What if a certain pilot had been in that mobile suit (MS)? The history might have changed... The more familiar you are with Gundam, the more you've probably imagined such scenarios and gotten excited. Of course, "what ifs" are taboo in "Gundam history," but with Gunpla, anything is possible. Popular modeler K1 (@K1h0923), who boasts 13,000 Twitter followers, customizes various MS, particularly amphibious units he calls the "Zeon Swim Team," as special machines for ace pilots of the Zeon forces. His work is praised for its high quality and detailed settings. But how did his "special machine" customizations, which have become his lifework, come to be?

The Origin of "Amphibious Machine Love" in Childhood: "Fun Memories of Being Taken to the Aquarium"

K1, a self-proclaimed "Zeon army enthusiast," seems to be drawn to a particular feature of Zeon MS in his work.

"Zeon's MS, which oppose Gundam, are depicted as 'cannon fodder mecha' and don’t get as much screen time as I'd like. So, I wanted them to perform well enough to defeat Gundam, at least in my imagination. That's how I settled on my current style of customizing general machines for ace pilots. I have a strong affection for Zeon’s MS, especially the amphibious units known as the 'Zeon Swim Team.' Ideas just suddenly pop into my head (laughs)."

Regarding his love for the "Zeon Swim Team," he says, "I feel a strong attraction to the unique designs that seem like marine creatures surviving in the harsh underwater environment. The fun memories of my parents taking me to zoos and aquariums as a child might have influenced this." This deep-seated passion from his childhood drives his strong desire to see "Zeon’s ace pilots in specialized machines defeat Gundam."

"Zeon’s mass-produced machines are meant to defeat the Federation Army, but the specialized machines are all about defeating Gundam! I always create them with the thought of powerful, cool dream MS capable of defeating Gundam."

Source : ORICON NEWS