The Japan finals of the 12th Gunpla Builders World Cup (GBWC, Gunpla World Cup), a contest to determine the world's best Gunpla (plastic model) builders from the anime Gundam series, were held on December 14th at Gundam Base Tokyo (Koto-ku, Tokyo), and it was announced that Hikonatsu's "Beyond The AXIZ" won the U-20 course for ages 15 and over and 20 and was selected to represent Japan. Using the "MG" series Sazabi Gunpla as a base, he created a diorama with his own interpretation of the Sazabi's sortie scene from "Mobile Suit Gundam: Char's Counterattack."
He said that he based the diorama on the image board of the scene where the Sazabi takes off, and that "it's a scene I like, but even when I searched online, no one had made a diorama of it," and so he began making it. The production period was about eight months. He paid particular attention to the carving of lines and details of the Sazabi, and because it is a hangar, he expressed a color tone that was neither too bright nor too dark, with a slight bluish tint.
The judges commented, "It's a classic, but difficult. The main body is carefully made, and the hangar and lighting are wonderful."
GBWC is an international competition that began in 2011, where participants compete in Gunpla construction, painting skills, and ideas. There are three courses: U-14 for ages 6 and over and under 14, U-20 for ages 15 and over and under 20, and OVER-21 for ages 21 and over. The competition will be held in 16 countries and regions, including Japan, Australia, Canada, Europe and the Middle East, Hong Kong SAR, Indonesia, mainland China, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, the UK, the US, and Vietnam. From May, regional competitions will be held in each area, and representatives will be selected. Each representative will compete in the world competition finals on February 22, 2025.
