Medicom Toy Was the First Thing That Came to Mind

—When did you first become aware of Medicom Toy?

TakahashiI think I knew about them from their early days. I also liked figures and collected American toys, and among them, Medicom Toy's high quality of sculpting surprised me.

—Could you tell us about your favorite Medicom Toy items you owned?

TakahashiTetsuo Shima from AKIRA, and Pycal from Lupin the Third.

—What was the catalyst for your collaboration?

TakahashiWhen I considered producing original UNDERCOVER figures, Medicom Toy was the first company that came to mind.

—From here, please share your thoughts on each collaboration item, its concept, and any behind-the-scenes stories from its production.

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UNDERCOVER*SANRIO*

TakahashiRegarding the production, I placed my complete trust in them, so everything went smoothly. I'm always truly impressed.

ⓒ1976, 2018 SANRIO CO., LTD. APPROVAL NO.S591802

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UNDERMAN

TakahashiFor the 2011 Spring/Summer season, instead of our usual fashion show, we produced a film featuring UNDERCOVER's original tokusatsu hero, "UNDERMAN." For the RAH (Real Action Heroes / 12-inch articulated figure), we commissioned Medicom Toy to create realistic versions of the protagonist, Underman, and the villain, Pyranoide. Not only the masks, but especially the costumes were made with actual fabric, pursuing realism and faithfully reproducing every detail to perfection. The deformed representation in soft vinyl was entrusted to the long-established soft vinyl manufacturer, Bullmark, under Medicom Toy's supervision. The sculpting was inspired by the quality of the '70s, and the coloring was all done by hand, resulting in a warm finish. Personally, I am proud to have been able to produce these with two powerhouses, the originator and the innovator.

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GILAPPLE

TakahashiGILAPPLE originally appeared in "GRACE," an original dark fantasy story presented in 2009 in lieu of a fashion show. It's a design combining an apple and a light. In terms of sculpting, the light part in particular was inspired by vintage bicycle lights, so I focused on making the light cover look as old as possible. The coloring of the apple itself also pursues realism. The clock has been enlarged for better visibility.

Page 02.Flawless Execution, Needless to Say

Flawless Execution, Needless to Say

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HAMBURGER LAMP

TakahashiThis was originally designed by Sk8thing (Shinsoh Sakamoto of CE) and released in 2002. Due to strong demand for its reissue, I asked Medicom Toy to produce it, aiming to reduce its size and weight. The execution was flawless, needless to say.

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GRACE

*A handmade plush creature. In the Spring/Summer 2009 season, a collection based on photographic works featuring GRACE as the protagonist, shot by Katsuhide Morimoto, was presented. A photo book of the same title also garnered attention.

TakahashiGRACE was originally a creature I made by disassembling and sewing together plush toys. For its three-dimensional representation, I focused on achieving a visual that truly looked like a plush toy.

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UNDERCOVER BEAR

TakahashiThese are iconic parent and child bears from UNDERCOVER. Since the design already had a strong character, I felt it was well-suited for three-dimensional representation and commissioned its production. The decision of whether or not to include fur was a major point of consideration (laughs). For the later floor lamp, we paid attention to creating a smooth form that wouldn't detract from the original design's atmosphere.

BE@RBRICK TM & © 2001-2018 MEDICOM TOY CORPORATION. All rights reserved.

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—Finally, could you share your thoughts on your collaborations with Medicom Toy so far, and any future aspirations you have for working together?

TakahashiThe Medicom Toy staff responsible for production have extensive knowledge as toy collectors, and they are wonderful creators and manufacturers who understand my vision without any issues. I have more than 100% trust in them. My ideas are endless, so please continue to work with me until I drop!

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