Introduction

Aoshima has been kitting fine 1/700 Waterline Series models since the 1970s. Once a good selection of warships were available the series expanded into auxiliary and support vessels. One of Aoshima's kits in that category is HIJMS Mamiya. This kit has been reissued in the 1/700 Kantai Collection series, models supporting a computer game KanColle, "Combined Fleet Girl Collection." This is KanColle model No. 24.

Mamiya is also available in the historic waterline series as No.558, and with photo-etch as "Super Detail", and finally in a set with Mamiya's executioner USS Sealion.

Mamiya

Mamiya was one of the IJN Supply and Special Service Ships (Kyuryokan). Laid down in October 1922, Mamiya was beached by a typhoon in 1936 and suffered a collision in mid-1943. Mamiya encountered the shooting war in October 1943 when she is torpedoed by USS Cero. Again torpedoed and damaged months later, Mamiya finally was sunk by USS Sealion in late December 1944.

MAMIYA was one of the IJN's two purpose-built refrigerated fleet supply ships. She carried provisions to support 18,000 men for three weeks and had stalls for 50 head of cattle below-decks. MAMIYA was fitted with enhanced radio equipment. During fleet maneuvers, she sometimes played the role of an American battleship. She was capable of transporting aircraft on her afterdeck.

Dimensions 475' x 61' x 27'
Displacement 15,280-tons
Machinery VTE steam engines, 8 Kampon boilers, 2 shafts, 10,00 bhp.
Speed 14 knots
Armament 2 x 140mm (5.51-in.)/50 cal LA, 2 x 80mm (3-in)/40 cal HA-
Crew 284*

In the box

I admit that I don’t know the release date of the original Aoshima 1/700 waterline IJN Mamiya. Sprue W which holds aircraft, guns and auxiliary pieces has "1994" molded on it. Aoshima upgraded the tooling for some of their kits sometime in the 1990s and perhaps again since then.

Aoshima packaged the model in a conventional lid/tray box. Box art shows an anime girl with a basket of fruit on one arm and offering a dish of some fruit.

Inside the box are 7 gray and clear sprues (including a one-piece hull), weight, decals and other items sealed in plastic bags:

Sprue A: decks, superstructures, ventilator cowls, stacks

Sprue B: superstructures, bulkheads, gunnery decks, stack tops, automatic guns

Sprue C: clear glazing

Sprue D: cranes, masts, davits, winches, 140mm guns

Sprue W x 2: general IJN “Leviathan” (cruiser) AA batteries and mounts; auxiliary boats; AAA guns; floatplanes; anchors; davits; searchlights

Hull (one-piece)

Metal ballast weight

Decals (waterslide)

Mamiya KanColle trading card

Pre-colored photo-etch fret of Mamiya KanColle plaques (including a really cool compass with separate arrows)

"Peel-n-stick" sheet of Mamiya KanColle stickers

Molding is very good with sharp parts, no flash, minor mold seam lines, no sink marks, and no visible ejector circles. Some sprue connectors are disconcertingly thick - those on the davits - yet many are acceptably thin for most parts.

Typical of waterline series models, the minuscule ladders and other fittings are molded onto parts, as are many other deck and bulkhead details. Still, Aoshima always did a good job of making these items as small as practical. Good surface detail includes recessed and relief detail, as appropriate. Fine sharp portholes and cleats detail the hull and superstructure. Surface detail includes deck lockers and machinery: capstans, windlasses, winches, and miscellaneous machinery. While none is included in this kit, there are photo-etch sets available to superdetail the model with parts more to scale. Aoshima masts and pipes and ducts are commendably fine in diameter.

According to the instructions, modelers are expected to drill out some holes to attach parts presumably unique to Mamiya.

Detail

Surface detail I rate as good and above average – sharp yet fine. Decks are detailed with oversized simulated planking. Bulwarks are cast simply smooth with no attempt to simulate any canvas coverings or railings - except for the hull. Aoshima molded many dorade boxes, stowage lockers and other protrusions on the decks. These may prove challenging to paint. Superstructure sides have hatches and portholes, ladders and stairs, plus other miscellaneous ship details. Most of these items are molded on.

