google translate on the manuals at all I actually have no idea what any of it says or what any of the symbols really mean lol 🤪
When you showed the RX-0 Real Grade I audibly said "Please tell me you didn't get that one". It's a good kit, it's just a really bad first one. I got one for my first Gunpla and I did the typical "break the bicep of the RX-0 RG"
I think the general sentiment behind GW learning from Bandai is pricing and layout and the actual build experience, not whether or not the models are going to have moving joints or mechanical effects. They shouldn't be charging the $60+ they are for a single sprue or two, the layout and numbering could be better, etc. That said, check out the Hellscythe High Grades if you like the general aesthetic! They are smaller but the refresh of the Gundam Wing high grades from 2020 onwards should be more structurally solid than the Wing MGs
A recommendation from an experienced Pla hoarder and builder, anything from the HG Universal Century line, with a kit/series number above about 200 are the most modern kits on the market, most things in the series before that are more and more similar to your MG Deathsycthe Hell as they are older and less well engineered
Two-handed posing is really difficult even for more experienced builders. As for keeping stuff from falling off, there are parts you can glue in place without limiting the articulation. MG kits from around the time of this Deathscythe MG can tend to have nonessential parts fall off, so gluing certain parts on is recommended, especially if you're not going to paint it. If you're worried about gluing anything in place, you could always apply the glue, out the oieces together, take them back apart immediately before the glue has time to set, and let the glue dry. Then put the pieces back together again and they should fit more tightly together. My experience with Master Grade kits is that there will usually be at least a piece or two that has trouble staying on, but it's not usually an important piece.
LOL dude 10:26 Paul here did better at building the head and leveling the eye stickers than I did in my first ten model kits. Nicely done. Eye stickers still piss me off to this day since I always assume they're slightly off kilter. Also good comedic timing this was fun
as my first one I got a real grade model, not the easyest to build, had a few absolutelly tiny pieces, but really satisfying to finish, it was super fun. I do intend to keep up with this hobby
Honestly, if you've been building minis a master grade gunpla is a perfectly fine starting point. Though that line has a lot of variation in effort required with stuff like the Nu, Unicorn, and Sazabi at the high end of the difficulty curve (though still perfectly doable), and stuff like the gundam wing line, and all the zaku variant kits at the lower end of the difficulty curve (they're still fun kits and look pretty good.) The instructions are very well done in terms of clarity since you don't need the text at all, and anything you learned painting minis absolutely translates to painting these kits if you so choose.
the thing about that model you built is that, yeah, some models are what we call grenades. they break apart easily... but the thing you gotta understand is, that model is more than 10 years old. and belive it or not, that matters ALOT when it comes to gunpla. as one of the things they are working every year is to make models that are more stable and solid. of course, that's not to say newer models are like a brick(well some actually are that sturdy), but for beginners its always advised to go for newer models as your first. they even have what's called an entry grade, which are simpler to build. there are also a few good gunpla reviewers who can give you a hint on good models to start with, as they do talk alot about their durability and stability.
Yeaah i had a similar time when i was building a MG God Gundam, which is also quite an old kit! Had screws in some bits but that didn't do much the the solidness of other bits of the kit. Now new kits though... What a dream. Like others have said, the Revive series of kits, the Witch of Mercury kits, the later Real Grades, the Beyond Global RX-78-2, honestly the majority of kits in the last 4~6 years astound me in their engineering, their solid build, their color separation, the poses they're capable of, etc. I was recommended this video randomly by youtube but it was nice seeing someone new to gunpla try it out, and I agree that Games Workshop and Bandai are after different things with their model kits, Gunpla is really more of a Build-Your-Own action figure kind of deal, and Games Workshop kits are more ornate, statue like pieces for board gaming like you said. If you do get more new kits, I highly recommend the newer High Grades! Not only for their low price and speed of the build, but they're often still really incredible showings of Bandais capabilites with plastic. PS. If kung fu movie but with robots sounds interesting to you, I recommend the show G Gundam and the Real Grade God Gundam...
