In the late 1990s, a small Osaka workshop, I.A Company, dedicated a series of 1/10 scale resin garage kits to Hokuto no Ken, sculpted by Date Yuzuru. These were obscure pieces, delivered in raw resin to be assembled and painted, and they have become rare today.
Details
Five warriors in 1/10 scale
The lineup brings together five characters, all at the same scale. The hero Kenshiro and his elder brother Raoh stand alongside Toki, the wisest of the Hokuto brothers, as well as two iconic figures from the manga, Rei of Nanto Suichoken and Kaioh, the last rasho of Shura. Each kit was offered in raw resin to be assembled and painted by the buyer, with prices ranging from 5,500 to 8,500 yen depending on the piece.
Kaioh deserves a special mention. I.A Company depicted him in his unarmored version, face uncovered, as he appears during his final confrontation, a rare staging choice.
Placing the lineup in context
These kits date from the late 1990s; a marker places them after October 1998. This was a time when several Osaka workshops were producing garage kits under the license, each with its own sculptor and preferred scale. I.A Company, with its 1/10 scale line sculpted by Date Yuzuru, stands apart from Kaiyodo’s resin ranges, which are older and produced in 1/12 and 1/15 scales.
Finding them today
Since the lineup remained very obscure, these kits are hard to track down. They pop up from time to time on Yahoo Auctions and Mercari, most often as unassembled raw resin, sometimes as already painted builds. A curiosity for fans of vintage garage kits, best reserved for the most dedicated collectors.