BAKUC => Bandai Gunpla World Cup 2010

[zerobxu]

Changes are coming... we're starting to get our proverbial ducks in a row. Contrary to some rumors and speculation out there, an online semi-final will still be taking place here for North America this year.

There's changes this year, big and small. First off, it's no longer going to be called the Bandai Action Kits Universal Cup. That name is so 2008... Starting this year, it will be the Bandai Gunpla World Cup. The folks behind the name, however, are still the same. This is still the biggest, baddest Bandai Gundam contest in the world.

This year, you're going to see more transparency in the contest itself. The rules will be given in clearer detail than before, the categories will be well-defined, and it's going to be my mission to make sure that you see the judging scores.

Thank you all for continuing to make this one of the leading global internet destinations for Gunpla builders. While the semi-final contest is confined to those modelers in North America, the global presence represented on this site is nothing short of remarkable.

I will continue to update you here as new information on the Bandai Gunpla World Cup 2010 becomes available.

[R.C.]

Please pardon me for asking this here if there is a better place to ask, but can we enter more than one model this year?  I want to enter my two latest builds, but am just wondering if I have to pick.    Thanks for your time zerobxu!

[Kenneth Wong]

Less than a week away from Christmas. And the HK Expo is already open: http://gundamguy.blogspot.com/2010/12/gundam-expo-2010-hong-kong-image.html

Yet, we haven't heard a peep about this year's representative...Why can't there be an actual schedule for something so simple?

[R.C.]

Hmm I kinda wonder if anybody could even get time off on such short notice now. I guess maybe the winner was notified much prior? I dunno. I still love photos though! Ima go look!

[Kenneth Wong]

I assume so. But it would be much better off putting the rest of us at ease rather than have everyone keep wondering if a winner has been chosen yet. Curiosity is killing me.

[R.C.]

Yeah I agree. I am really curious how it all plays out. I guess we'll find out soon enough.

[zerobxu]

The winner has been notified. We'll have an announcement very soon. Also, with some luck, everybody will have something to show for their entry this year. 

[R.C.]

Sweet, thanks zerobxu!

[keithings]

Not that I won but I would like to see what / who did. And the only listing of winners is from 2009 and accross the top it says 2008 winners rather than 2009. Maybe a mix up in heading or a bad link? Idk. But anyways please post the winners and their models soon so I can have some fresh inspiration to drool on. Either way thank you for yer time.

[Dan Salas]

The winner has been chosen, but it's definitely not my place to say who. I know because I won the live event version of the competition and I saw the winner listed in an email. Hopefully they will post it up soon. The competition in HK is only days away. I assume the winner knows because they've got his flight time. I popped onto the forum hoping to see that it was all public now and I might congratulate them and get in contact with the winner so we could meet up at the competition. Plus we could arm wrestle to see who is the true US winner!!! lolz 

Anyway, if you're the winner and you know it... PM me if you want to know somebody at the World Cup.

[Matt]

Any updates on who the finalists were??

[R.C.]

Yeah, can't wait to see, and see photos!

[Dan Salas]

Last month I was lucky enough to attend the Bandai Gunpla World Cup 2010 in Hong Kong. I was one of the two US Representatives, having qualified in the live event part of the competition. The other winner was Kevin Yi Zhang who qualified through the traditional online contest at the BAKUC website. I never heard this officially but I think we were allowed more than one Open representative because other countries send up to three, an Open winner, a Junior winner and a Group winner.

Part One of my trip report is finally done, it covers the Bandai Gunpla World Cup 2010 and my trip to Hong Kong. There are also links to photodumps of that part of the trip. I hope to have part 2 about my side trip (taken at my own expense) to Tokyo and Shizuoka done by the end of the week.

http://gamerabaenre.com/funaka/?page_id=562

I wanted to make a good report to try to inspire some more Gunpla building and also some publicity for the World Cup since Bandai and their American sponsors (Bluefin and PLAMOD) were nice enough to send us to Hong Kong.

I also want to especially thank Steve from Bluefin and Mr Kojima from Bandai for helping me plan my trip and even answering my emails while I was on my trip so that I could get where I wanted to go.

Lets have some kickass entries for next year!

[kdash71]

Welcome back to the states Dan! 

[Kenneth Wong]

Not much left to say at this point.

Could you at least tell us what's the hold up with the results?