1st complete kit of 2026, and this is my first attempt on Volks IMS plastic kit , also the first attempt on brush painting a FSS kit .. look forward to this new year.
Kit Info:
This is a the 1/144 version of V Siren Neptune from the IMS Series that was released in early 2021 , it’s a plastic injection with very sharp and consistent details. The kit is fully articulated, most of the joints are springily solid .. posable range is about average , but they perform way way better than the MM series from the GK days ….
The build:
The production level is still far far behind Bandai … and coming from my GK background with FSS modelling .. it did took a while to change the mindset from one to the others.
Good thing is that the part counts is on the low side …. Fitting on some of the parts are quiet awkward and requires quiet a bit of ca glues .. The kit was snapped in mid 2021 and the actual work started in end of Oct last year. The built is not difficult, it’s just the quality of their runner moulding feels like some of the knock off bandai thing in the early 2000 period .. I wasn’t really impressed until the first coat of primer was applied after prepping most of the parts .. now we’re in business.
The gold was sprayed on and the rest were brush painted …. then washed in black then wipe to blend the whole thing and getting the contrast out .. was debating whether I should go with heavier weathering like in the comic but decided to leave it as is .. didn’t feel like to dirt it up further ..
Colour scheme:
- Primed in dark grey
- Main body - H25 base -> H323 highlight
- Joint - H55 base -> dry brush H18 & H38
- Gold - Jumpwind EM12
Thoughts:
We’re in a good era that the FSS mechas are now available in plastic injection in this level at this kind of selection. It’s more challenging than any of the Bandai stuffs …. Just need extra patient and the result is worth it .. I still prefer GK personally (primary because of the part counts, and the hand sculptured details) but wouldn’t mind going for another IMS kit (preferable the 1/144 ones) in the future ..
Photos:
wip:
