Event name: 59th Shizuoka Hobby Show
Organizer: Shizuoka Model Teaching Material Cooperative
Sponsor: Japan Plastic Model Industry Cooperative, JRM Japan Radicon Model Industry Association
Support: Shizuoka Prefecture, Shizuoka City, Shizuoka Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Kansai model Oroshikai Nagoya model distribution Council
Dates: 2021 May 13 (Thursday) to May 14 (Friday) 9:00 - 17:00
No open day this year 😔
The 59th annual Shizuoka Hobby Show was run this week from May 13-14th in Shizuoka, Japan. One of the biggest and most important model shows/ expos in the world, this years show will be an "industry only" show due to the impact of the Corona virus this year. Only exhibitors, professionals in the industry and model companies will be attending the show this year and no modelling hall for clubs or individuals are going to be hosted. A shame it is true - and many modellers will be upset they cannot attend this year....,
Although the halls looked pretty empty, and seeing sights like this with the main space between the halls being empty is pretty sobering for modellers.
Of course, there was a massive presence from Tamiya being that this is their "home" show, but many other distributors were there with their latest and greatest on the tables. Below is a map of the distributors hall this year - slightly down on exhibitors from the norm...
Aoshima
One of the bigger stands as usual, just near the front doors of the exhibition, Aoshima has plenty to look at this year...
A key release rom Aoshima is the SKW-477 3-1/2-ton truck, with movable front-wheel steering and movable rear axles; it can be assembled with the cab and hood in place or removed.
The kit is approximately 20.5cm long, 8.8cm high, 7cm wide after completion and coms complete with a commander figure, driver figure and rubber radial tires.
Presented aslo was the 1/144th scale Japan Air Self-defense Force C-2 Transport Aircraft Prototype in prototype colours which are included. It can be built in flight or landed, and a base is included to display it in flight on a stand.
We got a look at the CADs of the 1/12 Yamaha 5gk Vmax '04 With Custom Parts and a prototype of the Honda 125 "Monkey" in 1/12th as a diecast model...
Appearing also is the V.F.G. VF-25F Messiah Ranka Lee and some other sci-fi and Gundam kits...
Hasegawa
Hasegawa always has a large stand at the show, and in combination with several european suppliers who they distributor for in Japan Hasegawa had lots of new items on show...
The 1/35th scale Crusher Joe Galleon gets a new boxing in 35th scale. The top of the hull can be removed to reveal the interior of the crew compartment.
The new Kawasaki KR250 street bike in 1/12th scale tandem twin bike inherited from the invincible WGP machine was on show in sprue and built up form...
Doyusha
New kits from Transformers are on there at the show - we hope more of these come to fruition as modellers love the crossover potential and a little of the nostalgia feelings these bring. this one is from the "bumblebee" series called "Blitzwing"
Ebro
The Ebro stand si as usual packed with very nice looking race cars - two of note in particular, the Tyrrell number 005 from 1972-1973. this detail packed kit has a full engine that can be dsiplayed front suspension and driver's compartment.
The Lotus 33 from Ebro in 1/20th scale "Coventry climax" FMWV No.1 is produced in conjunction with Tamiya. Ebro's Lotus 33 is modeled by Tamiya's 1/20 model of Lotus 25, so the Coventry Climax V8 1.5-liter engine and monocoque chassis base parts are modeled by Tamiya. Like the actual car, it is configured as an improved version of the Lotus 25 by newly raising the body parts. Therefore, the model is also exhibited under the double brand of Ebro and Tamiya. It is scheduled to be released in the summer of 2021
Coloured sprues with decals to suit several cars is included.
Fine Molds
Several kits from Japanese model maker Fine Molds were on display on their usual large stand. The fighter of the year is the Phantom II it appears, with Fine Molds four versions of the type on display a the show.
The 1/72nd scale series of four releases of F-4 C/ D & J machines no doubt will be a good seller for Fine Molds to match their latter long nosed F-4 E's and J's they have already released to much acclaim...
Here are the four next to each other showing the basic colour choices and types...
Their recent 1/35th scale Japanese tanks and 48th scale prop aircraft are on display here.
Platz (+ Italeri / Dragon & several companies Platz distribues for in Japan) were on display in their large stand. Several types of all kinds in keeping with the many companies that are covered in this group...
Italeri had some nice aircraft on display...
Dragon seems to have a perchant for making their kits look like Tamiya white box kits of recent...
Good Smile Company
Not very well known to western modellers, Good Smile Company had some nice models on display. Mainly Meccha and futuristic robots for the Japanese market...
