Mr. Shunsaku Tamiya looks back “Why was the Mini 4WD popular in the age of video game”


Mr. Shunsaku Tamiya

Heisei* 30 years marked the 60th anniversary of the birth of a domestic plastic model. Plastic model was born in 1945, I joined the “Tamiya Shoji jointly-owned company” (Shizuoka city) my father developed in that year. Shizuoka was originally a land of wood industry, and my father’s company was also making wood-based models for teaching materials, and models of warships and tanks. At that time the model was a wooden model. However, around the time he entered the company, the domestic plastic model began to be released, and it was a big boom in a blink of an eye. Unlike the previous wooden model, the plastic model does not require Kanna and fleas, it is completed by separating the parts from the frame called runner and attaching it with adhesive. Easy to make for children. Reproducibility of detail and real feeling were precise things not found in the wooden model.

The first hit was Panther Tank

Instantly the wooden model can not be sold and we have decided to switch to a plastic model maker. However, it was not so easy to create a plastic model that is supported by children. We repeatedly failed and released Panther Tank of German tank in the New Year of Showa** 37. The model of this tank runs well on a futon or a sandbox with a motor. We finally got confidence that we will be doing as a plastic model manufacturer as well. This “to run with a motor” may be called the origin of Tamiya.

After that, following tanks, I made various models such as zero fighting and Yamato. “Tamiya’s kit is wonderful” received high praise from home and abroad. Particularly noteworthy from overseas was the 1/12 precision scale model of Honda F1 released in 1964. But in the Showa 50’s when video games began to spread, children began to see games that can be enjoyed simply by pressing buttons, and the plastic model departed. So, once again, I repeated planning meetings inside the company to make a plastic model that even elementary school students can return to the origin and enjoy. It is around the end of Showa era.

Reason why Mini 4WD got used to children

And it was a mini 4WD that was completed. The mini 4WD is a simple model with a motorized four-wheel drive car model that runs with AA batteries built in. This also repeatedly trial and error, it became accepted by children several years later. Children feel great joy in running on motor with what they made with their own hands. And I was very interested in being able to compete among children.

To make a mini 4WD, all the basic work processes such as cutting, shaving, opening a hole are included. As children make mini 4WD, we will master how to use tools such as cutters, drivers and drills. There is also a process that is not in the instruction manual, such as thinking and remodeling by myself, increasing the performance.

The first boom of Mini 4WD was around Heisei** 2 from the end of the Showa era. Next time a big wave came from 1996 to 1998. Recently it has become a series that can be sold steadily at all times. Because it is also prevalent in countries in Southeast Asia.

At our company, we are holding a mini 4WD racing competition as much as we can say weekly. When going there, children try to think for themselves and try to run as fast as 0.1 seconds. Sometimes there are ideas that adults can not think of. I think that children are a genius of play again after all.

At that time we come to the venue with family members and we often see parents who are tune up. We thought that we developed a mini 4WD in that we sold it to children, but adults are also crazy about it. It was evolved into a thing to play with family as a matter of fact. This was a fresh discovery. Such pleasures are making the analog plastic model (= mini 4WD) popular in the digital age.

Solar car purchased by Dr. Hawking

Aside from the mini 4WD, the solar car that the employee in 1991 figured out was also talked about a while ago. It was the world’s first model car running on solar power. In this year alone it became a big hit product to sell 200,000 sets, and received various awards. In addition, I was very happy when Dr. Hawking who visited Japan at the academic year in the year when he was told that he bought this solar car at the Tiannihodo in Ginza. This made us realize the possibilities as a teaching material of the plastic model. As in the case of former wooden model, may not it be possible to have a teaching material set of plastic model for children. With that kind of thought we released a work series.

This is prepared with various gears, battery boxes, remote control boxes, plus plastic boards, plaques, etc., in order to let children shape ideas inspired by their heads. By combining these, you can make remote control robots to move solar cars, arms, walking robots that respond to sounds, and so on. Thanks to you, employees may be called to school business trips and teach. In 1990, we taught the work using mini 4WD at the royal school of Saudi Arabia.

