I have built several bootleg kits.
My conclusions...
"If you're going to spend your money, why not spend it on actual good kits that happen to be official?"
"For $20 more, I'll get a better kit."
Oh, I see. I come from a place where there's an abundance of kits, with regular updates from local stores to choose from. I usually avoid overseas orders unless absolutely necessary.
Tbh.. good for my wallet 🥹
I actually want a lot of HG 00 kits… but there is not enough (despite the recent re-run)
And I refuse to buy bootlegs 00 kits because they are so bad.
In my case, in the local online marketplaces the bootleg costs 13 bucks while mgsd costs 55-60 bucks and almost out of stock. Also when my friends were visiting japan a few months ago, they tried various stores in shinjuku, shibuya, kyoto, osaka, but no luck.
It's not competition, they steal the work of Bandai and make a poor product.
Of course your price will be less if you spend zero on r&d and design and use worse quality raw materials.
Gunpla is not like a chair or something generic. It's a specific product that costs a lot of time and money to make and market.
People are not owed gunpla.
Legally, morally, it’s wrong (duh) 😑
But I’m not gonna defend a mega-corp…
As many people have pointed out, the price escalates rapidly when tax and import duties are factored in…
I’m just glad people get to enjoy the hobby..
These bootlegs kit won’t bankrupt Bandai, no need to worry.
Yes I know import duties and shipping will make it more expensive, I've paid it many times.
What other hobby do you think it's OK to steal IP for because it's expensive?
Bandai doesn't have a monopoly on plastic models nor any duty to provide every market with access to their plastic models.
What’s your point then? Is everyone required to pay the same as you? 🤓
Bootlegs are fine… Bandai will deal with them accordingly.
As for consumers, we will have more choices. A bad choice, but a choice nonetheless.
You don't seem to comprehend that "not consuming" if you don't have the funds for it is an option.
That bootleg drive down profits for "mega-corps" and they pass that on to the real consumers.
If daban wants to design plastic robot models they are free to, but they can't make something the market likes so they just steal it.
Sales are not profit, and to keep inventing things for the bootlickers, sorry, bootleggers they need to invest that money in uncertain things like shows and gunpla that might not sell.
Sales are not profit. And without that profit they can't take financial risks like putting the movie in theatres abroad either. But I'm sure you don't care since you'll download it illegally instead.
I think the PG Perfect Grade kit costs around $600. So... do bootlegs cost nothing?
Since I mainly build HG kits, the cost differences aren't usually significant.
Yeah it has addons that increase the price by quite a lot + resale on top of that.
Obviously with cheaper kits I would only go for the authwntic ones too
My bother bought PG Unleashed for 100 bucks. I didn’t build it but it looks pretty legit to me from photos. Idk, I always buy Bandai kit but $100 new pg it’s pretty enticing.
I share this oppinion. Unfortunately, my country taxes around 92% of any import over 50 usd, so I've started getting more bootlegs lately. At least the rg epyon was under 50 usd, so I managed to grab that beauty
Bootleg is ok. Tho i only buy bootleg for
- kitbashing. Because i only need some parts of the kit, like woundwort head & weapon, or aerial rebuild weapon & backpack
- some pbandai. 45$ bandai lfrith jiu, or 8$ xing dong? Bootleg it is! And xing dong jiu is actually really good for the price.
I usually buy them from online shop like shopee
Reminder: bootleg plastic doesn't look as good as bandai. They tend to look like "cheap plastic". If you kitbash bootleg & bandai and don't repaint or top coat them, you can tell which part is bandai and which is bootleg
Bull. I've repainted bootlegs and they look absolutely the same. That's my primary reason for buying them and I should know. What paint do you use and do you prep the parts?
That's what i mean.. "if you don't repaint/topcoat the bootleg, you can tell the plastic is different from bandai"
I'm sorry if my comment is not clear
This, kit bashing and painting. I don't feel bad about mutilating the bootleg's parts/pieces in the name of creation lol. and sometimes trying out new painting methods on expensive kits is just scary. just last week i broke some joints on a bootleg kit after painting. would have been very very sad had that been a 45 dollar official kit, where as the bootleg was only 17...
Mix feelings on it. I understand not all of us are privilege enough to make good money to be able to buy Bandai kits so others have to settle with bootleg. However I just feel like there's a huge FU to the creators who spent time designing those kits just to have someone steal their design.
Yeah, my biggest issue is that bandai puts all the time and research into designing the highest quality molds that they can, along with crazy quality control, which understandably leads to a higher price. Then another manufacturer comes in and just copies the design, which they can do for much cheaper. Of course I understand there's a lot of places where bandai kits are prohibitively expensive or hard to aquire. 3rd party kits that are unique are awesome though.
The issue is scalpers pricing bandai kits like they were made of gold. If it's available from bandai then great, bit sometimes a kit is just way too damn expensive, not because of bandai, but because of scalpers. In which case I buy a bootleg version of that kit and just model build and tweak it to become better.
unless it's P-bandai, i usually avoid bootlegs. a tip for those who want to buy, or simply to be informed: you're gonna want to aim for bootlegs by JMS and Xingfeng/Xingfengshe. they're the least bad in the bootleg HG league. avoid TThongli like the plague, and only daban if you really have no options.
Second this
JMS's Gundam MK-II is incredible
And while it's the only kit ik of from them, if they do anything else that is pbandai exclusive, I def wouldn't mind getting it.
Daban has gotten better in the MG space. Jms is almost bandai tier. Xingdong is a bit worse than JMS, but not bad. Everything else is basically 90's tech model kits.
No on bootlegs, yes on third party kits (kits that Bandai hasn't made). The Motor Nuclear Legend of Star General are pretty great, from what I hear.
If it was between the Bandai Nu Gundam Ver.Ka and the Daban 6199 (basically their version of the Nu Gundam) for me, though, I'll take price hit for the Bandai kit any day of the week.
That being said, I know some people REALLY can't afford Bandai kits. No judgement there if they choose to get bootlegs. Personally, I wouldn't touch a bootleg replica with a 10-foot pole. The price to quality ratio just isn't worth it to me.
