Arii’s old 1:100 Heavy Missile Regult battle pod plamo from Macross complete

I had posted a scan of the box art in an earlier post.

I completed the old 1:100 Arii Heavy Missile Regult plamo this week. Surface detail is in some ways better than the old Imai kit, with how there is molded detail for the lights on the head for this smaller Arii kit, whereas Imai’s larger Regult model only provides decals to represent those lights. As it is though, proportions on the missile pods is off and makes the model look a bit awkward because they are too large. I drilled out the cannons because those parts instead had protruding ends rather than resembling actual gun barrells. I used Wave’s H-Eyes parts for lenses and Kotobukiya’s M.S.G. verniers for the thrusters. This kit has molded detail for the lights on the feet, but they protrude way too much. I cut them off and used Wave’s lenses instead. The mono eye is simply molded into the face of the pod, so I first painted it silver and then clear red to give it more of a lens look.

I used Mr. Color 323 Light blue and 311 Gray for the white parts. The gray was a mixture of 32 Dark Gray and 72 Intermediate Blue. the decals were still usable after all these years. They were a bit yellowed, but I taped them to my window for several days to bleach them. They went on fairly well. I have a pre-order for the 1:72 Hasegawa version of this kit, which will be released after the first of September.

The proportions on the Regult itself seem fine, but Arii made the missile pods a bit too tall. It makes the model look a bit awkward. Also, there is no ball socket articulation with the cannons. They must be glued into place. I might add a bit of weathering to this. One thing I need to do is repair the knee joint. I had to replace the broken piece with brass rod, but the 2-part epoxy putty I used turned out to be soft because I didn’t make it the proper ratio. I might try polyester putty instead.

“There nothing more noble than prayer. There is nothing more humble than prayer.”

“Please, show us mercy and forgive us. Don’t let the way ahead be one of darkness. As we stumble down the path of our sinful history, let there always be one shining star to show the way.”

Royal Space Force was a masterpiece movie that was woefully underappreciated. Plus the soundtrack was composed by Ryuichi Sakamoto, who recently passed away. Shiro becomes the first man into space, and there as he is enveloped in peace and tranquility, he finds solace with God and understands the message of salvation he had been struggling with throughout the movie.

Jiji on a chalkboard outside a bar in town

On the chalkboard outside of a bar near one of the schools I work at, this big drawing of Jiji from Kiki’s Delivery Service welcomes customers. This is one of the many things you’ll never see in the United States. I can’t imagine anything as cute and charming at a bar where I am from, nor even a chalkboard, really.

Bubblegum Crisis kicks ass (animated .GIF montage)

Unless I am mistaken, Bubblegum Crisis was the first non-dubbed anime I watched back in the very early ’90s.

I frickin’ LOVE BGC. Also, during high school and college, Linna Yamazaki was my imaginary girlfriend. I’ve always loved black hair, and I just LOVE her hairstyle.

Happy Mother’s Day

Hope you had a nice Mother’s Day. This Spy Family ad for Ghana Chocolate says, “Sometimes Mom coddles me too.”

My daughter playing the drums for “Mixed Nuts,” the theme song to the anime Spy Family, cover by Higashi Junior High

With a smile on her face, our beautiful daughter Ulan tears it up on drums. This jazz song has a particularly complicated rhythm, and she does a wonderful job!

The last time we saw her perform was last summer, and she was just barely doing simple rhythms on the drums. Seeing her now and how well she played with a smile on her face the whole time, she’s so incredible. I’ve told her since she was little that she has a special gift to bless others. I can see her playing drums in a church someday, or playing in a band. Blessing others.

I am reminded of the song “She Bangs the Drums” by The Stone Roses:

I can feel the earth begin to move
I hear my needle hit the groove
And spiral through another day
I hear my song begin to say
Kiss me where the sun don’t shine
The past was yours
But the future’s mine
You’re all out of time

I don’t feel too steady on my feet
I feel hollow I feel weak
Passion fruit and holy bread
Fill my guts and ease my head
Through the early morning sun
I can see her, here she comes
She bangs the drums

[Chorus]
Have you seen her, have you heard
The way she plays? There are no words
To describe the way I feel
How could it ever come to pass?
She’ll be the first, she’ll be the last
To describe the way I feel
The way I feel