SCALE MODEL NEWS

"COMMAND THE SKIES of a dark, futuristic Earth" is the tagline to this interesting steampunk-meets-deco science-fiction kit from Hasegawa. It’s based on the Japanese anime series ‘Last Exile’, a drama that is set on (despite that tagline) a fictional alien planet called Prester. SMN report: Last Exile's flying machines from Hasegawa are intriguing designs, based on reworked early 20th century technology, coupled with a dose of steampunk and pure fantasy. Hasegawa’s new-tool kit features two vehicles, both two-seaters. The streamlined, 82-component Vanship is the bigger of the two, and looks much like a cross between an old Mercedes-Benz roadster and a 1920s-era corrugated-metal Junkers aircraft. We’d venture that, conceptually, the ridges in the stub wings act as radiators for the anti-grav motors that keep the Vanship airborne. The 32-part Vespa kit ( above ) is named, we’d guess, after the famed Italian motor scooter. The tiny model is neatly done, though this sci-fi v...

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 (...