A
resin Speed Racer Mach 5 kit, from Streamline Productions.
It is a pretty good kit. A heavy resin example, the the
resin being somewhat soft, or "sand" like in composition.
I painted it Testors Bright White.
The
kit did not require any donor parts. It came with the saws
in the front, though they are static. I chose to build the
kit with them installed. Both the saws and wheels are metal
(pot metal?). The front headlamps covers and windshield
are vacuum formed.
It
is a curbside as well, there is no "hood" to speak
of. The decals were included and went on nicely.
The
Mach V was one of those cars that always needed to be in
kit form, I am surprised it took so long for one to be made,
even if it is resin.
This
example is actually a little larger than the newer Polar
Lights Mach 5 (compared below). Those kits are probably
more around 1/32 scale.
Manga:
60 Years of Japanese Comics - Manga: Sixty Years of Japanese
Comics presents an accessible, entertaining, and highly-illustrated
introduction to the development and diversity of Japanese
comics from 1945 to the present. Featuring striking graphics
and extracts from a wide range of manga, the book covers such
themes as the specific attributes of manga in contrast to
American and European comics; the life and career of Osamu
Tezuka, creator of Astro Boy and originator of story manga;
boys' comics from the 1960s to the present; the genres and
genders of girls' and women's comics; the darker, more realistic
themes of gekiga -- violent samurai, disturbing horror and
apocalyptic science fiction; issues of censorship and protest;
and manga's role as a major Japanese export and global influence.
Kimba
White Lion - One of the most wonderful and uniquely styled
Japanese anime programs that aired in Japan during 1965 and
later aired in syndication during Saturday mornings in the
U.S. in 1966, returns to American audiences on DVD. That program
is 'Kimba' which was produced by the legendary Japanese animator
"Osamu Tezuka". Originally produced in Japan as
the 'Jungle Emperor', this animated program was licensed and
later aired in the U.S. So popular was this series that other
"Osamu Tezuka" animations were released in the U.S.
"Osamu Tezuka" has been credited for pioneering
and creating the demand for Japanese Anime programs in the
United States and in other countries.
Speed
Racer: The Original Manga - If you read a lot of recent
manga, comic books, or graphic novels, the stories may seem
a bit simple and the drawings may seem a little crude. However,
they're still good stories, and the flavor of the era in which
they were written really comes across. recommend this book
to anyone who loves Speed Racer or manga in general !
