Last week I went to an anime convention and bought a couple of discounted issues of Hobby Japan. I built a bunch of 1/100 HG Endless Waltz models as a kid but I never painted them or anything fancy like that and I'd like to try building and painting a model or two properly like in HJ as a Summer project.

Where should I start? What line is best for beginners (inexpensive is a huge plus, too)? What kind of tools should I have? Where are the best guides for the process of constructing and painting? Where do you buy your models and materials? Anything you wish you knew when you started?

Since I was a kid I've always wanted to build the 1/100 8th MS Team Gouf Custom but I'd like to hold off on that until I know I can do it well. I don't know Gundam outside of Wing and 0079 so I'll just build whatever looks cool - pic is just what I was looking at in HJ just now. I still have all of my old model kits as experimental material. If this belongs in /m/ just let me know.