Mechapinoy is one of the top mecha anime fan organizations in the Philippines. Its members have joined contests for mecha anime model kits, reaching up to the national and global regional (Asia) level. Many of them have won, or have garnered praise for the originality of their entries. Most of Mechapinoy’s efforts are in the Gundam fandom, but Macross, Evangelion, Brave Robots, Mecha Sentai, Transformers and Super Robots (among many, many others) are also within Mechapinoy’s interests.

ORIGINS

Mechapinoy was first conceived in November 1999, when many of the active Filipino members in the Gundam Mailing List started to get together. Since the GML was an international list, Mechapinoy’s founding members were advised to form a local mecha anime group: Mechapinoy. It was at first a mailing list, but in later years, with more resources at hand, the group eventually put up their own website.

MECHAPINOY.ORG

Mechapinoy.org is a streamlined website, whose blog articles and forum threads are considered as some of the most unique, informative and accessible in the local anime fandom. There are sections that deal with coming product releases, information on the science and fiction behind mecha anime, as well as an extensive gallery of finished works and works-in-progress. While the forum’s culture may take some getting used to, the MP boys are a hilarious, if geeky, bunch, with many participating in day-long chats over the Internet.

THE CARAVAN AND THE CONNECTIONS

Mechapinoy is currently in partnership with the official local distributor of Bandai merchandise for the Gundam franchise, Bankee Trading, Inc. In this capacity, Mechapinoy assists Bankee in the local Gundam Caravans, with the members displaying some of their extensive collections of Gundam model kits. Mechapinoy is also allied with other organizations, such as the New Worlds Alliance, and IPMS-Philippines B.A. Many of MP’s members are also members of other organizations, as well.

IN REAL LIFE

Mechapinoy members aren’t just netheads, either. Every so often, MP holds an official Mechameet, where members old and new can get together and “talk shop,” trade kits and generally have a lot of fun while watching episodes of their favorite cartoons. For the more mature members, there are occasional nights out, when the veteran members can unwind and just enjoy each other’s company with a few beers and plates of sisig. Mechapinoy isn’t just about the organization; Mechapinoy is about being a barkada.

Finally, Mechapinoy members come from diverse backgrounds, from students to professionals, from those in more artistic endeavors to more technical specialties.

Acknowledgement:
• Dr. Core, Nightingale, and the crew of Newtype Asylum
• -Z- of Mobile Suit Gundam: High Frontier
• Mark Simmons of The Gundam Project
• Jun Ubay and the Borja Brothers, our “pizza & beer” modelling crew.
• Neutral Grounds / Hobby Cafe, and Club Arena for providing Mechapinoy’s first staging grounds.