Kicking off the year in January, the "PG UNLEASHED 1/60 ν Gundam" dropped like a bomb, instantly becoming the talk of the Gunpla world. As a 45th-anniversary magnum opus, this ultimate kit, packed with cutting-edge tech, had fans scrambling to get their hands on it, price tag be damned!
Now, the Japanese Gunpla YouTube channel "ぷらばん Plaban" just dropped a video showcasing their insane challenge: crafting a "Hyper Golden PGU ν Gundam" so dazzling it practically blinds you, all through meticulous sanding and painting. The video instantly went viral, with viewers showering praise on the epic final product—a true labor of love that took a solid two months to perfect!
The "PG UNLEASHED 1/60 ν Gundam" isn't just any kit; it's the second entry in the "PG UNLEASHED" series, celebrating Gunpla's 45th anniversary. This bad boy is the ultimate Gunpla, a testament to cutting-edge tech, and the very first time the ν Gundam has graced us with a 1/60 scale model kit. We're talking a towering 557mm (that's nearly 22 inches!) of pure awesomeness, Fin Funnels included.
This beast, which dropped at the end of January 2026, commanded a hefty 66,000 JPY price tag. With a mind-boggling 79 runners and over 1400 individual parts, its sheer scale is absolutely bonkers!
Given the kit's intricate design, Plaban kicked things off with a full dry-fit to map out every single part. Then, it was back to square one: complete disassembly. He meticulously snipped off all the nubs, smoothed out any tiny imperfections, and even buffed away minute dents. Just this initial sanding marathon alone ate up a solid four weeks!
Before the real painting began, every single part got a thorough wash. First up: the inner frame. After a slick coat of metallic paint, it was assembled, and honestly, it already looked ridiculously cool. The finished frame boasted a subtle, industrial metallic sheen, oozing pure mechanical grit.
When it came to the outer armor, Plaban dropped a pro tip: he secretly mixed a touch of "fluorescent pink" into every custom color blend to make the hues pop even more. To achieve that coveted layered depth, he painstakingly repeated the painting and drying cycles, even applying the clear coat a whopping three times. And if a rogue speck of dust or fiber dared to land on his work? No mercy! He'd sand it down and restart, absolutely zero compromises.
Next up: panel lining and waterslide decals to dial up the intricate details. Then came the protective clear coat, with non-gold sections getting a sleek matte finish. But here's where it got wild: for the subsequent polishing, he piled on extra layers to build up the coating—eventually hitting a mind-blowing 15 layers!
Then came the moment of truth: the polishing. Armed with power tools and an arsenal of abrasive compounds, each individual part underwent at least three rounds of intense buffing. Once polished to perfection, they were cleaned, dried, and finally treated with a special coating to unleash that dazzling, mirror-like sheen. By this stage, the clock had already ticked past "two months plus two weeks" of pure dedication.
Finally, the outer armor clicked back onto the frame, and just like that, a ν Gundam absolutely bursting with gravitas was officially unleashed! Even the creator couldn't hold back, excitedly shouting, "The weight! The luster!" The second the Fin Funnels and shield snapped into place, completing the masterpiece, he burst into applause.
This "Hyper Golden ν Gundam" left netizens absolutely floored, with comments like, "This is straight-up art, I'm genuinely moved," "That premium gold is just jaw-droppingly cool," "This gold totally gives off Hyaku Shiki vibes," and "The craftsmanship is beyond insane, I could never do this!" Everyone was showering praise on this golden marvel.
If you're a Gunpla builder looking for some serious inspiration or wanting to pick up a few tricks, you absolutely *have* to check out the "ぷらばん Plaban" YouTube channel. They've got tons more incredible Gunpla creations waiting for you!
▼ Watch the full build process here:
via： X帳戶ぷらばん Plaban