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?
Tag: hobby japan
Stream•Base: Riding the Gunpla Boom in the Early Days of Gundam Model Mania
The gunpla boom of the early ’80s saw an explosion of interest in mecha modeling and provided unprecedented opportunities for a group of model enthusiasts that dubbed themselves “Stream•Base.”
Flip Through Nitto’s Second S.F.3.D Original Catalogue
Take a quick trip back to 1984 and check out the latest SF3D Original kits from Nitto.
Two Factory: A Translated Interview with Kow Yokoyama and Makoto Kobayashi
In 1988, Kow Yokoyama and Makoto Kobayashi stood atop the artist and model making scene. Their illustrations and model work appeared in anime, magazines, video games, and a collaborative artbook called Two Factory.
Hobby Japan’s Experimental Otaku Subculture Magazine Mark 1
Way back in 1985, Hobby Japan (the biggest name in hobby magazines) attempted to diversify with an all-new periodical focused on the broad spectrum of otaku subculture. The experiment lasted three issues.
The 1/220 Scale Gundam Garage Kits of Kazuhisa Kondo and Makoto Kobayashi
There’s never been a shortage of Gundam garage kits, but in the 1980s multiple manufacturers offered up a plethora of kits based on the designs of Kobayashi and Kondo in an unusual scale.
Kow Yokoyama’s Robot Battle V
The creator of Maschinen Krieger kept busy in the ’80s by, among other things, penning a gritty sci-fi comic for a mostly forgotten video game magazine.
SMH: The Magazine for Sex, Violence & Resin
Though it lasted for less than twenty issues, SMH gave artists and model builders the opportunity the flex their creativity outside the constraints of normal hobby magazines.
8-Bit Anime: Cruise Chaser Blassty
What happens when a mediocre PC game from the 1980s outlives its lifespan thanks not to the quality of its gameplay, but the strength of its design work? That’s Cruise Chaser Blassty, a collaboration between game developer Square and animation studio Sunrise.
Kow Yokoyama’s SF3D Original
From scratch-built origins to widespread influence; our look at the influential sci-fi model kit series celebrating its 35th anniversary this month.