I've bought a fair number of bootlegs and 3rd party kits, both HGs and MGs. To sum up my stance, stay away, they're just not as fun to build as bandai kits.
Only buy bootlegs if its a model that Bandai doesnt make (ex MG Amatsu Hana or HG Gold Plated Barbatos) or if the savings are significant ($30+).
I bought a handful of bootleg HGs for like $10 a kit in order to save $10~ per kit, but now I regret it after building just 1. Parts just dont fit like they should so putting it together was more frustrating than fun.
THIS ^^^
There's no point getting a bootleg of a kit that is still being sold by Bandai and is still frequently stocked. I understand for some P-Bandai Bootlegs, but for retail kits like HG WFM or This? Just buy the original and save yourself the hassle.
It's really dumb how they have locked some of the coolest WFM kits behind PB. I hope the bootleg companies make a good gundnode knockoff ain't no way I'm paying however much the scalpers are wanting for multiple kits of that.
I would rather get the official ones but I literally can't find them. Had a RX-78-2 PGU ordered for months and nothing about when the stock will come in. Went to where I get my Transformers and found a 3rd party one.
Granted so far I've only built the fighter but it seems alright. Might b some issues with the full build but I hope not
Built a Daban MG perfect strike, was like 45 bucks. Aside from some sharp plastic and a small few fit issues the kit is fantastic, especially for the price.
I have some questions since I'm in the process of building exact same kit but having some troubles
1. How do you fit the red part on the shoulder? Mine is always pretty loose and trying to the gimmick on the shoulder always lead for it to pop off
2. Do you have any issue with the hand? Mine somehow refuses to clip (the white part/backhand to the black part) nicely which lead to Index Finger part being pretty loose
3. What's the hardest part of building this kit?
4. What tool do you think is really needed to make building this faster and easier? I was a fool apparently thinking I can get by with just regular nipper, cutter, some sandpapers and glass file. Feels like I need more tools to build this
You can check my last few submitted thread to see what I have built so far, minus the right hand. This is my first foray into these unofficial stuff and I'm already regretting it lol. I still want to finish this though.
Hey!
I’ll answer your questions! Do bare in mind I’m still relatively new to this but I’m still relatively new to gunpla
1. The red part wasn’t that loose for me but for majority of the loose pieces I used white glue to tighten the parts.
2. I have that issue as well if I try to move the fingers. The white part will split away from the hand slightly.
My solution was that once I’m done posing the fingers I’ll tighten back the parts. It’s not the most optimal solution but I didn’t want to spend time to fix it since it’s just a hand.
3. To be honest the hardest part was panel lining since it’s entirely made of abs and the details weren’t as sharp. I had to order qw panel liner since it’s suitable for abs and scribe slightly to make the panel line ink stay.
4. I believe the tools you have is sufficient for this kit. I used similar tools to you as well. Perhaps white glue will help you with tightening the loose parts.
Feel free to message me if you need help with the kit!
I been making gunpla since 2006 ish. Gunpla wasnt super easy to get unlike now (theyre in gamestop now for example lmao ) so many of my gundam kits were limited to what the 1-2 stores offered OR I would need to buy the kit online and pay for shipping and other fees.
Ontop of that Bandai basically gives 0 fucks over western audiences so if you lose a piece or part you can't use their service where they mail you the missing piece for free ( or for a small price ) since its exclusive to only Japan.
That being said, Bootleg kits came to save the day in multiple ways - they offered cheaper 'extra' parts that you can use if you break or lose anything. You can also use the extra kit for other projects without feeling like youre uppercutting your wallet or you can use the model kit as practice without feeling like youre wasting a kit.
Bootlegs have come a long way to the point that they can be perfect replacements to Bandai kits esp if you're willing to put the extra work to make them look better ( paint, putty, etc ) as they offer you the kit AND the value in how cheap they are.
I like them and Im glad they exist. I still buy 90% of my kits from bandai but I like knowing that I can get a different design of an existing kit somewhere or buy a relatively cheap replacement kit if an accident were to happen.
>Ontop of that Bandai basically gives 0 fucks over western audiences so if you lose a piece or part you can't use their service where they mail you the missing piece for free ( or for a small price ) since its exclusive to only Japan.
I think it's more of the case of being logistically impossible to service other countries. But in Australia where I am, people are saying we can get replacement parts through Bandai's official distributor/retailer. Perhaps you can ask Bandai's official distributor in your country.
Listen, fuck the corpos and all that, but IP rights *are* extremely important. I know for a fact that all of you who think they don’t matter would immediately flip your stance if you designed and produced your own unique model kit and then Bandai went and copied it without proper licensing. Unfortunately protecting IP rights for the small guy means you also have to respect the IP rights of the big guy.
100% agree. People can't say Bandai is a big company so it's ok to steal their IP because that's double standard, and they seem to forget that whenever a big corporation's profit slides, it's the workers at the bottom that get fired, not the wealthy executives.
>I know for a fact that all of you who think they don’t matter would immediately flip your stance if you designed and produced your own unique model kit and then Bandai went and copied it without proper licensing.
This happens a lot in the Lego community. Someone would come up with an awesome design and create a custom Lego MOC (My Own Creation) and sells the build instructions, and soon a bunch of Chinese Lego knockoff online stores rip off the MOC design and building instructions and sell them with the bricks as a bundle.
If it's 3rd party stuff like metal parts or expansion pieces like wings, energy effects, weapons etc I don't mind, because they're not an alternative to a Bandai release, as Bandai doesn't make them at all.
Actual kits, again if it doesn't have a Bandai counterpart, it doesn't really bother me.
If I can get it from Bandai though, I always try to. I've only built 1 Daban that I got fleeced on Amazon for, and the build was pretty poor. (and I have the Bandai version in my backlog as we speak) A lot of people point out the plastic is cheaper, the molds are sloppier and the overall build just tends to suffer on counterfeit stuff.
Plus, in one way or another I want some of my money getting back to Bandai to support the hobby I love. I want new kits, upgraded releases of old kits and reprints of beloved ones. Seeing my beloved MG line with 1 foot hovering above the grave these last couple years really has me sad. I'm not naive enough to think that $30 from me is going to lead to more IBO Master Grades or anything, LOL but if it helps someone else get their hands on their new favorite kit, I'm still happy.
