ガンプラganpura
Quick definition:Gunpla is the name for plastic model kits of robots from the Gundam franchise, which hobbyists assemble, paint and display, and it is one of the best-known anime model hobbies.
Meaning
Gunpla is a shortened form of Gundam plastic model, and it refers to the model kits of robots and ships from Gundam anime. Kits come as plastic parts attached to frames, called runners, which builders cut off and snap or glue together. Many modern kits are designed to fit without glue or paint, so beginners can build them easily.
Builders can go far beyond the instructions, adding paint, decals, lighting, weathering effects and custom parts. Gunpla clubs, contests and shops are popular in Japan and abroad, and some builders create elaborate scenes, called dioramas. Kits are made in different scales and levels, from simple, cheap versions to very detailed ones with many parts.
Gunpla shows how a series can create a lasting hobby. Gundam kits have been produced for decades, and the models, tools and techniques have influenced the wider world of model building. Some Gundam-based anime even feature characters who build and battle with Gunpla in the story itself.
Origin:Gunpla is a blend of Gundam and puramoderu, the Japanese word for plastic model. The first kits appeared around 1980, shortly after the original Gundam television series, and sales grew sharply in the early 1980s. The shortened name became a standard hobby term in Japan and later spread among fans worldwide.
Example:At a hobby shop, a beginner chooses a boxed kit of a white and blue robot, clips each piece from its frame, and snaps the arms and legs together over an evening. The next weekend he adds black panel lines with a marker, and shows the finished model to friends, who ask how he made it look so clean.
Did you know?A common technique is to cut each part from its frame with sharp nippers and then smooth the leftover marks with fine sandpaper, which makes the join almost invisible. Careful builders say this simple step improves a model more than any other.
