Big Boys’ Toys

By Ngee Khiong

This is the 11^th year of my interest in collecting and assembling Gunpla. Instead of giving up the hobby due to studies and work constraint, I must say that my addiction to it is now way too severe for any treatment.

Back in the old days, when I was still a secondary school student, I hesitated sharing my interest with my classmate. Most of them know nothing about the world of Gunpla, and even after much explanation, they would just shrug if off and say, “Still playing toys-eh?”

“They are not toys-lah. You need to assemble them yourself, and if you know how to paint them, they would look even better.”

“So they are toys that need to be painted then. Very troublesome-leh, and expensive too.”

OK. I gave up then. ^^;

Gradually, I started to realize that there’s no justification needed for one’s interest. My friend’s face went blank when I told him I spent RM1k on a single Gunpla a few years ago; and my face must be of the same expression when he told me he flew all the way to KL just to watch Manchester United played against our country around that same time.

Perfect Grade Zeta and Titans’ Gundam Mk. II, costed me Rm1.7k for the both of them.

And when we told our friends who aren’t into Gunpla and football, they must be wondering if there’s a logical explanation to our obsession too.

Good luck to them if they are still looking for it now ^^;

I’m relieved that when I came to Swinburne, I met a few friends who know about Gundam and Gunpla. While their addiction to it isn’t as strong as mine, it’s good to at least being able to share my interest with them. As the number of students increases rapidly in the university over these few years, the number of Gunpla fans gradually increases as well. Some I met through friends’ introduction; and sometime I get introduced to others as well. I even know one or two girls who assemble Gunpla.

When I started my own blog about Gundam and Gunpla in 2006, I have the pleasure of occasionally bumping into people who said to me, “Hey, your blog is Ngee Khiong right? I collect Gunpla too.” And we would chit-chat about the interest for as long as time permits.

With so many people around me getting into Gunpla-ing, and a Gundam related blog to run, how am I supposed to stop this interest anyway? ^^;

There are things we loved to do when we were still young, which would eventually be given up as we move to the next stage in our life, but it’s really up to our choice whether we want to give up our childhood interest. There’s no reason to give it up just because you want to “grow up”.

Toys? Well, just call them big boys’ toys then. ^^

The over-population issue of my display cabinet might s-l-o-w down my purchases ^^;