It's been eleven years. The last time I built a Dygenguar was back in 2013, and I never imagined that eleven years later, in 2024, I would once again be building my favorite machine from Super Robot Wars OG. The difference this time is that this is the HG non-scale Dygenguar released by the evil Bandai, whereas the one I built eleven years ago was the non-scale Dygenguar from Kotobukiya. Over a decade ago, Super Robot Wars kits could only be found in Kotobukiya's product line, so if you wanted one, your only choice was the pricey Kotobukiya. On top of that, Kotobukiya is notorious for its very, very, very infrequent reissues, which caused prices to soar.
Building it again after eleven years is truly moving. This time, I can finally achieve the poses and articulation I wanted eleven years ago without needing heavy modifications. I gave many of my modeling "firsts" to the Kotobukiya Dygenguar, so building this again today fills my heart with an indescribable sense of emotion. My first time sharpening and extending edges, my first time embedding metal balls (on a model, that is), my first time separating and extending joints, my first time attempting a matte metallic texture, my first time lightening a weapon, my first time sculpting with epoxy putty, my first time trying to spray for a metallic color separation effect... and so on. So many of my firsts were dedicated to the Kotobukiya Dygenguar, which was also the only major modification project in my modeling journey. It is for this very reason that when I saw Bandai release the HG Dygenguar eleven years later, I bought it instantly without a second thought.
Because this is a humanoid weapon that I absolutely adore, I decided to give it a full paint job. The painting style is the same as eleven years ago; the only difference is probably that this time I used a matte metallic blue paired with metallic red for the color scheme.
The entire painting process was completed using Gaia Color and GSI Creos paints. I am extremely, extremely satisfied with the final result.
Below is a simple build-sharing session that I hope everyone will enjoy.
Finally, I hope that in my lifetime, I can look forward to Bandai releasing the "Jinba Ittai, Ikkitousen" to complete the true Bushin Soukou.
▼【Chou-Gunshin Dygenguar】Nothing the Colossal Blade Can't Cut! Bandai HG Chou-Gunshin Dygenguar - Full Metallic Paint Job
▼Eleven years ago, the non-scale Dygenguar produced by Kotobukiya. At the time, I dedicated all my modeling firsts to this kit.
▼My first time embedding metal balls, and my first attempt at matte metallic blue and matte metallic red.
▼My first time sharpening and extending edges, and my first time trying to sculpt with epoxy putty.
▼My first time mixing clear paints to achieve an emerald green.
▼My first time using matte black to create a metallic color separation effect.
▼Before painting, I always spray a layer of primer surfacer. Many fellow modelers have written to ask if it's necessary to apply primer surfacer. To be honest, this is a difficult question for me to answer. First, you need to understand the purpose of applying primer surfacer. For me, spraying primer before painting helps me check if the nub marks have been sanded completely and to spot any small imperfections. Besides that, the most, most, most important point is that primer helps my base coat or top coat adhere firmly to the model's surface. Whether to apply it or not depends on your own habits; many modelers also get great results by spraying directly onto the plastic.
▼The red parts were sprayed with metallic red. For this build, I used the layering method that everyone finds troublesome. You spray one layer, then another. Although this step is tedious and time-consuming (you have to wait for the previous layer to dry before spraying the next), this metallic layering technique allows you to control the depth and shade of the red sheen you want to achieve. By using a gold or silver base coat, you can also produce metallic reds of different depths.
The key to this method is that the bottom layer of silver or gold must be bright, very bright. And the brightness of the silver and gold, in turn, depends on whether the black layer underneath is glossy enough. Overall, every step is interlinked.
The steps are as follows:
Primer Surfacer --- GAIA EX-02 Gloss Black --- GAIA 010 (Gold) --- GAIA 041 Clear Red (four layers) --- GAIA EX-03 Clear Gloss
▼Matte Metallic Blue. This was also applied using a layering method. The steps are the same as the metallic red, with the difference being that GAIA 043 Clear Black was used at the end to create a color separation effect for the metallic texture. Finally, a matte clear coat, GAIA EX-04, was used to turn the metallic blue with clear black accents into a matte blue.
▼Upper body complete.
▼Thanks to the clear black, different lighting angles will reflect different metallic sheens and color separation effects.
▼Completed.
The above is a brief overview of the building process. Next, I'll use a photo shoot to introduce the features of each part and provide some explanations.
▼First, a comparison of the two Dygenguar kits. On the left is the Bandai HG non-scale Dygenguar, and on the right is the Kotobukiya non-scale Dygenguar (with full super-articulation modifications).
▼For a non-scale kit, the Kotobukiya version's proportions are slightly short and small. Without modifications, its articulation is actually quite tragic.
▼The Bandai HG non-scale Dygenguar can easily strike many poses. Its articulation is excellent; actions like raising the sword for a high block or a powerful over-the-shoulder slash are no problem for this Bandai-produced HG kit. In terms of physique, while both are non-scale, Bandai's proportions are refined to be closer to the original design.
▼And now, the star of this article makes its entrance! Chou-Gunshin Dygenguar, entering the battle! No heavy modifications are needed; its cool factor is at maximum just by standing there. Whether it's the proportions, height, or physique, considering the official design height of 55.4m, these proportions are truly impeccable.
▼The jade blue color was mixed according to the color guide in the instruction manual: GAIA 121 Silver + GAIA 033 Primary Blue + GSI Burnt Iron. These three colors were mixed according to the recommended ratios in the manual, stirred evenly, and then poured into the airbrush for spraying.
▼The shape and proportions of the skirt armor are just right, not too short. The gold on the wrists was painted with GAIA 132 Pearl Gold. The brilliance of GAIA 132 Pearl Gold is enhanced under light reflection. When not under strong light, I personally feel that GAIA 132 is less conspicuous compared to other gold paints.
▼There is a significant difference in brightness with and without light reflection. Before painting, it's recommended to spray a layer of gloss black after the primer surfacer to make the gold pop even more. Since I primarily use Gaia Color paints, I also use Gaia's dedicated metallic paint thinner (T-09) for dilution.
▼Compared to the "turtle shell" design of the Kotobukiya Dygenguar's rear skirt armor, I much prefer Bandai's version.
▼The rear skirt armor can move independently and houses three thruster nozzles inside.
▼The elbow section can be rotated to allow for more dynamic poses.
▼After rotation, the articulated joint becomes visible.
▼Due to the joint design, rotating it allows the arm to be raised higher. A raised arm enables a wider range of poses.
▼The only included optional hand part is this open-palmed hand. The optional hands all use ball joints. Because of this, it's important to mask the ball joint before painting to avoid the paint layer becoming too thick, which could lead to the tragic snapping of the hand peg during assembly and rotation.
That's all for my build and review of the Dygenguar. Next up is a collection of action shots from the photo shoot for everyone to enjoy.
▼Photo Shoot Showcase: Chou-Gunshin Dygenguar, Type-3 Colossal Blade, Iittou Ryoudan!
