プラモデルが好きで戦車や戦艦、ガンプラをよく組み立てています。子供の頃にのめり込んでいたのは、ミニ四駆。誕生日に両親から買ってもらったトライダガーXが、その最初の出会いでした。どことなくポンティアックファイヤーバードのカラーリングに似た、格好良いマシンが電動で走ることに感動。それから、一つのものをどんどんカスタムできる面白さと種類の豊富さにも魅了され、飽きずに作り続けました。
一番の目的はより早く走らせること。ミニ四駆は原動力となるモーターはもちろん、タイヤ、ホイール、ローラー、バンパーなど、とにかく無数に純正のオプションパーツが展開されています。自分の愛車であるトライダガーXは、スーパー1シャーシでモーターがF１のように後ろに付いたモデル。ボールベアリングと中空シャフトでゼンチューンモーターの回転数をダイレクトに伝え、前輪を小径ワンウェイホイールにすることで馬力を伝えながらコーナーリングがスムーズになるようにカスタマイズしました。また、中央両サイドにスタビライザーを付け、前後には大径アルミローラーをFRPプレートで補強して車体の安定性をキープ。すべてが完璧だと思っていました。早速、ミニ四駆専用コースが設置された近所のおもちゃ屋で走らせましたが、ものすごく遅い。子供ながらに大きな挫折を味わいました。後から原因はいろいろと分かったのですが、その時はただショックで他の子のマシンを羨ましそうにずっと見ていたのを覚えています。
自分にとってカスタマイズとは、自分の分身を作ること。いかにオリジナリティを出して他の人とかぶらないようにするか？ あまりやり過ぎると元に戻せず、やるんじゃなかったと後悔することもたくさんありますが、それを考えるのが面白いんです。逆に人のカスタムを見ていると、思いもよらない発見があったり感動します。ミニ四駆を触っていた頃は、まだインターネットが普及する前だったので、とにかく現場行って見て学ぶしか方法がありませんでした。けれど、知らない子が使っているパーツや情報を教えてもらうことで友達になったり、互いに競いあったり、一人で調べるよりも楽しかった気がします。もちろん、今も気になる場所に出かけ、新しいことを知るという行動様式が変わることはありません。実は最近またプラモデル熱が再燃。とりあえず今考えているのは、RCホーネットをクラシックボルボのようなベージュカラーに塗装し、バンパーやライトなどのディテールをカスタマイズすること。加えて前後をスパイクタイヤに変更して、もし“クラシックカーがパリダカに出たら？”というイメージで仕上げていきたいと思っています。
BODHI / Satoshi Mizutani
I like plastic models and often assemble tanks, battleships, and gunpla. When I was a kid, I was really into Mini 4WD. My first encounter was with the Tridagger X, which my parents bought me on my birthday. I was impressed by how cool the machine was, which resembled the coloring of the Pontiac Firebird. After that, I was fascinated by the abundance and variety of things that made me able to customize one thing one after another, and I continued to make it without getting tired.
The first purpose is to run faster. In addition to the motors that drive the Mini 4WD, there are countless genuine option parts such as tires, wheels, rollers, and bumpers. My favorite car, the Tridagger X, is a model with a super 1 chassis and a motor at the back like the F1. The ball bearings and hollow shafts directly transmit the rotation speed of the Zentune motor, and the front wheels are small one-way wheels that have been customized so that cornering is smooth while transmitting horsepower. In addition, stabilizers are attached to both sides of the center, and large front and rear aluminum rollers are reinforced with FRP plates to keep the vehicle stable. I thought everything was perfect. Immediately, I ran it at a toy store in the neighborhood where a mini 4WD course was installed, but it is very slow. I felt a big setback as a child. I later learned about the causes, but at that time I was just shocked and looked at the other child's machines with envy.
For me, customization means making my own. How do you keep your originality so you don't run into other people? There are many things that I regret not doing if I overdo it too much, but it is interesting to think about it. On the other hand, when you look at people's customs, you may be surprised by the unexpected discoveries. When I was using the Mini 4WD, it was before the internet spread, so I had no choice but to visit the site and learn. However, I feel that it was more fun than making friends by competing with each other by learning the parts and information used by strangers, and competing with each other, and checking them alone. Of course, the behavioral style of going to places of concern and learning new things will not change. Actually, recently, the heat of the plastic model has rekindled. For now, what I'm thinking about is to paint the RC Hornet in a beige color like the classic Volvo and customize the details such as the bumpers and lights. In addition, I would like to change the front and rear to spike tires and finish with the image "What if a classic car came to Paris Dakar Rally?"
The first purpose is to run faster. In addition to the motors that drive the Mini 4WD, there are countless genuine option parts such as tires, wheels, rollers, and bumpers. My favorite car, the Tridagger X, is a model with a super 1 chassis and a motor at the back like the F1. The ball bearings and hollow shafts directly transmit the rotation speed of the Zentune motor, and the front wheels are small one-way wheels that have been customized so that cornering is smooth while transmitting horsepower. In addition, stabilizers are attached to both sides of the center, and large front and rear aluminum rollers are reinforced with FRP plates to keep the vehicle stable. I thought everything was perfect. Immediately, I ran it at a toy store in the neighborhood where a mini 4WD course was installed, but it is very slow. I felt a big setback as a child. I later learned about the causes, but at that time I was just shocked and looked at the other child's machines with envy.
For me, customization means making my own. How do you keep your originality so you don't run into other people? There are many things that I regret not doing if I overdo it too much, but it is interesting to think about it. On the other hand, when you look at people's customs, you may be surprised by the unexpected discoveries. When I was using the Mini 4WD, it was before the internet spread, so I had no choice but to visit the site and learn. However, I feel that it was more fun than making friends by competing with each other by learning the parts and information used by strangers, and competing with each other, and checking them alone. Of course, the behavioral style of going to places of concern and learning new things will not change. Actually, recently, the heat of the plastic model has rekindled. For now, what I'm thinking about is to paint the RC Hornet in a beige color like the classic Volvo and customize the details such as the bumpers and lights. In addition, I would like to change the front and rear to spike tires and finish with the image "What if a classic car came to Paris Dakar Rally?"
BODHI / Satoshi Mizutani