Bandai Figure Rise Setsuna F Seiei Bust

I decided to tackle the Figure Rise bust of Setsuna to eventually display alongside my PG Gundam Exia. Even though the kit’s parts don’t technically need paint, I wanted to add some shading, especially to the hair and avoid the usual sticker issues. Stickers on curved surfaces are a pain: they do not stick well and look too thick, so I opted to paint instead.

The first challenge was sealing the gaps in Setsuna’s hair. I started by fitting the rear hair piece and used very thin superglue to close the seams, hoping this would make painting easier later. Once all the hair parts were on, there was a big gap at the front where the hair curls. To fix this and add realistic shading, I experimented with an old “track wash” (normally for armour models). It was a bit darker than the plastic and translucent enough to let the base colour show through. I built up the shading gradually, focusing on the inner surfaces for subtle depth. It’s not super obvious in photos, but in person, the effect is there.

Next up: the collar. The stickers for the uniform’s collar were just too thick and didn’t look right, so I peeled them off and cleaned the part for painting. I painted the collar white, let it dry, then masked it off and used three shades of blue to match the anime. Masking was fiddly, but the end result was worth it. Once the acrylics cured, I added panel lining to the uniform for extra depth.

Reassembling the bust brought its own set of issues. Fitting the suit’s panel-lined armour pieces was easier if I ignored the instructions and attached the shoulder pieces after the front and back sections. This made the cutouts sit better and look more seamless. The final steps were fitting the inner neck joint, the skin-toned cover, and then gently pushing Setsuna’s head into place. I skipped the supplied base because I plan to mount the bust to the Exia later.

Key Problems and Fixes:

• Stickers were too thick and didn’t adhere well—painting was the solution.
• Hair gaps needed careful gluing and shading for realism.
• Masking and painting the collar and uniform required patience and multiple colours.
• Assembly order tweaks helped parts fit better and look cleaner.

Despite the hiccups, the extra effort paid off. The bust looks much more dynamic and truer to the character, and I learned a few new tricks for future builds!

Here are the links to the blog posts in making the Setsuna bust…