How to...

[disturbman]

... be informed of upcoming releases (I mean for this year or next year) from japanese manufacturers (Kato, TOmix, Micro Ace...)?

 

Is it even remotely possible?

 

I would like to check if something nice is coming but I really don't know how.

[Tenorikuma]

Outside of Japan, I'm not sure. In Japan, they all put out poster-sized flyers with their new releases for upcoming months, and these get put up at hobby shops. Additionally, some of the Japanese model railroading magazines have a section showing all that month's new releases.

 

There's a shop nearby me that scans some of the posters. You can see the latest Tomix and Tomytec ones at their blog: http://wamunagoya.exblog.jp/

Update: looks like said scans come straight from the Tomix website: http://www.tomytec.co.jp/tomix/

 

Some of Green Max's upcoming new releases are listed here: http://www.greenmax.co.jp/Schedule/GMschedule02.shtml

However, I suspect it's missing a few items, like a building kit I know about.

 

Micro Ace's upcoming releases are listed here: http://www.microace-arii.co.jp/release/index.html

There's a scan of their release poster announcing releases for this October-December.

 

Kato's major upcoming releases are shown by month here: http://www.katomodels.com/distribution/upcoming.shtml

 

Modemo: http://www.hasegawa-model.co.jp/modemo-new.html

 

Handy Japanese tip: "月" means "month", so "4月" is April, "7月" is July, and so on.

[disturbman]

Thanks a lot! I had hope to be able to see farer in the future but I guess I will have to hire some Cristall Ball reader. 

[cteno4]

Also watch Hobbysearch as they tend to post things weekly as soon as announced. they have a weekly newsletter you can sign up for and they have reserve list available on the site showing most of the main stuff being released in the next 2 to 3 months that can be reserved.

 

doug coster also has lots of release info on his blog usually:

 

http://jmtn.wordpress.com/

 

cheers,

 

jeff

[David]

This was just linked to in response to a discussion about Kato's catalogue and how upcoming items are advertised.

 

I have a question about Kato's advertising - between this

http://www.katomodels.com/distribution/upcoming.shtml

and this

http://www.katomodels.com/distribution/schedule.shtml

 

How can you tell which items are new (first release), and which are re-releases? I can spot quite a number of items in the upcoming posters that are definitely re-releases (passenger cars in January I think, 110 in Febuary, 64-1000 in March).

[CaptOblivious]

This was just linked to in response to a discussion about Kato's catalogue and how upcoming items are advertised.

 

I have a question about Kato's advertising - between this

http://www.katomodels.com/distribution/upcoming.shtml

and this

http://www.katomodels.com/distribution/schedule.shtml

 

How can you tell which items are new (first release), and which are re-releases? I can spot quite a number of items in the upcoming posters that are definitely re-releases (passenger cars in January I think, 110 in Febuary, 64-1000 in March).

 

That's easy :D In the schedule, new releases are marked "NEW" in the leftmost column. In the flyers, there is not usually any such marking you are just expected to either know, or to cross-check with the production schedule. That said, anything marked (translation: "Best Selection") is generally, but not always, a re-release. (The recent JR East "Hokutosei" release was marked as a "Best Selection" despite being a brand new product.) Sometimes new items are flagged as "New!" in the flyers too, but again, Kato is inconsistent about this.

 

Best to just check the production schedule.

[David]

Thanks!

 

Granted, the second item I see that is "New" is 貨物列車セット（6両）  (the 10-809 6 car freight set), an item whose "new" status has already vexed me - the Yo 5000 used to be sold individually but is now only seems available as part of this upcoming set. It's something of a special brake car to me since it's the only one I know that supports the Kato 11-209 lighting kit for the interior (it's probably the shortest piece of rolling stock that Kato has the lighting kit contacts built into).

[to2leo]

This was just linked to in response to a discussion about Kato's catalogue and how upcoming items are advertised.

 

I have a question about Kato's advertising - between this

http://www.katomodels.com/distribution/upcoming.shtml

and this

http://www.katomodels.com/distribution/schedule.shtml

 

How can you tell which items are new (first release), and which are re-releases? I can spot quite a number of items in the upcoming posters that are definitely re-releases (passenger cars in January I think, 110 in Febuary, 64-1000 in March).

 

Thanks for letting me know, I always wonder what that logo mean.

 

That's easy :D In the schedule, new releases are marked "NEW" in the leftmost column. In the flyers, there is not usually any such marking you are just expected to either know, or to cross-check with the production schedule. That said, anything marked (translation: "Best Selection") is generally, but not always, a re-release. (The recent JR East "Hokutosei" release was marked as a "Best Selection" despite being a brand new product.) Sometimes new items are flagged as "New!" in the flyers too, but again, Kato is inconsistent about this.

 

Best to just check the production schedule.

[Guest ___]

Also, the Yahoo groups tend to post a lot of upcoming releases as well. don't forget Yahoo.

[jappomania]

Hi!

inside Tomix site, if you wanna know future release better is

http://www.tomytec.co.jp/tomix/products/kettei/seihinkakettei.htm

 

ciao

Massimo