Skylines on a Saturday: Kyosho's Nissan Skyline GT-R R33 NISMO 400R

Gear up for a bevy of Skyline features. I've got some TLV's sitting on the shelf, already starting to collect dust, waiting to be photographed and blogged. I just received a new package yesterday containing one very, very large Godzilla that I can't wait to show. And then we have the eight Kyosho's that I mentioned in my post yesterday, possibly with four more on the way. We'll start with that. Let's go in chronological order starting with the R33, also known as my favorite Skyline. I prefer to call it the best Skyline.

This is the NISMO 400R.

Stop me if you've seen this one before.

I couldn't help but put them side-by-side for a family photo.

A fraction of the size, but with nearly all the details. Now that's impressive. That's the kind of level that Kyosho is at and if you're new to the brand, now's a great time to jump in.

This Just In: The New Kyosho Lottery Set, With More Godzilla Than You Can Handle

I just received this in the mail today and could not wait to share my excitement with you guys.

This is the brand new Kyosho NISMO set featuring, you guessed it, Godzilla itself. It's the second in the new system of Kyosho lottery sets, the first consisting of McLarens, which I kind of liked but not enough to actually go out and get a set for myself. This, however, I had to have.

These aren't your standard GT-R's; they're NISMO tuned, meaning they're even wilder than you can imagine. I've long been a fan of the NISMO department's tasteful modifications. Here we have four different versions of the GT-R, spanning three generations, with two colors of each. The scary part is that's only the half of it. There's also a four-car set, featuring each of the four models here, but in matte black. I'm currently eyeing that set and will feature it if and when the time comes. Then there's a special version of the R35 GT3 whose price is completely out of my league. If that's not enough, there are a couple 1/43 models of the Nissan 2020 Vision Gran Turismo concept along with a 1/16 remote-controlled version of the GT3. How far will you be tempted?

Skyline fanboys across the world (and I know there are a lot of you out there), this is the set for you.

As an unashamed fanboy, this was a must-buy from day one. Having missed out on the previous Kyosho Skyline series, I had to redeem myself. Kyosho makes fantastic models and usually doesn't get the accolades that TLV gets. They operate a bit differently, but the end results are some of the best 1/64 pieces you'll find on the market. I'm here to tell you guys that these are basically TLV's at a fraction of the price.

Think about it. A blind boxed Kyosho used to retail for 500 yen - that's less than $5 on a good day, whereas a TLV retails for north of $20.

How do they compare? We'll find out in the next few days. The natural comparison here would be to pit Kyosho's R35 GT-R NISMO N-Attack with TLV's and see how they stack up. Having them both in hand, I already have my mind made up, which I will disclose in a future post. Nonetheless, look forward to seeing these models in all their glory in the coming days!

And Then There Were Two: Otto Mobile's 1/18 Nissan Skyline GT-R R33 NISMO 400R

Godzilla is back.

This is what happens when one in not enough: you go out and get a second. You know the saying: the grass is always greener on the other side. From one grail to another, here's the NISMO 400R, produced by Otto Mobile, in 1/18 scale.

The previous one, which I posted a couple weeks ago, is a NISMO R-Tune by AutoArt. Two R33 GT-R's. Two NISMO's. Matte black versus bright yellow. Gloss black wheels versus flat white wheels. The AutoArt is diecast; this one is resin (read: plastic). The former has opening parts, steering, and suspension. The latter has none of the above, So similar, yet so different.

This was really a spur-of-the-moment purchase. I did not know this model existed until I randomly went browsing around on the web. What a stunner it is. I had to have it. I thought about it for a few hours and ultimately made the decision. Was it worth it? You bet.

Being a resin model, I wasn't quite sure what I would be getting. I expected it to be like something you'd get from a plastic model kit, but already assembled for you. Maybe with a little more detail to justify the price. I did not expect to get a model that's actually heavier than its diecast counterpart. Yes, the plastic Godzilla is heavier than the metal Godzilla. This is some really thick plastic right here. It's rock-solid and has the quality feel you'd expect for a high-end piece. I don't have to be careful moving it around like I do with the AutoArt. To me, that's a huge bonus. Life's too short to worry about scratching a toy car. This is something you could probably give to a child and expect it to hold up just as well as a budget model such as a Maisto (try it at your own discretion). Advantage: resin.

That's essentially where the positives end. From a purely display-model standpoint, you have to give the benefit of the doubt to diecast. Resin models have a number of drawbacks. One, there are no opening parts. The interior detail is still there; you just can't access it without taking the car apart. I haven't tried myself, and I probably never will, but I'm willing to bet there's no engine under that hood. The underside of the car lacks detail. It's easily worse than any budget model you can find on the market right now. Two, there's no steering, meaning you can't "pose" the car for photos. For a photographer like me, it's a damn shame. Go back to my post of the AutoArt and compare the photos with the ones you see here. It really makes a big difference.

That's not to say this is a bad model; it's fantastic. The exterior details are all there. It looks just as good sitting on the shelf as the other one. As a collector, it ultimately boils down to which variant of the R33 (or whatever model you choose) that you prefer. Why not both?