Interview with JC Hong about the figure:
Following the official introduction of the Kerberos Panzer Jäger: 1/6th scale Protect Gear Collectible Figure from the Artist Collection yesterday which over eight artists from Japan and Korea together with our Hong Kong Production Team have joined forces for this collaboration, we are pleased to talk to our Hot Toys’ Production Director & Chief Painter, Mr. JC. Hong, to share more about this incredible and special project which is based on illustrations from the Kerberos Panzer Jäger official guidebook by Mr. Jun Suemi in 2006.
Q: How did Hot Toys get involved in this project?
JC.: This goes a few years back, I was approached by Mr. KAZ from BARQUE Inc. who owned the rights of Kerberos Saga* and asked if I was interested in making a Protect Gear figure. Our Founder Howard and I were big fans of the Kerberos Saga so we were excited to participate in this project.
Q: How long was the development for this project and what was the process like?
JC.: It has started back in 2011, so it has taken 3 years since the project began to the finished prototype we have now. Over the years, we had lots of discussions and made many adjustments to the figure. Mr. Takayuki Takeya** and his team first worked on the prototype, and then it was brought to Korea for more work. Because the prototype was a statue in the beginning, we needed to think hard on how we can fit it well with Hot Toys’ articulated figure body.
Q: How do you feel about the original design of the Protect Gear?
JC.: The design is quite amazing! Mr. Jun Suemi***, the original designer for the Kerberos Panzer Jäger Protect Gear, was a fan of medieval knight armor and he incorporated those elements into World War II German military gear which transformed into the Protect Gear you see now. Within the plot of the Kerberos Saga, this is the original design that has “inspired” the Tokyo police force to make their own Protect Gear team. I think the design itself would make an excellent action figure and also be a quite functional armor in real life.
Q: What are some of the special elements about this Protect Gear figure?
JC.: The painting technique that has been applied is quite unique. Under different lighting, you will sometimes see a more metallic look while other times see a more matte look. You will really need to see this figure in person to truly admire its beauty.
Also, the figure base is another highlight for this project. The plot of Kerberos Panzer Jäger is really a human story about how war is terrible. The government forces its people into war by dressing them up in gears, sending them to dangerous missions, and many will die fighting for their country. I want that heavy feeling of a soldier to be reflected in this figure and the diorama base really helps set that tragic of war tone and story.
Q: What are the challenges for creating this figure?
JC.: The articulations and movements were some of the biggest challenges. For example, when holding weapons, the shoulder armor’s movement may be hindered, so we created 2 layers of armor on the Protect Gear to make it easier to move the arms.
Q: Do you have other messages that you would like to say to the fans?
JC.: This Protect Gear has incorporated the many great efforts from a number of artists from Japan and Korea as well as the Hot Toys Hong Kong Production team! I hope many fans will be able to enjoy and appreciate this wonderful artistic figure!
*More about Kerberos Saga:
The Kerberos Saga (ケルベロス・サーガ) is a military science fiction franchise and alternate history universe created in 1986 by the Japanese writer and filmmaker Mamoru Oshii who is also famous for his work on Ghost in the Shell and Patlabor series. The Kerberos Saga spans across a number of media such as feature films, radio dramas, comics, and animation films. The story is based upon altered historical events which lead to a world very different from the one we live today.
**More about Takayuki Takeya (竹谷隆之):
Mr. Takayuki Takeya has been acclaimed for his outstanding sculpting skill and designs especially for his unique creature and organic mechanical designs that are driven by his distinctive interpretation and vision. Back in 2001, Mr. Takayuki has collaborated with Hot Toys to present the amazing Samurai Predator that has combined elements of traditional Japanese samurai style with a Western pop culture icon – the Predator. In 2006, Mr. Takayuki Takeya was approached by BARQUE Inc. to create a model statue of Protect Gear based on illustrations from the Kerberos Panzer Jäger official guidebook by Mr. Jun Suemi.
***More about Jun Suemi (末弥純):
Mr. Jun Suemi is an acclaimed Japanese illustrator. He has provided many artwork and designs for a number of video games, and fantasy novels such as Wizardry, Front Mission and A Moogle Kupo d'Etat: Evil in Small Doses add-on for Final Fantasy XIV. Mr. Suemi has created the artwork for Kerberos Panzer Jäger official guidebook.
