Mattel Disney Pixar CARS 2 Diecast: Kimura Kaizo Is No Replacement Ref
Kimura Kaizo is an all-around great diecast. He is in scale, solid metal, heavy and full of great details.
Believe it or not, the purple body and his entire black “skirt” area is actually all one piece of metal – it’s NOT plastic! While his “hair” is plastic, it’s a solid, shiny and nicely done also – and fairly substantial feeling.
The fan is plastic but it’s appropriately detailed. His license plate reads FISHBWL which is odd but hardly a deal breaker.
So far, all the oversized-deluxe CARS have all been nicely done* – and so it is with Kimura Kaizo, the sumo ref – other than he’s hard to find on the shelf.
Thanks for the great pics, “John H.”
* There’s nothing really wrong with Sub Finn or Hydrofoil Finn design-wise, the problem is they shipped 80 million of them in 3 months.
metroxing
7 October 2012
Disney Pixar, Disney Pixar CARS 3, Mattel Disney Pixar Diecast CARS 3
5 Comments
Actually, this case hasn’t been found at retail at all, has it?
Last fresh case I saw at the local WM was the Pope case about a week ago, that case is well over a year old.
Anyone who can read Japanese know what is written on his fan?
All from the interweb…
Kimura: Common Japanese surname.
Kaizo: “Reorganize”, “Restructure” or “Reconstruct”.
Gyoji: Sumo referee.
Gunbai: That fan thing in his hand.
As for the gyoji’s gunbai , one side says “up” and the other says “down”. It also has the words nokkota and hakkeyoi just in case he forgets what to say. Kimura Shozaburo Hatakeyama Saburo who got knocked out on day four also has a note to himself to get out of the way of flying rikishi.
I’m not sure what they say exactly but there is probably some kanji and perhaps a family crest denoting which side of the gyoji family they are from. One that was for sale had a tiger facing off against a dragon.
There can also be notes to reminf the Gyoji to be honest, accurate, have good eyesight, etc.
Another correction: Sub Finn is a problem design-wise because he doesn’t have his breathing apparatus. Holley with Wings doesn’t have her tailfin.
CORRECTION: Mattel shipped 80 million Deluxe Finn’s in 3 DAYS.
I’ve not heard of anyone finding the case with Kimura, Funny Car Mater, and The Queen at any store in the US or UK… this case and the new case with Taia Decotura and Taco Truck Mater have been found in Singapore and France… Mattel needs to get new oversized cases to retailers in all countries.
Got this guy when splitting a case with another T5ADer. I haven’t opened him yet, but he looks great.