The bliss of quirkiness

[Torhaantje]

I thougt I would never write this, but somehow I felt the need to express my opinion ....

Going through some posts here on the TC forum lately,  I was getting feelings of sadness that I never thought I would have on my RC hobby's favorite website...

Was it just me getting older and hanging on to the past too much?

Was it the emphasis that some put on what is wrong with certain Tamiya models instead of seeing the positives?

Was it that I was wondering if I was one of the few who still see and appreciate the Japanese humor that Tamiya put in some of their models as well as their attention to details and scale in other models?

Was it that I embrace the odd or innovative  designs ( depending on your personal opinion) that distinquish Tamiya from other companies?

To make a long story short and without the intention to offend anyone:

Thank you Tamiya for being the company that you were, are and hopefully will be for a long time to come!

Rick

[OoALEJOoO]

@Torhaantje You are not alone on this feeling. I am grateful for Tamiya being what it is. I love what they do and that they don't just bow to industry trends. They do what they think is great and they do it with passion, that's what makes them unique.

Many of the people who harshly critique Tamiya forget that they are privately owned and that means they don't have the pressure to make money at any cost. People also tend to believe they know all the intricacies of appealing to the Japanese market, while holding some international presence. The complexities of market size, type, logistics, supply chain, seem lost with all those recent forum threads where unfortunately some members think they know better than Tamiya themselves, or more crucially think they should dictate what a privately owned company should or shouldn't do.

Long story short, Tamiya please keep doing what you do, you have a fan here

[alvinlwh]

13 minutes ago, Torhaantje said:

Was it just me getting older and hanging on to the past too much?

That is called mid life crisis I believe. 

13 minutes ago, Torhaantje said:

Was it the emphasis that some put on what is wrong with certain Tamiya models instead of seeing the positives?

The way I see it, they are critical analysis. There are a few problems with those threads:

1. Fan boys reject them and take it as a personal attack. This often descend to "if you don't like it, get lost" type of replies. 

2. There are those making some of the criticisms that do not realise that Tamiya is a Japan focused company. Unless someone feels the need to "liberate" the country because of some RC practice, they will just carry on doing things their way. 

3. Some do not realise that Tamiya is mainly a static model company with some RC on the side. Even their (what seem to pointless to some) Mini 4WD holds more importance to them than RC. 

4. Some also do not realise that the ESC they see in their box was not put there by Tamiya but their own country's importer. Blame the right people and it is not Tamiya. 

[alvinlwh]

15 minutes ago, OoALEJOoO said:

People also tend to believe they know all the intricacies of appealing to the Japanese market

Agree that the Japanese (as Asia) market is very different from the western market. Some had probably never been to Japan or Asia before and most certainly had never actually lived there. 

[Saito2]

1 hour ago, Torhaantje said:

Was it just me getting older and hanging on to the past too much?

Not necessarily. I've been here since '05 (under two screen names) and the forum has changed. People have grown more cynical and critical. I'm probably guilty of the former at least. The changes in how we interact in life and the growth of social media has had an effect on all of us. Personally, I've never touched social media and never will, so I can say I've seen its effect virtually every aspect of daily interaction. I'm affected as well simply having to interact with those under its influence. Tamiyaclub's tone has changed or rather shifted slightly...the topics certainly have at least. It has, fortunately, not suffered as much as other forums.

1 hour ago, Torhaantje said:

Was it the emphasis that some put on what is wrong with certain Tamiya models instead of seeing the positives?

I don't like extremes myself. Blind fanboyism isn't for me and I say that understanding Tamiya was/is a major influence in my life. Complaining about what they "aren't" or what they "should be doing" isn't for me either. I just feel, to truly love something, you can point out its flaws, accept them, and still love it. Tamiya does what they do and they have weathered the seas of change. I love them for that.

1 hour ago, Torhaantje said:

Was it that I was wondering if I was one of the few who still see and appreciate the Japanese humor that Tamiya put in some of their models as well as their attention to details and scale in other models?

I appreciate it. I see so many RC models blasting away a crazy speeds with cranked metal music in the background in promotional ads and ask myself "why are they so angry?" I'm guess I'm more in the relax and have fun crowd. So, give me whatever speed controller, an "outdated" silvercan 540 motor and I'm satisfied.

1 hour ago, Torhaantje said:

Was it that I embrace the odd or innovative  designs ( depending on your personal opinion) that distinquish Tamiya from other companies?

Wouldn't life be so boring if we all liked the same things and manufacturers just cloned each other? That way lies Associated/TLR territory. No, give me Tamiya's imaginative take any day of the week.

Long story short, despite post of late, you are not alone.

[Gebbly]

1 hour ago, alvinlwh said:

do not realise that the ESC they see in their box was not put there by Tamiya but their own country's importer

Well I never. I learn something new every day

I'm happy for everyone to have their opinions on Tamiya it doesnt bother me.

