I remember several years ago posting a question on MCCH asking what was so appealing about Tomica. I was almost exclusively a Matchbox collector with a dabble here and there with Hot Wheels, but Tomica was way off my radar.
I saw so many people on MCCH going gaga over the newest Tomica, and wondered why. What I saw were a plethora of models that looked like they sat too high, had wheels that were too small, and generally didn’t look the part.
When I asked the question, I got a variety of answers. Moving parts. Weight. Variety. The answer that intrigued me the most was that what appealed so much about Tomica was that the models were…Tomica. What I gather that means is consistency, but also that once you get it, you get it. Finally, I am really starting to get it.
Tomica knows what they are doing. Every basic model they do has that Tomica charm, and it does grow on you. Since I have started showing Tomica here on the blog, I have gotten responses from those that love the models, like I do now, and those that wonder what the big deal is about, like I was a few years ago. I can sympathize with both sides.
But I will say this. If you wonder what Tomica is capable of, look at two things. One, ignore the wheels on any basic model and look at the body. It is almost always spot on. Two, have a gander at the Tomica Limited and Limited Vintage (TLV) lines. I don’t think 1:64 gets any better. Soon, I will show the TLV Skyline Wagon. It is just plain incredible.
But now, how about the Tomica Limited Nissan GT-R SpecV? You don’t have to like Tomica, but I think you can appreciate how nice this model is.
And remember, you can find many of these models at Daboxtoys Model Cars, where Felix is offering a 7.5% discount to any Lamley follower. Just use the promo code “Lamley”.
Or find more Tomica Limited here…
Tomica Limited Nissan GT-R SpecV:
With its Tomica basic counterpart:
I think much of Tomica's appeal lies with its other-ness … the very idea that it's foreign, and isn't very readily available here, makes it automatically interesting to a segment of the population who craves something other than a wall of blue cards. Many are cars not done by other makers, and when you get through the home-market names (Datsun B210 vs Nissan Sunny Excellent, for example) you can have a range of models commonly seen on American streets, but which other makers are unwilling to touch.
Details like opening doors, sprung suspension and separate headlights are all items that we remember from our childhood diecast past. Tomica still has them, for the most part; other models do not.
They are also remarkably consistent. When they came out in 1970, Tomica patterned itself (it appears to me, anyway) on Matchbox: cars in boxes, good play value, fidelity to detail, realistic day-to-day vehicles including truck and construction models, and even the wheels had a transitional Matchbox vibe about them. Cars were numbered in the Tomica line, and the number was cast into the chassis. Forty-odd years on, the pattern remains the same: just about all of the above featured remain. I think this consistency helps newer collectors delve into the past. More than a couple of Matchbox fans have lamented to me about how their brand strayed, while Tomica has stayed on message.
At the same time, they're not gimmicky. They're honest little models, for the most part (ignores Pokemon car for the moment). Wrap it all together, and they are charming in their own deliberate way.