Ideon is now available as an action figure arranged by Takayuki Takeya, a genius! In an interview commemorating the release of "threezeroX Takayuki Takeya Ideon" "Contact Arc"──Robot-loving voice actor Yasuyuki Tai explores the appeal of this figure!

Ideon" will be revived in December 2021 from "threezero," a collector's toy manufacturer from Hong Kong! Moreover, the design arrangement & prototype production was done by Takayuki Takeya!

Director Yoshiyuki Tomino followed up "Mobile Suit Gundam" with the 1980 anime "Legendary God of Ideon. In addition to the appeal of the philosophical storyline, the compelling drama that plunges into the essence of human nature, and the spectacular battle scenes, the main robot "Ideon" also boasts a romantic setting as a robot weapon created by the Sixth Civilization, an ancient people, a unique silhouette that transcends the human body structure, and a unique appearance that is literally and figuratively depicted in the main anime. The unique silhouette of the robot, which transcends the human body structure, and its literally "god-like" activities in the main story of the anime, have not faded away 40 years after its broadcast, and have not lost their grip on our hearts.

Such a legendary robot will be released as "threezeroX Takayuki Takeya Ideon" in December 2021!

Akiba Research Institute would like to delve into the charms of "threezeroX Takayuki Takeya Ideon" in two articles.

How did Mr. Takeya, who is known for sculpting organic motifs and creatures, arrange and sculpt the robot that appears in the anime? ......

In the first part of the "Contact Arc," Yuuki Tai, a voice actor who loves robot anime, contacted "threezeroX Takayuki Takeya Ideon! We hope you enjoy the photos taken with Kentaro Kakuya, threezero's marketing manager, as well as his commentary!

Ideon, which took five years to complete

Yasushi: Seeing the actual product leaves me speechless. And I can't help but grin.

Kakuniya: The design itself was done by Mr. Takeya, and while the output of the base part was done with a 3D printer, the surface details were made by hand by Mr. Takeya and his staff. If we were to make it now, we would have to make everything with digital output, but five years ago, when we started production, we were still in the transitional period from analog to digital.

Tai: Five years!

Kakuniya: From the time we started 5 years ago, we actually wanted to make it in time for the 40th anniversary. We managed to release the product at the end of the year, and I think it can be said that we just barely made it in time for the 40th anniversary. ......

This is why this product is a fusion of analog and digital.

Tai: It is true that the accuracy of 3D printers has improved and their prices have come down over the past few years.

Kakuniya: So from the beginning, we talked about doing it digitally, but in the end, we decided to make the details by hand. I think we could have done it more easily now, so I feel really sorry for Mr. Takeya (smiles).

Resurrected as a deformed giant god! Let's take a closer look at the details.

Tai I wonder what's going on with the eyes at ....... In the anime Ideon, there are scanning lines.

Kakuya: In the anime, the eyes are lit up, but Mr. Takeya reproduced it in the actual mold. When I saw this, I was amazed at Mr. Takeya's sense.

Yasushi: It tends to be done with clear parts, but it is painted parts, isn't it?

Kakunie: The eyes and the ideagauge itself are made of clear parts, but the surface has been painted to give it a textured look. LEDs are placed under the painted parts, so when they emit light, the light rises up from under the painted parts.

Tai: It emits light?

Kakuke: The Ideon Sword on the arm also glows. It looks really cool when it glows in the dark.

Tai It looks ...... cool in a dull light! The arrangement of the horns is also interesting.

Kakunke: Yes, it is. Ideon's horns are designed with the tip of a stick extending horizontally, and while retaining that image, the arrangement is completely different and three-dimensional.

Not only the horns, but also the shape and configuration of the parts themselves look different from the anime, but each part of the original design has been kept in place. It is just that the original parts have been rearranged in a different configuration. Therefore, the design of the anime version was simplified for the sake of drawing, but the original composition is convincing. This is the result of Mr. Takeya's design sense.

Tai: The white parts of the chest and collar are still there, even though there are more surfaces, and you have really captured the Ideon style. It's not just a simple, over-the-top arrangement, but you have also picked up the ideon symbols.

