The set includes two figures and one spaceship for 2,600 yen without tax!　Plastic model of "Dirty Pair" to be released by Hasegawa, behind the development [Hobby Industry Inside No.82

Hasegawa, which has been actively producing plastic models of popular 80s anime such as "The Super Dimension Fortress Macross" and "Crusher Joe," will be commercializing the TV anime "Dirty Pair," a 1/20 scale figure of Kei and Yuri, designed by Tsukasa Tokite, from the TV anime series that aired in 1985. The figure is a 1/20 scale version of Kei and Yuri from the 1985 TV anime series, and includes their spaceship, the Lovely Angel, as part of the set.
Hasegawa is known for releasing many resin figures, but this "Dirty Pair" is all injection-molded. Since they are plastic models that are easy to craft and paint, anyone can easily pick them up. Moreover, the set includes two figures and one mecha for the low price of 2,600 yen (tax not included). We asked Satoshi Kokubun and Hiroshi Sawada of Hasegawa's Planning and Development Department about the development behind the plastic model "'Dirty Pair' Kay & Yuri w/ Lovely Angel (1/300).

Why injection molding?　Why 1/20 scale?

When the plastic modeling of the "Dirty Pair" was first announced, I mistakenly thought it would be a resin figure, which is Hasegawa's specialty.

Sawada: Our lineup includes female figures to display alongside car models, and while the 1/12 scale figures are made of resin, we also have a series of 1/24 scale plastic models that are injection-molded. It may be easier to understand if you think of it as an extension of that series.

Kokubu: Originally, we sold 1/24 scale car models with resin figures of the same scale, but they were so popular that many people asked for just the figures. We discussed the possibility of selling them separately as resin kits, but we thought it would be profitable to sell them as a set of two injection-molded figures.


Sawada: In fact, we sold more than we initially expected. If we had sold the figures individually from the beginning, they might have been a product for enthusiasts, but if they were placed next to car models, they would appeal to a more general audience. The price is also affordable, at 900 yen (tax not included) for a set of two figures, and we now have quite a few different types of figures in the series.

Kokubu: In our case, whether it is a scale kit or a character kit, there is a mechanic or vehicle first, and then the figures are attached to it.

─ ─ You had a figure of the heroine Alfine included in the "Fighter 2" of "Crusher Joe" (limited release in June 2019). That Alfine was 1/20 scale and made of resin, right?

Kokubu: The Fighter 2 with the 1/20 Alfine included sold very well. When we decided to commercialize the "Dirty Pair," we considered whether to make the figure in 1/24 scale or 1/20 scale. Since "Dirty Pair" is based on the same story by Haruka Takachiho as "Crusher Joe," we decided to make Kay and Yuri in 1/20 scale so that they can be displayed together in the same world. Since the Dirty Pair will be a standard product, we expect that the number and frequency of production will increase.



Sawada: In that case, it is more efficient to make molds and do injection molding than to make silicon molds and pour resin. In this case, we thought that many people like anime, such as "Crusher Joe" and "Dirty Pair," but are new to figures, so we thought that injection molding, which is easy to pick up, would be the best choice.

Kokubu: The first time we developed an injection-molded figure of a character was with the 1/35 galleon of "Crusher Joe". While following the familiar format of 1/24th scale realistic figures, we also sought with ...... if we could include a reasonably sized Lovely Angel in the set, following the trend of the "Crusher Joe" series. （Since the price of "Fighter 1" (without figures) was 2,400 yen, I talked with the sales staff to determine the specifications, hoping to keep the price in the 2,000 yen range. Once the price was determined, the size and number of parts were naturally decided. We were able to keep the price low by keeping the number of parts low and allocating Kay and Yuri on one runner and Lovely Angel on the other runner.