Man do it at your own pace. I want to actually say "thank you" for the knowledge you've shared on your videos. I want to also tell you that your videos are unique where you provide your comments while building. It's like you bring us to the build experience and more..
There's something about the way you review kits that no one else possess and I appreciate you for it. As someone who's been in the hobby since the late 90's, I know you know your stuff and are just an awesome person I vibe with. So keep up whatever pace works for you. I'll continue to enjoy what ever you put out.
The guilt feeling making Gunpla and spending so much money on them has been a problem for me for so many years and watching this video makes me feel like I am not alone. You make a big difference to my life looking forwards. Thank you so much for sharing this.
It’s always good to build something simple and quick to get the juices flowing again. I was in a similar situation where for months I was buying kits and never building them. It got to a point where I realized even if somehow I did build everything I had, I physically did not have enough space to display them. I went through everything I had and decided to sell anything I didn’t realistically see myself enjoying. I wasn’t trying to turn a profit on the kits I was selling, I was just trying to get them into a good home where they’d actually be built and enjoyed instead of sitting in my closet collecting dust. Recently I lost my job and was unemployed for about two months. That gave me a lot of free time so I had zero excuses. I’m down from an entire closet of gunpla to maybe 3 or 4 kits left. You got this
I'll just say I'm glad to see you making videos again, I can't wait to see how your gunpla journey will go. Just remember the phrase, "Gunpla is freedom!".
as someone who started building model kit since 10 years ago, we know we all have same problems lol I never thought doing something you enjoy is unproductive, it is your way to unwind and make you happy. that is enough reason to do your hobby for backlog, I always remember a quote I saw on FB, buying and building a model kit are two separate hobby lol. I have around 300-400 backlog kits right now (and maybe 50 more on pre order). I think these kits will last a lifetime for me lol I think you should enjoy your time building a kit and leave other thoughts behind. no need to think if this gonna be a good video or not. just do it good luck with your future video, will look forward to it
I am having a huge backlog too so I can relate! I've been building since I was 6 or 7 and now I am 20+ years into the hobby. My backlog grew rapidly once I got a job and started getting paid. I used to do straight builds - just out of the box with foil stickers applied. then I began panel lining, 3rd party water slids, hand painting details or color corrections, top coating and recently spraying. Once I see myself improving I get excited but at the same time it makes it more intimidating to take on a new project. I always feel like I do not have the courage to open up a new model kit: my brain tells me that you can do this this and this to make the kit look much better than a straight out of box build and I know for a fact that I can make it better if I spend more time on it - but it intimidates me to begin the build knowing that I might need to spent so many time into building and I will for a fact stay up late at night for multiple night when I have work the other day. I see many flaws and mistakes on most of my previous builds and many areas where I can improve. And I want every kit I build to be better than the one before. And this mentality, honestly, slows me down. I have to come into terms (although still struggling) that, I in fact do not have to make every kit perfect, and I cannot make a perfect kit. If I am building a new kit, I am making progress regardless. I am experiencing something new regardless. It does not have to be perfect. I can and should enjoy every build using different levels of techniques. My plans this year is to do some more painted builds and I have some cool ideas in mind! hopefully I can stick to it :) Also here are some personal experience I found helpful to fight the backlog: 1. grouping similar kits or kits from the same anime series in succession: you either get very familiar with the build and engineering you get faster with each one or you get to appretiate how bandai's engineering improve over each release. (I did my HGUC GM1-2-3 build in one go, and I spent a few month building all the HGUC non-gundam Zeta kits and you can see how bandai improve tho not always on each release! I also build 3 powerdoll2 1/48 scale kits from PLUM in a row and each taking less time cause they more or less are the same to the point where I dont even need the manual to build them + I know which nubs placements are hidden so I dont need time cleaning it up) 2. have some fun and short builds in between longer projects. I would have some coated/titanium finish or some clear variant kits builds after a long project to refresh myself. These kits are usually snap builds and I dont have to put to much effort into them. Great to fight the fatigue and find pure enjoyment of cutting parts and snapping them together. I would say the PGU fits this catagory of kits too - it's sooooo well engineered and Bandai made the building process so fluid it is just pure plamo building dopamine and after building it it literally made me want to build more!! 3. get some non gunpla kits in between gunpla builds. spice things up, experience new things and engineerings (good or bad), or some times make you want to go back to building gunpla instead lol.
