Almost everyone has dreamed of a virtual history at least once, wondering, “What if this aircraft had been completed?” You can embody that fantasy in your own hands with the “1/144 Imperial Japanese Army/Navy Phantom Super Heavy Bomber Fugaku Kai Series No.17.” It was a massive concept drawn up in secret by engineers of the time, hoping to turn the tide of the war—the idea of a “super-heavy bomber” capable of direct attacks on the U.S. mainland. This kit, which precisely shapes the Fugaku that was supposed to end as blueprints in 1/144 scale, provides a valuable opportunity to touch upon the “what ifs” of military technological history.

The greatest charm of this kit lies in the many specifications you can choose from. You can select from four painting patterns: “Prototype,” “Unpainted,” “Army Specification,” and “Navy Specification.” Furthermore, multiple options are provided for the included decals, allowing you to completely change the impression of the finish even for the same aircraft. Depending on which style you choose, the story told changes—that is the true pleasure of this kit. Going beyond the framework of a mere model, it is a creative piece that draws out “another history within you.”

This kit includes decals of unit marks from Army and Navy bombers and attack aircraft that actually saw service during the war. In other words, by applying real unit marks to the fictional Fugaku, reality and fantasy are brilliantly fused. Although it is a fictional aircraft, you can embody the imagination of “What if it had been deployed to this unit?”, allowing you to enjoy “world-building” that cannot be experienced with a simple scale model. As a result, it exudes an aura of being a kind of “virtual war history document” that goes beyond a tabletop plastic model.

Multiple painting examples are presented; you can use them as a reference or dare to find your own style. For instance, you could go unpainted to emphasize a metallic feel for a future-weapon vibe, or finish it in Army Green for a heavy impression. When the chosen paint and decals are combined, that Fugaku is completed as a “one-of-a-kind phantom masterpiece.” This “process of selection” itself further enhances the sense of accomplishment after completion.

The “Fugaku Kai” is a plane that never flew in reality. However, this kit allows you to reconstruct that “future that was not supposed to exist” with your own hands. It is the work of adding new fantasies rather than just filling in the blanks of history. Beyond the fun as a model, the experience of building it while reflecting on the technology, ideology, and situation of the time exudes a somewhat intellectual romance.

History, technology, and creation—a single phantom packed with it all. That is the “1/144 Fugaku Kai.” Why not add a “world of what-ifs” to your collection?