27 July 2012

Daimyō, Edo Jidai

Subject: Daimyō, Edo Jidai
Stock No.: MS-003
Manufacturer: La Ruota del Tempo
Range: Historical Busts (MS)
Scale: 90mm
Sculpted by Victor Konnov
Adapted (Modified/Converted) by Roberto De Meo
Base Figure: Pegaso Kato Kiyomasa (90-040)
Medium: White Metal.
Parts: 10 + turned wooden pedestal.

I bought this 2011 release at this year's Atlanta Show. This 90mm bust is nothing more than a conversion ("adaptation") of Pegaso's 90mm K.Kiyomasa figure, an idea apparently conceived by Massimo Pasquali, who also painted the boxart.

I believe the very broad-brushed dating for this figure has been based on the provenance of the kabuto. I am still compiling information on this item, so I will address the helmet and the dating of the piece at greater length in a follow-up posting. Regardless, it was the kawari kabuto that prompted my purchase of this bust, as it is one of my favourite designs.

The changes to the base figure (or to be more accurate, to the parts from the base figure that were used: 10 vs. 23) are as follows:
  • New crest
  • Truncated arms
  • Kamon on jimbaori
Casting quality is quite good, though decidedly "heavy"--and I am not referring to the weight! Fit is average, give or take (G 1/2+): there will be some fitting revisions to make sure the jimbaori lies as it should: this is a legacy fault from the base kit. The right arm is fine; the left arm? Not so much. No matter what the miniaturist does, he or she will be faced--literally--with a vertical stump!


I am seriously considering molding the full left arm, adding a gunbai or saihai, and taking it from there.

Can I recommend this kit? NO. This bust is based on a figure with a plethora of problems, not a single one of which has been addressed in this iteration. Add to that questionable design, and unless you are willing to accept the bust as is, or to invest a significant amount of time into the piece, you will more than likely not be satisfied with the outcome.

FOLLOW-UP - 29.07.2012. . . I will replace the unsightly truncated left arm with the full arm from the base kit. While still on the drawing board, I am leaning toward a saihai so that I can control motion and depth.

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