In search of the moustache - TURN-A, whats out there?

Okay, having recently been converted to the joys of Turn-A Gundam, I have an opportunity in a couple of months to go hunting for the goods. I'd just like a little help on whats out there. I know of the following:

Some HG model kits - I'm not a modeller, so not on the list.

The forthcoming MG kit - might consider this and commission someone to build it for me.

The chogokin toy - I seem to recall reports of the titanium parts being fragile, can anyone confirm?

Loran Cehack figure.

MSIA - I *think* there was a MSIA Turn-A, can anyone confirm this too?

Couple of art-books.

Anything I missed? Anything I should look out for?

Thanks, as ever, in advance!

I've been thinking the same thing. Ever since I picked up the Blade Runner box set with its little Spinner toy, I've been on a Syd Mead kick.

I've seen four Turn-A Gundam toys of the Mead-designed main model (called the WD-M01 in the show, apparently)

There's an MSiA, a die-cast "New Material Model" (which may be the chogokin you're thinking of - it looks nice), a "nano chogokin" candy toy of the WD-M01, which is apparently unpainted metal and a candy toy of the core fighter.

I read that Syd Mead designed all the mecha for the series, but I can only confirm that the Sumo MS is his as well. I've never seen a toy of it.

So, yeah, anyone know more beyond that?

The NMM Turn-A is actually very nice. The problem is not with the metal, which IS titanium BTW... but rather with the complicated and fragile shoulder armor. The joints are easily cracked due to corrosion/expansion of the cheap metal pins. Even when bought MIB, it may already be broken. Still worth it, IMO, if you're OK with gluing things back in place (and losing some of the poseability of the shoulders).

Here are 2 old shots of my Turn-A next to the Metal Material Strike (which does have crappier metal in the frame):








Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/06/2008 08:27AM by drifand.

There was also the small Chogokin Nano version as well.

The MG seems to be the best bet. Its construction doesn't seem too difficult or anything if that's what you're worried about.

[www.dalong.net]

[www.dalong.net]

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I asked if I have "Time For L-Gaim" but I got "No Reply From The Wind".

The Master Grade is easily the best Turn A out there. Accurate. Very fun. It can pull off all the signature poses and then some. Anyone who hasn't built one yet is a fucking chump. Easily one of the best bots of 2007.

[www.geocities.jp]

[gundamp.blog97.fc2.com]

I had the New Material Titanium Turn-A and it was a very nice piece. A thumb broke on one of the hands after a 5-foot fall, but other than that it held up really well. I no longer have it or I'd offer it up.

I DO still have the MSIA Turn-A, with most of the accessories. I'd happily get rid of it but it's currently in a box in my parent's basement, so it would take me a little while to retrieve it.

Thanks for the information and the offers! However, I want to try looking for things like the MSiA first myself - thats half the fun, right?

The New Material Model is the "chogokin" I was thinking of, thanks!

I have built Master Grade kits before, but the Turn-A is my favourite of all Gundams (after I repented - my initial reaction was the same as everyones elses, barely contained horror... :-) ) and if I got one, I'd like it to look really nice. I hadn't actually realised it had been released!

If you've built Master Grades before you should have no trouble building the Turn A and having it turn out great. It's a surprisingly easy build with some really clever and elegant engineering. They even reproduced the Turn A's intricate shoulder armor in a way that is very flexible and reliable without being fragile.

The only concern I had was that the missile silo doors on the front of the torso are far too delicate for much opening and closing. I ended up just gluing them shut to make the thing nice and solid. Elsewise, the whole kit is just aces. Solid and fun when complete.

Okay, maybe I'll see what I can do. Now, where did I put that craft knife...?

I am selling a completed 1/100 model kit. Not the Master Grade. Make me an offer if you are interested.

[toyboxdx.com]

Thats nice work, and thank you for letting me know, but I'm a bit space-limited so I have to pick and choose a bit. Sorry!

I'm a big Syd Mead nerd, have been for over 20 years, but that Gundam is ugly. The stories of how much fighting between him and the producers and pissed-off Gundam fans worldwide resulted from the whole project being a blotch on his and Gundam's names.

Certain things should not be done, and him designing a Gundam was one of them. That said, there are some that like it, but very few pieces of merchandise came of it.


In case you're into other Syd Mead toys, look up the Hot Wheels he designed a few years ago. The Sentinel 400, two kinds were produced and they go on ebay for a few dollars each. The ancient Ertl Blade Runner cars are pretty hard to come by, but those were pretty cool when I had them 25 years ago. The Medicom Spinner, with bizarre Back to the Future logo on the box (way to throw people off) is an elusive piece as well.

