MG - GF13-017NJ Shining Gundam (Custom Paint) ~ Piercing the Plastics!

Before I purchased this kit I've only really built 1/100 HG/NG, some Zoids kits(i can’t remember the scale), 1 SD, 1MG(Really old one) and a few 1/144. Where are they? Most were destroyed by little kids and some I have given away. But after finishing this MG, I feel like i can’t ever buy another HG/NG because of the detail and overall quality of master grades. But then again, I tend to like most non lead Gundams/Mobile Suits and most of them don't have a MG.

Just to note that I will be keeping this kit with the open face plate.

I painted this kit with Testors purplicious, Testors gold, Testors chrome, Tamiya matte white, Tamiya gunship grey, and tamiya matte clear. Am i missing anything else?

So i basically replaced all the blue and red with the purple flakeish color(Testors purple-licious). With the exceptions of the side leg covers for the thrusters down there and the upper chest part, which i painted that flat white. I just made the blue part the flat white.
I left certain parts that light gray color it originally comes in. You can notice that the front skirts and chest is whiter than most parts.

I painted all of the yellow parts gold and certain vents. I used the gunship grey to cover up sanding marks for the inner frame that shows which is around the elbows and the knees.

I did that pose as soon as I finished watching IP Man.

Finally i used a matte top coat on most of the purple parts because the testors purple was too glittery(?). Although, putting the top coat got rid of most of that glittery(?) look and the final results i really liked! That chrome was used on the thruster in the back just because. I didnt get to go over the insides of the thrusters all too well.

I still used most of the stickers and some of the decals in the back. Some of the stickers got a little dirt on the sides but they are there and I am sticking with it!

Just to show the original Color Scheme

The panel lining is a little messy though. Some i didn’t bother to do at all because i know i wouldn’t like how dark it would end up. Just like the top of the head camera near the V fin.

I liked this kit a lot! Oh yea it was pretty cheap too for a MG. Considering the prices for most Master Grades, Shining Gundam comes in at about $19 from tatsuhobby. Thats about $25-$30 with shipping and handling! I can't really remember the exact amounts....

This guy can move practically in any which way(But hey I have never really had a kit that can move as well as MG kits). The only thing that stops the legs are the side skirts. Its pretty stiff too, considering that I didn't really paint the inner frame first, which is a good thing depending on how you prefer the kits to be. Personally, I like it better when its like that because over time they tend to get loose and I don't feel like going out of my way to use super glue or clear nail polish to tighten up the joints.

The green hands glow in black light which is pretty neat.

The closed face plate looks awkward to me. That's why I don't even bother.
The shoulder plates that goes out to show the gold part of the should was a little loose so i tightened it up with some super glue(Just using super glue to tighten the spaces up a little).
My only real gripe is with the chest part where the jewel in the center is. It can collapse inward which I don't like. I guess its like that to be able to move the arms across the chest and hug closer to it, so its not that big of a deal. Its an inconvenience more than anything. But hey some things will bound to have its negatives, except I think all the nice things in this kits makes me forget about most of those things.

Check out my attempts at recreating the first time Domon calls his Shining Gundam!