I was a bit shocked when I visited my LHS the other day and found at least 1/2 of the kit section had been taken over by Gundam/anime stuff. The guy at the store told me he sells more of 'em than every other kit genre combined by a wide margain... come to find out that stuff was basically keeping his business alive.

I know it's not a bunch of grey-hairs buying that stuff, so yeah, millenials build models. They just don't seem to frequent forums. 

My son has gotten into Gundams and other anime based models. Ill bet there are forums out there for that genre that are populated by their builders/fans. 

Where i live in norcal,any hobby shop has been taken over by the rc hobby industry.

I’m a Gen-Xer through and through, and my interest in modeling came from my dad.  Even though he didn’t build models, he pasted them together when I was too small to do it myself.  He lived through WW II, but couldn’t serve due to a high school football injury.  Maybe that’s why he was so interested in studying it so much.  My two uncles did serve as infantry in Italy, but they never wanted to be reminded of the experience, much less tell stories about it.

So as it was my dad shared his interest in stuff like WW II naval warfare and ship design.  He always took the time to explain stuff, like the hows and whys.  I gravitated to airplanes because they zoomed around in the air and had dogfights.  I grew up during Vietnam, and night after night watched helos and jets blasting stuff on TV.  Bombs were mostly dumb back then, so planes had the “Christmas tree” look, slinging dozens of Mk-82s and such.  So that’s why I was an airplane guy.

But the Millennials have different experiences.  Their parents might have served in the various gulf wars, so their interest most likely leans to the modern stuff.  And yeah there are video games, the Internet, and hipster joints all vying for their interest.

And then there is the 18.5 meter tall mobile suit standing in the room.

I was an early fan of Gundam, buying my first such kit in 1983.  I had no idea who or what Gundam was, but the bad guys looked so cool!  And then the anime boom hit the US and I gleefully rode the wave of merchandise coming from Japan.

By the time the TV shows aired on cable here, I was already a serious fan.  But I think most people got their first look at Gundam on Cartoon Network, so naturally they liked the stuff from those shows.  I must admit I was surprised that Gundam took off in popularity in the US because the franchise had a somewhat rocky start.  Nevertheless, it seems to have gotten its second wind, and like it or not, it’s here to stay.

But not all hope is lost.  I have a good friend that is a millennial, and while he started out as a Gundam fan, he is now getting into WW II planes and armor because he knows little about them and finds them interesting(!).

The cadre of old modeler farts I hang out with encourage him, tell him interesting factoids about what he is building, help him with information regarding details and paint schemes, and of course shower him with appropriate kits from multiple stashes.  AND we don’t ride him about accuracy.  We tell him it’s his model and his decision on how to go about finishing it.  But he tries his best to get it right and enjoys doing so.

So super long story short, I think it is up to the older generations to introduce the youngsters to save the hobby.  This has always been the case.  I noticed a lot of my peers are not really into doing that.  They are too occupied counting rivets on their own projects. Maybe it is WE who are different, not the young ‘uns?  “To understand the problem, look not at the dying trees in the forest, but rather the soil and water which nutures them.”

And now must I my Yoda hat remove, and to your regularly scheduled program return you.

Per the internets, millennials start in 1984, making me part of that group (born in 88').  I was modeling as a kid because my dad did, and in turn i got into it.  I will admit I just got back into it earlier this year, but none the less I love it.  I can see reading through some of the replies that there’s a big misconception of those of us classified as "millennials"..  Keep in mind folks, its baby boomers and gen x'ers that created millennials due to poor parenting... so some of you might wanna take a long hard look at your own generation for the crap shoot we’ve ended up with, and remember were not all bad  

*not trying to offend anyone, but when my age group gets targeted like it does on the regular, i feel it’s necessary to defend it, the generations created this monster lol**

TankerEasy

 

Per the internets, millennials start in 1984, making me part of that group (born in 88').  I was modeling as a kid because my dad did, and in turn i got into it.  I will admit I just got back into it earlier this year, but none the less I love it.  I can see reading through some of the replies that there’s a big misconception of those of us classified as "millennials"..  Keep in mind folks, its baby boomers and gen x'ers that created millennials due to poor parenting... so some of you might wanna take a long hard look at your own generation for the crap shoot we’ve ended up with, and remember were not all bad  

 

*not trying to offend anyone, but when my age group gets targeted like it does on the regular, i feel it’s necessary to defend it, the generations created this monster lol**

Valid statement and Yes I think we BB  are guilty as charged!

 

Well as some people have pointed out above growing up a Gen-Xer the Boomers kept calling us lazy, shiftless, cynical, and more interested in playing video games than getting ahead. The same thing older people keep throwing at the Millenials... 