Kakunoya: At first, we presented an art statue with only a smear of brownish material, which was well received, but when we painted it red, white, and green, everyone agreed that it was an ideon after all. The power of the colors is amazing, but I realized once again that the design was done properly to bring out the original work so that the colors would come alive.

Some people said, "Is this really Ideon? But the colors can be applied as in the anime design, so if you see the actual product and hold it in your hand, I think you will be convinced that it is indeed an Ideon.

Yasushi: On the other hand, this ideon has six fingers, doesn't it?

Kakuke: That's right. It looks like a normal human hand, but if you look closely, you will see that it has six fingers. By shifting it slightly from the human body, it is expressed that it was not made on earth. By the way, all fingers are fully movable.

Tai I wonder how the armor around the belly is also divided.

Kakuke: Each part is divided and moves independently, and the shoulder parts are also separate and move individually. So it is possible to pose the omni-directional missile launch scene. According to Mr. Takeya, missiles and lasers are set to come out of the hexagonal molded parts in various places.

Tai: It looks like something different from physical missiles will come out, doesn't it? It stimulates my imagination! It's an arrangement that has no gaps anywhere. I would like to see a remake of "Ideon" with this design. Ideon" is a film that deals with racial issues, so in that sense, I think it would be a good fit for the current era.

The paint job is also amazing. The surfaces and frames that look like castings are amazing!

Kakuniya: Mr. Takeya made a paint sample for us, and we reproduced most of it in the product. So, the fact that we reproduce not only Takeya-san's modeling but also the paint job is also a selling point.

Tai: Do you express the metallic look all through the painting?

Kakuniya: Yes. We specialize in metal-like paints, and we are often asked, "Is this metal? We are often asked, "Is this metal?

Yasushi The joint parts have a greenish tint, or a sense of weight, like bronze ware excavated from ruins. The stain also looks like something excavated from an archaeological site.

Kakuniya: That's right. Mr. Takeya's ideon looks like an archaeological site. Ideons are originally very large objects, aren't they? Therefore, if there are visible grains of mud or rust, the sense of scale is lost. That is why we were particular about the staining. The stains give a sense of the enormity of the object. I think this sense of reality can only be achieved because Mr. Takeya also makes props for special effects.

If you were to make an Ideon wave guide gun, the price would be for one more Ideon!

Kakuke: As mentioned in the product accessories section, this product also comes with a stand. We have not yet been able to announce the design, but we have prepared a stand that is also designed by Mr. Takeya and has an affinity with Ideon. When you open the lid behind the waist, you can stick the stand there.

Tai: Ideon has many impressive poses, but it is difficult to reproduce all of them without a support when the figure is this large.

Kakunke: The frame inside the Ideon itself is made of zinc alloy, so I think the joints are solid, but considering the balance, I think it would be easier to make it stand with a stand.

Tai: The fact that an alloy is used for the frame makes me think that it would be basically heavy.

Kakunke: Yes, that's right. Because of its size and the large proportion of metal parts, it is quite heavy. So it is quite satisfying when you hold it.

Tai: To be honest, I think the quality of this figure is high enough to satisfy even if it is in a fixed pose. What made you decide to make the figure move even more?

Kakuke: We also produce statues, but the majority of our products are movable figures, so we have accumulated a lot of know-how in making large-sized movable figures like this. Therefore, we decided that if we were going to make Ideon, it had to be a movable figure.

We have a "Transformers" series called the PREMIUM series, and we mainly used that technology. The figures are large and have elaborate details, but they can still move.

Yasushi: I see! That makes sense. So it's that line. But it doesn't mean it's no good because this product doesn't have that, but I would like to see A, B, and C mecha with this design.

Kakuya: I have an assumption in Mr. Takeya's brain, so I would like to have him draw it if he has the chance.

Yasushi That would be great! If I may be selfish, I would also like to have an "Ideon wave guided gun" or something like that.

Kakuya: Actually, Mr. Takeya gave me a sketch of the "Ideon Wave Guiding Gun" at the beginning of the project. However, it was so large that it ended up costing about the same as one more Ideon by itself. So I gave up on it this time, but I would like to do it someday if I have the chance.

