Photo courtesy of CCP JAPAN. ©KADOKAWA NH/1995

Source: CCP JAPAN

Photo courtesy of CCP JAPAN. ©KADOKAWA NH/1995

The Japanese figure manufacturer CCPJAPAN is now taking pre-orders for a high-quality model of the Gamera (1995) suit head from the movie GAMERA: THE GUARDIAN OF THE UNIVERSE (ガメラ 大怪獣空中決戦, Gamera: Daikaijū Kūchū Kessen, 1995). The latest work in the company's "Ultimate Phantom Modeling" (幻の究極造形, Maboroshi no Kyūkyoku Zōkei) series, the Gamera head is available as a finished painted version and as a garage kit on the CCPJAPAN direct sales site.

The "Ultimate Phantom Modeling Series" is a high-quality line from CCPJAPAN with the concept of "delivering works of ultimate modeling and coloring that will be called "phantoms" in future generations.

To commemorate the 60th anniversary of the birth of Gamera, the ultimate Gamera head model worthy of the series name has arrived! !

For this product, the prototype was created with the concept of "enjoying a product that is as close to the real thing as possible, despite being a resin cast product." It is based on a model copied from the same mold as the actual Gamera suit, the prototype for this head model was developed by Tomoo Haraguchi of the Heisei Gamera Modeling Department, who was in charge of the suit modeling for the Heisei Gamera Trilogy and GAMERA THE BRAVE (小さき勇者たち〜ガメラ〜, Chiisaki Yūsha-tachi Gamera, 2006).

Haraguchi himself sculpted and added some details specifically for this product, such as the addition of the back of the throat, which only he could recreate, as these details did not exist in the mold for the suit.

The greatest focus of the sculpture was on recreating the double structure of Gamera's eyeballs, which had a transparent membrane. Prototypes of the inside and outside of the eyeball were created, resulting in a reproduction that is as close as possible to the suit. The outer membrane was processed at the factory so that it fit perfectly into the eyeball, achieving the same three-dimensional, deep pupil as the actual Gamera head.

Another major point is that the material is a "cast product." Mass production of FRP is difficult and too expensive, and the size of soft vinyl molding is too large, so there is a risk of the mold softening and distorting over time. Taking these issues into consideration, CCP JAPAN chose to make the Gamera head as a cast product, taking into account issues such as reproduction of the mold, price range, and resistance to deterioration.

In addition, like the Gamera (1999) head model by Kokuryu Kobo previously released by CCP JAPAN, a pedestal is included, allowing the head to be displayed facing forward without having to be hung on a wall.

From the prototype to product development, the utmost care has been taken to ensure highest quality reproduction of the original suit head.

Photo courtesy of CCP JAPAN. ©KADOKAWA NH/1995

Photo courtesy of CCP JAPAN. ©KADOKAWA NH/1995

 

 

Tomoo Haraguchi. Photo courtesy of CCP JAPAN. ©KADOKAWA NH/1995

Profile of Tomoo Haraguchi

Born in 1960,  Mr. Haraguchi has been active in the special effects and molding industry for many years, working as a special makeup artist, molding artist, film director, special effects director, and in many other fields. Currently, he is also active as a restorer of movie props.  His directing credits include MIKADOROID (ミカドロイド Mikadoroido, 1991), SAKUYA (さくや 妖怪伝 Sakuya: Yōkai-den, 2000), DEATH KAPPA (デスカッパ Desu Kappa, 2010), and episodes of ULTRAMAN MEBIUS (ウルトラマンメビウス, Urutoraman Mebiusu, 2006) and ULTRAMAN GINGA (ウルトラマンギンガ, Urutoraman Ginga, 2013).

As a member of the Heisei Gamera Sculpting Department for the “Heisei Gamera Trilogy,” he was in charge of all Gamera sculpting and suit production for Gamera 1, 2, and 3.  He is still in charge of the Gamera suit reprint project, and is an indispensable figure in Heisei Gamera modeling.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Photo courtesy of CCP JAPAN. ©KADOKAWA NH/1995

■ Ultimate Phantom Modeling CCPJAPAN x Tomoo Haraguchi Gamera (1995) Head Model Painted Version (幻の究極造形 CCPJAPAN×原口智生 ガメラ（1995） ヘッドモデル 彩色版, Maboroshi no Kyūkyoku Zōkei CCPJAPAN× Haraguchi Tomoo Gamera (1995) Heddo Moderu Saishiki-ban)

The painted version was developed with the aim of giving the viewer a realistic feel, even though it is a factory-produced product.

The prototype was made in Haraguchi's workshop under his on-site supervision, and the painting was done by the monster model painter Sarutajira. A painted sample was made based on the actual Gamera (1995) suit head, with Haraguchi providing guidance on the paints used in the original production and the suit's condition on-site.

Photo courtesy of CCP JAPAN. ©KADOKAWA NH/1995

The color of the suit at the time and even the coloring of the blood vessels inside the mouth, which are not visible in the movie, are reproduced accurately. The blood vessels are painted with a fine airbrush and blended to reproduce the coloring inside the suit's mouth, achieving this realistic reproduction.

The eyeballs, which are the most important part of the suit, are painted with reference to the eyes in the actual suit. The irises of the actual Gamera suit are recreated by hand-painting with a brush.