I think every generation makes the same accusations at the young guys and gals. 

Yes it's kinda humbling when we become our parents isn't it!

falconmod

Yes it's kinda humbling when we become our parents isn't it!

 

This is a good question. I was born in 1986, so technically I am a millennial... I think

For me, modelling started because of my fascination with military history. I am a gung-ho american patriot at heart, though I kick myself for never taking the leap and going through OCS and serving after college. That aside, it's my interest in flying and WWII history that got me into it.

With so many distractions between TV, video games, and social media, it will be a hard sell. I think kits like the P-51D snap kit would help, make the building process as easy as possible (no glue, etc). That's step one. Step two is somehow make it cool... package it. Maybe pair a new video game with a model, have some kind of competition to get those kids playing video games to pair it with a built model somehow... I don't know, make it a tool in the game or have a contest for best built models get money off in game purchases... no clue.

Ultimately, my generation likes instant gratification. Even our movies are all action and no story anymore. I don't think we are a dumb or boring generation, just the product of continual marketing that has cut to the chase more and more over the years to the point that we now all expect immediate results/gratification/etc/

- Jim

I think I lean toward the Noahs ark generation. My dad was a 30s flyer and WWII dive bomber pilot. I grew up at Carswell AFB and Dallas NAS.

My little grand daughter was born in 2014 and I have no idea what her gerneration is called. This kid loves airplanes and is building little wooden children's kits with me. She has pobably 50 metal planes of various sizes and each is special. Her favorite is a beat up old Lindberg Cutlass that she takes to be every night.

I think she will be a model builder!

As far as age demographics I believe the hobby is much healthier in Europe and Japan. This is how MIG, AK,  Takom, Meng can make their margins.

I'm 58, and I don't know a single millenial that models outside of the occasional kid that goes to MIT.

You have 3 years olds that have iPads, that have to make a "date" to play.  It's a differnet world.

You want to talk about a hobby in trouble, try stamp collecting.  I'm considered one of the babies at 58.  No one is coming to replenish when the old guard die off.  Most of my friends in that hobby are well into their 80's, if not 90's.

As some other respondents have commented, I believe that the current cost of plastic modeling keeps away millenials, among others. In the case of millenials, there is heavy competition for their bucks: E-Cigs, live shows, IoT, latest iPhone, "vintage" clothing that was made last week in China, bad tattoos, pricey everything-free food, etc. I think the closest thing to modeling that attracts millenials on a wide scale is drones, which used to be called RC helicopters. 

At 53, I find myself gagging on the price of new kits. A run-of-the-mill AMT 1/25 car kit typically retails for $30 at the carft store usual suspects. At the risk of going all Abe Simpson, modeling was much more accessible (cost-wise) "back in my day".

The availability and convenience of online shopping has certainly cut into the LHS population. In my area (RDU) there are a few really good independent LHSs, but even those are generally focused on RC and/or gaming. I suspect that the margins on those are higher than plastic kits. The LHS issue is a whole other issue for discussion.

PGBolt

As some other respondents have commented, I believe that the current cost of plastic modeling keeps away millenials, among others. In the case of millenials, there is heavy competition for their bucks: E-Cigs, live shows, IoT, latest iPhone, "vintage" clothing that was made last week in China, bad tattoos, pricey everything-free food, etc. I think the closest thing to modeling that attracts millenials on a wide scale is drones, which used to be called RC helicopters. 

At 53, I find myself gagging on the price of new kits. A run-of-the-mill AMT 1/25 car kit typically retails for $30 at the carft store usual suspects. At the risk of going all Abe Simpson, modeling was much more accessible (cost-wise) "back in my day".

The availability and convenience of online shopping has certainly cut into the LHS population. In my area (RDU) there are a few really good independent LHSs, but even those are generally focused on RC and/or gaming. I suspect that the margins on those are higher than plastic kits. The LHS issue is a whole other issue for discussion.

 

bluenote

I agree with you regarding the many different entertainment options available to millennials, but I don't believe that price is part of the problem.  I'm 43, and I remember the average AMT/Ertl/MPC car kit as being around $10 in the mid-late eighties.  With inflation, a car kit costing around $30 seems about right.  Paint is about $4.  

Wilbur Wright

As far as age demographics I believe the hobby is much healthier in Europe and Japan. This is how MIG, AK,  Takom, Meng can make their margins.

I'm 58, and I don't know a single millenial that models outside of the occasional kid that goes to MIT.

You have 3 years olds that have iPads, that have to make a "date" to play.  It's a differnet world.

You want to talk about a hobby in trouble, try stamp collecting.  I'm considered one of the babies at 58.  No one is coming to replenish when the old guard die off.  Most of my friends in that hobby are well into their 80's, if not 90's.

