Wtf :lol How did that even stand up?!

Here's the Astrea for those of you who don't know what I'm talking about:

http://www.dalong.net/review/00/0h62/p/0h62_01.jpg

It's one of my favrioute high grade kits due to the huge amount of accessories that comes pack in for a kit that's gonna run you about 25-30. It's one of the best bang for your buck kits(Pun unintended)

and yes, it's using the Exia mould so you're getting his weapons too!

http://www.dalong.net/review/00/0h62/0h62_p.htm

There's also a 1/100 Astrae that I'd really like to have. I don't have any experience building non-grade 1/100 kits though, no clue how good/bad it would be.

Not saying that I want to get into gunpla, but what kit would I start to get into gunpla with?

If scale isn't an issue for you, I'd personally say get the HG just due to the ludicrous amount of accessories and the fact that you can change it between three different suits.

Yes, you can have a red colored Exia if you wanted.

Can't go wrong with 1/144 scale.

Eh. I actually don't really care for 1/144. I prefer more bang for my buck in the scale department. Master Grade's are almost exclusively what I work with these days. The group build last year is the last time I built an HG.

Tossed the idea around with Sentai Tamashii & ZeoRangerV to do another group build. But with MG's. Figured we could get together and have everyone chip in to buy some dirt cheap old master grade in quantity. Like an old GM or Zaku. And then let people build/customize them like crazy.

Now should I start out with high grade or immediately go to Master grade?

Hmmm, well build a couple of cheap small kits first before moving onto the big stuff.

Though they make Gunpla incredibly simple to build. If you can manage with lego you should do fine with Gunpla.

As stated above, 1/144 HG kits are a good entry into the hobby. Just enough complexity to show off the engineering, but not the monetary investment if a master grade. Some of the more recent No Grade 1/100 scale kits, particularly those from 00, play the line between size and price fairly well.

I adore the Astrea kits, especially the F.brimming with weapons and dead smexy in its menacing red schemw.

Anybody messed around with any of the older non-grade 1/100 Turn A kits? Found the Sumo (Harry colors) for $20 and for that price at that scale it's tough for me to pass it up.