Kaiyodo Genesis [60th Anniversary Edition]

A youthful graffiti journey through the holy land of plastic models and figurines

"In the one and only garage kit mecca in the world, being entrusted with a task that only I could perform, even though I wasn't a sculptor, felt like a kind of religious experience. ...But we had no gods or Buddhas, only models." (From the book) To celebrate Kaiyodo's 60th anniversary, this expanded and updated edition also depicts the "afterlife" of popular sculptors! A youthful graffiti journey through the holy land of plastic models and figurines. The frenzied '80s, unlike "1Q84" or "Amachan," unfolded day and night in the corporate town of National Panasonic! This is a lively and refreshing account of the era when Japanese science fiction entered the "Newtype" era, including the confrontation with Otaku King Toshio Okada, as well as the unknown faces and behind-the-scenes details of the sculptors, told through the eyes of someone who was there. Kaiyodo, the group behind the candy toy boom and the sculpting industry that established the terms "figure" and "sculptor" in Japan, is packed with amazing stories from their youth.

This book is a foundational guide to otaku culture, overflowing with love for special effects.

[8-page frontispiece]

[Table of Contents] Introduction 1. The Birth of Garage Kits 2. The Sculpting Enthusiasts' Club 3. The Nausicaä Incident 4. Holy Name 5. The Sculptors 6. Our 1Q 84 Years 7. Life-Size 8. The Genie and the God Spring 9. Alien Invasion 10. Soft Vinyl Godzilla 11. Dream Factory 12. Goodbye Kaiyodo Epilogue The "Genesis of Kaiyodo" Afterword