Monthly Archives: November 2024

Tamiya Plamodel Factory Tokyo Grasshopper & Hornet 40th Anniversary Campaign RC Car Festival


■Event Overview
[Date] November 30, 2024 (Saturday) – January 26, 2025 (Sunday)
​[Location] TAMIYA PLAMODEL FACTORY TOKYO​ (Shin-Yasuda Building 1F, 4-3-1 Shinbashi, Minato-ku, Tokyo)

Former TV anchor Yasumasa Matsui who owns 3,000 models and is “a collector” becomes Tamiya’s “model history research advisor”


Tamiya, one of the world’s leading model manufacturers and the pride of Shizuoka City, has welcomed a powerful new member in 2024. The new advisor, who will be responsible for researching the history of models, is a Tamiya fanatic with a background as a news announcer.

The Mini 4WD cars are what catch the children’s attention. The Tamiya Fair was held on November 16th and 17th at Twin Messe Shizuoka in Suruga Ward, Shizuoka City. Tamiya fans from all over the world came to the fair.

“A blue body is coming from behind! Let’s see what happens! Let’s reach the goal! We’ve hit an alien! We’ve flipped over!”

A long line of children was waiting for the tank diorama race experience corner, organized by the “Moving Model Enthusiasts Club.” The commentator for the race was former TV Asahi announcer Yasumasa Matsui (61), who is also an executive officer of the club that organized the race.

“Ordinary homes don’t have courses like this, so children are excited to build a course, have live commentary, and set up a system. I hope that when the children of Shizuoka grow up, they’ll remember playing like this and turn it into something they make.” (Yasuma Matsui)

Matsui, who first encountered plastic models when he was in elementary school, has made collecting, building and studying Tamiya models his life’s work. He has a collection of over 3,000 plastic models at home, and his collector’s spirit is extraordinary.

<Matsui Yasuma>
“I probably have 98% of the original Tamiya model advertisements from the company’s founding up until 1975.”
<Aoki Ryuta, announcer>
Q: Why do you have them?
<Matsui>
“Because I’m a collector.”

As an announcer and reporter, Matsui was in charge of “News Station” and live sports commentary. He also used models he made to explain the news. He also wrote commentaries for Tamiya’s official guidebooks, deepening his interest as a car enthusiast.

I was approaching retirement age at 55 and was just starting to think about my second career when this opportunity came up.

“About six or seven years ago, Chairman (Tamiya Shunsaku) asked me,
‘Mr. Matsui, how old are you now?’
’53.’
‘Well, you have seven more years. When you leave TV Asahi, would you help us out?’
I said, ‘Can I take him seriously?’ I was hoping he could help me if I could, and around the time we were talking, the new president, Tamiya Nobuo, also said, ‘Please,'” Matsui said.

In March 2024, he was appointed Tamiya’s model history research advisor, and Matsui’s life’s work has now become his job.

That history is collected at the Tamiya History Museum, located within the Tamiya headquarters (Suruga Ward, Shizuoka City), where approximately 1,300 items are on display.

“The new and old versions of ‘Hunting Tiger’ have different box sizes. There are three soldiers in the background, but a consumer group in the US complained to other manufacturers that ‘what is shown on the box is not what is inside,’ and Tamiya was the first to notice and realized that this was not good, so they changed the picture,” says Matsui.

Matsui’s mission is to renovate this history museum. While the museum is filled with models from the past that are sure to draw you in, there are also challenges ahead. Because of his love for Tamiya, he works day and night to come up with ideas for a more accurate depiction of history.

“There are captions saying what year each item was released, but there’s almost no explanation of the flow of the series. People who come for the first time end up thinking, ‘Oh, these are kind of old things lined up.’ I want to show this in a systematic way,” says Matsui.

Having left the news scene to begin a second career, Matsui continues to pursue her endless dream.

“I don’t have a specific plan, but I keep saying it. A huge Tamiya Land. To achieve that, first we need to renovate the history museum in one area. If the employees think, ‘Mr. Matsui has completely changed things since he came here. This is interesting,’ then maybe the momentum will pick up. If they think, ‘Tamiya is great!'” (Mr. Matsui)

Source in Japanese language: Shizuoka Shimbun SBS

Tamico Avante Earth Force Pace Car Kit


Our latest special model after the TA-02 Vaillant Porsche 934 and Dancing Rider “Speed Delivery”. Based on the Tamiya “Avante Black Special” kit.
This exclusive kit is limited to 333 pieces. Each of the kits is numbered.
We have replaced the rims and tires of the Avante Black Special Kit with special tires and rims.

Special parts that are only included with this kit:

2.2 Inch JC Egress Design wheels, in beautiful bright green.
Schumacher Off-Road spike tires emphasize the futuristic streamlined design of the Avante
The exclusively designed decal sheet reinterprets the unique lines of the Avante as an “Earth Force Pace Car” based on the design of classic fighter aircrafts.

What you get:

Tamico Avante Earth Force Pace Car kit
Racing Steering and Torque Splitter Set from the 2011 Avante Black Special
2.2 JC Racing rims in special “Bright Green” color
Exclusive “Earth Force Pace Car” custom decal sheet
Decal and painting instructions specifically for the “Earth Force Pace Car”


Source and more: Tamico

Tamiya official release list January 2025

Scale Models
24369 1/24 Honda City Turbo
32606 1/48 American Light Tank M5A1 Stuart

Mini 4WD
15542 Super hard small diameter low height tires (26mm) & carbon reinforced wheels (Y spoke)
18661 Lexus LBX MORIZO RR (MA chassis) (Spring 2025)

Takara Tomy Tomica Tamiya Grasshopper and Hornet mini models


Takara Tomy will release the “Tomica Premium umlimited RC Buggy Grasshopper/Hornet” in January 2025. The price is 1,430 yen each. This product is a 3D model of the RC buggy “Grasshopper” and “Hornet” manufactured by Tamiya, along with a miniature remote control, as Tomica. The appearance of the actual product is meticulously reproduced.