Don't forget the Tron light cycles and the USS Sulaco from Aliens (as far as I know the only toy is a Micro Machine).

Any others?

Chirico Cuvie - much as I hate to pick a fight with the the hardest mecha pilot there has ever been...! :-) - I do actually like the design. Like I said, I really didn't like it when I first saw it, but having now seen the series I actually appreciate it a great deal more - to the extent I've even got a cel of it...! :-)

As for fighting with the producers, the story I heard is that it was actually Tomino who wanted the Gundam to look even more different, and encouraged Mead to make it so.

Too bad the Turn-A designs never were popular. I think they were more visually interesting than most of what has come after in terms of Gundam.

Anyone have a pic of the little unpainted Chogokin Nano version?

BTW The original design for Turn-A is what evolved into the Sumo design.

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I asked if I have "Time For L-Gaim" but I got "No Reply From The Wind".



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/06/2008 05:43PM by Vincent Z..

Since when has Tomino had any kind of control over Gundam since ZZ? He's said himself he tried to kill the series in the stupid storyline of ZZ to spite the industry. Wanting something as funky as the Turn A design goes along with that ideal. The man is certifiable, a genius, but a real nut job.

Not everyone hates it, but it's a real love it/hate it choice, and most people hate it. It was a paycheck for Mead so I'm glad he did it, but in hindsight he's got "Designed a Gundam" on his resume, but an asterisk noting the most hated version alongside it.

Anyway, the Titanium one is fairly easy to find at a fraction of what it cost when released. It's nice and probably your best bang for the buck. I've seen the MG kit locally and it's nice, but model kits do nothing but break down and have no value once assembled.

I didn't make clear, the story of Tomino wanting the Turn-A to be different is apparently what Syd Mead himself related, although of course he could just be trying to defend himself... :-)

And, no, you won't get any argument from me that Tomino is... er... unique. :-) I think we'll have to agree to disagree on the subject of the mecha designs (one of the problems Turn-A has is that the designs are often seen outside the context of the show; the Flat looks bizarre as a design but makes more sense when you see it in action in the series - at least to me...!)

I'm aware of the limitations of models - I had a MG Zeta Gundam and its notorious floppy torso, and a pre-MG Nu-Gundam that relied for support of its rather heavy lower half on an incredibly fragile plastic waist peg. Value doesn't really concern me.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/07/2008 05:16AM by F-ZeroOne.

Mead Hot Wheels, cool!

[www.sydmead.com]

Roger Wrote:
> Mead Hot Wheels, cool!
>
> [www.sydmead.com]

Roger, I'm kind of shocked that you didn't know about this already :d
I have like three different repaints of this Hot Wheels, including one with graffiti deco.

-Paul Segal

"Oh, the anger is never far, never far." -SteveH

I guess we could add the recent Bandai Robot Damashii Turn-A to the list, too.

The MSiA sucked out loud, by the way. Not that it matters. They've probably all decayed into toxic blobs comprised of petroleum by-products now. Stinky.

I'm looking forward to opening the sealed-for-years MSiA Rubbermaid one of these days.

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[pgaijin.blogspot.com]

Didn't Syd Mead do some Gundam illustrations years before Turn-A came out? I swear I read that somewhere, but I'm not sure.

There's a Gundam design pre-Turn A, in one of his books. I also thought I remember reading that he was involved in a Hollywood version Gundam in the early 80's.

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[pgaijin.blogspot.com]

hillsy Wrote:
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> I'm looking forward to opening the
> sealed-for-years MSiA Rubbermaid one of these
> days.


You'd better wear gloves when you do. And make sure you're in a well-ventilated area.

Hey, how come there are no mustache-ride comments in this thread?

Somebody should fix that...

I decided not to drag this thread into the gutter.

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[pgaijin.blogspot.com]

hillsy Wrote:
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> I decided not to drag this thread into the gutter.


Now I'm sad. TT

I'm sure you don't have to go very far to find a thread I've urinated on. Dammit...now you made me say "urinated" in this thread!

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[pgaijin.blogspot.com]

Without any urine in my mustache how can I be sure you love me?

There's also a cheapie "Pla Hero" toy of Turn-A. Forget if it's branded Yutaka or Popy.

This:

[page15.auctions.yahoo.co.jp]

This:



(Rumor has it, it was cited as precedent when Mead first turned in his Turn-A design.)



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/08/2009 06:56PM by MattAlt.

SiggyStardust...nice. ;)

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[pgaijin.blogspot.com]

Yeah, but Godsigma's moustache has way stouter waxed ends to resist maniacal twirling.