It's great to see someone entering this hobby, but this kit is probably not the best as beginner's first taste of Gunpla building, it's is an old kit and it will require a lot of extra work to make it worthwhile, but the technology has improved since a decade after this kit was released and I'd be interested in your other attempts on building Gunplas(preferably more modern kits)❤
If you build again i suggest an "Iron blooded orphans" kit. Ibo has a different style where you build the body frame then add the parts. They are fun and fantastic builds
The deathscythe hell MG is a older kit, most kits after 2010 (barring a few exceptions) are rock solid. Totally recommend an entry grade or a newer high grade.
I started with they perfect grade freedom model... that was fun as hell but also dumb as hell prob one of the craziest most complicated models. Prob triple the runners you had...... fkn thing is GIANT
In GW newest kit for the Cerastus Knights for 30k, the ammo belt on the knight's gun is completely posable. The sprue comes with these interlocking pieces that you fit together and bend however you want before assumedly gluing them into place. That is incredibly cool but knight models are and will always be hobby projects first and game pieces second. Sure, there are people who play knights because they like their mechanics (haha) but no one decides to pick up knights if they don't like the hobbying side of Warhammer. I feel like if more GW models were as complex as Gunpla, some folks who are not as keen on the hobby side of things or don't have the skills may not want to stick with it... but that's just my two cents.
I highly recommend easier or older master grades if possible(like ez8, rx-78 2.0, gelgoog, guntank, and turn A, gm sniper 2, jesta, mk2 2.0) But as a huge MG fan. This is peak gunpla for its price, detail, scale, and the lack of colour correction for the most pieces. If you want even more dark souls, theres Hi nu HWS, psycho zaku ver ka thunderbolt ver, ZZ ver ka, victory ver ka, sinanju, ex-s. Very fun video, nice to see someone new to the gunpla try it out and give honest opinions, and detailed through experience prior, during, and after the build.
I’ve built hundreds of Gunpla models, including that exact Deathscythe Hell Custom. Here’s what I’ve found: First, consider removable parts a feature, not a defect in many cases. Posing Gunpla can and often is frustrating as all hell. If you want to get a specific pose, especially with the one you were going for, removing the hands and getting them on the scythe, then putting them back on, is the way to go. Trying to put any weapon on any Gunpla while it’s still attached to the body can be trouble. Secondly, the smaller and easier the kit, usually the sturdier the kit. High Grade kits and Early Grade (which usually come in the 1/144 scale of what the Gundam would actually be) have the fewest parts and the least amount of mass. The trade off is you sometimes do need to paint certain colors to get their look to be accurate, but it comes at the assurance of stability. They are the easiest to fix, the easiest to pose, the easiest to modify, and being less than half the size of the MG, are usually the most structurally sound just because their own weight doesn’t often work against them. Third, not all kits are created equal. Older Master Grades like the Deathscythe can suffer from what I refer to as a generational gap in structural efficiency. In short, they are put together well for display pieces but the way you put them together has evolved over time. I have 3 Master Grade RX-78-2 Gundams (aka the original Gundam, or as we often call it, Grandpa Gundam). Each one is completely different despite being the same unit, because each one came out at a different time when they used different building techniques. The Version 2.0 has actual pistons in the neck that will slide in and out as you move it and each finger on the hands are movable, and it has the internal fighter plane that fits inside the body that fully transforms from plane mode to “Robot Cockpit Core Block” mode. Meanwhile, the One Year War Version has superior joints and a lot more surface detail, making it look like it’s actually made out of panels, but lacks the Core Fighter. Same Gundam, different eras of design, therefore different build experience. Every Gundam model will likely have a lot of similarities and differences to other models (there was a time where High grade kits’ arms used simple pegs to slide onto the kit with no real shoulder movement outside of what the arm could give you, and nowadays it’s usually a ball and socket joint with a much wider range of motion and control). Each unit is a unique puzzle, and their quality will vary depending on the age of the kit and the techniques and difficulty. Gunpla has been around for a LONG time and went from glue together parts to snap fit and from there has only gotten more and more complicated as new ways to build them are used. I would try again sometime, maybe get the same Gunpla in two different difficulties, and see what happens. I can give recommendations as well, should you want to try another.
