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What is GUNPLA?
Gunpla (ガンプラ – Ganpura), a portmanteau of "Gundam plastic model", is the common name for plastic model kits depicting the vehicles and characters of the fictional Gundam universe by Bandai. These kits have become popular among mecha anime fans and model enthusiasts in Japan and in other nearby Asian countries since the 1980s. Gundam modeling spread in the 1990s with North America and Europe being exposed to Gundam through television, video and manga.
History
Gunpla gallery showing various grades and scales. Courtesy of Dalong's Gunpla Review. Gunpla are manufactured by Bandai in Japan, or China, which has an exclusive license in manufacturing and marketing the kits around the world. The first Gunpla kits were sold in 1980 in Japan. Gunpla kits consist of several trays of parts or "runners" that either snap-fit (most post - 1990 models) or require glue (older models prior to 1990) to put together. The cover image on the box, or box art, is usually done by an illustrator with a picture illustration of the subject mecha design in action. All Gunpla are supplied with stickers and sometimes decals to apply extra colors and markings as seen in the show, movies, manga or video games. Smaller or lower grade kits often require paint to give the model a finished appearance.
RX-78-2 Gundam
The RX-78-2 Gundam (aka the Gundam or White Mobile Suit) is the titular mobile suit of Mobile Suit Gundam anime. Part of the RX-78 Gundam series, it was built in secret on Side 7. The Gundam would turn the tide of war in favor of the Earth Federation during the One Year War against the Principality of Zeon. It was primarily piloted by the series' main protagonist Amuro Ray.
Building Gunpla kits
Upon buying a Gunpla model kit, the buyer will receive several "runners" that either snap-fit (most post - 1990 models) or require glue (older models prior to 1990) to put together. The runners include all of the kit's parts inside of a tree-like mold. There is also manual used for building the kit, and possibly decals, which are sometimes not provided in lower-grade kits. Popular tools used to cut the molds out of the runners include side-cutters and a hobby knife.