Join Our 3rd Gunpla SA Championship BuildOff!

Howzit BuildForce! It's here, the big one, our 3rd Gunpla SA Championship BuildOff!

1. BuildOff Introduction, Theme & Past examples

Before we get into the deets, we would like to assist with people that are interested in entering our BuildOff, by offering a discount code “BuildOffBoost” for 10% OFF for your order, valid until 15th November! Whether it’s for kits, tools, paints and/or any other supplies you need! 
Plus, If you use the discount code for your order, then you won’t need to pay the BuildOff entry fee!

Now, the deets. Just like our previous Championship BuildOffs, it’s Open Theme, so go wild with your ideas and come up with your own theme. You can also totally use a theme from our previous BuildOffs!

2. Competition Timeline, Guidelines & Rules

Competition Starting Date:
Sunday 30th August 2026

Cut off date for entering starting builds:
Sunday 15th November 2026

Deadline for submitting finished builds:
Sunday 22nd November 2026

Entries & Winners announced on live BuildCast:
From 8:30PM on Thursday 3rd December 2026 on our Twitch channel.
https://www.twitch.tv/gunpla_sa

The model kits don’t have to be exclusively Gundam model kits. You can use any model kit, ideally within the Japanese anime or pop culture, or sci-fi genre.

A base will be required as part of your build and a single pose for your kit. 

The size of the finished build (kit/s and base combined) must be within 35 cm (Wide) x 30 cm (Deep) x 37 cm (Height).

《 3 levels of categories to enter into - Beginner, Intermediate and Masters: 》

• For the Beginner Category, Build Quality is not judged and partial painting is allowed. Whether it's by brush, airbrush, your fingers, etc. Get creative! Your kit needs to have some paint on it and just painting in the panel lines is not enough.

• Builders that have previously placed in the top 3 of the Beginner Category must enter into the Intermediate Category.

• Builders that have previously placed in the top 3 of the Intermediate Category (Previously known as Open Category) must enter into the Masters Category.

• Anyone is welcomed to enter into Masters Category too if they feel they are up for it!

• For the Intermediate and Masters Category, Build Quality will be Judged. So do your best to remove nub marks, seams, mould lines, etc.

《 Other guidelines: 》

• Kitbashing and other physical modifications are allowed. Such as scratch building, custom panel lines and details scribing.

• Any 3D printed parts are allowed but will not be factored into judging. 3D printed parts must be listed when submitting finished builds.

《 Please note: 》

• Builders entering must be based in South Africa.

• No knockoff or IP infringing kits are allowed.

• Each entry must be built by the builder entering and not be worked on by other or multiple builders.

• If we feel a finished entry is of a higher or lower level to the category entered. We will contact the builder and to judge with either higher or lower category entries.

• Builders entering will consent to their photos used by Gunpla SA for marketing purposes.

• Judges’ decisions are final. BuildOff Competition can be cancelled by provided reason/s at any time.

3. Entering Starting Build 

Link to Entering Starting Build form.

Include a photo of the assembled base kit to be used, or box of the kit with it opened to show runners or the parts. It’s fine as long as it's not painted yet. Kit or parts in primed stage are also acceptable. Kits already painted are not allowed.

The photo needs to include a note of:

• Builder’s name and/or Discord name.

• The date when the photo was taken.

Entry fee of R100 to enter the Masters and Intermediate Category.
R50 to enter the Beginner Category.
Free entry if you placed an order with discount code “BuildOffBoost”. Please note your order number in your entry form.

Payment to be paid at the time when the builder submits their entry form. Via EFT to the bank details below:

Name: GUNPLA SA
Bank: First National Bank
Branch code: 250655
Account number: 63004262183
Reference: "BuildOff + Builder’s name"
Send Payment notification to: howzit@gunplasa.com

Please note that if you would like to cancel your entry at any point you will not receive a refund on your entry fee.

4. Submitting Finished Build

Link to Submitting Finished Build form.

Include the name of your build, with the story you wish to convey for the viewer, in less than 3 sentences.

