This past weekend saw Those Gundam Guys’ annual SoCal Gundam Model Competition (SCGMC) event.
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Thank you for the pictures. There is some amazing work in them. The painting, weathering, the bases and sheer imagination is quite impressive and makes my modeling efforts feel inadequate.
That being said, I may be persuaded to build one of these things.
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More photos from the event, for some reason the system is limiting the number you can add to a single post.
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Last of the photos, guess what ever was messing with the system got sorted out. Was an impressive turnout, with the number of entrants and entries apparently up year over year.
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Wow, what a spectacular show. Thank you for sharing your photos 
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Its one worth attending and competing at as the level is very high, hell it is the only event that I have never been able to place at in all the years of going.
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That looks like it would have been a great show to attend. One thing that always strikes me with gundam, anime models and the like are the bases. There is so much creativity and originality in the bases themselves that you almost don’t need a finished model on them. But the models are outstanding as well. 
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That is one major difference with this event vs. IPMS events is the base is considered in judging.
So what did you place with Chris?
None, the one event that I have never placed at.
Ah, sorry Chris, I misread.
I went to SCGMC for the first time this year and I see what you mean by the tough level of competition. I took a couple of models including this one, but disaster struck when one of the legs broke in transit.
I knew the legs were ultra-heavy, and the other leg suffered a similar incident, but I didn’t pin the parts with metal rods. The stupid is all on me, so I can’t complain.
I did get a challenge coin, the first time I have ever got one! It felt really nice.
So what did you bring to the contest?
Edit: It looks like my Flickr account went poopskie again. The last pic will not display.
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These were the 4 I brought with me:
Had planned on bringing a Qubely but it stalled out and there was no way I would have gotten it done in time without it looking like crap.
As for the level of competition it has consitantly been high, so high that I feel like I have hit a wall in terms of skill level. This is one of those things that I am really starting to see some of the benefit of the GSB award system over the 1, 2, 3 system. As it is completely possible that my stuff is getting the detail look over by judges but they are just missing the podium, which if that is the case then I am fine with that, but if not then I am not seeing what I am doing wrong/where I can improve. Big reason I go to these contests is to get that objective review of building skill. So the GSB may be a better judge due to it being against a set standard vs what models show up that day.
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Did you see the 1/144 Qubeley at the contest? It had the best gloss finish I have ever seen on a Gundam kit. It was quite mesmerizing.
A 1-2-3 system has merits, but also some drawbacks. With the competition not providing “cover”, you are out there alone on your own skills. There is no hoping the next guy didn’t do a good a job as you. A friend who went to IPMS UK at Telford took a model for the competition but only got a “commended”. He is one of the best modelers in our club. I went to Telford back in 2015, and the quality of the competition was staggering.
I think SCGMC is starting to get that way. Unpainted, panel-lined, snap together models with stickers will not pass muster. There is some serious skill on display these days.
Its been a VERY long time since any sort of unpainted kit would even bother showing up to SCGMC. I don’t think it is even allowed anymore save for possibly the beginner category.
The Qubeley was not bad, seen better but have seen worse too.
The poker chips are also a new thing that people have been doing at events this year. Personally I think it is great idea and hope more people start doing it as its a great way to acknowledge someone’s work and share details for where photos and like will be posted.
Ranger Chris, may I suggest you shade and highlight your metallic bits on your figures. They would really pop, and would surely up your game.
I have noticed that paint finish is now all-important, and doing straight colors is no longer competitive. The game has gotten tough.
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Here are some of the photos I took at the contest. First are the Gundams:
Next are the Macross entries:
And here are some of the other entries:
2025 SCGMC-Misc Entries | Flickr
The Gundam photos are only a portion of the ones I took. I am still sorting through the rest.
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There is highlighting, granted I went more subtle and between the lighting and me using a phone camera it does not show up great in those photos. Unfortunately there are too many factors that go into judging that it is impossible to say with any degree of certainty, and that is speaking from having judge competitions. Do agree the level of competition at SCGMC has increased consistently.
Yes, the Misc Entries link
Here are all the Gundam photos I took:
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