The Bandai Gunpla Builders World Cup (GBWC) is a yearly contest held amongst modelers to show off their completed Gundam models. Top modelers from countries such as Japan, China, Singapore, Philippines, Indonesia, Italy, N. America, Thailand, Hong Kong, South Korea, Australia and Malaysia battle it out for the title of Gunpla World Cup Champion.
To determine the N. American Representative to this world competition, a set of U.S. live regional competitions and one online competition open to the U.S. and Canada will be held in 2013. Each convention and the online competition hosted on www.plamocon.com will have its own set of Semi-Finalists. From this pool of semi-finalists, one will be chosen to be the N. American Representative to take names and kick some butt against the world at the Bandai GunPla World Cup Finals later this year.
How is the semi-finalist chosen?
For live competitions, contestants will bring one or more (up to 3) of their best completed model entries to the regional show and put them on display. The models will be judged on technical ability, painting, and presentation and the best entry will be selected as that show's winner. There will be a winner for each of the following categories:
Open Category: Age 15 and older
Junior Category: Age 14 and younger (if sufficeient number of entrants)
One entry will be designated Best of Show and will qualify that modeler to compete against other N. American Semi-finalists from other events later this year to determine the N. American representative.
Online Competition is open to the United States and Canada and can be found on www.plamocon.com
How do I sign up?
Fill out the official contest entry form! PDF version also available here. Send this completed form to firstname.lastname@example.org. Indicate which competition location you plan to attend. Please submit as soon as you know you want to enter This is important because it lets us estimate the space needed to be allocated! You may still enter at the last minute by bringing your entries any time before the date of judging.
Bring your completed model to the Bluefin booth at the specific convention you are entering. You may bring entries from the beginning of the convention until the time specified on the model contest page for that show. While you do not need to be there the entire time of the show, you or someone else must pick up your entries on the 2nd to the last day of the convention. Updates will be provided for each convention website as the date draws closer, please continue to check your desired contest site for updated information!
Details for each convention will be posted on their respective convention websites. For a list of conventions please see below.
In addition to the Best of Show, other awards will be given out for Best Large Model (1/100 or larger), Best Small Model (1/144 or SD), and Best Out of Box (award may be split by scale depending on number of entries). Awards may vary by show due to number of entries and is up to the discretion of the judge(s) for that show.
Rules for World Cup N. American Semi-Finals
- Models must be made from original Bandai kits and from the Gundam universe.
- All grades and scales allowed
- Open to any type of modification, scratch building, remodeling, and diorama construction to the Bandai kit is permitted
- Parts of commercial resin/resin conversions and Hobby Japan/Dengeki magazine kits may be utilized, but must be altered to suit your unique design. They cannot be entered as is on their own. Unmodified commercially available full resin kit and or full resin conversion kits will be disqualified. The spirit of the competition is to make the Gundam kit in your own vision not somebody else.
- Display stands and or Diorama Bases are allowed and even encouraged, and as you can see from last year's finalists here.
- Models not related to the Gundam franchise like Macross or Evangelion are prohibited.
- An entry can consist of 1 kit or multiple kits, but its combined dimensions must adhere to the size limitations of 50x50x50cm.
- Entries can be entered as part of a diorama. Base dimensions of the diorama can no larger than 50cmx50cmx50cm (length, width, height).
- Due to size constraints, certain models like the HG 1/144 Dendrobium Orchis are banned, however modelers are welcome to be creative in cutting it down and using only parts of it to meet the size requirements.
- Same model kit cannot be entered for the online competition by www.plamocon.com.
Painting (0-100 points): Quality and execution of the painting, including detail, of the entry.
Technical (0-100 points): Includes build, finish and excellence of any modifications.
Creativity (0-100 points): Aesthetics of the entry, including concept, posing, unique painting scheme and presentation, including diorama.
Best of Show winners will advance to the N. American Finals where a final determination on the overall winners including the online competition at www.plamocon.com will be made. Models need not be present for the finals; judgment will be made from photos and notes taken at the previous event locations.
All U.S. regional entries must submit an official entry form available at the contest site or Bluefin website. No entry will be accepted without an official entry form.
Participants may submit more than one entry.
All regional participants must bring their own models to the convention site. Participants may pick up their entries at the conclusion of the prize ceremony and must pick them up before the closing of the show (details will be posted at the venue sites).
Strict inspection on all models will be carried out; any entries found to be using counterfeit kits or excluded items will be disqualified.
Event organizers shall endeavor to take care of all submitted entries. However, they shall not be held liable for any loss or damages should they occur.
Judges decision is final; no further correspondence will be entertained.
Prizes won cannot be exchanged for cash or any other form.
These rules may be subject to change without notice.
Winning models/dioramas from previous BAKUC (Bandai Action Kit Universal Cup) and GBWC competitions both online and offline are ineligible for prize consideration.
Schedule of Semi-Final Events and Finals Judgment
Regional contests will be held in at the following conventions. Other venues may be added.
Sakura-Con Seattle, Washington Mar 29th – 31st
Anime Central, Chicago, Illinois May 17th – 19th
A-Kon, Dallas, Texas, May 31 – June 2nd
Anime Expo, Los Angeles, California July 4th – July 7th
Otakon, Baltimore Maryland Aug 9th – 11th
NYAF/NYCC, New York Oct 10th – 13th
N. American Finals
One (1) Representative and two (2) runner ups will be chosen
The N. American Representative will win a round trip to the GBWC Finals in Japan representing North America.
Date: to be determined.
Winner will be contacted by telephone and e-mail, and the results will be posted at the Bluefin website (www.bluefincorp.com) and Plamocon (www.plamocon.com). The Gunpla World Cup Finals will be held in late December, 2013 (exact date to be determined).