Damn bro, youre imposing quite the demand on yourself, im here for it though, and will be watching, im going through a similar Gunpla slump, and i just got a new airbrush that i still haven’t tried. Ill be pushing myself along too!
Like everyone will say you don’t need to rush this and just build at your own pace. If you schedule your builds and have no breaks. You’ll be building Gundam as a chore rather than a hobby. You’ll burn out faster than firecracker wick. You don’t need to please us. You should be building for yourself. You bought those kits for you, not for us. We appreciate you informing us and making amazing reviews ❤
Take your time and take it easy Citrus! I've only been in this hobby for almost 2 years, and to me, you're one of my favorite Gundam/Gunpla review channels because of your calming style and detailed reviews! I'm looking forward to see more videos and good luck!
I’ve spent more time than i’d like to admit watching your videos for the last 8 years. Huge fan. You’ve been my starting point in the hobby, not gaikotsu, not zakuaurelius. I got into gunpla thanks to you basically, thanks, I’ll always be watching your videos
On some level this resonates with me. I dropped out of gunpla for nearly two years but occasionally continued adding to the backlog. That was the thing that bothered me. The building never did because it felt productive doing something with my hands. For me passively watching TV or gaming are the activities that feel wasteful. Especially the latter because I get far too consumed by games. So like a recovering alcoholic I tend to avoid them outright. Coincidentally, I just got back into building myself. Not sure what compelled me but I decided to start small, opting for 30 Minute Sisters before moving onto bigger builds. I'm also been more deliberate about picking up new kits, so I'm gradually working through the backlog. The most useful bit of advice I can think of is that a hobby should never feel like work. Anyway, I really enjoy your work and honestly you're one of my favorite gunpla RUclipsrs. Your presentation style really speaks to me. Beyond that, work at your own pace and don't feel any obligation to appease us as the viewer.
Looking forward to seeing your builds and vids, especially that PG Astray. I've got one in my own backlog, lol. Really enjoy your vids, as they're a nice, informative distraction, and your builds are great examples of what can be achieved out of the box.
This is is the first time watching one of your videos, so hopefuly i dont come off as rude. You don't address having fun in your plan, how is a build queue going to add enjoyment to your builds? How is holding yourself accountable going to motivate you so you can even enjoy yourself during a build? It's completely okay to fall out of love of something, even if that something is a huge part of yourself. For me, i fell out of love with gunpla years ago and only recently started enjoying it again through group builds. Good luck, gunpla is freedom.
The fun comes from building again. And also from freeing myself from the weight of all the kits I've collected and the energy that represents. I guess I'm just looking for peace. But I'm sure I will have fun along the way.
As a sufferer myself, I'm sorry you have to deal with these all too common but often stigmatised feelings. It's especially hard when your brain recognises and tries to overcome them but your mind just digs the hole deeper. Good on you for trying to not let your mind take control over what's supposed to be something fun for you. And if it helps, please know that the community you've built around your channel loves the videos you make, will wait patiently for your wonderful uploads, and most importantly supports you through your struggles ❤
You’ve been doing well I saw your first video with the zeta plus multi set and it was really great just know that and it’s good that you are doing this because you are a pretty good RUclipsr and your videos are great, and good luck with you’re gunpla journey!