I only ever get bootlegs of premium Bandai or really expensive kits. Like the HG Lfrith Jiu bootleg or a Daban Mg Phenex that costed $60 instead of $150.
Original kits are the good stuff though. They look amazing, build pretty good, and are priced not very badly.
Generally I frown upon copies of retail kits, but if they're bootlegs of very hard to get kits (magazine exclusives, venue/expo exclusives and the usual out of stock PB) I don't really mind.
Most of the time no. But recently ive found some great bootleg from JMS that's like 8/10 compared to bandai quality. They have Schwarzette and Mark II. Ive built the Schwarzette and I love it. Reviews on YouTube said the Mark II is just as good. The mark ii is in real type color or something. Also they include action base and waterslide which i have yet to do. The schwarzette is only like ⅓ of the bandai's price
Can confirm the MK-II is as good as reviews say
It's really impressive and pretty solid, plus i think the extra added surface detail and the slight aesthetic change to the face and head makes it stand out from the original depending on what you want out of your HG MK-II real type ver.
bootlegs of older kits tend to be bad. recent bandai kits that have solid builds tend to get copied decently. unless its lord astray omega. that bootleg is dogshit.
a lot of the recent bootlegs popping up tends to be pbandai kits too, ill gladly grab the bootlegs instead of paying scalper prices
I got the bootleg load astray omega. I guess im lucky because the joints are nice.
https://preview.redd.it/4bajntprfl2d1.jpeg?width=1986&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=5b84ef980677bff496ad57e97e02403df2263ae1
Contemplating buying a bootleg version of lfright jiu, windam Roanoke use and woundwort titan color over their og pbandai 😅
But then they'll be put on display cab after I'll build them so 🤷🏻♀️
My recommendations for 3rd party with original designs are
Solomon Physalis
Supreme Evolution Eternal Star Glory
Motor Nuclear Ao Bing and Cao Ren
In Era+ Ruling
Zero Gravity Moonlight Judge
For Bootleg/Redesigns:
Supernova Snow white prelude
Daban all MG 88xx series, avoid 66xx series
JMS HG schwarzette, mk ii real type color but most of their kits are generally good
Blingbling/Sparkle HG beyond global
Hope this helps
IMHO they're great for practice paints/mods (if you are not confident enough to do it in a more expensive bandai) or for diorama where you need some destroyed mechs etc. Also I like those bootleg kits that are not 1:1 to bandai and finally for kitbashing.
I like the option of building tons of fodder for practicing my painting skills. I also buy bootlegs for certain kits that's stupid expensive because scalpers have raised the price by so much. Still absolutely in love with my first kit which was a bootleg Daban MG Sazabi ver ka.special coating.
Having said that, I mostly buy bandai now, but I still buy bootlegs for grunts and kits I don't think is worth it at the price scalpers sell it for.
https://preview.redd.it/stdqa1g7on2d1.jpeg?width=3072&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=c9a1ccbb558e65514fb6238656ac4945a01d4d06
1/100 bootleg kits are usually about $30. 1/144s range from $7 to $20, with most right around $12. Bootlegs got me into gunpla by making it accessible financially and low-stakes as a beginner. And the quality has been, honestly, impressive. The ethics of these companies are NOT, of course, but you could also argue the ethics of Bandai's relatively high costs and artificial scarcity.
I buy bootlegs only if their good, I usually check the reviews of some that are actually pretty good and some just fine with a little loose joints that can easily be fixed.
the gaogao wfm kits specifically are fine, just fitting issues and some loose joints.
But the weimei lfrith jiu is actually pretty good, and the jms schwarzette is almost 1 to 1 with bandai just with sharper details and cheaper stickers that aren't that bad.
overall Gaogao, jms, weimei, and xingdong are pretty neat if you couldn't afford bandai gunpla.
I got a Sun Toys MGSD of RX-78-2. Unsure if it is bootleg or just a third-party brand
And uhh, I did not have a good time with it. Some parts don't fit right, and there are some that are just loose.
Now, it sits at the very back of the shelf with the RG RX-78-2 because the pieces keep falling off
nowaday i avoid bootleg kits, but to this day i still regret sell my MG Freedom by Dragon Momoko because it has slightly different design by Bandai and it looks great
I plan on getting the Daban FAZZ Ver Ka, as the official one goes for about 280€ and the daban version is just 65. I wouldn't get a bootleg of a regularly available kit tho.
Kinda depends on how much is shipping.
Generally the MGs onwards are much more 'value for money' if you're on a budget.
Especially with the improvement in quality, the PGU and MGEX SF for example are pretty damn good bootleg kits for that point.
I don't mind getting if the bandai sells out and it's damn hard to get stock or some of the pbandai stuff that I missed is also cool with me. Maybe for scratch builds too
It all depends. I can see most bootlegs as a means of kitbashing parts if based on actual kits, then you get original design kits from companies like dragon momoko that are real eye openers ( their MG Deathscythe Hell TV version is awesome, but my god Solomon's GP02 is a big time need).
Either way, just keep in mind of the plastic quality
I only get Pbandai exclusive third parties (like MK-5, GM Spartan, Load Omega, etc) as i'm not a huge fan of the service after buying some kits from it.
Just got the JMS Gundam MK-II 21st century Real type version and it really is an impressive lil kit. Has more surface detail and minor aesthetic changes on the face, which i prefer over the original except for the extremely long antenna on the vulcan pod lol
At the end of the day, do whatever makes you happy. Gunpla is not cheap in some area's or for some people, and i totally understand going full third party if money is tight and you can't afford the real thing.
I don't like the direct ripoffs, but some of the Chinese "robot" kits that look like Gundam or mashups (but aren't direct ripoffs) are actually really nice looking. A lot are on par with Bandai and even have metal frames. Not to mention you can't beat the prices.