Max Factory
PLAMAX Max Factory is a similar company in that most of their wares are made for the Japanese audience. Lots of meccha and combatarmouredd suits certainly does have its own audience int he modelling world.
Beaver Corporation
Baver Corp was at the show again this year - always a great place to come to see the best from the smaller manufacturers and the larger companies who are distributed into Japan from overseas. The Parent group of Hobbylink Japan, these guys always have the best of current kits on display.
Tamiya
We have already looked at Tamiya's new 48th scale McDonnell Douglas F-4B Phantom II, kit number 121. It is here at the big show in a few guizes with all of the internals, colour options and two liveries included.
Several of the features of the kit and sprue parts are on show on the Tamiya stand.
The kit and its parts made and painted up give us a lot more insight into the completed model...
1/35 German Tank Panzerkampfwagen IV Ausf.G (Early Production)
This addition to Tamiya's 1/35 Military Miniature Series depicts the Ausf.G variant of the long-serving Pz.Kpfw.IV. Ausf.G tanks were equipped with the long-barreled KwK 40 L/43 gun after hard lessons fighting with Soviet armor demonstrated the obsolescence of the Wehrmacht’s short-barreled weapons.
With a length: 187mm a width of 82mm the kit features varied accessories such as sand bags, jerry cans and spare tracks to recreate a modified version seen at the African Front. The tracks feature one-piece straight sections and a jig to help realistically depict upper run 'sag.'
The kit includes four full figures (commander, gunner, loader and infantry) and one torso driver figure, and you can choose between two types of decals: North African and Eastern Front.
In-depth research at the German Tank Museum in Munster contributed to this highly accurate kit.
Includes three figures with rolled up sleeves and one figure with standard clothes. Also, choose between two types of decals: North African and Eastern Front. The kit comes with the long gun barrelled gun that is an easy to spot feature of the Ausf.F tank depicted in Item 35374.
1/24th scale 1989 Sauber-Mercedes C9
The Sauber Mercedes C9 has also been updated and reproduced with Cartograf decals and photo-etched parts. Featured is the 1989 Le Mans 24 Hours variant. The rear engine compartment can be removed to show the magnificent engine compartment...
1/12 Martini Brabham BT44B 1975
For this 1/12 Martini Brabham BT44B, Tamiya made a machined aluminum air funnel for the DFV engine that was the standard in F1 at that time.
The decals are also from Cartograf with in those iconic Martini colours. The total length is 355 mm, the total width is 160 mm, and the total height is 109 mm, and the release date is scheduled for July / Expected August 2021.
A 1/12 Honda CBR1000RR-R FIREBLADE SP Black Scheduled to be released in October waso on show...
Kawasaki Ki-61-I Tei Type 3 Fighter "Hien" in 1/48th scale was there. This kit comes silver plated with its camouflage decal included...
The decal for the kit can replace the painting of the camouflage if that is your type of thing...
Two of the colour choices of the kit made up...
1/35th scale German Sd.Kfz.2 Kettenkraftrad (Mid-production) kit no #35377
A completely newly designed "Kettenkrad mid-war type"in 1/35th scale for the "Military Miniature Series" was at the show. It is a completely renewed version of "1/35 MM No.29 Kettenkrad", and comes with two figures in traditional poses in addition to the driver.
You can see that here are two very small photo etched parts and decals for the number plates of the vehicle. The tan sprues feature the vehicle, the trailer and the two figures.
This is the assembled finished product before painting. The etched parts of the engine cover are a good addition to this kit, the engine cover is removable so you can see the engine underneath...
The attached figures were realistically shaped by 3D scanning, and the soldier who walked in a drooping appearance also got the impression that he was feeling well (of course, carrying a cap and MG42).
1/24th scale Fairlady 240ZG
On show were two 24th scale Nissan Fairlady 240ZG kits made up, these are set to be released around June. The Fairlady 240ZG, the top-grade variant of the 240Z was an export version of the Fairlady that had a 2.4-litre engine. Released in 1970 around the world, the 240ZG was accented with the longer “G nose,” FRP over- fenders and headlamp covers. with a length: 180mm and width of 71mm with a height of 53mm with all new tooling using extensive research of the full-size car.
OK, so that is it for industry day at the Shizuoka Hobby Show. Hopefully next year we can all go along to the show and the main modelling hall can open up to the real stars of the show - all of us nerds who turn up to oogle at models! Till then....
Thanks to Hobbylink Japan and Beaver Corporation for a lot of these images used in this report - you can (or will if they have not been yet released) find a lot of these models supplied at the links in the story above...