I was recently able to cut by backlog down to half (I had like 100+ unbuilt kits) by basically skipping over the cleaning of nubs, with the mentality that I can always come back to clean the nubs if I really wanted that badly to paint the kit down the line. I was able to deplete my unbuilt kit really fast by doing so but I also eventually experienced a burnout. I haven't bought a single gunpla kit this year and while I do miss the feeling of being carefree, putting some good anime/movie in the background while snapping OOB builds, the reality is that adult life + working multiple jobs had made time for that increasingly sparse. Take your time, man. Those kits will be there unless you sell it (which is also a fair judgment should you decide to go that route) but you don't have to force yourself to enjoy the hobby if you're feeling kinda out of it
I kinda get this, to an extent. I started my gunpla experience a couple years before you. They were messy, and back then I didn't know hobby pliers were a thing. So you can imagine my disappointment now, when I look at my older kits and see all the ghastly nubwork. I eventually got better. After 20 or so, I fell off from gunpla--that is until IBO came up, and my love for the hobby resurged. I'm still mostly a straight builder, but I clean gates fair enough now, detail in panel lines, apply stickers much better than most, and my next goal is to get used to water slides. 2 years ago, when I returned home, not only was my collection already large, numbering in the 50s, I returned with a sizeable backlog of over 120 kits. The collection has only grown since then. Even by a generous count, my total collection is nearly close to 200 now, maybe a bit over. And I get you hesitance and fears. Unless you run a studio, commission work, or have a much bigger channel, gunpla is essentially a luxury hobby. Money for plastic you assemble that practically collects dust. As you've undoubtedly experienced, some people in my life even question the point of having them at all. For me, I justify this hobby as a creative person at my core. I've always drawn, been into cartoons, anime, 3D films, and such. Even when I was set on a path towards medicine (which I eventually shifted away from), there were always something brightly colored on the periphery--cartoons or anime on tv or the internet. That one cousin of my who got into gunpla way before me with Wing, certainly helped keep that flame alive. Then I got into 3D modelling, learned to make character rigs, and very nearly completely my own 3D IBO gundam frame, which was great. Still need to finish that, haha. Now I'm thinking about getting into mechanical design. Looking back all this helps to inform me, that I love gunpla as a hobby. Because I am naturally curious about how things are put together, creatively, structurally, and aesthetically. All that is to say, I've found my reasons for loving this hobby. My relatives can heckle all they want, but at this point, I'm all in. They can argue it's sunk-cost, but for me, I'm relishing in it. They're my kits and I love them. I've been cleaning & sprucing up my old kits, and catching up on my backlog, built 65 in '22 and 67 in '23. I'm even pondering doing retrospective video reviews & critiques for my kits at some point, not really as something to make money, but just something to do, and also bring me a fuller closure. In another fandom, I read someone's blog about them leaving and cutting ties because they were bullied for it. +5 years is a great shame when someone decides it is a waste, coerced or not. And while I'm glad that person is moving on with their studies, I ponder with sadness at the thought of any person thinking back to a pivotal point of their life and feeling some great regret. Citrus. And all I can say to you, is that you need to find your core, while keeping this pace you're starting now. Ruminate on what made you fall in love in the first place, what you love about gunpla now, and how your love for it has withstood trials since. You will find an answer at the end, and I hope it will make you feel fulfilled in someway. Considering your course of action, how leveled, and well thought out it is, something tells me I don't need to worry--that you're off to a good start. I look forward to your build reports!
Though my channel is much smaller than yours, it seems like the reasons for starting the gunpla hobby, having a channel, and having these self doubts are literally the same. I'll be trying to make my own plans like yours to get out of my own rut. Thanks for this video!
I only collect master grade, so I most definitely do not have this problem. So to stretch out the time I spend with them, I’ve taken to putting a lot more effort into them, panel lining, decals, paint etc.
Rewatching again and I come to conclusion : - Fear of starting - Fear of imperfection of build - Fear of loosing mint box value - Not know when to start and to end This is common problem for me too, I will work on my kit too
I have felt the same and done the same in terms of overbuying and not building kits in fear of them losing value if i build them. I recently came to the same conclusion you had (minus the great youtube channel) and started building kits left and right and started enjoying building again for the reasons i got into the hobby in the first place. Im glad to be a part of your channel and look forward to the future!
Good Luck Citrus, being a Gundam junkie makes it extra hard to get that MS off your back. I suggest that in future purchases, stick to a scale. Otherwise stick to specific series like AoZ, or archetypes of certain MS. Just take your time, take it easy and enjoy the other aspects of your life. Best Wishes.
@@citrusjuicebox That’s good, I have to admit, I have kits since the 1980s from The ZZ series. Also, some other kits from the 90s. I know how you feel and I am at that age where I really cannot build most kits anymore.
don't rush or pressure just to make a content. build at your own pace. build at night with relaxing music and if you feel sleepy, skip the coffee and dive the bed. :)
You need to some Marie Kondo on your kits. In the end it does not matter if you finish all the kits, what matters is the process of doing the kit. - "It is not in the pursuit of happiness that we find fulfilment, it is in the happiness of pursuit. - Denis Waitley.
FWIW my collection is very curated, but I don't subscribe to Marie Kondo whatsoever. I think minimalism has been co-opted by so many different interconnected social forces that it's essentially a bankrupt concept now. I'm not trying to "build all my kits" just for the sake of some kind of fulfilment or closure. I had a lot of fun collecting all the kits I own. And I'm trying to properly move on to enjoying what I collected. But it's a daunting task, so of course I made a plan. I don't see how the Waitley quote applies.
this is so relatable, I feel you Citrus. I have always been feeling guilty about my hobby - the very thing that should make me happy. I hope you find happiness and good luck!