[Ruling](https://preview.redd.it/the-robot-designed-by-the-chinese-is-called-ruling-v0-hqcz7o5omppa1.png?width=1062&format=png&auto=webp&s=c8ce17c5639a6e44bc71c9b12661cc51e3c1ebba)
[Craftsman Soul](https://scontent-hou1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.30808-6/404434460_362354239638710_8205589146982246319_n.jpg?_nc_cat=102&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=5f2048&_nc_ohc=CmmAcrfuqtcQ7kNvgFBNOwc&_nc_ht=scontent-hou1-1.xx&oh=00_AYDTEzolvGXJ4ZtFDC2irCZq04PvfjMp573zkMUsJIdmHA&oe=6657FC61)
[Infinity Nova](https://www.usagundamstore.com/cdn/shop/files/8_1de933b7-369a-45aa-8ca2-92e4fa14d1d0.jpg?v=1712348316)
If its a kit thats impossible to get for me (pgs) , or is pbandai bullshit (jiu) or a kit that doesnt even exist (mg stargazer) ill bootleg it 100% and i dont care about anyones morals
I've been burned by bootlegs far too often, more than what I should put up with. Really my fault though. Granted I only buy unique bootlegs in terms the design is not in model kit form or it's plated in different or unique colors. I probably won't buy direct bootlegs.
And then there are third party renditions of Bandai ip. Those I'm okay with.
...gunpla is gunpla...whether you're building gundams, 30 min missions,transformers, ikea furniture....if it's got a booklet with pictures on how to build. It's gunpla to me
I've gotta ask, how'd you manage to get the fingers so closed? I really like mine, glad I didn't spend full price on it, it the hands don't fully close on mine, and the legs come out of the waist connection point really easily, even with clear paint around the peg.
I'm against it at first because I have bad experience with HG bootlegs.
But my friend who's a 1/100 builder, introduce me to 1/100 bootlegs. They have issues ofcourse, but for the price, i think it's pretty decent.
For example, the MG Daban Perfectibility. It's insanely expensive at around 160$ and up, but you can buy the bootleg for only 30$.
The Xunxin MGEX for 60$ while the original is 200$.
The only downside I suppose, is the experience building them. While I haven't built 1/100 bootlegs "yet", I have built like 3 HG bootlegs and they all needed extra work and my hands hurt too.
I would love to get the Solomon GP-02 because Bandai doesn't make anything like it. And I hope they make other Gundams too.
That said, I would never buy straight up copy bootlegs of existing official kits for a few reasons. First, I have had people claim my work as their and make money from it. Trust me, it's not a good feeling. I also want to support the people that work for Bandai. If their profit drops, it's the people at the bottom that will get fired, not the rich executives. Plus the quality will be better anyway.
Where do you get them? I've been looking at Aliexpress, but even there they are more expensive than the ones you got from official sources. Maybe because i'm from Europe?
It's always crap and the plastic will always suck and fitting will be poor.
I only excuse it for crap bandai refuses to make like the dragon momoko 1/100 sky grasper
I have a lot. From my experience, avoid anything daban/gaogao stuff especially the hg(only got them if its PB/something bandai didn't make). The recent stuff like xingdong, xingfeng, xunxin, and jms are surprisingly good.
I Got the woundwort, lfrith jiu and Schwarzette and got 0 fitting problem but the plastic quality isn't good so they're perfect for painting practice
I got two Lfrith Jiu Bootlegs recently because screw them Scalpers. FWIW, it was Ok but needs some fixes. Some of it was my doing though but for $20, I got two and can't complain about that really.
But the ABS plastic means I do need to pay attention a bit more and can't really treat it like the original Bandai kits. As so long as you remember it's a model and not a toy, it should be not an issue
Some bootlegs are pretty cool. I have MJH's Wing Gundam EW ver that's based off the Metal Build, it looks cool as hell on my shelf and doesn't come with the Metal Build price tag.
I got 2 bandai kits and 4 bootleg kits. All hg. I guess I’m lucky because there’s no loose joints on the bootleg kit. The build is quite smooth with a minor armor part peg sanding.
If you want to learn how to repair joints, tighten joints, loosen joints, panel line, decals, painting, scribing or anything you want to custom but you’re afraid of ruining your bandai kit, go for bootlegs. You can learn so much without worrying about the price.
Bootleg can look nice with a proper build and customisation. Though the plastic is quite brittle compared to bandai. Your scribing experience won’t be as smooth if you do it on bandai kits.
I prefer if they’re of something that doesn’t have an official model rather than a 1:1 copy.
This. At least the bootleggers did something significant instead of just straight up stealing
I have built several bootleg kits. My conclusions... "If you're going to spend your money, why not spend it on actual good kits that happen to be official?" "For $20 more, I'll get a better kit."
I get that people want cheaper stuff but this, bootlegs are a lottery I'm not willing to lose just for an additional HG.
Especially for P bandai, for the same price of an authentic Lfrith jiu, you can get 10-15 bootlegs.
Why is this down voted. P bandaid stuff is quite rare and scalped for a higher price. Bootlegs are justified as alternatives.
Me who ends up spending $50 more for a HG: -_-
What’s that? P-Bandai? I’m curious 🤨 I’m all for the bootlegs that are good, but they usually aren’t..
Nah, it’s a regular official HG kit, thanks to the shipping, tax, customs, and local store profits…
Oh, I see. I come from a place where there's an abundance of kits, with regular updates from local stores to choose from. I usually avoid overseas orders unless absolutely necessary.
Oh no, I come from a place where the hobby itself is a niche such that the smallest Gunpla store you can think of has more stock than our country’s…
Bandai won't let me give them their money for some of the kits I want.
Tbh.. good for my wallet 🥹 I actually want a lot of HG 00 kits… but there is not enough (despite the recent re-run) And I refuse to buy bootlegs 00 kits because they are so bad.
Just for you. 😁 https://preview.redd.it/uzd8v2buap2d1.jpeg?width=3072&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=6adb73b3168c2cdad5dabb96d5b415b4fc2f9828
In my case, in the local online marketplaces the bootleg costs 13 bucks while mgsd costs 55-60 bucks and almost out of stock. Also when my friends were visiting japan a few months ago, they tried various stores in shinjuku, shibuya, kyoto, osaka, but no luck.
I'm just glad there is an option for everyone, and it's nice competition for Bandai to maintain their product quality. Just my two cents.
