KOW YOKOYAMA

Born in Fukuoka-ken Kyushu-shi (Japan) in 1956, Yokoyama graduated from the Department of Japanese Painting and Imaging Arts and Sciences of Musashino Art University. Grew up with a father working in the Japanese marine force, the young Yokoyama was drawn to military since a tender age. With the artistic skills of painting and model making, he worked as an illustrator at ‘SF Magazine’ after graduating from university. His work caught the eyes of production houses and it was not long before Yokoyama was invited to participate in many movies and advertising campaigns — his strength lies in sci-fi, military and robot characters. His influence on contemporary sci-fi movies, animation and toys is still clearly evidential.

Maschinen Krieger (original name SF3D) was debuted in 1982, as the first series by Yokoyama. Combining World War II machines and original sci-fi themes, it was well received and pushed Yokoyama to the path of ‘sci-fi military’. The S.A.F.S. (Super Armored Fighting Suit) armor is an avant-garde concept — the theoretically feasible man-tank design is still attracting much attention after 27 years.

Yokoyama designed a series of robots based on war themes, with the legendary S.A.F.S. (for Independent Mercenary Corps) and P.K.A. (Panzer Kampf Anzug, main branches of the military forces of a democratic republic) being the most popular amongst military sci-fi fans. Yokoyama also created illustrations and real model set up for MA.K. columns, pushing MA.K. and his creative career to their peaks.

Yokoyama’s great friend Hiroshi Okamoto (also director of Toys McCoy) suggested making 12 inch S.A.F.S. figure back in 2004. As a result, the Billiken director Hiromoto Mihara was called upon for the production. The style is based on MA.K. series 14th armored soldiers hunting company ‘Egg Plant 6’ S.A.F.S. armor.

‘Keeping a balance with the figure inside the armor’, ‘maintaining authentic appearance and proportion’ are some of the most concerned issues, no wonder the development took no less than four years. Recreating the original scene, the cockpit meter is complete with green ray, blue light shimmering through the two side crash cushion. Each cockpit seat delicately lined with crash cushion, this figure showcases the highest level of craftsmanship.

SUPERMAN
Shop 222, 2F, CTMA Centre,
1 Sai Yeung Choi Street, Mong Kok,
Kowloon, Hong Kong.
+852 2366 2688

TOYS McCOY
www.toys-mccoy.com

KOW YOKOYAMA
homepage3.nifty.com/kow