 

It does seem very healthy over here judging by the numbers who attend the shows. And from what i have seen, the ages range from 20's all the way up. Even in the model club i belong to where we get between 10 and 20 attending each meeting, there are a couple of guys in their early 30's. I think the hobby is safe for a few years to come, my copncern would be in 20 to 30 years, will there be enough people still doing it to make it viable.

laskdjn

I was born in 1982.  That puts me at about either the trail end of Gen X or the beginning edge of Millenials, depending on how you look at it.  I really don't consider myself a Millenial, though, because I actually don't mind hard work, and can deal without immediate gratification... 

However, unlike Clemens, one of my co-workers also builds, though.  But him and I are the only ones I know.

 

Same here. I was born in ’83. I get upset when people try to pool me in with the millennials. I love hard work, but my job is really stressful. I grew up modeling and got out of it in my late teens only to return now for the relaxaction that it brings. I love focusing on the small details and taking my time to make something awesome out of a Bunch of plastic pieces. Here in Portland we have a few LHSs but they are expensive. If the younger people dont understand the importance of shopping small and local then it will only be reserved for the online world

German Armour

Hi, yes. In my area we have no hobby shops, except for one that is 3 1/2 hrs away. The price is a major factor in my purchase decisions. Dragon kits are too expensive and I am 18, so the older Tamiya shake & bake kits are my usual buys. Also at Regina in Saskatchewan where the hobby shop is located there are a Gundam club and a model club but too far for me to go for meetings. If model companies where to create reasonable kits under $40 like older tamiya then there would maybe be more interest. Bandai must be really smart to do what there doing. :)

 

Well, back in the late '80s - early '90s when I was in high school and college and working a series of krappy jobs I had to scrimp and save to pick up Tamiya and Dragon kits too. It hasn't changed all that much. 

I hear all the time how high prices are today compared years ago. How gas, homes, cars were so much less etc. I was only making $3 an hour in the late 70's so it's all realitive.

Hi,

This thread has gotten me thinking.  I seem to recal that when I was in high school (or there abouts (1977-1981) I think I could buy a 1/48 scale Revell or Monogram plane for about $5.25 at my local hobby store.  The only reason that I recall that was that I used to categorize models as whether they were $3-3.50 models or whether they were the $5.25 ones.

Anyway, if I did the math right, $5.25 inflated to today's money assuming about 3.5% increase per year would equal about $ 18.75 to 21.50 or so.

Looking at eBay I see several 1/48 scale Revell SBD Dauntless modles going for about $18.90 to about $22.00, so that seems not unreasonable to me .

PF

Bish

 

 

Wilbur Wright

As far as age demographics I believe the hobby is much healthier in Europe and Japan. This is how MIG, AK,  Takom, Meng can make their margins.

I'm 58, and I don't know a single millenial that models outside of the occasional kid that goes to MIT.

You have 3 years olds that have iPads, that have to make a "date" to play.  It's a differnet world.

You want to talk about a hobby in trouble, try stamp collecting.  I'm considered one of the babies at 58.  No one is coming to replenish when the old guard die off.  Most of my friends in that hobby are well into their 80's, if not 90's.

 

 

 

 

It does seem very healthy over here judging by the numbers who attend the shows. And from what i have seen, the ages range from 20's all the way up. Even in the model club i belong to where we get between 10 and 20 attending each meeting, there are a couple of guys in their early 30's. I think the hobby is safe for a few years to come, my copncern would be in 20 to 30 years, will there be enough people still doing it to make it viable.

 

It does appear the in the UK and Europe theres alot more people still enjoying the hobby.  Its certainly died way down in the U.S., BUT i do feel its coming back around and more people are getting back into it.  My step is almost 5, and he seems really inetrested in what im doing when im at the bench, so hopefully when he gets a bit older i can get him into building with me, but who knows.....

TankerEasy

 

 

Bish

 

 

Wilbur Wright

As far as age demographics I believe the hobby is much healthier in Europe and Japan. This is how MIG, AK,  Takom, Meng can make their margins.

I'm 58, and I don't know a single millenial that models outside of the occasional kid that goes to MIT.

You have 3 years olds that have iPads, that have to make a "date" to play.  It's a differnet world.

You want to talk about a hobby in trouble, try stamp collecting.  I'm considered one of the babies at 58.  No one is coming to replenish when the old guard die off.  Most of my friends in that hobby are well into their 80's, if not 90's.

 

 

 

 

It does seem very healthy over here judging by the numbers who attend the shows. And from what i have seen, the ages range from 20's all the way up. Even in the model club i belong to where we get between 10 and 20 attending each meeting, there are a couple of guys in their early 30's. I think the hobby is safe for a few years to come, my copncern would be in 20 to 30 years, will there be enough people still doing it to make it viable.

