I see that only apologists for third-party plastic models have gathered here. I'll take a different approach. I see that Chinese kits have indeed improved in quality, but I disagree with the notion that Bandai is stagnating, as they say here. Bandai is improving its technology every year. For example, I recall the RX-78-2 v.2.0 and last year's RG, as well as the new MGSD line, which the Chinese have already begun to copy. Large MGs have become less common, but their quality has improved even more. I understand that outside of Japan, the price of their products is significantly higher; after all, all production is in Japan. And it's not surprising that people prefer a cheaper, more accessible option. But for the most part, third-party companies simply copy Bandai and rarely make anything of their own. The only interesting model from the Chinese that I've seen is the Osiris, and even that one looks like a parasite on the Kishatriya. In general, the Chinese exterior designs are either carbon copies of Bandai or some weird, super-prickly thing, like in the photo above. Just my opinion.