The second half of our look at the early history of mecha model kits in the U.S.; including Battletech, R.O.B.O.T., and court battles!
Tag: dougram
Japanese Robot Invasion! 1980s Anime Mecha Models Arrive in the US, Part I
The first part of a deep dive into the origins of gunpla and mecha modelling in the U.S., looking back to the 1980s when Japanese model kits invaded hobby store shelves and wargaming tables.
Catch the Dougram Diorama Caravan
In the midst of the gunpla boom, Takara slapped some Dougram decals on a van and toured Japanese hobby shops to promote their model kits and encourage kids to create their own mecha model dioramas.
Let’s Read: Dual Magazine, No. 3
Dual Magazine was created as a house organ to promote Takara’s efforts in ‘real robot’ anime and take advantage of the model craze kicked off a few years prior by Bandai’s Gundam kits.
Anime Simulation Games of the 1980s
There’s no shortage of retrospectives about tabletop wargaming in the 1980s, but most of them are focused on the U.S. or U.K. markets and rarely, if ever, touch on Japan’s wargaming scene.