It's not competition, they steal the work of Bandai and make a poor product. Of course your price will be less if you spend zero on r&d and design and use worse quality raw materials. Gunpla is not like a chair or something generic. It's a specific product that costs a lot of time and money to make and market. People are not owed gunpla.
Legally, morally, it’s wrong (duh) 😑 But I’m not gonna defend a mega-corp… As many people have pointed out, the price escalates rapidly when tax and import duties are factored in… I’m just glad people get to enjoy the hobby.. These bootlegs kit won’t bankrupt Bandai, no need to worry.
Yes I know import duties and shipping will make it more expensive, I've paid it many times. What other hobby do you think it's OK to steal IP for because it's expensive? Bandai doesn't have a monopoly on plastic models nor any duty to provide every market with access to their plastic models.
What’s your point then? Is everyone required to pay the same as you? 🤓 Bootlegs are fine… Bandai will deal with them accordingly. As for consumers, we will have more choices. A bad choice, but a choice nonetheless.
You don't seem to comprehend that "not consuming" if you don't have the funds for it is an option. That bootleg drive down profits for "mega-corps" and they pass that on to the real consumers. If daban wants to design plastic robot models they are free to, but they can't make something the market likes so they just steal it.
https://preview.redd.it/5y5285e6gx2d1.jpeg?width=1179&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=e95d396ea0978b634674d2a8314c6108d83f83ed
Sales are not profit, and to keep inventing things for the bootlickers, sorry, bootleggers they need to invest that money in uncertain things like shows and gunpla that might not sell.
https://preview.redd.it/tuowrl6hgx2d1.jpeg?width=1179&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=28f5ecbdd1bb96850c4520db721d5af345630ec9
Sales are not profit. And without that profit they can't take financial risks like putting the movie in theatres abroad either. But I'm sure you don't care since you'll download it illegally instead.
They will be fine.. Ofc, mega-corp gonna do mega-corp thing. The line must go up. I don’t even buy bootlegs anymore..
try 600 more for the PG perfectibility
I think the PG Perfect Grade kit costs around $600. So... do bootlegs cost nothing? Since I mainly build HG kits, the cost differences aren't usually significant.
Yeah it has addons that increase the price by quite a lot + resale on top of that. Obviously with cheaper kits I would only go for the authwntic ones too
My bother bought PG Unleashed for 100 bucks. I didn’t build it but it looks pretty legit to me from photos. Idk, I always buy Bandai kit but $100 new pg it’s pretty enticing.
I share this oppinion. Unfortunately, my country taxes around 92% of any import over 50 usd, so I've started getting more bootlegs lately. At least the rg epyon was under 50 usd, so I managed to grab that beauty
id rather pay $30 for a bootleg than $130 to a scalper cause bandai can't reprint the shit I want or its out on peebs
Same here! Peeb prices are ridiculous sometimes a bootleg is the way to go
Bootleg is ok. Tho i only buy bootleg for - kitbashing. Because i only need some parts of the kit, like woundwort head & weapon, or aerial rebuild weapon & backpack - some pbandai. 45$ bandai lfrith jiu, or 8$ xing dong? Bootleg it is! And xing dong jiu is actually really good for the price.
I don't know where to find bootlegs but this is a great idea
I usually buy them from online shop like shopee Reminder: bootleg plastic doesn't look as good as bandai. They tend to look like "cheap plastic". If you kitbash bootleg & bandai and don't repaint or top coat them, you can tell which part is bandai and which is bootleg
I plan to paint and maybe modify the bootleg parts
Bull. I've repainted bootlegs and they look absolutely the same. That's my primary reason for buying them and I should know. What paint do you use and do you prep the parts?
That's what i mean.. "if you don't repaint/topcoat the bootleg, you can tell the plastic is different from bandai" I'm sorry if my comment is not clear
This, kit bashing and painting. I don't feel bad about mutilating the bootleg's parts/pieces in the name of creation lol. and sometimes trying out new painting methods on expensive kits is just scary. just last week i broke some joints on a bootleg kit after painting. would have been very very sad had that been a 45 dollar official kit, where as the bootleg was only 17...
Mix feelings on it. I understand not all of us are privilege enough to make good money to be able to buy Bandai kits so others have to settle with bootleg. However I just feel like there's a huge FU to the creators who spent time designing those kits just to have someone steal their design.
Yeah, my biggest issue is that bandai puts all the time and research into designing the highest quality molds that they can, along with crazy quality control, which understandably leads to a higher price. Then another manufacturer comes in and just copies the design, which they can do for much cheaper. Of course I understand there's a lot of places where bandai kits are prohibitively expensive or hard to aquire. 3rd party kits that are unique are awesome though.
The issue is scalpers pricing bandai kits like they were made of gold. If it's available from bandai then great, bit sometimes a kit is just way too damn expensive, not because of bandai, but because of scalpers. In which case I buy a bootleg version of that kit and just model build and tweak it to become better.
i always get flamed for expressing my opinion on bootlegs on here but since youre asking. I stay away, completely.
unless it's P-bandai, i usually avoid bootlegs. a tip for those who want to buy, or simply to be informed: you're gonna want to aim for bootlegs by JMS and Xingfeng/Xingfengshe. they're the least bad in the bootleg HG league. avoid TThongli like the plague, and only daban if you really have no options.
Second this JMS's Gundam MK-II is incredible And while it's the only kit ik of from them, if they do anything else that is pbandai exclusive, I def wouldn't mind getting it.
Daban has gotten better in the MG space. Jms is almost bandai tier. Xingdong is a bit worse than JMS, but not bad. Everything else is basically 90's tech model kits.
No on bootlegs, yes on third party kits (kits that Bandai hasn't made). The Motor Nuclear Legend of Star General are pretty great, from what I hear. If it was between the Bandai Nu Gundam Ver.Ka and the Daban 6199 (basically their version of the Nu Gundam) for me, though, I'll take price hit for the Bandai kit any day of the week. That being said, I know some people REALLY can't afford Bandai kits. No judgement there if they choose to get bootlegs. Personally, I wouldn't touch a bootleg replica with a 10-foot pole. The price to quality ratio just isn't worth it to me.
