Wonder Festival is a semiannual event for mostly amateur figure modelers and sculptors to display and sell their latest "garage kit" creations, held at the Makuhari Messe convention center. Our grape Japan staff covered the Winter session last Sunday and selected a few highlights which we feel showcase some of the incredible variety and creativity of the works on display.

Let's take a look!

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Kirin Neko (Monster Hunter) by Heaven Monkey

One of the special cats that can be unlocked by playing the Event Gacha during the Monster Hunter Collaboration Event in Battle Cats (Japan only).

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"'Cry of the Machine: CRAUDONICA' Quadriped walker D.O.R.A.: 'Ugomeku akui to yukan na orokamono' (Squirming evil and the courageous fool) Ver. 1.5", by kenz.

Background story: "A team of interplanetary explorers land on a far away planet with an ancient civilization guarded by giant robot soldiers called Craudonica. Converting the explorers' work pods into armed vehicles called Daedal Offensive Ride Armor D.O.R.A., a multi-species team of bounty hunters calling themselves the Subjugation Squad faces off against this terrible foe."

In our brief conversation with creator kenz, he revealed that some of the designs for the creations representing his imaginative world had surprisingly mundane origins: For example, the shape of this D.O.R.A.'s legs were inspired by the upper arm of a common stapler, and elsewhere, he used a mechanical pencil lead case.

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Untitled "Space Sculpture" by TanaKaiga (Kenji Tanaka)

Creator Kenji Tanaka's optimistic and retro-futuristic designs are inspired by things that piqued his interest and made him happy in his youth, namely the Soviet space program and cats. In addition to robots and matryoshka dolls, at this Wonder Festival, he presented these sculptures of female Soviet-era astronauts clad in gold spacesuits, incongruously positioned in nonchalant poses while playing with cats.

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Cultural Division Student Council President Nonon Jakuzure from the anime Kill la Kill (Design: Shintaro Egashira), by modelling collective Yutori Jedi

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Shin Godzilla and Second Form "Kamata-kun" Godzilla by Jiro Kobo

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Chibi Pug-Mimi Shojo (Chibi Pug-Eared Girl) by eyewater.

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Title unknown by sculptor Akishi Ueda, presenting as member of modelling collective Flying Megalopolis

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Title unknown by Yasuhito Udagawa of Craft Factory Shovel Head

David with Promise Package by Hi-raging 2629

The artist creates futuristic humanoid combat mecha inspired by mythology and ancient civilizations.

Background story: A royal astral body which governed Israel, David is said to be the oldest of all astral bodies. On its back, David carries the Ark of the Covenant which can channel the consciousness of people around it into pure energy (...) David relies on others but has little awareness of doing so. The Hexa Darts attached to both arms collects surrounding stones, purifies them and turns them into projectiles."

Passionlip (shell gathering ver.) from the game Fate/Extra-CCC, by nek0m1nt

If you'd like to know more about Wonder Festival, please see their website here.