My Journey with the Akira Class Project
Alright, so I decided to tackle this ‘akira class’ thing recently. It wasn’t really a formal class, more like a personal project I labelled that way, inspired by, well, you know, Akira. Specifically, Kaneda’s bike. I’d wanted to build a model of it for ages.
First off, I had to actually get the model kit. Spent a bit of time searching online, found a decent looking one, and ordered it. Waiting for packages is always the worst part, right? Felt like forever.
When the box finally arrived, I cleared off my workbench. You know how it gets, cluttered with bits and pieces from other things. Needed a clean space. Unboxing was pretty exciting. Lots of plastic sprues, tiny parts, a sheet of decals, and the instruction booklet. The instructions looked… complicated. Mostly in Japanese with some diagrams.
Getting Started with the Build
So, I started cutting out the first few pieces for the main frame. You gotta be careful here, use a sharp hobby knife and clean up the little nubs left from the sprue. Slow work. Glued the main frame parts together, used some clamps to hold them while the cement set. Patience is key, really.
- Cut out frame parts.
- Cleaned up the edges.
- Applied plastic cement carefully.
- Clamped and let it dry overnight.
Next day, I moved on to the engine components and the swingarm. More tiny pieces. Some were a real fiddle to get into place. Dropped one tiny part on the floor, spent a good ten minutes searching for it. Classic model building experience, eh? Managed to get the basic chassis assembled. It started to actually look like something.
Painting and Details – The Tough Part
Now, the painting. This is where things get serious if you want it to look good. I decided to paint parts as I went, before final assembly where possible. Easier access. That iconic red color was the main thing. I got some primer down first, then applied several thin coats of bright red spray paint. Needed to let each coat dry properly.
This took time. Spraying outside is best, but the weather wasn’t always great. Had to wait for calm, dry days. Did the black parts, silver bits for the engine and suspension. Used masking tape for clean lines, which is always fiddly.
Then came the decals. Oh boy. These things are super thin and fragile. You soak them in water, slide them off the backing paper onto the model, and carefully position them. Used a decal setting solution to help them conform to the curves. Had a couple tear slightly, which was frustrating, but managed to fix them up okay.
Final Assembly and Result
With most parts painted and decals applied, it was time for the final assembly. Putting together the painted sub-assemblies. Attaching the wheels, the handlebars, the seat, the canopy. This part felt really rewarding, seeing it all come together after all that prep work.
There were a few moments where things didn’t quite line up perfectly, needed a bit of gentle persuasion or a tiny bit of filler. But eventually, there it was. Kaneda’s bike, sitting on my desk. Looked pretty awesome, if I do say so myself.
It wasn’t perfect, there are flaws if you look closely, but the process was the main thing. Took maybe three weeks of evenings and weekends. It was challenging but also quite relaxing, just focusing on the task at hand. Good way to switch off the brain. Definitely a fun project, this ‘akira class’ build.
