Aoshima New Plastic Model "Initial D Keisuke's FD" Review! Easy to assemble & colorful even without paint, we want to display it side by side with Takumi's Hachi Roku!

Hello, this is Kariyasu! This time, I would like to introduce and review the "Initial D Keisuke's FD", the latest in the "The Snap Kit" series currently on sale from Aoshima Bunka Kyozai-sha (hereafter referred to as Aoshima)!

What is The Snap Kit?

The Snap Kit is a series of easy-to-build car models developed by Aoshima, a company that plans and develops plastic models in a variety of genres. The features of this series can be briefly summarized as follows,

The Snap Kit is a glueless snap kit, so all you need are nippers and tweezers to start building right away!

Low price, ideal for first-time plastic modelers!

The model is realistic enough without painting, and the details can be reproduced with stickers!

The 1/32 scale is just right, not too big and not too small, allowing you to collect a variety of cars!

The 1/32 scale models are not too big or too small, allowing anyone to enjoy car modeling in a casual manner!

This time, the RX-7 model is the RX-7 of Keisuke Takahashi, the rival of Takumi Fujiwara, the main character of the popular comic "Initial D". The collaboration kit with "Initial D" has been released in 1/24 scale in the past, but this is the first time it will appear in "The Snap Kit" series. The price is also very reasonable at 2,200 yen (tax included)!

Click here to see the review of "Takumi's Hachi Roku"!

⇒ Aoshima's new "Initial D Takumi's Hachi Roku" is a comfortable plastic model for beginners of car plastic modeling!

Check out what's inside!

With only 34 parts, the car is color-coded from the start and features 17-inch wheels, 17-inch tires, a rear wing, custom steering wheel, and a sports muffler!

Even first-time plastic modelers will feel at ease as there is a guide to help you along the way!

Lights, mirrors, body part logos, emblems, window frames, and instrument panel are reproduced with stickers.

The limited first edition also comes with the bonus item, "Connecting! Pass" diorama paper craft" is included as a bonus! The same paper craft is also included in the "Initial D Takumi's Hachi Roku (first production run)" currently on sale, so you can recreate the battle scene by combining the two (see below)!

I assembled it!

This time, I would like to build it completely straight, without painting or modification.

Necessary tools: Nippers, tweezers

Tools that are useful: cotton swabs (toothpicks are also acceptable)

First, apply the stickers before assembly. If you reapply the stickers many times, the adhesive strength will be reduced, so use tweezers to carefully apply the stickers in a single pass to avoid misalignment (especially on the window frames)!

⇒ [ Convenient to have when making Gundam plastic models! The review of tweezers that can be bought for less than 1000 yen! The tool way! The 9th issue of "The Tool Way!

After attaching the stickers, use cotton swabs or toothpicks to firmly adhere them to the parts.

Fit the window parts firmly into the body. Since you will not be able to touch the inside of the car after completion, use a cotton swab at this point to thoroughly remove any sebum or dust from the window parts.

The retractable headlights can be opened or closed. First, open the headlights.

The interior parts are completed by attaching the stickers and attaching the steering wheel! Carefully fold the parts into a box shape.

Depending on the position of the shaft, you can choose either normal or lowered ride height. First, let's try the normal ride height.

5

Assemble the interior parts to the body and complete!

This quality is achieved without modification or painting!

You can write your own license plate number by attaching the included white stickers. It will be fun to make a full-scale license plate with "License Plate Maker" on Aoshima's official website!

The driver's seat is realistic and cool!

Click here to see the video!

Change the lights and ride height!

Even after completion, the ride height and lights can be changed.

For ride height, simply remove the tires and reinsert the shaft into the lowered position!

Once the parts are installed, it is easy to remove them by using a parts opener.

⇒ A strong ally of Gunpla production! Comparison and review of three types of separators (parts openers) that can easily remove plastic models that were assembled incorrectly! The Tool Way! No.4]

Reassembly is complete! This is an image of the car at a standstill with the lights closed.

The lowered state is also cool!

Click here to see the video!

Let's try paper crafting!

The included paper craft is just as easy as the main body. Even those who are new to paper crafting can quickly complete it!

Cut out the guardrail with a cutter or scissors.

Use a long ruler and a pointed tool to make a crease along the line to be folded. Use a bamboo skewer or the other side of the blade of a design knife (cutter) to draw a clean, smooth line!

Use craft bond or double-sided tape to adhere the parts. For this project, we used miniature double-sided tape that can be purchased at convenience stores.

After the guardrails are attached, the model is complete!

This base is easy to assemble, yet vividly recreates the racing scenes of the original film!

The drifting scene looks just like this!

The angle from above is also great!

By the way, if you purchase the aforementioned "Takumi's Hachi Roku" at the same time, you can recreate the famous scene from the original story like this.

Click here to see the video!

So, how was it? Please buy the HACHIROKU and FD as a set and try to recreate the famous scene♪ See you soon!

Product Information

Initial D Keisuke's FD

Manufacturer: Aoshima Bunka Kyozai-sha

Scale: 1/32

Scale: 1/32

Price: 2,200 yen (tax included)

Kariyasu

Entertainment and hobby writer. A big fan of models, dioramas, and figures, she is in charge of tool reviews and various interviews, in addition to examples of plastic models and miniatures. Her future goal is to hold a solo exhibition!