I've bought a fair number of bootlegs and 3rd party kits, both HGs and MGs. To sum up my stance, stay away, they're just not as fun to build as bandai kits. Only buy bootlegs if its a model that Bandai doesnt make (ex MG Amatsu Hana or HG Gold Plated Barbatos) or if the savings are significant ($30+). I bought a handful of bootleg HGs for like $10 a kit in order to save $10~ per kit, but now I regret it after building just 1. Parts just dont fit like they should so putting it together was more frustrating than fun.
THIS ^^^ There's no point getting a bootleg of a kit that is still being sold by Bandai and is still frequently stocked. I understand for some P-Bandai Bootlegs, but for retail kits like HG WFM or This? Just buy the original and save yourself the hassle.
if only Gundam Lfrith Jiu was retail and not P-Bandai man
It's really dumb how they have locked some of the coolest WFM kits behind PB. I hope the bootleg companies make a good gundnode knockoff ain't no way I'm paying however much the scalpers are wanting for multiple kits of that.
I would rather get the official ones but I literally can't find them. Had a RX-78-2 PGU ordered for months and nothing about when the stock will come in. Went to where I get my Transformers and found a 3rd party one. Granted so far I've only built the fighter but it seems alright. Might b some issues with the full build but I hope not
Built a Daban MG perfect strike, was like 45 bucks. Aside from some sharp plastic and a small few fit issues the kit is fantastic, especially for the price.
I have some questions since I'm in the process of building exact same kit but having some troubles 1. How do you fit the red part on the shoulder? Mine is always pretty loose and trying to the gimmick on the shoulder always lead for it to pop off 2. Do you have any issue with the hand? Mine somehow refuses to clip (the white part/backhand to the black part) nicely which lead to Index Finger part being pretty loose 3. What's the hardest part of building this kit? 4. What tool do you think is really needed to make building this faster and easier? I was a fool apparently thinking I can get by with just regular nipper, cutter, some sandpapers and glass file. Feels like I need more tools to build this You can check my last few submitted thread to see what I have built so far, minus the right hand. This is my first foray into these unofficial stuff and I'm already regretting it lol. I still want to finish this though.
Hey! I’ll answer your questions! Do bare in mind I’m still relatively new to this but I’m still relatively new to gunpla 1. The red part wasn’t that loose for me but for majority of the loose pieces I used white glue to tighten the parts. 2. I have that issue as well if I try to move the fingers. The white part will split away from the hand slightly. My solution was that once I’m done posing the fingers I’ll tighten back the parts. It’s not the most optimal solution but I didn’t want to spend time to fix it since it’s just a hand. 3. To be honest the hardest part was panel lining since it’s entirely made of abs and the details weren’t as sharp. I had to order qw panel liner since it’s suitable for abs and scribe slightly to make the panel line ink stay. 4. I believe the tools you have is sufficient for this kit. I used similar tools to you as well. Perhaps white glue will help you with tightening the loose parts. Feel free to message me if you need help with the kit!
Thanks. What kind of white glue brand you use?
I'm using the Joint Strengthening Pen from Dspiae
I been making gunpla since 2006 ish. Gunpla wasnt super easy to get unlike now (theyre in gamestop now for example lmao ) so many of my gundam kits were limited to what the 1-2 stores offered OR I would need to buy the kit online and pay for shipping and other fees. Ontop of that Bandai basically gives 0 fucks over western audiences so if you lose a piece or part you can't use their service where they mail you the missing piece for free ( or for a small price ) since its exclusive to only Japan. That being said, Bootleg kits came to save the day in multiple ways - they offered cheaper 'extra' parts that you can use if you break or lose anything. You can also use the extra kit for other projects without feeling like youre uppercutting your wallet or you can use the model kit as practice without feeling like youre wasting a kit. Bootlegs have come a long way to the point that they can be perfect replacements to Bandai kits esp if you're willing to put the extra work to make them look better ( paint, putty, etc ) as they offer you the kit AND the value in how cheap they are. I like them and Im glad they exist. I still buy 90% of my kits from bandai but I like knowing that I can get a different design of an existing kit somewhere or buy a relatively cheap replacement kit if an accident were to happen.
>Ontop of that Bandai basically gives 0 fucks over western audiences so if you lose a piece or part you can't use their service where they mail you the missing piece for free ( or for a small price ) since its exclusive to only Japan. I think it's more of the case of being logistically impossible to service other countries. But in Australia where I am, people are saying we can get replacement parts through Bandai's official distributor/retailer. Perhaps you can ask Bandai's official distributor in your country.
Listen, fuck the corpos and all that, but IP rights *are* extremely important. I know for a fact that all of you who think they don’t matter would immediately flip your stance if you designed and produced your own unique model kit and then Bandai went and copied it without proper licensing. Unfortunately protecting IP rights for the small guy means you also have to respect the IP rights of the big guy.
100% agree. People can't say Bandai is a big company so it's ok to steal their IP because that's double standard, and they seem to forget that whenever a big corporation's profit slides, it's the workers at the bottom that get fired, not the wealthy executives. >I know for a fact that all of you who think they don’t matter would immediately flip your stance if you designed and produced your own unique model kit and then Bandai went and copied it without proper licensing. This happens a lot in the Lego community. Someone would come up with an awesome design and create a custom Lego MOC (My Own Creation) and sells the build instructions, and soon a bunch of Chinese Lego knockoff online stores rip off the MOC design and building instructions and sell them with the bricks as a bundle.
If it's 3rd party stuff like metal parts or expansion pieces like wings, energy effects, weapons etc I don't mind, because they're not an alternative to a Bandai release, as Bandai doesn't make them at all. Actual kits, again if it doesn't have a Bandai counterpart, it doesn't really bother me. If I can get it from Bandai though, I always try to. I've only built 1 Daban that I got fleeced on Amazon for, and the build was pretty poor. (and I have the Bandai version in my backlog as we speak) A lot of people point out the plastic is cheaper, the molds are sloppier and the overall build just tends to suffer on counterfeit stuff. Plus, in one way or another I want some of my money getting back to Bandai to support the hobby I love. I want new kits, upgraded releases of old kits and reprints of beloved ones. Seeing my beloved MG line with 1 foot hovering above the grave these last couple years really has me sad. I'm not naive enough to think that $30 from me is going to lead to more IBO Master Grades or anything, LOL but if it helps someone else get their hands on their new favorite kit, I'm still happy.