 

 

 

 

 

It does appear the in the UK and Europe theres alot more people still enjoying the hobby.  Its certainly died way down in the U.S., BUT i do feel its coming back around and more people are getting back into it.  My step is almost 5, and he seems really inetrested in what im doing when im at the bench, so hopefully when he gets a bit older i can get him into building with me, but who knows.....

 

I only joined a club and started going to shows in 2014, so i can't really say if the hobby slowed down over here. I am not one of those who built in my teens then stopped for 20 or 30 years, i have been modelling almost none stop since i was 9. I notice a lot of new members here are coming back into it after a long break, but i have not noticed that so much in the UK. A lot of the people i know seem to be similar to me. So that may well explain the growth of it in the US. But lets home we can bring more youngsters into it.

I’m in the coin collecting industry, and the hobby has had similar concerns about getting younger people participating. I think coin collecting has some greater challenges due to the fact that the business tends to revolve around the highest value rarities. It’s definitely a hobby dominated by, let’s face it, the older white male of means. A millennial is going to have a tough time justifying the cost of a nice rare coin worth a couple of thousand dollars, let alone a more higher end rarity worth tens of thousands of dollars... and just forget about the ultra rarities worth millions.

 More attention needs to be paid to the low end of the hobby if it is to grow, and I see that low end millennial collector is very active on social media, particularly Instagram. I’ve urged my bosses to capitalize on it.

 I’ve seen similar social media activity, if not more active activity, when it comes to modeling. There’s lots of popular modeling accounts on Instagram, and some great YouTube channels by younger people giving tutorials, and I think that’s great. I’m not sure what the best approach is to grow the hobby from this “seed” but there’s definitely something enthusiastic there.

There’s also modeling and coin forums on Reddit that are very active, but that place scares me and I avoid it.

GreySnake

 

I think another problem is there are just so many different things competing for everyone’s attention right now. Between video games, streaming services, social media, work and family it seems life is more chaotic then even twenty years ago.

  

My thoughts in a nutshell.  Looking at all the technological advances in the last 30 years in terms of computers, video games, smart phones, etc, I think unless you had friends or parents or something that were modeling, your probably weren't exposed much to it.  At least not as much as someone say 30-40 years ago was. 

For me, if it weren't for a Christmas gift from my uncle one years (1/48 Revell Memphis Belle) O'm not sure Iwould've gotten into this hobby.  But since building that with my Dad when I was 7 or 8, it sunk it's teeth into me.  I'm in the same boat as some other people.  I'm 28 and its been several years since I've done anything model related.  It's been almost 6 years since I graduated college and starting out life took priority but I feel like I've finally gotten the time to get back into it.  My thought is there's probably more people out there that put it on hold for awhile but just havn't gotten the opportunity to start it up again.

redraider56

 

 

GreySnake

 

I think another problem is there are just so many different things competing for everyone’s attention right now. Between video games, streaming services, social media, work and family it seems life is more chaotic then even twenty years ago.

  

 

 

 

 

My thoughts in a nutshell.  Looking at all the technological advances in the last 30 years in terms of computers, video games, smart phones, etc, I think unless you had friends or parents or something that were modeling, your probably weren't exposed much to it.  At least not as much as someone say 30-40 years ago was. 

 

For me, if it weren't for a Christmas gift from my uncle one years (1/48 Revell Memphis Belle) O'm not sure Iwould've gotten into this hobby.  But since building that with my Dad when I was 7 or 8, it sunk it's teeth into me.  I'm in the same boat as some other people.  I'm 28 and its been several years since I've done anything model related.  It's been almost 6 years since I graduated college and starting out life took priority but I feel like I've finally gotten the time to get back into it.  My thought is there's probably more people out there that put it on hold for awhile but just havn't gotten the opportunity to start it up again.

 

Yep, that's probably right. I'm just about to turn 47 - and I've just gotten back into it. Heck, I wasn't even aware that 'IPMS' existed. Yesterday I looked into it shortly but wasn't sure I wanted to pay a membership fee. Although from what I'm reading - it sounds like it might be worth looking into. 

But over the weekend both of my 'millenial' kids stopped to see what I was doing and positively commented on it. 

When I went to a hobby store with a co-worker (Who's maybe GenY, I supppose) - there seemed like an age mix there. Most of the older guys were mulling around near me in the plastic ship/plane/car model areas, but man of the younger ones were over by the fantasy miniatures (what my co-worker does) and the RC area. A lot of RC stuff is similar in many ways to our hobby.