“Two Tigers” Kato Kiyomasa-Korea 1592

Hi Everyone,

Here is my review of the “Two Tigers” Kato Kiyomasa-Korea 1592.

Detail of the release

Title: “Two Tigers” Kato Kiyomasa-Korea 1592

Scale: 65 mm

Manufacture by: ?

Sculptor: Andy Pickard

Material & no. of pieces: 20 white metal, 1 cream colour resin and 1 piece is missing

Order from: My grey army

The “Two Tigers” comes from my grey army in a sturdy white cardboard box with small parts housed in two small zip lock plastic bag with the larger parts wrapped in bubble wrap for protection. It consists of 20 white metal and 1 resin parts. It depicts in a vignette where Kato Kiyomasa engaged in an intense tiger hunt during the invasion of Korea in 1592.

Kato Kiyomasa was one of the three senior commanders during the Seven-Year (Imjin) War (1592–1598) invasions of Korea. During the war, he apparently hunted tigers for sport, using his yari, and later presented the pelts to Toyotomi Hideyoshi. Some versions of the story say he was in fact hunting tigers to catch them alive, in order to bring their meat to Hideyoshi, as he thought it would improve his lord's health, but later, the tigers were killed because of the lack of food for his men. Kiyomasa was also a renowned castle-builder.

Here are the casting parts.

Parts View

Kabuto, Head and Armour View

Tanto, Tachi and Yari View

Tiger with white metal teeth view

Base View

Final thoughts:

I bought this kit back in the late eighties or early nineties. The sculpting and casting was ok but could be more refined. The kit was missing the yari staff which I replaced it with a brass rod. The figure base could be cast in resin rather than a heavy slab of white metal. For Kato hunting tiger, it is a rare subject matter and has not been “touched” in the Samurai figure kit market which make this a rare kit to have in my collection.

Another Kato hunting a tiger figure kit? 

Back in June 2024, figure sculptor Talant Soodanbekov messaged me regarding he would like to sculpt Samurai again and was asking for my input for references and poses. I suggested to him about Kato hunting tiger in Korea which would make a very nice figure vignette. He was very interested of the idea.

In February 2025, I received an email from him stating he had retired from military miniatures. He was not happy to cast individual parts separately. He apologized he did not make the Kato hunting tiger sculpt. Let’s hope may be one of these days he would change his mind and this particular sculpt could be seen the light of day.

My Rating Summary:

Please check out my Samurai Resources on Kato Kiyomasa.

KATO KIYOMASA - A COLLECTION OF PHOTO IMAGES

KATO KIYOMASA - A COLLECTION OF WOODBLOCK PRINTS

Thank you for looking!