In case you've ever spent a Saturday mid-day hunched more than a cutting mat, you probably understand exactly why a good aoshima liberty walk kit is a satisfying project in order to tackle. There's simply something about that aggressive, wide-body visual which makes a regular plastic model look like an item of art once it's finished. I've built a reasonable share of Tamiya and Hasegawa packages through the years, but I keep coming back again to Aoshima's Liberty Walk series because they capture a specific kind of vehicle culture that seems alive.
Liberty Walk, or LB-Works as they're frequently called, is focused on that will "shakotan" style—ultra-low suspension, massive overfenders, and a "don't care what the purists think" attitude. Wataru Kato, the guy behind the brand name, basically revolutionized exactly how we look with supercars. When Aoshima made a decision to scale these right down to 1/24, these people didn't just create a toy; they captured that rebellious spirit.
The Benefit of the particular Wide-Body Look
The first issue you notice when a person open an aoshima liberty walk box is the pure width of the entire body parts. Most model kits are pretty delicate, yet these ones feel beefy. You're looking at these huge fender flares that you normally have to attach yourself, also it totally transforms the silhouette of the vehicle. Whether it's an R35 GT-R or a Lamborghini Huracan, the particular wide-body treatment provides the car a presence that a stock kit just can't match.
I think the reason these types of kits are so well-known is that they will let us own a version of a vehicle that would cost hundreds of thousands of dollars within real life. Let's be honest, most of us aren't going in order to be cutting the particular fenders off a real Ferrari in order to bolt on the wide-body kit anytime soon. But on my workbench? I can end up being as wild as I want.
What's Inside the particular Box?
Aoshima does an excellent job with their product packaging. The box artwork is usually the gorgeous photo or even a high-end make of the car which makes you want to start building immediately. Once you get inside, you'll find the normal sprues of plastic, but the outstanding parts are frequently the wheels and the decals.
One of the best reasons for the aoshima liberty walk range is the steering wheel selection. They frequently include licensed tires from brands like Forgiato or LD97, and the fit is usually place on. Aoshima furthermore includes "stretched" auto tires, which is a small detail yet it's huge intended for the overall look. In case the tires weren't stretched, the car wouldn't have that authentic "stanced" look that Liberty Walk is famous for.
The particular decals are one more highlight. You obtain all the coordinator stickers, the "Imagine all the individuals living life in peace" slogans, and the Japanese rising sun motifs. Putting those decals upon is usually the most stressful part of the build intended for me, but it's also the almost all rewarding. It's the stage where the car finally prevents looking like a plastic toy plus starts looking like a show car.
The Building Experience
If you're used to kits exactly where everything just snaps together, you might find a good aoshima liberty walk kit the little more challenging, but in a good way. They aren't necessarily "difficult, " but they need a bit more patience. You'll be doing a few "fender surgery" on some of the particular older kits where you have to reduce away the initial wheel arches to generate room for the wide-body parts.
It sounds frightening, but it's actually pretty fun. This makes you feel like a real customizer. You take the hobby saw or a sharp hobby knife, trim the plastic, and after that test-fit the new fenders. Aoshima generally designs these sets so the parts fit together quite well, though the little bit associated with sanding and putty is almost constantly a good concept to get individuals seams perfect.
The suspension is another area where Aoshima shines. Many associated with their LB-Works packages come with adjustable elevation and camber. This particular is a game-changer. You can choose to possess the car sitting "stock" (though nobody does that) or you can slam it right down to the ground with a lot of negative camber. Getting that perfect "tuck" or "poke" along with the wheels is a bit of an art form.
Painting These Monsters
When it arrives to painting an aoshima liberty walk kit, you can really go one of two ways. You are able to go for the classic, clean look—maybe a bright white or even a deep precious metal blue—or you are able to proceed full "Tokyo Car Salon" with crazy colors and liveries.
Due to the fact the cars possess so much surface area area thanks to the broad fenders, they're excellent for practicing your airbrushing. I've seen some incredible plots where people perform custom "marbelizer" results or use color-shifting paints. Personally, I'm a fan associated with the "Grigio Telesto" grey which you observe on a large amount of LB-Works Lamborghinis. It appears mean, industrial, and really lets the shadows highlight the body lines.
One tip if you're building one associated with these: don't rush the clear coating. These kits have a lot of corners and crevices because of the bolt-on fenders. If you go as well heavy with all the paint, you'll lose the detail from the "rivets" that are cast into the plastic material. You desire those rivets to pop, as they're a signature bank area of the Liberty Walk look.
Exactly why Aoshima Over Various other Brands?
There are other companies making wide-body model kits, but Aoshima includes a certain "flavor" that I really appreciate. They've been in the game for a long time, plus they clearly possess a good relationship with all the real Liberty Walk crew in Japan. This means the particular proportions are usually very accurate to the real-life cars.
Also, Aoshima isn't afraid to become a bit experimental. They've released "Easy Model" versions of a few Liberty Walk cars that come pre-painted, which is great for people who would like the look without having the hassle associated with a spray booth. But for the particular hardcore builders, the particular standard kits provide plenty of area for customization. You can swap parts in between different kits, include photo-etched detail components, or even scratch-build your personal interior move cages.
Coping With the "Curbside" Factor
Almost all aoshima liberty walk kits are usually "curbside" models. For those who don't understand the lingo, that will means they don't have a detailed engine under the hood. For some people, that's the dealbreaker. They would like to spend hours plumbing tiny spark plug wires plus painting valve addresses.
I used to end up being one of these people, but I've actually come to prefer curbside packages for these specific builds. When the car is slammed to the ground along with a massive wide-body kit, primary is 100% on the exterior. By not having to consider the particular engine bay, I actually can spend even more time obtaining the paint finish like cup and making sure the particular stance is absolutely perfect. Plus, much more the build move the bit faster, which is nice when a person have an enormous "stash" of unbuilt sets staring at you from the corner.
Tips for Your First Build
If you're thinking about selecting up your first aoshima liberty walk kit, my biggest advice would be to take your time with the test-fitting. Just before you touch any kind of glue or paint, hold the body parts together with some masking tape. Check out how the tires sit in the wells. If you want that ultra-low look, you may need to trim some of the interior plastic that will you'll never observe anyway.
Also, purchase a good place of decals setting solutions. Since these types of kits have a lot of curves plus angles, the decals can be complicated to obtain flat. The bit of Mini Sol or Mark Fit Strong will help the decals "melt" into the paint and look like these people were painted on. It makes a huge difference in the result.
Last Thoughts
At the end of the day, constructing an aoshima liberty walk package is simply plain fun. It's a crack from the super-serious, bolt-for-bolt accuracy associated with some other model types. It's about style, attitude, and the joy of seeing a little version of the popular car sitting upon your desk.
Whether you're a lifelong modeler or someone simply looking for the cool new hobby, these kits are usually a great way to get innovative. There's a massive community of contractors online sharing their particular LB-Works projects, and it's always inspiring to find out how various people interpret the same kit. So, if you observe among those bright containers at your local pastime shop or on-line, grab it. You might just find yourself addicted in order to the wide-body lifestyle.