Ahoy Tim Very cool and funky indeed. Thanks again for taking the time to post this story. Cheers Sean

Well, if it entices youngsters into the hobby...

Believe it or not, in Japan these things are not targeted at youngsters. There are modelers in Japan who specialize in caricature kits in the same way someone might specialize in 1/35th AFVs or 1/48th aircraft, and like any other Japanese pursuit, their objective is to perfect their technique. As a matter of pop culture, the Japanese seem to be fascinated with "cuteness", which is why you see so many Japanese manufacturers coming out with all these caricature kits. One might think of them as something akin to the old AMT and Monogram show-rod kits which, while having kid-appeal, were really marketed to an older crowd.