If you're into Gunpla, you've probably dabbled in all sorts of customization – painting, cutting, weathering, or even full-blown themed builds. It's all about making your model stand out!
Today, we're shining a spotlight on Japanese Gunpla builder papico (@papico910), who's absolutely crushed it with a heavily customized Gundam model. He took the 2013 release of the "MG 1/100 Wing Gundam Zero Proto EW" from the spin-off manga "Mobile Suit Gundam Wing Endless Waltz: Glory of the Losers" and gave it a complete overhaul, resulting in a truly extraordinary build.
papico (@papico910) crafted this masterpiece for the "ISPWC" (@ispworldcup) model competition, specifically setting it up for a showdown against another iconic Gunpla from the original "Endless Waltz" anime: the "MG 1/100 Wing Gundam Zero EW Ver.Ka."
▼ Check out papico's own customized "MG 1/100 Wing Gundam Zero EW Ver.Ka"!
Pitting it against the "angelic" Wing Gundam Zero EW Ver.Ka, papico went in the opposite direction, creating a version with a distinct "dark hero vibe." He specifically tackled the detail discrepancies between the two older kits, using new panel lines, added plastic sheets, and custom 3D-printed parts to give this classic model a massive upgrade!
According to papico, the main modification points for the overall assembly include:
Overall
• Enhanced details through new panel lines, plastic sheets, and 3D-printed parts
Head
• Neck extended by 1.5mm
• Head fin extended
• Custom-made eye parts
• Face sculpt replaced
Torso
• Waist extended by 3mm
• Shoulder joint position raised
• Waist joint converted from ball joint to shaft structure
• Hip position moved forward by 2mm
Arms
• Custom wrist guards made from plastic sheets for a more robust look
• Shoulder thrusters replaced with 3D-printed parts
Legs
• Thigh base extended by 1mm with shims
• Toes extended
• Originally rounded thighs reshaped with putty to create sharper, more angular lines
Backpack
• Re-engineered movable axis for the wings, allowing for angle adjustments (originally fixed)
Even with all these extensive modifications to the mobile suit, the Wing Gundam Zero's signature transformation remains perfectly intact and just as cool as ever.
While this kit might still feel relatively new to some, it's actually over a decade old, meaning there were plenty of areas ripe for improvement. papico commented, "Even though tackling these areas was tough, looking at it another way, it's precisely because it's an older MG kit that there's more room for customization, which actually made the process more fun!"
The finished product has earned widespread praise from netizens, with comments like "Explosively cool!", "The details are insane, I can't stop staring!", and "This is truly master-craftsman level detail!"
If you're digging papico's work, head over to his X account – he's got tons more amazing builds to check out!
via： X 帳戶 papico