Meaning to make analog things in the digital age

In 2007 we made a cam program robot. Although this is a robot that moves with the built-in motor, you can move it as you want by inserting a bar programmed by yourself in the center of the torso. As you develop the program bar, you will gain logical thinking and creativity. It is unknown how this robot evolves, but at the next stage it may get stuck with PCs and foundations.

In this digital era, children will learn various things and grow by making plastic models including analog mini 4WD. A plastic model is indispensable for Japan’s tradition of manufacturing. Tamiya will continue to support the children from now on.

Source in Japanese language: Bunshun Japan
* Heisei period https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heisei_period
** Shōwa period https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sh%C5%8Dwa_period

Useful guides for Tamiya RC cars (in Japanese language)

We introduce know-how useful to start Tamiya’s real hobby RC car. From assembly to foundation of setting, learn various know-how and enjoy RC life!

RC Useful Guide INDEX

■ 01 Let’s learn the assembly tool 
■ 02 Let’s learn how to paint the body 

■ 03 Maintain daily care of the car you career 
■ 04 Let’s master the maneuvering technique 
■ 05 Change the running with the difference of the body 
■ 06 Learn the gear ratio and set up 
■ 07 Tire selection that affects driving performance

Tamiya New Item Release list for February 2019

R/C Models
 54850  Medium-Narrow Mesh Wheels (24mm Width, Offset +2) (Yellow) 4pcs.
 54851  Medium-Narrow Rally Dish Wheels (24mm Width, Offset 0) (White) 4pcs.
 54854  Two-Piece 5-Spoke Wheels (2pcs., Black)
 54856  1/8 Scale R/C Dancing Rider Chrome Plated Body Parts Set
 54858  T3-01 Aluminum Servo Horn
 54859  T3-01 FRP Support Arms
 47398  Large Dish Wheels (4WD/Front, 62/25) (Pink)
 47399  Large Dish Wheels (Rear, 62/35) (Pink)
 47400  2WD Off-Road Astral Dish Front Wheels (60/19) (Pink)
 47401  Off-Road Astral Dish Rear Wheels (60/29) (Pink)
 42331  Body Sponge Tape Set (20x230x2mm 1pc./20x230x3mm 2pcs.)
 56548  Aluminum Shift Servo Horn
 51611  1/10 Scale R/C Toyota Hilux Extra Cab Body Parts Set

Scale Models
 35364  1/35 German Tank Destroyer Marder III M “Normandy Front”
 32541  1/48 Crusader Mk.I/II British Cruiser Tank Mk.VI
 32555  1/48 Crusader Mk.III British Cruiser Tank Mk.VI
 35001  1/35 German Army Tank Crew
 35002  1/35 German Army Infantry
 35003  1/35 German Schwimmwagen
 35004  1/35 WWII U.S. Tank Crew
 35005  1/35 British 6-Pounder Anti-Tank Gun

Kids
 18712  Lord Guile (FM-A)
 18714  Mach Frame (FM-A Chassis)
 18715  Copperfang (FM-A Chassis)
 95427  Liberty Emperor Premium (Super-II Chassis)
 95462  Manta Ray Mk.II White Special
 95466  Manta Ray Mk.II Black Special
 95468  Laser-Gill Super XX Special
 95477  Nissan Be-1 Blue Version
 95228  Mini 4WD Panda Racer (Finished Model)
 95442  Aluminum Spacer Set (12/6.7/6/3/1.5mm, 2pcs. each) (Gold)
 95455  HG Carbon Rear Roller Stay for Super X Chassis (1.5mm)
 95476  FM-A Fluorescent-Color Chassis Set (Green)
 95470  Front Under Guard (Blue)
 95471  Manta Ray Mk.II Clear Body Set II
 95472  Neo Falcon Clear Body Set II

Tools & Paints
 82161  LP-61 Metallic Gray
 82162  LP-62 Titanium Gold
 82163  LP-63 Titanium Silver

47th Figure remodeling contest prize winning work announcement

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.