Photo courtesy of CCP JAPAN. ©KADOKAWA NH/1995

The blood vessels around the edge of the eye are painted in detail, giving the monster suit a realistic feel that was completed on-site.

Left: Sample Gamera head Right: Painted product sample. Photo courtesy of CCP JAPAN. ©KADOKAWA NH/1995

The fangs are made of clear material, just like the actual suit, and are painted to resemble the slightly clean fangs immediately after the suit is completed.

Photo courtesy of CCP JAPAN. ©KADOKAWA NH/1995

In addition, this work even recreates the "gloss" to wash off dirt from filming and to recreate the state when the suit was filmed on-site, where water was poured over the suit to prevent it from becoming too matte when it is shown on screen.  By spraying a gloss finish on the protruding parts of the body surface, the realistic texture of the suit was replicated.

The color reproduction is so good that Haraguchi, who supervised on site, commented that it is "exactly like the real thing."

Photo courtesy of CCP JAPAN. ©KADOKAWA NH/1995

 

Suggested Retail Price: 120,000円 (Approximately $839.22 USD, Excluding Tax)

Release Date: September 2025 (Scheduled)

Size: Height Approx. 400mm x Width Approx. 330mm x Length Approx. 300mm (Height Approx. 15.7 Inches x Width Approx. 13 Inches x Length Approx. 11.8 Inches)

Material: Cast (PU/PS)

Ages: 15 Years Old And Up

Specifications: Painted Finished Product

Sculptor/Supervisor: Tomoo Haraguchi

Assistant Sculptor: Ryotaro Uryu

Painting: Sarutajira

Place of Manufacture: China

 

■ Ultimate Phantom Modeling CCPJAPAN x Tomoo Haraguchi Gamera (1995) Head Model Garage Kit Version (幻の究極造形 CCPJAPAN×原口智生 ガメラ（1995） ヘッドモデル ガレージキット版, Maboroshi no Kyūkyoku Zōkei CCPJAPAN× Haraguchi Tomoo Gamera (1995) Heddo Moderu Garēji Kitto-ban)

The garage kit version is also being released at the same time!

The biggest feature of the garage kit version is that it has been treated for burrs and parting lines and cleaned, allowing the modeler to start painting immediately. Although it is a large kit, it is a garage kit product that is very easy to paint by omitting the process of applying the base coat.

Photo courtesy of CCP JAPAN. ©KADOKAWA NH/1995

Photo courtesy of CCP JAPAN. ©KADOKAWA NH/1995

The iris of the eyeball is molded. The kit version also comes with eyeball covers, just like the painted version, so you can enjoy the three-dimensional eyes and the design is such that painters will not make mistakes with the line of sight.

The fangs are also reproduced in clear material, so you can enjoy painting them with a transparent texture just like the painted sample.

The number of parts is also small, with the Gamera body consisting of 7 parts: upper jaw, lower jaw, fangs x 2, tongue, and eyeball covers x 2, and the fact that it can be assembled in a few steps is one of the charms of this work.

In addition, the garage kit version will come with a "Gamera Head Coloring Guide" by Tomoo Haraguchi and painter Sarutajira for those who wish to paint the Gamera head themselves. The coloring guide is a valuable resource that includes testimony from Haraguchi about the paints he used at the time, as well as information from Sarutajira about the paints and painting methods used for the model.

 

Suggested Retail Price: 75,000円 (Approximately $524.51 USD, Excluding Tax)

Release Date: September 2025 (Scheduled)

Assembled Size: Height Approx. 400mm x Width Approx. 330mm x Length Approx. 300mm (Height Approx. 15.7 Inches x Width Approx. 13 Inches x Length Approx. 11.8 Inches)

Material: Cast (PU/PS)

Ages: 15 Years Old And Up

Specifications: Unpainted/Unassembled Kit

Sculptor/Supervisor: Tomoo Haraguchi

Assistant Sculptor: Ryotaro Uryu

Place of Manufacture: China

©KADOKAWA NH/1995

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About CCPJAPAN

CCPJAPAN's Unique Realism with Soft Vinyl

Soft vinyl is a half-century old technique in Japan. It is a hollow molded product obtained by polymerizing vinyl chloride monomer by pouring it into a mold and heating it, and the doll made through this process is called soft vinyl.

Hollow, lightweight, and unbreakable are the greatest characteristics of soft vinyl. The production speed is fast, and the cost of molds is inexpensive, making it a molding method that can produce a relatively small number of products for a small number of needs.

CCP has continued to produce works of manga, anime, and special effects, representative of Japanese POP culture, under the theme of “preserving them for posterity as three-dimensional materials. CCPJAPAN has continued to produce works based on the theme of “preserving Japanese pop culture, manga, anime, and special effects works as three-dimensional materials for posterity. Compared to fragile ceramics, CCPJAPAN produces mainly soft vinyl works that will last for hundreds or even thousands of years.

About 20 years ago, CCPJAPAN established a method of expressing realistic details and molding techniques for soft vinyl, and through its advanced coloring techniques, CCPJAPAN's works aim for greater realism. We hope you will experience the realism and unique sensibility of CCPJAPAN through our works.