Also, secondary note: another good Gunpla-like model to try that is actually pretty sturdy for its construction, despite being almost the same size as Deathscythe, is the G1 Optimus Prime from Flame Furai Toys. It’s basically the same concept but is MUCH simpler and sturdier. I’ve built most of the transformers kits from them and aside from one, the Bumblebee kit (and that was probably user error honestly) I’ve had no real issues with them. Their build techniques are highly comparable to a High Grade Gunpla, so easy and really quick to build, and they look fantastic and are much easier to pose. Still not as solid as your Warhammer game pieces, but still
I'd love to see where your Gunpla journey goes next! I'm not huge into warhammer, but I love Gunpla, and seeing people make the jump is always fun for me.
Built that kit too! But oh man, it’s honestly considered quite old at this point. Early Grades or even the newest Perfect Grade are light years ahead! It legit has “this sprue is for the arms” and has a picture of the arms ON THE SPRUE! Hope you dabble a bit more; it’s a ton of fun and you get a neat figure after. No paint required, but are hella customizable if you so choose!
To be fair that’s a really old kit. Gunpla kits nowadays are SIGNIFICANTLY sturdier and the instructions have English in them nowadays. If you wanted to try a Gunpla again I’d recommend the Master Grade Gundam Barbatos, that kit is absolutely sublime. Only issue I’ve experienced with it is the armour for the back of the hand can be a bit loose so I just applied a small blob of blu tack and the problem was solved
For the loose joints you could just put a bit of topcoat on the harder plastic in the joints (not the rubbery parts) or a thin layer of painters tape in the joint to help it hold stiff better.
If you'd like some recommendations for gunpla... High Grades (1/144 scale): The Witch From Mercury line is new and they're all great Real Grade (1/144 scale): Nu Gungam, Hi-Nu Gundam, Sazabi, Force Impulse Gundam, God Gundam Master Grades (MG): Barbatos, the 'modern' Seed master grades (Strike, Aegis, Duel, Blitz, Buster, Freedom, Justice, Providence, Zaku Warrior. Also the 00 MGs (Dynames, Kyrios, Virtue. The Exia is a great looking but older kit so it can be more fiddly) Full Mechanics 1/100 (This is a MG-lite line, and it can be hit or miss but here's a few very good ones): Forbidden Gundam, Calamity Gundam, Raider Gundam, Aerial Gundam
If you want a kit that punches way WAY above its weight, I highly recommend the High Grade Moon Gundam. Not only does the Moon Gundam just have an exceptionally striking appearance, its detail and color separation is absolutely incredible and the build is a ton of fun
If your looking for game pieces/army builders. 30 minute missions. Very simple and sturdy. Plus they are highly customizable along with weapon and vehicle packs that you can get and combine.
Probably one of the most up to date kits that is great for beginners is either the Master Grade GM Sniper or Master Grade the RX-78-2 The Origin(Literally says "Gundam The Origin" on the box as some of the best if not the best Master Grade Gundam kits you can get as a beginner(they have the same "Inner Frame" for the most part so the builds are similar. The tech is all relatively up to date, the build experience is fantastic and it holds together very well. If you built one of these 2 kits you wouldn't mind using them as a set piece in a game as they both hold a pose well and have good balance. Besides if you really wanted to use gunpla as set pieces it'd be best to go 1/144 scale preferably HG/EG to save on space(and money). Newer HG/EG kits are absolute tanks and hold a pose like a statue. They are fairly simple but would still work great as game pieces, plus if its been any form of Gundam media there's a HG of it.