You know, I have a request that sat in my head since i started watching your review on RG HI-NU Gundam, and saw that in your backlog you have Zeta Ver.ka Why not try to review it and build? I know that this kit is like the only kit and version Zeta that is able to tranform fully without any broken joints or parts, want to know why I'm asking him? Coz I ordered it with HGUC Zeta and I need your help and opinion about this kit so that I could be sure i rodered right stuff and not some hand grenades like early RG's like RX-78-2 or Zeta, SO WAITING FOR YOUR REVIEW ON ZETA VER.KA !!!
I would also reccomend trying Entry Grade, but they have no polycaps, and some stuff that resemble the kits too, like in EG NU Gundam there are no funnels and bazooka, but the only pros of this line is that they are cheap and easy to find anywhere near you. About Zeta review, waiting for both ver.ka or 2.0, or even MG Z+
Hmm... I do have a Sinanju I've been meaning to build for a while, but I'm missing just one accessory for it. I'll add it to the queue as soon as I find it.
@@citrusjuicebox late reply, thats great, about thebacklogs and all.... I like your style of review its peaceful, informative, no gushing just tips and criticism of the kit and i love your videos for it and inspired to be more technical and care on my gunplas that i love so much, ofcourse i understand your burden i too have been a builder for a decade now and my time and schedule really makes it even harder, i have work and family and its hard to manage but for the hobby it never dies even if i have like 60+ kits waiting to be unboxed haha but take your time, stay and maintain these kinds of video, dont give up on the hobby, honestly your my 2nd top channel for gunpla reviews i loved it and i even bought the kits you reviewed here which i rarely do whenever i watch a review er showcase a kit (mecha Gaikotsu is annoying most of the time haha) but just take it at your own pace, love the hobby and be healthy most important, and send my regards to your best gunpla MG RABBIT 😂 which i have those anyways thanks and take care.
I guess im lucky that i only like really specific kits and varients. However, i hope you make more videos and reviews in long form. I love your style, and you voice is amazing asmr levels of relaxing for me to paint my models to. Your hummingbird review is probably one of my most watched videos. Also, the bunny updates were touching as a fellow bun owner myself.
Either way, just glad to see the channel is not over. I enjoy watching these quite a lot, a really nice pacing & atmosphere I do not find often. Good luck to you. (That is to say, does not matter what form of content you make, It will be enjoyed - so full support from me at least. Not sure if this helps at all to say & if you do not mind (Otherwise you may stop reading now), but having a hobby you can learn to enjoy makes a world of difference despite the intent to want to be productive. Of course because being more happy = being more productive even in of itself, just being happy which also makes other people happy. For how cookie cutter, in saying, that may be. Being productive is a very arbitrary concept, you very much literally always are productive in some way whether you perceive it or not. I'll not go any further since I am sure you have thought quite a lot about this yourself if you are making this public. In any case I second @j.4847 P.S) Maybe some HGUC releases like Advance of Zeta? Or the Byarlant maybe. But of course, I Want to see what you've chosen most of all, I am sure there is ones I have not seen, could be quite fun.
Productivity was a concept I struggled with a lot in the last two years, so it's good that you mentioned it. The hard part has been pulling myself back from my "usual" patterns of thinking.
Man do it at your own pace. I want to actually say "thank you" for the knowledge you've shared on your videos. I want to also tell you that your videos are unique where you provide your comments while building. It's like you bring us to the build experience and more..
There's something about the way you review kits that no one else possess and I appreciate you for it. As someone who's been in the hobby since the late 90's, I know you know your stuff and are just an awesome person I vibe with. So keep up whatever pace works for you. I'll continue to enjoy what ever you put out.
The guilt feeling making Gunpla and spending so much money on them has been a problem for me for so many years and watching this video makes me feel like I am not alone. You make a big difference to my life looking forwards. Thank you so much for sharing this.
It’s always good to build something simple and quick to get the juices flowing again. I was in a similar situation where for months I was buying kits and never building them.
It got to a point where I realized even if somehow I did build everything I had, I physically did not have enough space to display them. I went through everything I had and decided to sell anything I didn’t realistically see myself enjoying.
