I’m trying something new here at Gamejunkie and documenting my build of a Bandai kitset model. If you like it, it could be the first of many changes on the site where I venture into new territory for me a little.

It’s scary to admit it but 30 years ago, or so, when I was a teenager I saw the original Star Wars trilogy and it started a journey that I’m starting to get back into now, with the release of The Force Awakens.

I had so much Star Wars stuff: Comic books that my grandmother collected from a weekly women’s magazine, Marvel’s comic book adaption of The Empire Strikes Back, activity books, action figures, art books, cards from bubble gun, a beach towel, a duvet cover and pillow case … the list goes on.

Perhaps my favourite SW things, though, were the kitset models I had: A snowspeeder, a speeder bike, and my most loved, a model AT-AT that my father and I built. It was magnificent and we even made a base with plaster of paris snow to attach it to. It was awesome – but it got smashed by some half-wit removal company guys when we moved from Wellington to Christchurch.

I’d always had a love of SW kitset models and over the past few years I’d played with the idea of getting back into it but I never did – until now. I think the catalyst was the new SW movie, The Force Awakens. It just prompted me to get back into Star Wars kitset models again.

So when I got back from our Christmas holiday, a coupe of weeks ago I went on Trademe and bought a Bandai Stormtrooper kitset – and I couldn’t have been happier. I tossed up getting a vehicle (Snowspeeder or AT-ST) or Boba Fett, but I decided thta  the Boba Fett might be too advanced for me: It would need some painting skills to weather him up so he looked battle-worn, and I don’t have those skills. So, I decided on the Stormtrooper and I’m glad I did.

The Stormtrooper is perhaps one of the most iconic characters from the original Star Wars trilogy and they just look cool. Badass. So, yeah, the Stormtrooper it was. What I really liked about these Bandai kitsets is that there is no glue to join the parts together: Everything is snapped together, so it’s clean and there’s no mess. What I also liked is that all the black underneath the white armour is separate pieces, like a suit, so it makes for a more realistic look.

I also decided that I’d document the build process, which is something different for my site, but I thought if you’re considering buying one and doing what I did, I thought you might like to see the process. It’s not a step-by-step build, with photos of me making each piece, but it shows the progress as I go. I’ve also posted three of short videos of the head/helmet/body build before the photos. I’m thinking I’ll post the build process in two or three parts.

I’m really pleased with the finished product, which probably took me about 5 hours total over two days, and I’ve already decided that I want to expand my stormtrooper collection so am hunting for the next project.

I hope you like watching the process to build the kitset. Let me know what you think in the comments.

Here we go: First up, is part 1 that shows the box, the sprues the parts are attached to, building the head and chest & connecting the head to the body. Enjoy.