Labor of love makes the latest Gundam mecha look like something from anime’s heady hand-drawn peak.

While most novices find enough challenge in simply putting together models of anime mecha, serious enthusiasts know that once you’ve got your robot assembled, you’re still only half-way through the creative process. The next step is painting, and if you’re a canon loyalist, you’ll want to make sure your model’s coloring matches that of its anime inspiration.

But even among model builders, Japanese Twitter user @kyo512a stands out for attention to detail, which is on full display in one of his recent undertakings: a model of the ASW-G-08 Gundam Barbatos Lupus from anime TV series Mobile Suit Gundam Iron-Blooded Orphans.

Just look at that thing. Sure, it’s a beautifully colored anime illustration, there’s no way you could match that looks with a physical model that exists in three-dimensional space, right?

Oh, wait. That’s not the drawing on the box, but the actual completed model after being painted by @kyo512a!

https://twitter.com/kyo512a/status/854314917410643970

Against a black background, it’s virtually impossible to tell that what you’re looking at isn’t a 2-D drawing, so @kyo512a has helpfully tweeted some snapshots that show the surrounding scenery as well.

https://twitter.com/kyo512a/status/856272180908236800

@kyo512a even went so far as to aim for a specific 2-D aesthetic, going for a glossy, high-contrast look reminiscent of the glory days of painted-on-cells anime, an era which ended years before Iron-Blooded Orphans started airing.

But while the Gundam anime series’ visuals have evolved from being hand-painted to digitally produced, one thing that hasn’t changed is the franchise’s commitment to providing a slew of new robots with each new installment. Because of this, @kyo512a didn’t stop at just the standard Barbatos Rex, as he also gave a similar stunning paint job to a model of the upgraded-version Barbatos Lupus Rex.

https://twitter.com/kyo512a/status/856150072840527873

▼ The two mobile suits step into the light for a paired pose photo.

https://twitter.com/kyo512a/status/855084334260166656 https://twitter.com/kyo512a/status/855429197476450304

Iron-Blooded Orphans wrapped up its second, and presumably final, season last month. Hopefully @kyo512a will find a new mecha muse soon, so that we can see more of his amazing painting skills.

Source: IT Media
Top image: Twitter/@kyo512a
Insert images: Twitter/@kyo512a (1, 2)