I wasn’t trying to turn a profit on the kits I was selling, I was just trying to get them into a good home where they’d actually be built and enjoyed instead of sitting in my closet collecting dust.
Recently I lost my job and was unemployed for about two months. That gave me a lot of free time so I had zero excuses. I’m down from an entire closet of gunpla to maybe 3 or 4 kits left.
You got this
yeah, try to build and review some HGs, HG is designed for you to enjoy a Gunpla weekend.
I'll just say I'm glad to see you making videos again, I can't wait to see how your gunpla journey will go. Just remember the phrase, "Gunpla is freedom!".
as someone who started building model kit since 10 years ago, we know we all have same problems lol
I never thought doing something you enjoy is unproductive, it is your way to unwind and make you happy. that is enough reason to do your hobby
for backlog, I always remember a quote I saw on FB, buying and building a model kit are two separate hobby lol. I have around 300-400 backlog kits right now (and maybe 50 more on pre order). I think these kits will last a lifetime for me lol
I think you should enjoy your time building a kit and leave other thoughts behind. no need to think if this gonna be a good video or not. just do it
good luck with your future video, will look forward to it
I am having a huge backlog too so I can relate!
I've been building since I was 6 or 7 and now I am 20+ years into the hobby. My backlog grew rapidly once I got a job and started getting paid. I used to do straight builds - just out of the box with foil stickers applied. then I began panel lining, 3rd party water slids, hand painting details or color corrections, top coating and recently spraying. Once I see myself improving I get excited but at the same time it makes it more intimidating to take on a new project.
I always feel like I do not have the courage to open up a new model kit: my brain tells me that you can do this this and this to make the kit look much better than a straight out of box build and I know for a fact that I can make it better if I spend more time on it - but it intimidates me to begin the build knowing that I might need to spent so many time into building and I will for a fact stay up late at night for multiple night when I have work the other day.
I see many flaws and mistakes on most of my previous builds and many areas where I can improve. And I want every kit I build to be better than the one before. And this mentality, honestly, slows me down. I have to come into terms (although still struggling) that, I in fact do not have to make every kit perfect, and I cannot make a perfect kit. If I am building a new kit, I am making progress regardless. I am experiencing something new regardless. It does not have to be perfect. I can and should enjoy every build using different levels of techniques.
My plans this year is to do some more painted builds and I have some cool ideas in mind! hopefully I can stick to it :)
Also here are some personal experience I found helpful to fight the backlog:
1. grouping similar kits or kits from the same anime series in succession: you either get very familiar with the build and engineering you get faster with each one or you get to appretiate how bandai's engineering improve over each release. (I did my HGUC GM1-2-3 build in one go, and I spent a few month building all the HGUC non-gundam Zeta kits and you can see how bandai improve tho not always on each release! I also build 3 powerdoll2 1/48 scale kits from PLUM in a row and each taking less time cause they more or less are the same to the point where I dont even need the manual to build them + I know which nubs placements are hidden so I dont need time cleaning it up)
2. have some fun and short builds in between longer projects. I would have some coated/titanium finish or some clear variant kits builds after a long project to refresh myself. These kits are usually snap builds and I dont have to put to much effort into them. Great to fight the fatigue and find pure enjoyment of cutting parts and snapping them together. I would say the PGU fits this catagory of kits too - it's sooooo well engineered and Bandai made the building process so fluid it is just pure plamo building dopamine and after building it it literally made me want to build more!!
3. get some non gunpla kits in between gunpla builds. spice things up, experience new things and engineerings (good or bad), or some times make you want to go back to building gunpla instead lol.
Honestly your videos are some of the best around the community,i hope youll be able to enjoy the hobby more!
Damn bro, youre imposing quite the demand on yourself, im here for it though, and will be watching, im going through a similar Gunpla slump, and i just got a new airbrush that i still haven’t tried. Ill be pushing myself along too!
Like everyone will say you don’t need to rush this and just build at your own pace. If you schedule your builds and have no breaks. You’ll be building Gundam as a chore rather than a hobby. You’ll burn out faster than firecracker wick. You don’t need to please us. You should be building for yourself. You bought those kits for you, not for us. We appreciate you informing us and making amazing reviews ❤
I need the schedule to get me off my butt, but I appreciate your well wishes. I'm all too familiar with burnout, especially as it pertains to gunpla.