Mini 4WD Japan Cup 2024 “Concours d’Elegance ONLINE” Award-Winning Works Gallery


Introducing the winning works of each award at the Mini 4WD Japan Cup 2024 “Concours d’Elegance ONLINE”!
Currently being held online, “Concours d’Elegance ONLINE” is a competition of ideas for dressing up Mini 4WDs. We will introduce the works that won the “NEW ERA Award”, “Yokohama Tire Award”, “FDK Award”, “XLARGE Award”, “Tamiya Award”, “Mini 4 Doctor MC Award” and “Other Awards” at “JC2024 Concours d’Elegance 1-4” held during the period. Aim for the top of Mini 4WD with the appearance of your machine and dress-up ideas! Click here
for Mini 4WD Japan Cup 2024 “Concours d’Elegance ONLINE”
* The images of the works on this page are posted with the permission of the creator. Please refrain from using them without permission from the creator.

NEW ERA Grand Prize
[Author] General purpose rabbit
[Title] RAIKIRIDGE

The RAIKIRIDGE, a cool machine with a sharp look and extremely low-down form on a body line that incorporates the characteristics of the Raikiri x Dual Ridge, has been selected as the No. 1 NEW ERA Grand Prize winner at the 2024 Concours d’Elegance. The technique of placing the side view markings so that they jump up to the rear along with the air flow creates a sense of dynamism. Also, don’t miss the rear shape of the diffuser! The creator, Genyuu Usagi, will be presented with a champion’s cap from NEW ERA, the cap brand that supports the Powered by FDK Mini 4WD Japan Cup 2024 Drive on Yokohama Tire. Congratulations!

Comment from winner

Thank you so much for selecting me for the NEW ERA Grand Prize. I admired the many cool Concours d’Elegance works displayed at the race venues and hoped that one day I would be able to create works like them, so I began competing in Concours d’Elegance in earnest in 2019. Since then, the stage has shifted to the online world, but I have continued to create works, working hard with the many friends I have connected with at Concours d’Elegance, with the hope of one day winning the NEW ERA Award, and I am overwhelmed with emotion to receive this honor. I would like to continue to enjoy creating works in the future.
More award winners:


More details in Japanese language

Collecting Cars X Tamiya GR Yaris limited edition model


Collecting Cars, based in the UK, is an online auction site specializing in cars, available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. It has expanded not only to the UK, but also to Australia, Hong Kong and Europe, boasting over 17,500 items for sale at any one time, and has achieved sales of over 700 million pounds (138,486,600,000 yen) to date.

This time, Collecting Cars will collaborate with Tamiya ahead of the Christmas season. They will release the “1/10 Collecting Cars x Tamiya GR Yaris” in a limited run of 25 units. The car features a special color scheme that pays homage to the “1/10 RC Volkswagen Off-Roader” that was released in 1979.

Collecting Cars will unveil a life-size Toyota GR Yaris, a tribute to the Volkswagen off-roader, at the 2024 Worldwide Coffee Run. A video of British Touring Car Championship racing driver Jake Hill at the wheel and drifting has been released on the company’s official YouTube channel.

Featuring a waterproof design and sturdy metal parts, the 1/10 RC Volkswagen Off-Roader became a global hit when it was released in 1979, and was re-released as a 30th anniversary model in 2010. Collecting Cars has recreated the full-scale GR Yaris in the livery of the Volkswagen Off-Roader in 1/10 scale.

The “1/10 Collecting Cars x Tamiya GR Yaris,” which will be sold in a limited edition of 25 units worldwide, is based on the proven M-05 chassis and features a lightweight semi-monocoque resin frame, four-wheel double wishbone suspension, and front and rear friction dampers. It comes with a Collecting Cars special “Volkswagen Off-Roader Sticker Pack” that perfectly reproduces the coloring.

It is easy to assemble, and the low center of gravity design makes it easy to maneuver, providing full-fledged driving performance that adults can enjoy. It is currently on sale at the online shop below for 325 pounds (approximately 64,000 yen excluding shipping). Collecting Cars also handles shipping to anywhere in the world, including Japan.


Source: Collecting Cars

Tamiya official release list December 2024

RC Models
47391 TB-05 Aluminum lower bulkhead
47456 1/10RC TB-05R Chassis Kit
47514 1/10 RC ENEOS X PRIME GR Supra (TT-02 chassis)
51750 1/10RC Toyota Celica GT-FOUR (ST205) Spare Body Set
56376 1/14 RC Scania 770 S 8×4/4 (Gunmetal Edition)
58742 1/10 RC Hornet EVO.

Scale Models
24370 1/24 Porsche 911 GT3 RS (992)
61127 1/48 Lockheed Martin F-35C Lightning II

Mini 4WD
15541 Low friction small diameter narrow tires (24mm) & carbon reinforced wheels (3 spokes)
18105 Grasshopper Jr. (VZ chassis)
95679 2025 Chinese Zodiac Mini 4WD “Year of the Snake”

Crafts
70261 Plastic material 3mm square pipe (5 pieces)
70262 Plastic 5mm square pipe (4 pieces)
70263 Plastic material 8mm square pipe (3 pieces)

Tools & Paints
87230 Tamiya Modeling Brush HGII Round Flat Brush (Soft) Medium