Working with Individual Creators to Create Small Plastic Models!　M.I. Moldmaker M.I. Molde, which develops the "Cavico" brand, reveals behind-the-scenes details of its product creation (Hobby Industry Insider #70).

Have you heard of the "Choipla" series of low-priced small plastic models released by the Cabico brand?　Recently, they collaborated with "Armored Trooper Votoms" and released a unique arrangement of Scopedog, the main character of the series, so many of you may be familiar with them.
The fun of the "Choipla" series lies in the originality of the robots and characters that do not rely on existing media, the collaboration with unique up-and-coming creators, and the sense of fulfillment that comes from squeezing the essence of these elements into a small runner.
The company that plans and manufactures such plastic models for Cavico is M-I Molde, a mold maker in Shizuoka Prefecture. We spoke with Toshiyuki Miyagishima, president of the company.

From a mold manufacturer of automobile parts to a manufacturer of plastic robot models designed by Kunio Okawara

─ I understand that M-I Molde's main business is a mold manufacturer.

Miyagishima Yes, we receive orders from customers, design and manufacture molds, and deliver them to them. We are also called "mold sales" because we end our business by delivering molds to our customers. We specialize in making molds for plastic parts, mainly for automobile interiors. My father founded the company in 1982, and for the first two years, he did not make molds, but only designed molds. We have been in business for 39 years this year.

Miyagishima──You make injection molds, do you not?

Miyagishima: Yes, that's right. 10 years ago, after the Lehman Shock, I realized that it would be difficult to continue business only in the automotive field, and I was thinking of entering a different industry. 7 or 8 years ago, through an introduction from a mold maker I knew, I started receiving orders for molds for plastic robot models. However, the processes and time usage of molds for automotive parts and molds for plastic models were completely different. In the case of routine mold manufacturing for automobile parts, it is easy to make adjustments even if two molds are started at the same time, or even if they are started one week apart, because they are in the same routine. However, when a plastic model mold job comes in, the required delivery time is extremely short compared to car parts, so it is impossible to handle it within the existing routine. Since it is difficult to balance car parts and plastic models, the plastic model work has faded out. However, I was entrusted with precision kits with a fairly large number of parts, so I acquired technical skills.

───Did you apply the skills you acquired at that time to the "Choyipla" series?

Miyagishima: The first "Choipla" was released in 2018. It was a model of Kunio Okawara's original "Iguzaïn" design, and let me tell you how it came about: an organization called JMRP (Japan Manufacturing Revitalization Project) manages the Iguzaïn trademark. When manufacturers use the IGUZAIN design, they are allowed to use it without royalty if they just want to promote their technical capabilities. If they want to sell the product as a product, they must pay royalties. Every manufacturer wants to make their own products. However, they cannot find good items. We thought, "If it is that Okawara-san's design, we would definitely like to make a plastic model of it," and decided to let us make a model of IGUZAIN. However, instead of making a plastic model out of the blue, we first sold it as a resin garage kit. As an unknown manufacturer, we borrowed Mr. Okawara's design and made a garage kit with a height of 20 cm, but we sold only 8 pieces at the Wonder Festival. We received feedback from people around us that it was still a good effort. ......
So, next, we decided to make a model of IGUZAIN as a bonus plastic model that could fit into a single mold. We decided to make a plastic model of IGUZAIN as a bonus model that would fit into a single mold, because a plastic model with a small number of parts that can be easily assembled in a few minutes would reduce the investment and keep the selling price low. At that point, we had not yet decided on the brand name "Cavico" or the series name "Choipla," so we just decided on the size and started making them.


─ If you wanted to show off your mold technology, didn't it have to be a plastic model of a robot?

Miyagishima That's because I was a direct descendant of the Gundam boom, when people lined up at model stores from early morning. Of course, I love robots and I love Mr. Okawara's designs, so the moment I saw IGUZAIN, I decided to make it into a plastic model.