A forest of tiny vent cowls and cranes and stands and antennas will add visual appeal and detail.

A category with which I judge model ships is the fidelity of scale and detail of masts and arms. Granted, the kit parts are not as willowy as etched pieces yet they are impressive for injection molding. Not only that but some masts are multi-part assemblies.

One sprue that I was not expecting is the clear sprue. It holds clear bands for the bridge windows and a searchlight.

Several aircraft of four types are provided on sprue W. Included floatplanes are the monoplane E13A1 "Jake" and three biplanes:

Type 94 Kawanishi E7K2 “Alf”
Type 95 Nakajima E8N2 “Dave”
Type 0 Mitsubishi F1M2 “Pete”

The aircraft sprue is amazing - the detail is remarkable! Aircraft are molded with separate stabilizers and floats (even outriggers!), propellers, and interplane struts and top wings for the biplanes!

Finally, whaleboats and launches. Boats have basic detail within them. Overall, I consider this kit to be above average.

Instructions, painting, decals

The instruction sheet is fairly short. It lacks any historical description of Mamiya. It is, however, full of KanColle cartoon images.

As the modeler unfolds the instruction sheet an inventory of sprues is revealed. (Oddly, sprue W is not shown.) Next the modeler is led along a traditional multi-step (with sub-steps) assembly process. The line art directions are clear and well organized. Some parts are keyed to colors listed in the painting guide. Finally, a basic painting guide shows the ship in profile and planform.

Paints referenced are GSI and Mr. Color. Seven are listed. The colors are listed with an English translation.

Decals? A c.1970s paper sheet of faux darkened bridge windows and Kyokujitsu-ki (Rising Sun Flag) and a sheet of hinomaru for the aircraft. My only negative observation is that the tiny hinomaru have excess carrier film.

Conclusion

Aoshima has kitted a good looking model of this unusual supply ship. Detail and molding quality is to a high standard. The one-piece hull will simplify assembly yet it looks good. I think all of those cowls will enhance the model.

Some sprue connectors are disconcertingly thick.

Modelers of the Nihon Kaigun (the Japanese Navy) who seek more than warship models will appreciate Mamiya. The real ship had a long career and an active wartime role, affording maritime diorama modelers a lot of choices. The model is detailed and looks to be a straightforward build. I have had a favorable impression of Aoshima Waterline models since the 1970s and Mamiya looks like it will continue the trend.

Until this kit arrived in the mail I had never heard of KanColle, so I have nothing objective to say about it other than I read that it is very popular in Japan. As such, Mamiya Food Supply Ship KanColle should be very popular. I recommend Mamiya.

KanColle

As many already know, Anime has a huge cultural popularity within the Asian market, more specifically within Japan, but has been increasing in popularity around the world exponentially to where is has become close to a two and one half Billion dollar industry year. While TV, movies and Manga contribute largely to the profits, merchandizing through toys, roleplaying and web-browser games, figures and even plastic models in the form of Gundam, tanks, ships and more have made their claim to the success.

From the world of Anime, Kadokowa Games has teamed up with Aoshima to provide scaled versions of the historic Japanese Naval vessels depicted in a vastly popular free online web-browser game, Kancolle. Kancolle or the unabriviated version,Kantai Collection, quite literally translates into Combined Fleet. Fitting since the name of the series is subtitled “Combined Fleet Girl Collection”.
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Sources

* Bob Hackett, Sander Kingsepp and Peter Cundall. KYURYOKAN Stories of the IJN's Supply and Special Service Ships. [http://www.combinedfleet.com/] 11 October 2015.

Bob Hackett, Sander Kingsepp and Peter Cundall. KYURYOKAN. IJN MAMIYA: Tabular Record of Movement. [http://www.combinedfleet.com/Mamiya_t.htm] 11 October 2015.