GOLDYMARG

Goldymarg, a snap-fit kit from Bandai

A plastic kit of a robot from the Japanese manufacturer Bandai. It is built by the snap-fit system: the plastic is already colored right through and the individual parts fit together with a click, so you need neither glue nor paints for the build. Nippers and a sharp knife to clean up the gates will do. The range grade, which determines how complex the build is and how finely it is rendered, is stated on the box.

The real subject

Goldymarg is a robot from the Japanese anime circle of the so-called Brave robots around GaoGaiGar. It is one of the main hero's support machines: in the story it is an ally that joins him and widens his capabilities. Visually it is a massive, angular machine in a rich gold and red color with sturdy tracked elements, which sets it clearly apart from the slim humanoid mobile suits. It belongs among the Japanese science fiction models alongside other machines from the same circle.

Building and painting

Separate the parts with nippers away from the edge, and only then trim the rest of the gate with a knife and go over it with fine abrasive paper; on richly colored plastic a roughly broken gate shows as a light mark. Anyone who wants to can still paint the model. Degrease the surface, spray it with a primer and paint with an airbrush or a brush. On strongly colored robots, work with shading makes a big difference: a darker shade in the recesses, a lighter one on the edges and the parting lines wiped in. A final varnish unifies the sheen: matte for a realistic look, satin as a compromise, gloss under decals.

Who the model is for

• For fans of Japanese anime robots outside the main mobile suit line
• For beginners: the build manages without glue and without paints
• For modelers who want to take the model further with shading and panel lines
• For collectors assembling a line of machines from one anime circle