Go Figure Felix world of miniature figure modelling : Fukushima Masanori VS Honda Tadakatsu

Here is my two in one review of Warpaint Studio Fukushima Masanori resin bust VS Alexandros Models Honda Tadakatsu resin bust. Both are daimyos from the late Sengoku period and both are wearing their famous distinctive kabuto (helmet).

Detail of the releases:

Title: Fukushima Masanori resin bust

Manufacturer: Warpaint Studio

Scale: 220mm (1:9)

Sculptor: Traditional hand sculpted by ?

Material & no. of pieces: 8 light grey resins

Cast by: MRK Productions

First released in 2010

The Warpaint Studio Samurai bust comes from my grey army. The limited edition kit was released in 2010 with different kit boxes. The kit for this review was from the initial release. It consists of 8 finely cast resin parts which packed in a ziplock bag and sandwiched with bubble wrap for protection.

The model was excellently sculpted and cast of a 200 mm bust kit of Fukushima Masanori. He is in his jinbaori and wearing his distinctive peach shaped kabuto (helmet), which featured a pair of imposing water buffalo horns. Carved in wood, they are lacquered black and covered in gold leaf. Despite its weighty appearance, it weighs only 2,650 grams. It originally belongs to Kuroda Nagamasa (黒田長政, 1568 -1623) a prominent military commander.

The horned helmet was used as a symbol of reconciliation when Fukushima exchanged his peculiar Ichi-No-Tani kabuto (inspired by the famous battle of Ichi-No-Tani from the Genpei War back in 1184 that Minamoto Yoshitsune won the battle by climbing down the steep valley) with Kuroda’s as a testimony of their friendship when they were reunited after fighting. It was during the postwar period after the Korean Invasion. The helmet was returned to the Kuroda family in 1844.

Ichi-No-Tani kabuto from Fukuoka City Museum, Japan.

Fukushima Masanori (福島正則, 1561 – August 26, 1624)

A Japanese daimyō of the late Sengoku period to early Edo period who served as lord of the Hiroshima Domain. A retainer of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, he fought in the Battle of Shizugatake in 1583, and soon became known as one of Seven Spears of Shizugatake which also included Katō Kiyomasa and others. In the Battle of Sekigahara between the Ishidas and Tokugawas in 1600, he sided with Tokugawa Ieyasu. Fukushima Masanori was made daimyo of Hiroshima after Sekigahara.

Title: O/136 Honda Tadakatsu resin bust

Manufacturer: Alexandros Models

Scale: 220mm (1:9)

Sculptor: Traditional hand sculpted by Myouchin

Material & no. of pieces: 23 grey resins

First released in 2022

The Alexandros Samurai bust was ordered from El Greco. The kit arrived in a colour printed box which featured box art by Alexandre Cortina. It consists of 23 grey resin parts which are packed in two plastic bags and sandwiched with shredded paper for protection.

The model was beautifully sculpted by Myouchin and cleanly cast of a 200 mm bust kit of Honda Tadakatsu. He is wearing his most famous suit of black armour featuring the remarkable 12 iron plates acorn-shaped bowl kabuto well known for its distinctive wakidate ("side crests") in the form of a deer's antlers, probably made of lacquered papier-mâché on wood, and was called the "Mitsumatakazuno" ("three-branched deerhorn helmet") with Shikami monster headerboard and a large gilt-wood Buddhist rosary slung over one shoulder on his body armour.

Honda Tadakatsu (本多忠勝, March 17, 1548 – December 3, 1610)

A Japanese samurai, general and daimyo of the late Sengoku through early Edo periods, who served Tokugawa Ieyasu. Honda Tadakatsu was one of the Tokugawa Four Heavenly Kings along with Ii Naomasa, Sakakibara Yasumasa and Sakai Tadatsugu. He was called a “samurai among samurai” by Oda Nobunaga.

Honda Tadakatsu was 57 years-old when he took part in the Battle of Sekigahara, commanding just 500 samurai on the field that day. In a charge on the Shimazu clan war camp, Tadakatsu’s horse was felled from under him by a volley of arrows. Tadakatsu too crashed to the earth unhurt. Pausing only momentarily to offer a brief prayer for his fallen horse, he then took the reigns from one of his captains and continued to fight.

Honda Tadakatsu also referred to as "The Warrior who surpassed Death itself" because he never once suffered a significant wound, despite being the veteran of over 57 battles by the end of his life and because he was never defeated by another samurai. He died in Edo in 1610, having cut his own hand during some woodcarving. Watching his blood flow from a blade wound for the first time.

Here are the casting parts.

Parts View

Kabuto View

Head View

Upper Torso View

Sode, cords and Rosary View

Final thoughts:

On Warpaint Studio’s - The Fukushima Masanori bust kit was released some twelve years ago. The bust is nicely sculpted with a fine face and with good eyes. It reminds me of the nine samurai bust kits put out by Fort Duquesne many years ago sculpted by Augie Rodriguez.

The resin parts are cleanly cast. The only part that is not historical accurate is the base of the horns which should be a lot thicker when compare with the museum photo. I have a model of this horn kabuto which is same scale as the bust in my grey army. Here are couples of pictures showing the size differences.

On Alexandros’s – An impressive piece from sculptor Myouchin. The kit is superbly sculpted with loads of detail (especially on the chain mail) with well researched parts. But there are still some parts which are historical inaccurate and questionable.

The casting is great and sharp but some of the small delicate parts should be cast in white metal. The only problem is with the small kit box. The two rosary necklaces suppose to come as two long pieces. But mine are shattered during packing or shipping and a ring for the cord on the back side of one of the sode is missing. There are just too many small delicate parts that are stuffed in a small kit box which will tend to break easily during packing and shipping. Anyway, a beautiful kit for you to consider adding to your collection.