Take your time and take it easy Citrus! I've only been in this hobby for almost 2 years, and to me, you're one of my favorite Gundam/Gunpla review channels because of your calming style and detailed reviews! I'm looking forward to see more videos and good luck!
Thanks Citrus , I've been having this problem for awhile now, thanks for the tip
glad to see you back and hope this healing journey goes great for you!
I've started watching you when I got back to gunpla years ago and always enjoyed each video. Take your time your health takes first priority.
I’ve spent more time than i’d like to admit watching your videos for the last 8 years. Huge fan. You’ve been my starting point in the hobby, not gaikotsu, not zakuaurelius. I got into gunpla thanks to you basically, thanks, I’ll always be watching your videos
Thank you so much! :')
I love all your videos citrus and I’m certainly excited to see how your progress goes!
On some level this resonates with me. I dropped out of gunpla for nearly two years but occasionally continued adding to the backlog. That was the thing that bothered me. The building never did because it felt productive doing something with my hands. For me passively watching TV or gaming are the activities that feel wasteful. Especially the latter because I get far too consumed by games. So like a recovering alcoholic I tend to avoid them outright.
Coincidentally, I just got back into building myself. Not sure what compelled me but I decided to start small, opting for 30 Minute Sisters before moving onto bigger builds. I'm also been more deliberate about picking up new kits, so I'm gradually working through the backlog. The most useful bit of advice I can think of is that a hobby should never feel like work.
Anyway, I really enjoy your work and honestly you're one of my favorite gunpla RUclipsrs. Your presentation style really speaks to me. Beyond that, work at your own pace and don't feel any obligation to appease us as the viewer.
A good schedule goes a long way! Hope it works out! I've had similar feelings regarding making good kits so understandable.
I'm honestly excited for what's to come, bro. Take your time.
Looking forward to seeing your builds and vids, especially that PG Astray. I've got one in my own backlog, lol. Really enjoy your vids, as they're a nice, informative distraction, and your builds are great examples of what can be achieved out of the box.
This is is the first time watching one of your videos, so hopefuly i dont come off as rude.
You don't address having fun in your plan, how is a build queue going to add enjoyment to your builds? How is holding yourself accountable going to motivate you so you can even enjoy yourself during a build?
It's completely okay to fall out of love of something, even if that something is a huge part of yourself. For me, i fell out of love with gunpla years ago and only recently started enjoying it again through group builds. Good luck, gunpla is freedom.
The fun comes from building again. And also from freeing myself from the weight of all the kits I've collected and the energy that represents. I guess I'm just looking for peace. But I'm sure I will have fun along the way.
I would advise you make a compilation every so often of all the shorts. We are not expecting a masterpiece every video, you are enough. -ozycraft
As a sufferer myself, I'm sorry you have to deal with these all too common but often stigmatised feelings. It's especially hard when your brain recognises and tries to overcome them but your mind just digs the hole deeper. Good on you for trying to not let your mind take control over what's supposed to be something fun for you. And if it helps, please know that the community you've built around your channel loves the videos you make, will wait patiently for your wonderful uploads, and most importantly supports you through your struggles ❤
You’ve been doing well I saw your first video with the zeta plus multi set and it was really great just know that and it’s good that you are doing this because you are a pretty good RUclipsr and your videos are great, and good luck with you’re gunpla journey!
This hits really hard. I also have a mountain of unbuilt gunpla. I have three separate backlogs stashes in my house
glad to see u back
I was recently able to cut by backlog down to half (I had like 100+ unbuilt kits) by basically skipping over the cleaning of nubs, with the mentality that I can always come back to clean the nubs if I really wanted that badly to paint the kit down the line. I was able to deplete my unbuilt kit really fast by doing so but I also eventually experienced a burnout. I haven't bought a single gunpla kit this year and while I do miss the feeling of being carefree, putting some good anime/movie in the background while snapping OOB builds, the reality is that adult life + working multiple jobs had made time for that increasingly sparse. Take your time, man. Those kits will be there unless you sell it (which is also a fair judgment should you decide to go that route) but you don't have to force yourself to enjoy the hobby if you're feeling kinda out of it
I kinda get this, to an extent.
I started my gunpla experience a couple years before you. They were messy, and back then I didn't know hobby pliers were a thing. So you can imagine my disappointment now, when I look at my older kits and see all the ghastly nubwork. I eventually got better. After 20 or so, I fell off from gunpla--that is until IBO came up, and my love for the hobby resurged.