Tai: Then, if you want an "Ideon Wave Guiding Gun," you may make one by yourself. How about an "Ideon Wave Guiding Gun Championship"? It would be interesting to collect various junk parts, for example, using a PET bottle as a base size. Ideon itself is arranged in an odd shape, so I think we could make something good if we make it with passion, even if it is a little snooty.

Still no end to the ambitions of "threezeroX

Akiba Research Institute Editorial Department You have explained the appeal of this product in various ways, but if you had to single out one point of interest, what would it be?

Kakuya: The fact that Mr. Takeya arranged a purely anime robot, which also makes it an extremely valuable item. Mr. Takeya is known for his organic robots and bio-based characters. We are happy that Mr. Takeya has tackled a mechanical robot.

Akiba Research Institute Editorial Department: Depending on the response, do you plan to commercialize various robots and mecha with Takeya-san's arrangements in the future?

Kadoya: We would like to continue to ask Takeya-san to work on our products, but the most important thing is to make sure that the subject matter is something that he is interested in and wants to work on. Personally, I would like to see you continue to work on "Raideen" and "Gorg," which are robots based on ruins. However, I would like you to work on anything that interests you, not limited to robots.

The "threezeroX" series itself is a series of high-end products that incorporate technology based on designs by various artists. The previous product was "Baltan Alien," which was arranged in a modern style by Ryu Oyama. In this way, we would like to create interesting products with various people, not only robots but also aliens and anything else.

Akiba Research Institute Editorial Department What do you particularly like about Yasushi?

Yasushi: I am always interested in the face. I can't help but look at it. If you think about it, Japanese people also made a statue of the Great Buddha a long time ago. If you think about it, Ideon was built by the Sixth Civilization, so it is similar to them.

Akiba Research Institute Editorial Department Since Mr. Takeya has also worked on Buddhist statue figures in the past, it is not hard to say that this product is in the same lineage.

Kakuya: I think that because you have accumulated know-how, or because you are an artist who has made Buddhist statues, you understand what a three-dimensional figure of a deity should look like. You also mentioned that you would like to make a painting that has aged - for example, a mossy ideon, so perhaps we will see another version of the painting in the future.

Tai: Or even a version without coloring would be good.

Kakuniya: Depending on the response, we may be able to release a prototype color for limited events. Some people who are interested in this as a work of art would be pleased with a version that has only been smeared.

Tai: Still, looking at this Ideon is an inspiration for me when I make other character kits. It is a good input.

Kakuniya It is a mass that stimulates the creative spirit. It stimulates me in many ways. Some people say they have never heard of "Ideon," but they buy it because it is Takeya-san's newest creation.

I think it would be interesting to make a digirama with a laser beam coming out of the whole body.

Tai That would be nice too. I can't wait to hold the finished product in my hands and boondoggle with it!

In the second part of the "threezeroX Takayuki Taketani Ideon" series, we have interviews with the developer of threezero and Takayuki Takeya, who is in charge of the release of the product!

Don't miss it!

Product Information

threezeroX Takayuki Takeya Ideon

Price: 132,000 yen (including tax)

Release date: 2021/12

Specifications: Painted ABS&PVC&POM/Zinc alloy posable figure

Specifications: ABS&PVC&POM&Zinc alloy painted posable figure

Height: approx. 46cm including shoulders (height of top of head including horns: approx. 42cm)

She comes with LED lights in over 5 locations, including her eyes, her ideon gauge, and the ideon sword release port on her wrist (AG1 batteries x 10 required / batteries sold separately).

Accessories: action stand

Design arrangement and prototype production: Takayuki Takeya

Sculpting cooperation: Yukio Fujioka, Junichi Taniguchi, Keijiro Mada

Released by: threezero

Distributor: Good Smile Company

Pictures shown may differ slightly from the actual product.

The painting process of the products is done by hand, so there may be slight differences between individual products. Please understand this in advance.

Due to the nature of the paint, the paint may not be completely dry when the package is opened.

If the paint is not dry, place the product in a shady, well-ventilated room for 2~3 days to make sure the painted surface is dry before touching it.

If the product is used while it is still undried, it may cause color migration or fingerprint marks.

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