Add the concept/inspiration and technical details of your build. To give us some thought process and reasons behind your build.

Upload at least 4 images of your references.

All photos to be in square 1:1 formats and high resolution at least 3000 x 3000 pixels.

Exactly 10 photos. Maximum file size 10mb each. Please send photos in the following order:

1. 1 photo of the money shot that best represents your build.

2. 1 photo of a close up shot that includes at least the head and upper body in frame. With the head in focus.

3. 4 photos from different angles to show off more of your build. You can crop certain elements out of the frame, and more close ups of details.

4. 4 photos of each side. Front, left, right and back. Try your best to keep the kit and the base in frame. 

Please name your photos accordingly, with the name of your build (Not the Builder’s name). For example: Build Name - 01MoneyShot, Build Name - 02CloseUp, etc

The main photos are to be taken with either a rolled black paper backdrop, or creative backgrounds.
Be mindful that the background should assist in focusing on your build and not distract from it.
Encouraged for photos to be taken with different camera angles, composition and good lighting to showcase your work, create a mood, scene or tell a story.

For the 4 sides photos, take them with good neutral white lighting at eye level. With rolled white/black paper or something that's clean as backdrop to help judge build quality and paint job. Try your best to keep the kit and the base within the camera frame and within the backdrop.

5. Judging Criteria

Judging from Jeff and Paul of Gunpla SA and guest judge XENU, our winner of 2nd Gunpla SA Championship BuildOff.

Points in each of the following 6 categories, then averaged to a total of 40 points for Masters and Intermediate Category. 

For the Beginner Category, Build Quality will not be judged. Averaged to a total of 35 points.

1. Build Quality - 5 points (Excluded from Beginner Category)
Treatments of nub marks, seam lines, mould lines, flash, etc. The condition of the physical build quality.

2. Paint Job - 5 points
Quality of the paint job,weathering, decals, etc.

3. Base - 5 points
Scoring for the base/diorama/vignette. How well it is made and how well it supports the build and concept.

4. Creativity - 10 points
The concept of the build. What story or message does it tell? How well does the build convey the concept and the story? Without the viewers needing to read your story.

5. Presentation - 10 points
Scoring for posing, composition, setting and lighting.

6. Photography - 5 points
Are photos submitted in square format, high resolution at least 3000 x 3000 pixels.
The photos of the 4 side shots have a clean background and are well lit in neutral lighting. 
Area/s on the model that should be in focus is/are in focus.

6. BuildOff Prizes!

Firstly, builders that submit their finished builds, they will receive Gunpla SA Gift Cards for finishing! R100 for Masters and Intermediate Category and R50 for Beginner Category.

Now, the base prizes:

Masters Category Prizes:
1st Place - R3,000 Gunpla SA Gift Card
2nd Place - R2,500 Gunpla SA Gift Card
3rd Place - R2,000 Gunpla SA Gift Card

Intermediate Category Prizes:
1st Place - R1,500 Gunpla SA Gift Card
2nd Place - R1,250 Gunpla SA Gift Card
3rd Place - R1,000 Gunpla SA Gift Card

Beginner Category Prizes:
1st Place - R600 Gunpla SA Gift Card
2nd Place - R400 Gunpla SA Gift Card
3rd Place - R200 Gunpla SA Gift Card

There will also be additional prizes of kits and other goodies! To be confirmed and we will update this page, also on our Discord and social platforms.

In Addition, there will also be 3 Spot Prizes of R100 Gunpla SA Gift Cards for these 3 categories: Favourite New Builder, Coolest Posed, and Favourite Concept!

The winners for Spot Prizes will be voted by the BuildForce community on Discord after the BuildCast covering the BuildOff competition entries & winners. The voting window will be 24 hours and then spot prizes winners will be announced in the Gunpla SA Discord community.

All winners will be contacted via Discord or email for their prizes after all the BuildOff winners are announced.

《 Good luck BuildForce! Have fun, remember you are building something awesome for yourself that you can be proud of. Let us show the world how awesome our South African builders are! Keep Building Joy! 》