SD GP01

Stardust memory is one of my favourite OVA out of the Gundam universe. The GP01 is the protagonist, Kou Uraki's first Gundam, when he used it in an attempt to stop Gato from stealing the GP02 in the first episode kicking off the series. The design is based off the RX-78, except the slightly more modernised design appeals to me moreso than the original's blocky design.

This kit, like the PG version, is sort of like two kits in one. You can choose to make the original GP01, or the FB version, the mid-season upgrade of the GP01. The one I have decided to make is the original.

I have made a few modifications to this kit. The original look of the kit has abominable proportions which is saying a lot for a super 'deformed' kit. The arms and legs were way too small and look pretty out of place, as you can see here. I replaced the legs with the BB Sangokuden version of the kit, the Korinpaku Sonken Zephyrantes, based off of GP01's design. I also replaced the arms with that of BB Nu Gundam's. The rifle also had to be swapped, and I used GP03's, which is pretty much the same rifle except bigger. The GP03 needed a smaller rifle anyway, so it's a win-win situation.

As for the paintjob, I simply panel lined and painted all the small details. After that, I painted the main areas taking care not too ruin the panel lines, applied the stickers that came with the recently released BB GP01 + Alex set, and topped it off with two coats of matte topcoat. I'm only a casual modeler, so I don't have an airbrush, I do it all with a normal paintbrush. Seam lines are also poorly covered, as it was my first time trying out Tamiya extra thin cement (or any cement for that matter).

All in all I really like this kit, seeing as how it is one of my favourite mobile suits from one of my favourite series. The proportions are horrible, however, but the mods I applied, in my opinion, does the job pretty well, although at the cost of parts from other kits. Here are some further shots of the GP01. Enjoy!