By Murakami Nomoto

The artist Funny Dress-Up Lab, who creates works from mini 4WD’s dress-up stickers, will hold an unknown tribal mask of the mini 4WD body at the art gallery “TOMIGAYARRD” in Tokyo / Fudagaya from February 23rd We hold a solo exhibition that sells and sells the work “mask series” that I regard as ” Until March 10th.

The limited time mini 4WD shop “Tomigaya model store” is also open at the venue. You can also purchase mini 4WD, optional parts, scale model with Tamiya model.

The artist ‘s Funny Dress – Up Lab was born in Chiba Prefecture in 1978 and lives in Kyoto Prefecture. It is fascinated by the color, shape, version misalignment etc. of the sticker for dressing up the mini 4WD, and uses only stickers that do not process, creating a collage work.

■ Funny Dress-up Lab Exhibition & Tomigaya Model Store Pop-Up @ TOMIGAYARRD
Date: February 23 – March 10
Time: Thursday and Friday from 15: 00 to 20: 00, Saturdays and Sundays from 13: 00 to 20 : 00, Monday Tuesday – Wednesday 1
Place: TOMIGAYARRD
Address: 2-44 – 12 – 1 F, Futagaya, Shibuya – ku, Tokyo

Source in Japanese language: WWD Japan

In 2018, when the 1/35 military miniature series, the origin of the figure remodeling contest, celebrated its 50th anniversary. Since the release of the memorable first figure model “German tank soldier set”, how much figures have “transformed” into various characters in this contest?

Well this time the Gold Prize is a work of Kunihiko Sato who participated in contest work for 47 years . I unwrapped the packing of the submitted work and thought that this year’s theme was animals … When I see it, the breath drawn by all the judges is a work called “BODY ART” of overseas artists There is a motif. In addition to naked modeling where the observation power and drawing skill are questioned even in figure modification, it is awarded to clearing a number of hurdles that various people of various poses combine and finally show them to animals by body paint. Mr. Taro Nagaiuchi’s silver prize is a point of evaluation, with the unique sense of texture of the Ainu’s costume, as well as the design sense of the pedestal that created the space well within the limited space and the sense of unity with the work. And Kenji Nagashima’s “USA” who won the bronze prize is also called an idea victory which integrated the new and old elements of the 2018 episodes and the 1/35 MM soldier figures engraving history of 50 years into a single work. It is a fun piece.

In the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics, the World Cup of Football Russia, the Koshien Summer in the summer was a memorial tournament and a sports big event was awesome in 2018. Tomohiko Nagayoshi chooses Naomi Osaka from among those players. Cute nationwide cute answer would be popular, one of the face of 2018. And Kazuyoshi Kondo who produced a popular character of a TV program traveling around Japan all over the electric motorcycle . The remodeling of the two of us was chosen as the topic award. MM prize is a tribute to the 1st / 35 MM series first work, Kiyoshi Okuyama participating in a German tank soldier who was carefully built in detail and an officer riding set familiarized as MM’s first animal model , And Naoto Ukita’s works, which tanks partially used in the background effectively draw out the soldiers’ feelings, are awarded, respectively. And Morio Oshjiro uniquely expresses the key man who holds the key to world affairs and gained an idea prize. Strength preservation of not only the idea but also the work of “inverse triangle” which catches a huge missile is awesome.

The 1/35 MM figure has continued technological evolution in 50 years, but the fun of figure remodeling still remains unchanged. You can change the orientation of your arms and face slightly, or just combine accessories. Everyone please feel free to participate in the contest with the figure modeled with the latest technology.

Mikey’s masterpiece “Emperor Resurrection” (on the picture) based on “Emperor” which was given “transcendence remodeling”

“Mini 4WD” boasts two boom in the 1980s and 1990s, boasting a cumulative sales volume of over 180 million units. In 2012, due to the revival of the official race “Japan Cup”, the popularity is rekindling involving adults who were once children. Meanwhile, the competition “Concours de Elegance” (hereinafter referred to as Condale) competing for the appearance of the machine as well as the race is showing great excitement. This time, Mikey, who was awarded the “NEW ERA Award” (Best Award) selected by the popular vote of the participants at the “JC2018 Tokyo Convention” Condale, attention to the creation of the winning work “Emperor Resurrection” I heard what I thought was driving.

■ The remodeling point of commitment is “low car height and light and dark paint color”

– Please tell me the history of “Mini 4WD”.

“It’s been 2 years since I was an elementary school student and when I became an adult.It was about half a year ago when I began a Condale in earnest”

– What machine was the source of “Emperor Resurrection”?

“Dash No. 1 · Emperor (Emperor)”

– Please tell us about the remodeling points you stick to when making it.

“The most sticking point is the whole detail balance.Originally, the car height is high, but how to lower the overall balance is rebuilt several times at various places and the dark color of paint color With light and dark shades of bright colors, we devise ways to embellish the silhouette of Emperor. ”

■ Won the Best Award, “This was the first time I made it for Condale in earnest”

– “Designed not to lose the” soul “of” Shijyōrou (the main character of the manga “Dash! Shikaro” which became the fire of the first Mini 4WD boom, Emperor is the main machine) ” As a matter of fact, where is it expressed?

“First of all, as a premise, to make sure that it is an emperor is conveyed firmly, although it is set to be a contemporary design, decals of the first emperor such as” 496 “and” DASH! “Are also redesigned Then I’m getting into it. In addition, we also put the letters “4wD” of Hachimuro of Shiichiro. ”

– What was the hardest part of the production process?

“At first, I was worried that I could make the first emperor potato stylish, (laugh) I also started with a no plan at all, so I made it with my own feeling only, so I explored it It was a pleasant time and a fun point. ”

– How many machines have you made for Condée so far?

“I had something for the race twice about Condale, but this time for the first time I made it for condi in earnest.”

– I think that it depends on the machine, but on average, how long will it take to produce one?

“Since I only have time to find the time after my child goes to bed, it will take about 2 months or so,” Emperor Resurrection “took about 2 months.”

■ I noticed that “making itself is more fun than winning the race”

– As a condole producer, what do you think is the most important technology?

“Because I am a beginner model beginner, I do not know what is important technology, but if I dare to say it, is not that I do not give up? (Laugh)”

– How do you decide the concept of the work?

“Because Condié of Mini 4WD has a high degree of freedom, it is very difficult to decide the concept, but since it is free on the contrary, I started making it anyway, and I made the concept visible from the way.”

– What triggered the creation of Condale work?

“I had been making a racing machine all the time since I originally returned, but when I was aware, I noticed that at some point” making things itself is more fun than winning the race. “In retrospect, mini 4WD is grown up as an adult The reason I began to become a chance, it was because I was surprised to see the condylé machine and say “This is the mini 4WD Like this !?” Why not there is no reason to do it (laugh) ”

– Is it also included in regular races? Have you entered on a machine different from Condée if it is entered?

“For racing it is made for racing, and in my case the way of making it is different, each making it separately because I am making different ways to make it separately”

– What kind of work do you want to challenge in the future?

“I’d love to challenge” shooting star “I liked when I was a child!”

– What is “Mini 4WD” for yourself?

“What I thought most of all about mini 4WD is a connection with people, I think that it is a wonderful communication tool that can make friends with various people beyond the difference of years.One machine was able to meet a lot of people I think that it is a completed machine, so Tamiya who has been working for many years, thanks to all the people who play mini 4WD! ”

Source in Japanese language: Oricon News