In 1985, Akira Toriyama partnered with a fledgling model kit company to produce an injection molded plastic kit based on an original design.
Category: Features
Why do we Model? Mecha, Miniatures, and Historical Imagining
For decades, mecha fans have built model kits. What fuels this preoccupation, and what can we learn from the history of miniatures about mecha anime?
The ’80s Mechanical Designer Who Left Early: Akira Kagami
A quick look at a little known mechanical designer turned manga artist.
Not So Big in Japan: Heavy Metal Miniatures
After the release of Dungeons & Dragons in Japan in 1985, hobby magazines began pushing imported metal miniatures to hobbyists. Despite regular coverage for a few years, miniatures as a model hobby never seemed to catch on.
Suehiro Maruo’s Rubber Hell: Showa Horror & Tokusatsu
Suehiro Maruo crafted a world of erotic nightmare, but lingering in the corner are Godzilla and Ultraman. Let’s look at how tokusatsu has influenced the work of this legendary ero-guro mangaka.
Super Deformed Swan Song: ARTMIC’s Scramble Wars
While not the last ARTMIC OVA, it feels like the end of an era.
Syd Mead’s First Mobile Suits
Tom dives further into the publication history of Syd Mead’s Gundam movie concept art and examines rarely seen original sketches.
A 1985 Otaku Salad: Fruity Five
From the pages of Model Graphix comes Fruity Five, a photo novel and manga series that was half Sentai, half Gerry Anderson show. 9,800 yen garage kits not included.
A Brief History of Hideaki Anno’s Work on Mobile Suit Gundam
A look at legendary animator and director Hideaki Anno’s involvement with the Mobile Suit Gundam series.
Gattai: The Global Interplay of Mecha Design
Shipped overseas and repackaged in the ’70s and ’80s, the Japanese concept of “giant robots” has become a global phenomenon, the stuff of Hollywood films, video games, TV shows, and more. But back then, as much now, the art of big robots has bore witness to a range of global contributions, influences, and shared inspiration.