The UAE's biggest model-building competition returns in person! Join us for the Otaku ME Modelers Cup 2025 in collaboration with Ammo by Mig Jimenez, where modelers can once again come together, face-to-face, to Build, Create & Inspire. Compete across various categories, from Gunpla and Aircraft to Tanks, Cars and Sci-Fi, in an exciting on-site environment.
Date: Sunday, 1st June 2025
Location: Times Square Center, Al Quoz, Dubai
Registration: 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM
Mark your calendars and start building your masterpiece! This is your chance to showcase your skills, connect with the model-building community, and win incredible prizes.
The competition is open to anyone within the United Arab Emirates, and travelers visiting during the competition event date.
PRIZES
JUDGES
GUNPLA CATEGORIES
Gunpla categories consist of Open Course and Out of the Box (OOTB) Painted. Participants can join up to TWO (2) model kits per category.
Download Gunpla Rules and Regulations
Entrants must follow each category's requirement to compete:
OPEN COURSE (High Level): Intended for seasoned experts with experience in global competitions or modelers willing to take on the ultimate challenge. Any creativity is welcome in this category.
OUT OF THE BOX (OOTB) PAINTED [Intermediate Level]: Intended for builders that just wants to paint or custom paint their gunpla and leave them OOTB (out of the box) or no modifications. It is open to intermediate builders who just started with the hobby or experienced in a competition or not. It is also open to builders that has experience but wants to compete with OOTB entry, however Otaku ME encourages expert builders to join the higher-level category or open course. Entries are required to be painted.
JUDGING CRITERIA
Open Course criteria for judging:
1. Concept: 20 points
• The concept of the entry, the ideas and creativity.
2. Craftsmanship: 40 points
• How well the concept was executed and the overall quality of the work.
3. Painting: 30 points
• The quality and result of the painting.
4. Presentation: 10 points
• How well the concept or build of the entry is presented.
Out of the Box (OOTB) Painted category criteria for judging:
1. Concept: 25 points
• The concept of the entry, the ideas and creativity.
2. Craftsmanship: 25 points
• How well the concept was executed and the overall quality of the work.
3. Painting: 40 points
• The quality and result of the painting.
4. Presentation: 10 points
• How well the concept or build of the entry is presented.
SCALE MODELS CATEGORIES
Scale Models consists of 7 categories. Participants can join up to TWO (2) model kits per category.
Download Scale Model Rules and Regulations
1. Military: Armor, Tanks, Artillery and any Military land transport or support vehicles.
2. Aircrafts and Helicopters: Fighters, Interceptors, Bombers, Transports and Air support Aircraft.
3. Cars, Civilian Vehicles and Equipment: Cars, Racers, Trucks and other various industrial equipment models.
4. Dioramas: Portrays a scene or story that supports the model. (Open to all types of models from the above categories only).
5. Sci-Fi Mecha: Anything fictitious or out of the real world elements, including various vehicles, equipment and maybe part of the pop culture, anime or movie genre that are not covered by any of the real world categories.
6. Sci-Fi Figures: Anything fictitious or out of the real world figures such as pop culture, anime or movie genre.
7. Sci-Fi Dioramas: Anything portrays a fictional scene or story that supports the model. (Open to all types of models from the Sci-Fi and Gunpla categories only).
JUDGING CRITERIA
1. Basic Build: 35 points
Covering the basic aspect of assembly skills in terms of cleanliness such as nub, seam or molding line removal where appropriate, further considering the build to reference an accuracy.
2. Painting and Visuals: 30 points
Going over the quality of the paint applications referring to each particular genre to look out for irregularities and the proper application of weathering and textures with various painting techniques in reference to scale.
3. Detailing: 25 points
Any detailing work done to the surfaces of the models, such as modifications which include crafting components, kitbashing or add on parts and positioning In addition to decal work.
4. Concept and Presentation: 10 points
The overall concept and model layout with the general appearance of the entry in terms of visual impact.
PROHIBITIONS
The following leads to automatic disqualification:
• Ideas and concepts that are directly copied from other modelers.
• Entry that violates intellectual property rights by a third party (i.e.: No company logos, trademarks, or product lettering, designs (etc.) is prohibited. Otherwise, prior to submission, permission has been obtained from their respected right-holders. Otaku ME is not liable in any intellectual property or copyright claims.
• Entries which contain personal information of any kind. (e.g. contact information, social media accounts, etc)
• Entries which are slanderous or offensive that defame an individual or groups of people, ethnic, religion or otherwise.
• Entries contrary to morality and public order.
• Any works entered in previous Otaku ME competitions and/or any works that have previously won in other competitions are not eligible to join Otaku ME Modelers Cup 2025.
SUBMISSIONS
Participants must follow:
• To enter the competition, completed entries have to be physically brought by the modeler to the judging event at Times Square Center, Al Quoz, Dubai.
• Entrants may be questioned about their entries during the judging event.
• Entries must not be winning works of any previous event/contest.
SIGN-UP FORM
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