Mechatro WeGo

The MechatroWeGo is part of a toy line designed by Kazushi Kobayashi. The backstory of these machines describe them as being developed by CHUBU Mechatronics as personal transportation for children.

I first saw the WeGo models in an exhibit at DCon 2016, but it wasn't until recently that small scale toys of the WeGo became widely available. The Tiny MechatroWeGo first appeared as promotional items in 2015 and 2016, but Sentinel didn't do a standard boxed release until 2018. I didn't get the original set at the time because I felt they were too expensive (among other reasons).

Tiny MechatroWeGo Box 1

Tiny MechatroWeGo Box 2

Tiny MechatroWeGo Box 3

Tiny MechatroWeGo Box 4

The models are typically sold as blind boxes, but I ordered a case of six models for Box 2. This guarantees that there won't be any duplicate models.

I posted my first feeble effort at making somewhat of an unboxing video at my new 1/72 Channel. I hope readers of this blog will also subscribe to 72chan.

In any event, the first set of images show the ISO, 80s, and Hi-Tech HG liveries.

The second set of images show the Taxi, British, and Kappa liveries.

For the price, I was imagining that the models would have been diecast metal, but they are made of ABS and PVC plastic.

The arms and legs can pivot at the shoulders and hips, but the figures don't have good stability due to having a combination of spindly limbs and bulky body.

The models stand about 45mm tall, and are said to be non-scale, but if the machines are supposed to be 2.6m tall, I estimate them to be roughly 1/60 scale. However, if they were to be considered as being scaled for adults instead of children, then they would work for 1/72 scale.

1/20 WeGo with Frame Arms Girl

I was also able to find a couple of individual models from Box 1 and Box 3 to complete my set of Hong Kong taxi liveries.

Urban, New Territories, and Lantau WeGos

A manga by Yūsaku Yamada about Mechatro WeGo was launched by Kodansha last year for their "Magazine Pocket" app, and the first tankōbon volume was released earlier this year.

万能変化メカトロウィーゴ

I would have loved if Arawi Keiichi who did the box art for the Hasegawa WeGo models did the art for the manga.

MechatroWeGo × Nichijou

Shinonome Laboratories × Hasegawa

20 MechatroWeGo No. 01

20 MechatroWeGo No. 02

4D Jeeps and M3A1 half-track

In this post, I present a couple more new offerings from 4D Models. The first model is a M3A1 half-tracked armored military vehicle (半履带武装甲车).

The 4D M3A1 is largely the same as their "M3" (M21) half-track, although parts for the mortar are not included, and the undercarriage is modified to accomodate an unditching roller.

There is a new sprue for a pulpit and roller, as well as an additional M2 machine gun. The model I have is molded in khaki drab, but similar to the M3 half-track, versions exist in both dark green and khaki drab plastic.

As with the earlier M3, the model goes together quickly and easily. The hardest part is to get the wheels onto the metal axles.

M3A1 vs M3 (M21)

Unlike the previous M3, the rudimentary M2 machine guns on the M3A1 do not come pre-painted.

The radiator louvres still look horrible

I think the roller may be a bit oversized, but the pulpit looks pretty good. Unfortunately, the interior still retains the M21 configuration, which would require more effort than it is worth to replace.

The other model is the Willy's Jeep off-road utility vehicle (威利斯吉普车 多用途越野用车).

The jeep comes molded in dark green or tan plastic, and includes a cargo trailer. I bought one of each color.

Unlike many other 4D models, the wheels are not painted to match the color of the plastic. The hubs are thick and bulky, presumably to allow the wheels to be firmly attached to the metal axles.

The model goes together fairly easily, but assembly took longer than for the M3A1 because of the delicate clean-up required for some of the smaller parts.

For one of the models, there was a molding issue that prevented the spare wheel from attaching properly. I ended up drilling out the hole, but the wheel still didn't fit well, so it's probably better to just file down the pin on the wheel and glue it in place.

The model doesn't look bad after being built up, but there is definitely room for improvement. The wheel hubs, windshield, steering wheel, and axe are all either too thick, or overly simplified. I etched a line on the axe to give it a bit of definition, but it was otherwise a featureless piece of flat plastic.

The windshield is a particular let down, since the design for the 1/48 scale 4D jeeps look so much better.

Compared to various other 1/72 scale jeeps, the 4D Models version is almost identical in size.

4D vs Hongwell

4D vs Marx

4D vs Hobby Master

4D vs Matchbox

The 4D jeep is probably closest to the Hobby Master jeep in dimensions, but, the wheelbase is closer to the Hongwell jeep. The Marx jeep is just as long as the 1/72 diecast jeeps, but not as wide. It almost looks closer in size to the 1/76 scale Matchbox jeep, but I think that is just because it doesn't have the spare tire and jerry can attached to the back.

I'm not sure if I will file down the windshield of the 4D jeeps to make them look better, but even if left as is, I think the models are more than adequate for gaming purposes.

Lava Children

Lava Children are often scorned as one of the absurd joke monsters from the Fiend Folio, and people have laughed at the illustration for bearing a striking resemblance to Alfred E. Neuman, but something about the harness it wore had a vaguely Polynesian look that made the association with lava work for me.

On the other hand, I didn't care for the 5th ed. incarnation of the Lava Child, which looks like the unholy spawn of Carrot Top and Pennywise.

There are no miniatures of Lava Children, and I doubt that there ever will be, so I took it upon myself to make my own version based on the original Russ Nicholson illustration.

I started out by sculpting the face out of Kneadatite.

What– Me worry?

To make things simpler for myself, I decapitated one of the Deep Fire Dwarves from Sgt Major Miniatures (now sold by Battle Valor Games) to use as the basis for a body.

I'm guessing that the miniatures are supposed to be Azers from the Monster Manual II, which are probably even more obscure than Lava Children.

First the head was attached, and some lines were scribed onto the kilt.

Then I sculpted the harness to the best of my ability.

My plan for painting is to undercoat with black, and then use a foam brush to dab gray and white over it to replicate the appearance of a charcoal briquette after being used in a barbeque.

A closely related monster for which there are three miniatures is the Magman (Magmin). The first miniature is from the D&D Miniatures line (Angelfire #56), while the next two miniatures are from the Icons of the Realms line (Elemental Evil #01 and Monster Menagerie 3 #1).

The Angelfire miniature was my original candidate as a proxy for a Lava Child, albeit undersized. The Elemental Evil miniature was rather underwhelming, but I liked the Monster Menagerie miniature so much (because it is made of transparent plastic), that I bought a whole bunch of them.

Another lava related miniature is the Magma Mephit (Monster Menagerie 3 #02a), which has an alternate paint version that is the Mud Mephit (Monster Menagerie 3 #02b).

I really like the look of these miniatures, and if you don't want to use them as mephits, they could just as easily pass for imps or homunculi.