RESIN PUNKS: First Wave Japanese Garage Kits

The earliest days of garage kit culture survived thanks to some DIY spirit and the dedication of fans to make models for themselves. Using materials like metal, resin, and soft vinyl, these modeling pioneers built a subculture that existed on the periphery until breaking out in the late '80s.

RESIN PUNKS chronicles the earliest days of garage kit modeling in Japan, when fans made kits for other fans, know-how was traded in doujinshi, and small hobby shops became major players. The models were crude, the licensing was dodgy, but the foundation laid allowed for garage kit culture to explode thanks to popular characters from Sailor Moon, Tokimeki Memorial, and Evangelion.

Inside you'll find:

• A look at the first garage kit
• Articles about the origins of Wonder Festival, Wave Co Ltd., B-Club and Kotobukiya
• A translated fan survey from 1986
• Full color pages featuring photos of the General Products shop circa 1989
• An overview of how the garage kit industry changed throughout the '90s thanks to Sailor Moon, Evangelion, and McFarlane Toys

For folks with an interest in ‘80s Japan fan culture, including anime or models, this book should interest you even if you’ve never picked up a resin kit yourself. It pairs well with our earlier book Hobby Shopping.

What’s a garage kit?
Garage kits were limited-run models made by enthusiasts, first produced by amateurs and small mom-and-pop hobby shops. They blossomed into a larger industry during the 1980s, rapidly becoming their own niche hobby before bursting into the mainstream on coattails of the anime series like Sailor Moon and Evangelion. Many of the companies that came up during the earliest days of this hobby have since gone on to become major manufacturers of plastic models and toys.

Digest (5.5" x 8.5"), 40 pages, black and white with some color pages.