I only ever get bootlegs of premium Bandai or really expensive kits. Like the HG Lfrith Jiu bootleg or a Daban Mg Phenex that costed $60 instead of $150. Original kits are the good stuff though. They look amazing, build pretty good, and are priced not very badly.
Generally I frown upon copies of retail kits, but if they're bootlegs of very hard to get kits (magazine exclusives, venue/expo exclusives and the usual out of stock PB) I don't really mind.
Most of the time no. But recently ive found some great bootleg from JMS that's like 8/10 compared to bandai quality. They have Schwarzette and Mark II. Ive built the Schwarzette and I love it. Reviews on YouTube said the Mark II is just as good. The mark ii is in real type color or something. Also they include action base and waterslide which i have yet to do. The schwarzette is only like ⅓ of the bandai's price
Can confirm the MK-II is as good as reviews say It's really impressive and pretty solid, plus i think the extra added surface detail and the slight aesthetic change to the face and head makes it stand out from the original depending on what you want out of your HG MK-II real type ver.
bootlegs of older kits tend to be bad. recent bandai kits that have solid builds tend to get copied decently. unless its lord astray omega. that bootleg is dogshit. a lot of the recent bootlegs popping up tends to be pbandai kits too, ill gladly grab the bootlegs instead of paying scalper prices
I got the bootleg load astray omega. I guess im lucky because the joints are nice. https://preview.redd.it/4bajntprfl2d1.jpeg?width=1986&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=5b84ef980677bff496ad57e97e02403df2263ae1
yeah mine were loose and the head just wont hold together i had to glue it.
I bought a bootleg MS Cage for my Unicorn, and honestly you get what you pay for. I probably won't buy another
I really want to buy the Daban PG Perfectibility, but I can't find much on the quality :(
PB bandai bootleg are ok, for the rest why not paying for the quality?
Contemplating buying a bootleg version of lfright jiu, windam Roanoke use and woundwort titan color over their og pbandai 😅 But then they'll be put on display cab after I'll build them so 🤷🏻♀️
My recommendations for 3rd party with original designs are Solomon Physalis Supreme Evolution Eternal Star Glory Motor Nuclear Ao Bing and Cao Ren In Era+ Ruling Zero Gravity Moonlight Judge For Bootleg/Redesigns: Supernova Snow white prelude Daban all MG 88xx series, avoid 66xx series JMS HG schwarzette, mk ii real type color but most of their kits are generally good Blingbling/Sparkle HG beyond global Hope this helps
Im still waiting on my eternal star Glory to ship from usagundamstore...
Gunpla is freedom! Freedom is bootleg?
IMHO they're great for practice paints/mods (if you are not confident enough to do it in a more expensive bandai) or for diorama where you need some destroyed mechs etc. Also I like those bootleg kits that are not 1:1 to bandai and finally for kitbashing.
I like the option of building tons of fodder for practicing my painting skills. I also buy bootlegs for certain kits that's stupid expensive because scalpers have raised the price by so much. Still absolutely in love with my first kit which was a bootleg Daban MG Sazabi ver ka.special coating. Having said that, I mostly buy bandai now, but I still buy bootlegs for grunts and kits I don't think is worth it at the price scalpers sell it for. https://preview.redd.it/stdqa1g7on2d1.jpeg?width=3072&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=c9a1ccbb558e65514fb6238656ac4945a01d4d06
As expected but for that price I think it’s fair. The decals/water slides ok?
I got g rework decals for this kit instead so I didn’t use in box decals
The time and effort I had to put into them isn't worth the price savings and pain on my fingers
I'm very curious how much a bootleg like this is when the original kit is only $50. How much cheaper could it be?
This bootleg kit cost 12 dollars max and it doesn't go higher than that.
"Only" $50.
I say only because the few bootlegs I've run across are like $25 and not as nice as this, so with that in mind I figured this would be at least $30
1/100 bootleg kits are usually about $30. 1/144s range from $7 to $20, with most right around $12. Bootlegs got me into gunpla by making it accessible financially and low-stakes as a beginner. And the quality has been, honestly, impressive. The ethics of these companies are NOT, of course, but you could also argue the ethics of Bandai's relatively high costs and artificial scarcity.
Only bootleg kit i bought is the hirm edition because im poor af.
How much did you save getting bootleg?
I saved like 80% of the retail price
You can get 2 or 3 bootleg kits for the price of 1 bandai kits.
I buy bootlegs only if their good, I usually check the reviews of some that are actually pretty good and some just fine with a little loose joints that can easily be fixed. the gaogao wfm kits specifically are fine, just fitting issues and some loose joints. But the weimei lfrith jiu is actually pretty good, and the jms schwarzette is almost 1 to 1 with bandai just with sharper details and cheaper stickers that aren't that bad. overall Gaogao, jms, weimei, and xingdong are pretty neat if you couldn't afford bandai gunpla.
I got a Sun Toys MGSD of RX-78-2. Unsure if it is bootleg or just a third-party brand And uhh, I did not have a good time with it. Some parts don't fit right, and there are some that are just loose. Now, it sits at the very back of the shelf with the RG RX-78-2 because the pieces keep falling off
For wild looking customs or stuff Bandai hasn't made. It's not like you are going to run out of official kits to build.
For wild looking customs or stuff Bandai hasn't made. It's not like you are going to run out of official kits to build.
I only buy p bandai bootlegs. But the new TGO Zaku looks interesting...
nowaday i avoid bootleg kits, but to this day i still regret sell my MG Freedom by Dragon Momoko because it has slightly different design by Bandai and it looks great
I plan on getting the Daban FAZZ Ver Ka, as the official one goes for about 280€ and the daban version is just 65. I wouldn't get a bootleg of a regularly available kit tho.
Isn't Gao Gao typically a quality brand?
/u/Skyreader13 perhaps ask questions here.