I'm still mostly a straight builder, but I clean gates fair enough now, detail in panel lines, apply stickers much better than most, and my next goal is to get used to water slides. 2 years ago, when I returned home, not only was my collection already large, numbering in the 50s, I returned with a sizeable backlog of over 120 kits. The collection has only grown since then. Even by a generous count, my total collection is nearly close to 200 now, maybe a bit over.
And I get you hesitance and fears. Unless you run a studio, commission work, or have a much bigger channel, gunpla is essentially a luxury hobby. Money for plastic you assemble that practically collects dust. As you've undoubtedly experienced, some people in my life even question the point of having them at all. For me, I justify this hobby as a creative person at my core. I've always drawn, been into cartoons, anime, 3D films, and such. Even when I was set on a path towards medicine (which I eventually shifted away from), there were always something brightly colored on the periphery--cartoons or anime on tv or the internet. That one cousin of my who got into gunpla way before me with Wing, certainly helped keep that flame alive. Then I got into 3D modelling, learned to make character rigs, and very nearly completely my own 3D IBO gundam frame, which was great. Still need to finish that, haha. Now I'm thinking about getting into mechanical design.
Looking back all this helps to inform me, that I love gunpla as a hobby. Because I am naturally curious about how things are put together, creatively, structurally, and aesthetically.
All that is to say, I've found my reasons for loving this hobby. My relatives can heckle all they want, but at this point, I'm all in. They can argue it's sunk-cost, but for me, I'm relishing in it. They're my kits and I love them. I've been cleaning & sprucing up my old kits, and catching up on my backlog, built 65 in '22 and 67 in '23. I'm even pondering doing retrospective video reviews & critiques for my kits at some point, not really as something to make money, but just something to do, and also bring me a fuller closure. In another fandom, I read someone's blog about them leaving and cutting ties because they were bullied for it. +5 years is a great shame when someone decides it is a waste, coerced or not. And while I'm glad that person is moving on with their studies, I ponder with sadness at the thought of any person thinking back to a pivotal point of their life and feeling some great regret.
Citrus. And all I can say to you, is that you need to find your core, while keeping this pace you're starting now. Ruminate on what made you fall in love in the first place, what you love about gunpla now, and how your love for it has withstood trials since. You will find an answer at the end, and I hope it will make you feel fulfilled in someway. Considering your course of action, how leveled, and well thought out it is, something tells me I don't need to worry--that you're off to a good start.
I look forward to your build reports!
Good luck!! Just subscribed, im excited for you
Wow I was just thinking about you yesterday. Glad to see a post!
Though my channel is much smaller than yours, it seems like the reasons for starting the gunpla hobby, having a channel, and having these self doubts are literally the same.
I'll be trying to make my own plans like yours to get out of my own rut.
Thanks for this video!
Can't wait!
We feel you bro. We gotcha back!
I only collect master grade, so I most definitely do not have this problem.
So to stretch out the time I spend with them, I’ve taken to putting a lot more effort into them, panel lining, decals, paint etc.
Rewatching again and I come to conclusion :
- Fear of starting
- Fear of imperfection of build
- Fear of loosing mint box value
- Not know when to start and to end
This is common problem for me too, I will work on my kit too
I have felt the same and done the same in terms of overbuying and not building kits in fear of them losing value if i build them.
I recently came to the same conclusion you had (minus the great youtube channel) and started building kits left and right and started enjoying building again for the reasons i got into the hobby in the first place.
Im glad to be a part of your channel and look forward to the future!
Good Luck Citrus, being a Gundam junkie makes it extra hard to get that MS off your back.
I suggest that in future purchases, stick to a scale. Otherwise stick to specific series like AoZ, or archetypes of certain MS.
Just take your time, take it easy and enjoy the other aspects of your life. Best Wishes.
Trust me, I'm very picky! But when I'm buying more than I build, the pile can only grow.
@@citrusjuicebox That’s good, I have to admit, I have kits since the 1980s from The ZZ series. Also, some other kits from the 90s. I know how you feel and I am at that age where I really cannot build most kits anymore.
don't rush or pressure just to make a content. build at your own pace. build at night with relaxing music and if you feel sleepy, skip the coffee and dive the bed. :)
Oh I can relate to some of the same things. I wish you the best :)
The goat is back
You need to some Marie Kondo on your kits. In the end it does not matter if you finish all the kits, what matters is the process of doing the kit. - "It is not in the pursuit of happiness that we find fulfilment, it is in the happiness of pursuit. - Denis Waitley.
