Figure Manufacturer Kotobukiya: Spreading Figures from Tachikawa to Japan and the World [1/3]

Figure Manufacturer Kotobukiya: Spreading Figures from Tachikawa to Japan and the World [1/3] 2

Tachikawa in the Tokyo Metropolis seems like a normal Japanese city at first glance. However, the city has appeared as a setting in a few anime and manga. For example, it’s known for being the setting of Gatchaman Crowds, A Certain Magical Index, the January 2014 anime World Conquest Zvezda Plot and the manga Saint Young Men. 1

You can see anime illustrations on vehicle wrap advertising and on street banners when walking through the town. You can even come across things like the oni park from Zvezda. In this way, Tachikawa has a close relationship with manga and anime.

But that isn’t all. This city is also home to figure manufacturer Kotobukiya.

Kotobukiya began in 1947 as a toy store selling dolls for seasonal celebrations and, now in its 62nd year, has become a top-class Japanese figure manufacturer. It has captured the hearts of hobbyists by releasing and producing a wide variety of figures, concentrating primarily on pre-assembled fully-colored PVC figures.

From design to mass production, the figures undergo various processes until they reach the hands of customers. Simply put, the ideas and energy of the staff are packed into every figure.

Some people may wonder what a figure manufacturer does or who makes figures and how they do it. There may also be those of you who are considering doing work related to figures. To answer these questions, I went to visit Kotobukiya.

Prototype Designers Are Creators Battling Between 2D and Reality

The first place I was shown at the Kotobukiya headquarters in Tachikawa was the prototype room. Here, the figure artisans known as prototype designers create the initial prototype figure for the mass production.

Prototype Room. It’s exciting just to watch! He is Mr. Kiyohara, the person in charge of the prototype team.


In this department, every prototype is handmade. The sculptors reference the design illustrations and the official artwork from the title its based on to create the form. One person usually oversees the production of one prototype over the course of 2-3 months.

Like with illustrations, an initial draft is made using a rough human form. From there, the sculptor fleshes it out and adds clothing and other details. The prototype designer works on the same prototype for 2-3 months until it is completed, so a love of figures is very important.

The depictions go into great detail, from the folds of the clothing to a cape blowing in the wind. Mr. Kiyohara, the person in charge of the prototype team, explained, “When making a prototype, there are things like character illustrations as a source image. However, those only show one viewpoint, and we don’t receive any designs showing all viewpoints. The prototype designer uses their imagination from that illustration to make the image three dimensional and turn it into a state of ruin.”

I asked him about this “state of ruin.”

“Every character has a set design. For example, if they have a cape, you can’t have an unnatural quality where from one angle it’s long but from another angle it’s short. With clothes as well, you have to depict clothes of the same length blowing in the wind in a realistic way. So, if the length is different, or the thickness of the material is off or the folds aren’t realistic, that would be considered ‘ruined.’ Even though it’s a 2D character, you have to make it realistically while keeping with a set form and presence. It’s important to create a 3D form that isn’t off or ruined and doesn’t ignore reality.”

The depictions go into great detail, from the folds of the clothing to a cape blowing in the wind.

But that is not the only thing to keep in mind when making figures. In order to maintain the balance of the work, redoes are also common.

“Sometimes, if you look at a figure from a certain viewpoint, you can see something that seems unnatural. So figure sculptors have to look at it through an objective and wide lens and get opinions from various people when making a prototype. Also, there are times when the whole thing has to be redone if it differs too much from the source image. Though we’re trying to achieve a sense of realism as a 3D object, we still have to stay true to the image of the work. If it’s too realistic, the amount of information with the next figure will increase and it will become too much of a departure from the 2D character. So, with figures, it’s important to come up with a well-balanced form.”

They come upon the best form while thinking of both the source image and reality. A prototype designer is a creator who “battles” between 2D and reality. But I still had one more question. What exactly are the figure prototypes that these artists produce? To look deeper into this, I spoke with the individual prototype designers.

Prototype Designers Create Happiness

Prototype designer Shirahige started making figures as a hobby and is now 14 years into his career. He got started after seeing a part-time job posting when shopping at the Kotobukiya store in Tachikawa (closed in 2012).

It was a job mass-producing garage kits at the Kotobukiya factory. Liking models and also already making garage kits, he decided to apply. He continued working for the company after he got hired, and would show his own figures at Wonder Festival. These captured the interest of people in the company’s prototype department, who invited him to work as a prototype designer after seeing his work.

Mr. Shirahige explained, “When I did this as a hobby, I got satisfaction from making the characters that I liked. What’s satisfying in my current job are the customers and making things to meet their needs and seeing that reflected in the sales.”

Mr. Hori, another prototype designer in his eighth year who focuses on mechanical figures, said that when he entered the company, he “wanted to work making prototypes from robot series.” “There are more manufacturers nowadays, but at the time, it was Kotobukiya that was known for work related to mecha models, and that’s why I applied.”

Human-like figures have a lot of contours. In contrast, mechanical figures require an understanding of straight lines and surfaces. The forms, the techniques used, and the way of thinking about them are different. For these reasons, each prototype designer has stronger areas and weaker areas based on their personality and disposition.

Mecha prototypes have a difficulty to them different from human figures. “Each series has actual dimensions put in place for its mecha. When making figures or plastic models, you have to shrink it down to 1/72 or some other scale. Mecha have particularly large dimensions, so if you add small details to make it look realistic, the design quality of the reproduction goes up. However, because it always has to be cast as a plastic model, you have to think about the ease of production and combine realism with the actual production process. That balance can be difficult to create,” added Mr. Hori.

Mr. Hori said that when he entered the company, he “wanted to work making prototypes from robot series.”

“I think figures and models came about because there were people who wanted to actually pick up the things they saw moving so appealingly in games and anime. So how do I give those kinds of people the figure they’re expecting, and can I? Can I please those people? Then there are the people who drew the original design, and if I can please them and have them say, ‘This is what I had in mind when I designed it,’ then I’m happy.”

Finally, I spoke with Mr. Nishiyama, who is in charge of coloring. When asked what his favorite task was, he smiled and said, “I like to draw eyes. But, drawing eyes is also the most difficult task. It’s difficult, but I like it. A lot of customers focus on the face, so it’s the most important part, and thinking about that gives me motivation.”

Mr. Nishiyama smiled and said, “I like to draw eyes. But, drawing eyes is also the most difficult task. It’s difficult, but I like it."

There’s a sense of responsibility in making the very first figure. “We’re making the first of what will be tens of thousands of products mass-produced in a factory. Its quality is what determines how well or poorly the final product turns out. So there’s a sense of responsibility. But there’s also a special enjoyment in that.”

The people who buy the figures, the people who come up with the idea, the manufacturers, and the people who draw the original character images. Pouring their passion into the figures, the prototype designers create a crystallization of those people’s ideas. Yes, contained in each figure is the efforts of the prototype designer. The next time you buy a figure, I hope you’ll take a moment to think about their efforts.

^1^ A comedy manga in which Buddha and Jesus enjoy a vacation in the human world and live together in a cheap apartment in Tachikawa.

Kotobukiya Official Site

This is a Tokyo Otaku Mode original article.

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