I'd be out a kidney...
Resin Ma.K. kits have come a long way. Not just as in production quality, but their availability to folks outside of Japan. The majority of licensed Ma.K. GKs normally come from Japan and South Korea. These licensed GK Kits traditional debuted and were only sold over two days at Japan's winter and summer Wonder Festivals. In recent years, some have become available through mail order directly from the GK producer, JP hobby web retailers like HLJ.com and through brick and mortar Japanese hobby shops after release at Wonder Festival. I went the days when the only way I could get my hands on a JP WF licensed Ma.K GK was to buy it from a private seller on Yahoo Japan. After shipping and proxy commissions, typically I would spend three times more than what the kit sold for at WF. It was a very expensive venture then.
The SIRENE is the latest licensed garage kit to come from an American based GK producer. You don't have to wait for Wonder Festival to get it either. This beauty is from the Garage of FUTCH FACTOR. 99.9% of the model is based on Kow's design/build. FUTCH has been producing some of the most iconic Ma.K designs in resin for at least 10 years, all of which can be seen HERE.
What's in the box...
But first, rather let's look at what is to the kit's box being the packaging is part of a Ma.K. kit's charm. The box art is straightforward and clean. The kit's parts come packed in a nice flip top box which is the packaging of choice for high-end GK producers. The cardboard is strong and has a nice weight to it. The strength of the box combined with ample interior bubble wrap protects the parts ensuring a smooth transit for resin. A bonus for kit collector because it will store well.
The first thing I notice upon unwrapping the resin is how crisp a cast the kit's parts are. Futch's kit is up there quality wise and hangs with kits produced by HexaModels, Love Love Garden, Rainbow Egg and WHP (aka Workers Holiday Party).
Part organization: resin parts are nicely separated in packets.
Clean resin casting- I anticipate doing very little part cleaning.
Nice directions. The layout is thoughtful, the steps clear and the kit's parts are well drawn and easy identifiable.
True to old school Ma.K kits, an assortment of multimedia parts of resin, metal springs, rod and wire make up the kit. The kit even comes with lens for the turret sensors.
My Two Cents.....
I've bought many Ma.K. GK resin over the past six years. Most of the kits require many hours of work to build because of casting quality issues, warped resin or parts from styrene donor kits are required to complete the build. While those kits are fun, if you want to get to painting or spend time personalizing your model and still want a big boy build, then this is the right Ma.K. GK kit. Good thing for resin addicts it's available now here.
Thanks and congratulations to Futch for completing and making his kit available. A big thank's to Kow for creating the SIRENE and blessing Ma.K fans with supporting Futch's release of it.