Caution: If you start to build garage kit, you should be aware of one thing: there's no way to escape from this hobby: it will cost you an arm and a leg, but so much fun!

What's a Garage Kit?

Garage kit is the specific name we give to animation figure & robot models (there's also real people kits ^_^). They are sold as kit, so they need painting & assembly (except for some rare special edition). They are always made of solid resin parts (Be aware, high quality resin is near to be white and don't break easily. Low quality resin kits are light-brown (or yellow), full of air bubbles and extremely fragile) or be translucide white, and heavy (like these awful Thai kits).

Original kits are often released by japanese companies during Video game & Animes Conventions like JAF-CON or Wonder Festival. Theses events happen two times per year and are the best place to find exceptionnal models. However, the garage kits production is almost limited to Japan for many reasons. First of all, many kits are made by very small companies etablished in some talented guy's garage (this is the reason why we call these model kits as garage kits). Also, Japaneses absorb the major part of these products and the production isn't enough for them.

So, it's difficult, outside Japan, to have a great choice of model. Original garage kits are expensive: many kit prices start at 75.00 $USD and for a very good model, you can pay more than 120.00 $ US.  Fortunately for us, some companies make recasts and they furnish the international demand. Hong Kong is the principal place for good recasts and are really up to date about new japanese releases. Their models are made of high quality resin and molding is very good (it's the case for E2046.com). Thailand produce also recasts but you have to pay attention, the average is surrounded by a lot of crappy resin kits (experience shows me that it tend to be crap in all case!). But it seems all modellers fall in this trap. You always think it will be a good deal, but it's very difficult to turn a thai kit into an average result. 

Rule of the thumb: recasts are cheaper than original and are made of high-quality resin when bought from serious seller (that's the problem, many aren't serious at all: 56$ USD for a thai recast when you can get two 1/8 good Hong Kong recasts!)

How to get them?

The best way to purchase a garage kit is by mail order (in short, the Internet is the best place to deal). Why? When you buy it from a local hobby shop you have a limited choice and you pay an expensive gross margin to your seller. When you buy it at the source, you have access to an illimited amount of models, you don't have to pay the gross margin and can compare prices & products from different shops (You can find real bargain some time) Unfortunately, you have to pay for shipping, but it always cost less than a kit at your local store (be careful, many sellers have the bad habit to charge unrealistic shipping rate or banking rate. E2046.com ships for 2.00$ USD everywhere, but it's an exception). You can also choose your favorite way to pay. Each sellers have his own way, but most of them accept Cash, Credit Card, Money Order, International Money Order and electronic transaction methods as Paypal, etc... Attention, in some countries, like Thailand, bank fees are really high (according to sellers ;-)) and Money Order or electronic transaction is a wiser choice. 

Where to get a Garage Kit?

Many serious shops exist on Internet. Most of modellers treat with them:

~ E2046.com is based on Hong-Kong (This is the BEST place to visit for your kits.) Shipping rate very low, good quality, excellent service, fast shipping, VIP member discount and their forum is a interesting place to frequent.

~ HobbyLink Japan is based on Japan. They sell only original kits, but it's a good place to discover the newest models. Visit Tanoue Zone for a exhaustive Sailor Moon Kits listing. He sells only during Anime Conventions, but you can see an incredible selection of SM kits produced on his database (I always use it to compare item from a shop).

~ Hobbyfan.com is based in California. A good place to buy if you live in North America (their international shipping rates are expensive (about 7,00 $US for Canada). They have almost the same kits than E2046.com have.

~ If you can afford the price, take a look on Yahoo! Japan Auction for originals...

~ And if you can afford the risk, take a look on Ebay... >_<

For more information about sellers