FWIW my collection is very curated, but I don't subscribe to Marie Kondo whatsoever. I think minimalism has been co-opted by so many different interconnected social forces that it's essentially a bankrupt concept now.
I'm not trying to "build all my kits" just for the sake of some kind of fulfilment or closure. I had a lot of fun collecting all the kits I own. And I'm trying to properly move on to enjoying what I collected. But it's a daunting task, so of course I made a plan. I don't see how the Waitley quote applies.
this is so relatable, I feel you Citrus. I have always been feeling guilty about my hobby - the very thing that should make me happy. I hope you find happiness and good luck!
You know, I have a request that sat in my head since i started watching your review on RG HI-NU Gundam, and saw that in your backlog you have Zeta Ver.ka
Why not try to review it and build? I know that this kit is like the only kit and version Zeta that is able to tranform fully without any broken joints or parts, want to know why I'm asking him? Coz I ordered it with HGUC Zeta and I need your help and opinion about this kit so that I could be sure i rodered right stuff and not some hand grenades like early RG's like RX-78-2 or Zeta, SO WAITING FOR YOUR REVIEW ON ZETA VER.KA !!!
I have the 2.0 and Zeta Plus as well, which basically represent all the MG Zeta molds. I might do all of them some time!
I would also reccomend trying Entry Grade, but they have no polycaps, and some stuff that resemble the kits too, like in EG NU Gundam there are no funnels and bazooka, but the only pros of this line is that they are cheap and easy to find anywhere near you.
About Zeta review, waiting for both ver.ka or 2.0, or even MG Z+
Good luck citrus
Let's go!!!
Been a long time 😊
I love you
I love you too
Don't quit citrus 🍊 🥰🥰
Build request, HGUC sinanju or MG sinanju OVA ver.
Hmm... I do have a Sinanju I've been meaning to build for a while, but I'm missing just one accessory for it. I'll add it to the queue as soon as I find it.
@@citrusjuicebox late reply, thats great, about thebacklogs and all.... I like your style of review its peaceful, informative, no gushing just tips and criticism of the kit and i love your videos for it and inspired to be more technical and care on my gunplas that i love so much, ofcourse i understand your burden i too have been a builder for a decade now and my time and schedule really makes it even harder, i have work and family and its hard to manage but for the hobby it never dies even if i have like 60+ kits waiting to be unboxed haha but take your time, stay and maintain these kinds of video, dont give up on the hobby, honestly your my 2nd top channel for gunpla reviews i loved it and i even bought the kits you reviewed here which i rarely do whenever i watch a review er showcase a kit (mecha Gaikotsu is annoying most of the time haha) but just take it at your own pace, love the hobby and be healthy most important, and send my regards to your best gunpla MG RABBIT 😂 which i have those anyways thanks and take care.
I guess im lucky that i only like really specific kits and varients. However, i hope you make more videos and reviews in long form. I love your style, and you voice is amazing asmr levels of relaxing for me to paint my models to. Your hummingbird review is probably one of my most watched videos. Also, the bunny updates were touching as a fellow bun owner myself.
Thank you for the encouragement!
Either way, just glad to see the channel is not over. I enjoy watching these quite a lot, a really nice pacing & atmosphere I do not find often. Good luck to you. (That is to say, does not matter what form of content you make, It will be enjoyed - so full support from me at least.
Not sure if this helps at all to say & if you do not mind (Otherwise you may stop reading now), but having a hobby you can learn to enjoy makes a world of difference despite the intent to want to be productive. Of course because being more happy = being more productive even in of itself, just being happy which also makes other people happy. For how cookie cutter, in saying, that may be.
Being productive is a very arbitrary concept, you very much literally always are productive in some way whether you perceive it or not. I'll not go any further since I am sure you have thought quite a lot about this yourself if you are making this public. In any case I second @j.4847
P.S) Maybe some HGUC releases like Advance of Zeta? Or the Byarlant maybe. But of course, I Want to see what you've chosen most of all, I am sure there is ones I have not seen, could be quite fun.
Productivity was a concept I struggled with a lot in the last two years, so it's good that you mentioned it. The hard part has been pulling myself back from my "usual" patterns of thinking.
@@citrusjuicebox Just don't go to far, it can hurt you just as badly in the long term.