What you have stumbled is the Deathsycthe Hell EW Version from the New Mobile Report Gundam Wing. Although a Gundam series of its own, it is a series different from the main timeline, and is such part of the "Alternate Timeline" or the "Non-U.C. Timeline" (U.C. being Universal Century for short, where the original 1979 Gundam series, namely Mobile Suit Gundam or 0079 Gundam originated from; the Entry Grade kit you have featured in this video is the grand-daddy of all Gundam designs, the Rx-78-2 Gundam). In Gundam Wing, unlike the main U.C. timeline, the colonists are the good guys basically in the show. Each of one of the five titular Gundams (Wing, Deathscythe, Heavyarms, Sandrock & Shenlong) are Gundams made from five individual colonies who are rebelling against OZ, an Earthian government who are keen in suppressing the rights of spacenoids/colonists. The kit that you have is the Master Grade 1/100 Deathsycthe Hell EW Version, EW standing for Endless Waltz, is a redesign of the original Deathscythe Hell TV version as Endless Waltz is a sequel movie/OVA of the series, taking place after main events of the TV series.
Hey man, you found a kit you were interested in, even if you're a novice that's not a bad way to start. And for someone just now diving into this you're pronunciations are spot on for the most part.
I agree that the last thing GW needs is more complicated models but, there has to be a middle ground between no options, push fit, monopose and, a whole ass gunpla, war gear is free now so you can't really screw up options as a beginner and, push fit individual limbs/weapons would be easier to swap out, space crusade had a similar idea so it can't be that hard
Okay. That reaction on reading the Deathscythe manual is entirely relatable. That was like my second model and boy howdy was it a struggle getting it together...
Gunpla is just one of many options. There are smaller figure lines called Assault Kingdom and G-frame which are usually around 3 inches in height that can do calisthenics around push fit with the level of articulation and poseablility.
Just got linked this video, ironically enough for the last couple of weeks I've been busy with a major customisation to turn a Gundam model kit into Magnus
The MG Deathscythe Hell EW from 2011 uses the frame from the MG Deathscythe EW from 2010. There's been a lot of growth in gunpla tech in the last 13 years. Any of the HGs from the Witch from Mercury line or one of the Entry Grades would be a budget way for you to see how different the build tech is.
I only have 2 gunpla kits, 1 is the RG Eva 01 (my first kit) and the HG Aerial, and with the RG Eva, I really feel the point he made about the kit feeling really fragile and everything falling off, but with the Aerial, it is smaller, but it feels WAY more stable and the only part that really falls off when posing is the head, other than that, the model feels very rigid, not as much as like a figure, but still very good, so maybe real grade kits are just more finicky than high grades, I don't think it's a problem with the kit being old, because the Eva came out in 2020, and the Aerial was 2022, anyway, if you can deal with smaller parts (though a LOT less parts overall) I think you'd really enjoy the Aerial or one of its redesigns like the Aerial rebuild, or the Calibarn (all High grade)
Deathscythe Hell was my second Gunpla, albeit in a lower grade. The only trouble I had building it was that I used a wire cutter to chew the parts off the runners. The lower, newer grades are more durable and the instructions come translated. Can't say as much for CW. I bought one starter set cuz a nearby store had it. It's sitting at the bottom of my dresser.
hey, nice of you to try out the superior brand of "i want cool shit on my desk but im too lazy to learn to paint or glue" models, just a few tips for gunpla in the future (if you want,) check when your model was introduced, the older the date the more "Jank" it might be, my general rule of thumb is beginner kits (in all grades imho) start at ~2009/2010 if anything on your big robot feels too loose or too stiff, paint the tabs (if too loose) or cut off some plastic inside the slot (if too tight) so things just stay a LITTTLE bit better, and the very simplest tip: buy what you want, though most of gunplas "content" is at high grade but they're still really good despite being 1/144.