Is it a plastic model or a game goods?　Who is Helmets Corporation, the company that released the "1/12 table cabinet"? Hobby Industry Inside Vol. 51

1/12 scale, plastic model of a game cabinet from the 80's. ...... "It's an accessory for movable figures anyway, right?" It would be natural to think, "It's just an accessory for movable figures, isn't it? However, Helmets Corporation's plastic model "1/12 table cabinet" can incorporate a small computer "Raspberry Pi," and its clever specifications tickle the fancy of retro game enthusiasts, making it a product that is highly regarded by enthusiasts. It is a product that has been highly praised by enthusiasts.
What is this mysterious kit, "1/12 table cabinet," which can be taken as either a handy plastic model or a nostalgia item?　We asked Mr. Tokuyuki Kodama, representative of Helmets Corporation, about the background of the product development.

An IT engineer who was hit by both arcade games and Gunpla established a company.

─ I have seen plastic models of video game arcades around for some time, but I was wondering if you could tell us more about them from the following website: .......

KODAMA: Yes, miniatures of game machines have a longer history than I thought, with WAVE releasing 1/12th scale plastic kits and Konami creating a series of toys for prizes. I have also acquired some of those products, but I was like, "I want more ......! I want more ......!" I decided to establish my own company to develop these products.

───What was Helmets' business originally?

Kodama: Planning, development, and sales of miniature products and PC-related goods. It has been about four years since we established the company, and from the very beginning we have been releasing miniatures of game machines as official goods.


─ Would it be better to call them "miniatures" rather than plastic models?

KODAMA: I am from the generation that was directly exposed to arcade games, and at the same time, I was also exposed to Gunpla. Even before the release of Gundam plastic models, I had been making "Space Battleship Yamato" Mecha-Collections and LS 100-yen plastic models since I was in elementary school.

─ So, your original experiences with both arcade games and plastic models have led you to your current product line?　Please tell us about Taito's 1/12 "DARIUS Enclosure Smartphone Stand.

Gerdama: This was a hit product in the early days of Helmets. It is a miniature that can display the game screen on a smartphone. We had been working on incorporating LCDs into miniatures for some time, but it would have cost too much to have them all built in (as a product). So this product leaves the video display to the smartphone, and the content is played back on YouTube or other sites. Then you can enjoy it in a realistic way. The fact that you can see a glimpse of the screen below when you look at it from above also brings fans to their knees, saying, "Oh, that's right, this game is about mirrors, isn't it?


─ ─ Is this kit easy to assemble?

Kodama: This product was released as a pre-painted finished product and sold through Taito's official store. Each piece is assembled by hand.

─ ─ What?　You manufactured it in-house instead of at a factory?

Kodama: Yes, we used our in-house laser cutter to cut out the wooden parts. The actual game cabinet was also made of wood, so when you touch it, it gives off a great atmosphere.

─ ─ The first Helmets product I saw was a plastic kit of the "X68000. I didn't understand what it meant that a "Raspberry Pi" (Raspi) could be set inside. ......

Kodama: The Raspberry Pi is a small computer for learning, made in England. It is sold as a board, and users prepare their own cases to use it. Helmets developed a miniature case for Raspi using a Sharp X68000 computer sold in the 1980s. This is a plastic model that can be enjoyed in the "XX-mini" style that is currently popular in the game industry. The scale is 1/4, based on the size of the Raspi board, so if it were 1/3, it would have been compatible with Volks' dolls.

─ ─ Are you from the hobby industry?

No, my previous job was as an IT engineer, and my work was more about servers and databases. Model making was just a hobby, and then I found myself in this position.