SCALE MODEL NEWS

Hasegawa’s Captain Harlock 'Arcadia' kit is not the first model of this futuristic warcraft by any means. There have been at least three kit versions, maybe four, plus at least one resin and one paper kit of this vessel. Mat Irvine reports: The first Arcadia (I think!) was the Takara version (above) dating from the 1970s, complete with globe base and Captain Harlock figure. Note the box (below) which actually spells the name 'Alcadia'. Recently, Bandai also did the same version as Hasegawa, with the skull and crossbones mounted on the prow, which the Takara kit does not include. Note the ship's anchor and chain on this Aoshima version (below) with a base that just might be a chunk of asteroid, moon, or other space debris. The Hasegawa kit ‘may’ be a reissue of the Bandai, though from what I can tell, the stand is different. Perhaps Hasegawa could have retooled this item for the release. Most interesting though is that Hasegawa is a relatively late entry in the SF (...

Neat and shipshape - or perhaps it should be spaceshape - model kit of a Japanese anime sci-fi series interstellar war vessel. In the words of Hasegawa, the model company responsible for this and plenty of other sci-fi kits, it’s, “One ship against the galaxy.” “…Captain Harlock pilots the Battleship Arcadia in a fierce resistance to the encroachments of an alien race, the Mazone. His semi-sentient ship is one of the few hopes for survival humanity has left. Pulsar cannons bristle from the sleek green decks, prepared to turn warships into cosmic dust. “Grapnel launchers stand ready to fix into prey and bring the Arcadia's lethal blade ram to bear. Even without ever seeing the movies or mangas, this ship is a piece of lethal art deserving of a proud place in your display case.” That’s a tasty piece of hyperbole, Hasegawa. Still, there’s plenty in this kit to keep the keen sci-fi model maker busy, with 152 components and multi-coloured mouldings coming together to bring this space od...