The full text of “GK” is Garage Kit, originally meaning “garage components”, because Westerners are used to using the garage as a workshop, and GK models are born in such places. The original GK models were just some works created by players themselves, and the degree of refinement varied from person to person. They are usually ONLY ONE, only one in the world. The materials used to make the models (i.e., raw materials) are not fixed. Clay, plaster, wood, and metal can all be used, so models made in small quantities are called GK. Later, because some special finished products were very popular, there was the idea of selling them as products. As they were sold, suddenly, two guys saw the same work, and someone started copying the GK models by using a mold! At that time, they may have used materials like plaster to serve as templates for replication, but plaster is not durable and may become completely unrecognizable after one or two replications. Nowadays, silicone is used as the template material for replication, as it not only has excellent elasticity but also greater durability compared to plaster. However, there are still limitations on the number of replications. Basically, any model that cannot be mass-produced by injection molding is called GK, and generally includes solid resin, hollow soft rubber, and white metal (a low-melting, soft lead-tin alloy) among the materials used. The themes are mostly anime or movie characters, with the GK models displayed in HGA mainly consisting of solid resin (the earliest source of which is surprisingly industrial waste) anime characters.
GK vs. Handmade
1. GK
The abbreviation “GK” stands for “GARAGE KIT”, meaning a set of components. Many people mistakenly consider it to refer to all resin human-like works, but it specifically refers to unpainted components. Because the complexity of the mold-making process is very high, the prices are generally expensive. Due to the characteristics of resin material, it is very suitable for depicting very detailed parts and characters. Most action figures offered by manufacturers are semifinished products, requiring complex processes such as sanding, assembly, and coloring, which are much more difficult than general model making. In terms of painting alone, it requires a certain level of artistic skills and expensive painting tools, such as spray guns. GK models are not mass-produced, as pouring into a mold ten or more times will render it useless, so they are generally more expensive. Most unfinished models need to be sanded, assembled, and painted by the buyer, which is much more difficult than general model making, but it’s exactly the charm of playing with GK. In many domestic toy introductions, we often see descriptions like “GK is not mass-produced” and “difficult to obtain”, but it’s not actually true. Before the popularity of finished action figures, most action figure manufacturers mainly produced these unfinished components like GK, but after the finished figures became popular, GK gradually declined, to the point where companies like Kotobukiya, which used to produce unfinished components, completely shifted to producing finished figures. At present, very few manufacturers produce GK (due to the large number of individual works of GK, the majority of the market), so the main creation and sales of GK have become sales of fan-art GK groups on personal blogs and action figure exhibitions. However, due to the difficulty of transporting GK materials and the issue of the sales market, very few sellers in China will bring in GK products, so it is still very difficult for domestic players to buy authentic GK products from Japan.
2. Handmade
Since mainland Chinese players and dealers initially did not understand the term “handmade”, “handmade” (also known as “first edition” or “prototype”) often referred to as human-shaped figures (フィギュア). But in fact, the real meaning of “handmade” is GARAGE KIT (GK) that embodies the personality and artwork of the original designer, which refers to unpainted model kits. However, many players in mainland China are used to the term “handmade” to refer to all human-shaped works.
PF Finished Product
Unpainted GK
3. Commonly referred to as PVC FIGURE (PF)
Also known as PVC figure, commonly referred to as “handmade”, but it is definitely not the same as handmade (GK), and also referred to as “unofficially” as “painted finished product” or “painted finished product”. FIGURE, as the name suggests, is a figurine or human figure created based on characters from anime works, and PVC refers to the material used for PF, which is PVC. Due to the lower cost of PF materials and the fact that they do not require personal assembly, the market share of PF has gradually surpassed that of GK. There are now more and more PF manufacturers, and these companies are increasingly including a variety of different original artists. PFs have developed a unique charm in all aspects (especially in painting) different from GK. Therefore, it’s reasonable to see websites like E2046, which specializes in GK, now also selling PF. There is also another concept called “painted finished product”, which is easy to understand as a product that has been painted and assembled. We often see on the market general products that have been painted, mass-produced, and have beautiful packaging as PFs.
4. Methods to distinguish
Differences between PF and GK
Firstly, from the material aspect, the primary material of PF is PVC plastic, with some part needing to be reinforced with ABS resin. GK, on the other hand, is primarily made of resin. Due to the difference in materials, GK is noticeably heavier than PF, making weight a good distinguishing method. We can also use the material’s surface to tell the difference. Secondly, although GK is generally sold as unpainted, there are occasionally painted finished products. One way to judge is from the packaging. GK, being very fragile due to the material, is generally packaged in foam and put into a box. PF is usually visible through an opening on the box. Finally, there is the price.
Mainstream categories of GK mold and effect resin materials
1. Cast resin
Commonly referred to as PU resin. Cast resin, or HEI-CAST resin in Japan, is the abbreviation for an unfilled polyimide resin, consisting of an A component and a B component, requiring the same weight ratio when mixing. The colors available are white, light yellow, ivory, etc., and the material is lightweight, with excellent ductility and the best representation of fine details. After sanding, the surface feels smooth as ivory. Thus, cast resin is the best material for making GK models, but it is more expensive than other materials, usually sold at around 300 RMB per set (A and B each weigh one kilogram, totaling two kilograms). Processing GK models with cast resin is comparatively easier. Currently, the hand-made models using cast resin primarily include original and Hong Kong versions (please note that this specifically refers to authentic Hong Kong versions, not the kind that imitates Hong Kong versions). Japanese versions of hand-made models typically specify “cold resin cast kit,” with “cold” referring to the molding process–cold molding, meaning the material does not need to be heated and melted before molding. Resin refers to the material, and kit refers to the kit. In translation, it means a cold-molded cast resin kit.
2. 8012, 8014, 8017 resin
These three types of resin are commonly encountered types of AB resin.
3. Polystone
A material composed of a mixture of resin and stone powder, a type of cold resin. It is cheaper, costing less than a third of the price of cast resin. The English name is polystone and was the primary material used in the early days of completed action figures. Basically, it is not suitable for the creation of GK models, as it is the least suitable material for GK models. It is resistant to impact and heat, very hard, very heavy, difficult to cut, and not very malleable. Its color can be changed by adding color powder, and it is very fragile due to its hardness, making it very easy to break.
PVC
Polyvinyl Chloride, also known as PVC. It is a material used in European and American countries, known as soft rubber material. The unpainted pieces of soft rubber material (referred to as soft rubber components) are cheaper, allowing the same shape to be purchased for less money. When it comes to modifications, soft rubber components offer greater flexibility than resin.