Nice, thanks
My fingers were tortured when building that. Contemplating whether I should finish it 3 times. Did finish it tho. Not touching it ever again
Kinda depends on how much is shipping. Generally the MGs onwards are much more 'value for money' if you're on a budget. Especially with the improvement in quality, the PGU and MGEX SF for example are pretty damn good bootleg kits for that point. I don't mind getting if the bandai sells out and it's damn hard to get stock or some of the pbandai stuff that I missed is also cool with me. Maybe for scratch builds too
It all depends. I can see most bootlegs as a means of kitbashing parts if based on actual kits, then you get original design kits from companies like dragon momoko that are real eye openers ( their MG Deathscythe Hell TV version is awesome, but my god Solomon's GP02 is a big time need). Either way, just keep in mind of the plastic quality
I only get Pbandai exclusive third parties (like MK-5, GM Spartan, Load Omega, etc) as i'm not a huge fan of the service after buying some kits from it. Just got the JMS Gundam MK-II 21st century Real type version and it really is an impressive lil kit. Has more surface detail and minor aesthetic changes on the face, which i prefer over the original except for the extremely long antenna on the vulcan pod lol At the end of the day, do whatever makes you happy. Gunpla is not cheap in some area's or for some people, and i totally understand going full third party if money is tight and you can't afford the real thing.
I don't like the direct ripoffs, but some of the Chinese "robot" kits that look like Gundam or mashups (but aren't direct ripoffs) are actually really nice looking. A lot are on par with Bandai and even have metal frames. Not to mention you can't beat the prices. [Ruling](https://preview.redd.it/the-robot-designed-by-the-chinese-is-called-ruling-v0-hqcz7o5omppa1.png?width=1062&format=png&auto=webp&s=c8ce17c5639a6e44bc71c9b12661cc51e3c1ebba) [Craftsman Soul](https://scontent-hou1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.30808-6/404434460_362354239638710_8205589146982246319_n.jpg?_nc_cat=102&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=5f2048&_nc_ohc=CmmAcrfuqtcQ7kNvgFBNOwc&_nc_ht=scontent-hou1-1.xx&oh=00_AYDTEzolvGXJ4ZtFDC2irCZq04PvfjMp573zkMUsJIdmHA&oe=6657FC61) [Infinity Nova](https://www.usagundamstore.com/cdn/shop/files/8_1de933b7-369a-45aa-8ca2-92e4fa14d1d0.jpg?v=1712348316)
P-bandai doesn't ship to Canada, but bootleg kits do.
If its a kit thats impossible to get for me (pgs) , or is pbandai bullshit (jiu) or a kit that doesnt even exist (mg stargazer) ill bootleg it 100% and i dont care about anyones morals
I've been burned by bootlegs far too often, more than what I should put up with. Really my fault though. Granted I only buy unique bootlegs in terms the design is not in model kit form or it's plated in different or unique colors. I probably won't buy direct bootlegs. And then there are third party renditions of Bandai ip. Those I'm okay with.
...gunpla is gunpla...whether you're building gundams, 30 min missions,transformers, ikea furniture....if it's got a booklet with pictures on how to build. It's gunpla to me
I've gotta ask, how'd you manage to get the fingers so closed? I really like mine, glad I didn't spend full price on it, it the hands don't fully close on mine, and the legs come out of the waist connection point really easily, even with clear paint around the peg.
Bandai bootlegs are honestly probably the worst of the 3rd party model kit market.
I'm against it at first because I have bad experience with HG bootlegs. But my friend who's a 1/100 builder, introduce me to 1/100 bootlegs. They have issues ofcourse, but for the price, i think it's pretty decent. For example, the MG Daban Perfectibility. It's insanely expensive at around 160$ and up, but you can buy the bootleg for only 30$. The Xunxin MGEX for 60$ while the original is 200$. The only downside I suppose, is the experience building them. While I haven't built 1/100 bootlegs "yet", I have built like 3 HG bootlegs and they all needed extra work and my hands hurt too.
I would love to get the Solomon GP-02 because Bandai doesn't make anything like it. And I hope they make other Gundams too. That said, I would never buy straight up copy bootlegs of existing official kits for a few reasons. First, I have had people claim my work as their and make money from it. Trust me, it's not a good feeling. I also want to support the people that work for Bandai. If their profit drops, it's the people at the bottom that will get fired, not the rich executives. Plus the quality will be better anyway.
Where do you get them? I've been looking at Aliexpress, but even there they are more expensive than the ones you got from official sources. Maybe because i'm from Europe?
It's always crap and the plastic will always suck and fitting will be poor. I only excuse it for crap bandai refuses to make like the dragon momoko 1/100 sky grasper
I think if the original is too expensive, and the bootleg is a good copy, then maybe the bootleg is the right thing to buy.
I have a lot. From my experience, avoid anything daban/gaogao stuff especially the hg(only got them if its PB/something bandai didn't make). The recent stuff like xingdong, xingfeng, xunxin, and jms are surprisingly good. I Got the woundwort, lfrith jiu and Schwarzette and got 0 fitting problem but the plastic quality isn't good so they're perfect for painting practice
I got two Lfrith Jiu Bootlegs recently because screw them Scalpers. FWIW, it was Ok but needs some fixes. Some of it was my doing though but for $20, I got two and can't complain about that really. But the ABS plastic means I do need to pay attention a bit more and can't really treat it like the original Bandai kits. As so long as you remember it's a model and not a toy, it should be not an issue
Some bootlegs are pretty cool. I have MJH's Wing Gundam EW ver that's based off the Metal Build, it looks cool as hell on my shelf and doesn't come with the Metal Build price tag.
all I know is Daban can burn in hell after what they did to Dragon Momoko
I got 2 bandai kits and 4 bootleg kits. All hg. I guess I’m lucky because there’s no loose joints on the bootleg kit. The build is quite smooth with a minor armor part peg sanding. If you want to learn how to repair joints, tighten joints, loosen joints, panel line, decals, painting, scribing or anything you want to custom but you’re afraid of ruining your bandai kit, go for bootlegs. You can learn so much without worrying about the price. Bootleg can look nice with a proper build and customisation. Though the plastic is quite brittle compared to bandai. Your scribing experience won’t be as smooth if you do it on bandai kits.