Hobby Industry Inside Vol. 24: Is Citadel Color really a magic paint?　Hiroki Takaku (Max Factory) talks about using Citadel Color in modeling

Citadel Color, released by Games Workshop, has become a hot topic of conversation among modelers who "like to paint plastic models. Citadel Color is a paint developed to paint the plastic molded miniature kits sold by Games Workshop. When we previously interviewed Games Workshop's directly managed store, Warhammer Store Jimbocho, we were unable to fully introduce the product.
We would like to know more about the hidden application and practicality of Citadel Color!　We asked Hiroki Takahisa of Max Factory, which has formed a business alliance with Games Workshop, about the "real wow factor" of Citadel Color.

What is the relationship between Max Factory and Games Workshop?

─ ─ Mr. Takahisa, how did you first encounter the miniatures of Games Workshop (hereinafter referred to as "GW")?

Takahisa: First of all, we develop plastic model kits of beautiful girl figures called "minimum factory. Therefore, we always have to think about what kind of technology we should use to injection-mold organic shapes. Then, at a hobby store near our office, I found a box of GW miniatures. I asked, "What is this box?" I asked. Inside was a plastic model kit. When I looked inside the box, I saw that the parts were placed all over the runners. I immediately understood that it was not something that a small manufacturer who could not invest in facilities could manufacture. That was my first surprise.
Another thing was that GW happened to be developing a miniature (Space Marine Heroes) for Japan at the same time. I met with GW through a model magazine, and the conversation developed into, "Actually, we are making items for the Japanese market, so why don't you become our distributor?


─ So that is how GW and Max Factory came into contact.

Takahisa That's right. By forming a business tie-up, we can simply introduce to the world that there are such amazing plastic models, and since GW is a manufacturer that can expressively mold organic monsters rather than real tanks and airplanes, we can expect synergies for us as well. If customers accept the idea that even such monsters can be made into plastic models, or that anything can be made into a plastic model, regardless of genre, we may be able to expand the range of products that we can commercialize. That is why we teamed up with GW, hoping that the plastic model world as a whole would become more interesting.


─ ─ But GW is developing miniature kits as game frames, right?

Takahisa In this regard, I think that Max Factory, which specializes in figures and plastic models, will be able to handle these kits and move away from the perception of them as "mere game pieces. We are not just saying, "Wouldn't this be fun as a plastic model? We propose, "Isn't it interesting as a plastic model? Space Marine Heroes" will be sold for 750 yen including tax, and will be available in 10 different blind versions. Those who want to buy a complete set can buy a box, and those who are just interested in GW or Citadel colors can get one for 750 yen.
In addition to eliminating the need for nippers and glue, "Space Marine Heroes" also features rounded cross sections on the runners (runners of conventional GW products are square). In other words, there is a Japanese custom of "plastic model runners being round" and "tagged", and that is what we are complying with. That is how much GW headquarters is studying the Japanese market.