Japanese model manufacturer Max Factory recently officially announced the long-anticipated commercialization project for a "masterpiece [[OBJ_1951]] model," revealing that the highly popular statue "Northern Tales" created by sculptor ke (Komakka) is slated for release in July 2023. This product will be available in two versions: a Standard Edition faithful to the original color scheme and a Repaint Edition based on a new black color palette.
"Northern Tales" is a [[OBJ_1951]] model work first unveiled by sculptor ke (Komakka) at WONDER FESTIVAL [Summer] in 2017. Created using digital modeling and 3D printing, it sculpts a bust of a long-haired girl in a snowsuit carrying a hunting rifle, accompanied by her partner, a fierce giant wolf with white fur. The work thoroughly captures the girl's resolute will and distant gaze, the brave giant wolf's ferocious appearance as it seeks to protect its master, and also meticulously details the wood grain of the hunting rifle, the stitching of the snowsuit, the flow of the giant wolf's fur, and its scars. The base is designed as a snow-covered mountain ridge with withered trees, evoking the frozen imagery of a northern land under ke (Komakka)'s specified white color scheme.
▼ Original digital model and painted sample.
The commercialized "Northern Tales" is presented in a 1/8 scale, standing approximately 18 cm tall. The material chosen is Polystone, which can significantly reproduce the intricate details of the original sculpt. Although the price is higher, Polystone can more easily capture details such as the wood grain of the hunting rifle, the stitching of the snowsuit, the flow of the giant wolf's fur, and its scars, compared to the often muddled details of PVC material used in general models, thus not wasting any of the sculptor's meticulously crafted precision. The color scheme is based on the snowy imagery of a frozen northern land, incorporating more cool tones like grayish-blue compared to ke (Komakka)'s original sample.
The concurrently released Repaint Edition features a drastically reversed black color scheme. Not only are the girl's and the giant wolf's fur changed to grayish-black, but details such as the hunting rifle's wood grain color, the grass-green coat, and the base no longer covered in ice and snow all evoke an image closer to the "warmer" south. Furthermore, the giant wolf's right eye is depicted as not blind in this version, suggesting a different backstory from the Standard Edition.
Northern Tales Normal/Repaint
Reference Price: JPY 63,800 each (tax included)
Estimated Release Date: 2023/07
Product Specifications: Polystone pre-painted finished product・1/8 scale model・Includes dedicated base・Overall height: approx. 180mm
Sculptor: ke (Komakka)
Paintwork: Hiroyuki Hirose (Decomas Lab)
©Komakka ke
via： Max Factory