For me personally I love what Tamiya do. I came to Tamiya RC from static modelling and just wanted to experience electronics and radio equipment etc being applied to models and see them come to life. This, Tamiya does wonderfully for me. I love that all their RC products can come as kits for me to build with excellent instruction manuals and lots of hop up options for me to continue to experiment and rebuild a single kit over and over. I really appreciate the huge range of kits they do from rally cars, 3 wheel trikes, 6 wheel off roaders, very detailed HGVs, functional tanks that can be taken to battles, ludicrous but fun vehicles like the lunchbox, formula 1 cars for smooth surfaces.

Thanks Tamiya. As they say "you do you"

[Twinfan]

10 minutes ago, Saito2 said:

Not necessarily. I've been here since '05 (under two screen names) and the forum has changed. People have grown more cynical and critical.

I think a large factor in that is that posters have got older.  Those things do tend to come with age...

[Gebbly]

12 minutes ago, Saito2 said:

the forum has changed

I havent been in the forum for long so I cant comment on what it was like in the past but purely from current experiences TamiyaClub is one of the most relaxing places I have found on the internet. People are mostly friendly and helpful. There is a lot of experience and skill in all the members of the forum and everyone seems happy to help. Seeing the projects that people work on really inspires me to try new things myself. If I am bored or stressed or annoyed I know that I can while away some time and chill out by reading the TamiyaClub forums. It is my favourite place on the internet.

[Thommo]

These are some great posts so far and I feel like I connect with all you guys.  Funny thing is I revisited a 2010 thread today “Holiday Buggy rereleased in July” and some of the narrow view whinging back then was hilarious. 🤣 

Needless to say Holiday Buggy 2010 and Sand Rover sold like crazy and Holiday Buggy is back in production now.  The bliss of quirkiness.

[markbt73]

Too many people take the wrong things way too seriously these days. Everything has to be results-based; if you can't quantify it, it isn't important. If it gives you less "bang for the buck" than something else does, it's inferior. It's a poisonous mindset that has been creeping its tendrils into all facets of life, and the whining about Tamiya products not being as "good" as some customers want them to be is just another symptom.

We would all be a lot better off if we just slowed down, took time to savor the things we love, and learned to just ignore the things we don't like.

[skom25]

3 hours ago, OoALEJOoO said:

Many of the people who harshly critique Tamiya forget that they are privately owned and that means they don't have the pressure to make money at any cost.

I think they have A LOT OF pressure to make money, because they are privately owned company.

They can say a lot of things, but at the end, money is the reason why any company exists.

[Thommo]

Ooooh I’m gunna call you out there @skom25  I know lots of businesses that were born and exist wholly and soully on passion.  Some even with employee engagement and welfare being primary.  Money is secondary.  Businesses built on passion and people can even experience growth and become great companies financially.   Tamiya is one of them.

[skom25]

32 minutes ago, Thommo said:

Ooooh I’m gunna call you out there @skom25  I know lots of businesses that were born and exist wholly and soully on passion.  Some even with employee engagement and welfare being primary.  Money is secondary.  Businesses built on passion and people can even experience growth and become great companies financially.   Tamiya is one of them.

You do not know this, really. As long as you are not employee, you cannot say anything more than you see on photos or materials you should see.

[Twinfan]

For an example, see not-for-profit organisations exist where all money made goes to charity.  I'm sure they look to make money but not to the detriment of everything else.

[skom25]

13 minutes ago, Twinfan said:

see not-for-profit organisations exist where all money made goes to charity

Tamiya is not non-for-profit company, so we should not compare them.

13 minutes ago, Twinfan said:

I'm sure they look to make money but not to the detriment of everything else

I have not said that and I of course agree. However, they still want to make as much money as they can. Examples?

Why they Re Released so many models instead of releasing new kits? It is easy money without too much effort. 

Why there are so many Hop Ups, despite some of them should be added to basic kit?

Why they still add plastic bushings instead of bearings? Of course you can buy them as Hop Up.

I really understand that many users really like Tamiya ( me too), but they are company as any other. Sometimes I have feeling, that people are bit "blind" because of that whole love around Tamiya.

I can only say, that it is the same in most hobbies. Try to say something bad about Trek or Specialized if you are interested in bikes.

[Twinfan]

24 minutes ago, skom25 said:

Tamiya is not non-for-profit company, so we should not compare them.

I wasn't trying to.  I was just saying that there are genuine companies out there whose main aim is not maximum profit  

[Busdriver]

I have to say I don’t love or hate Tamiya. I have over 40 rc cars ranging from big Losi desert trucks to 1/24 crawlers. In there are many makes as well as RTR and kits. Some are Tamiya and some are others. End of!!!! If you like it buy it and run it if you don’t , well don’t!!!. As has been said it would be a very boring world if we all liked the same thing. I have been in the club since 2019 and the biggest change I’ve seen is the amount of content that has been Allowed in the Tamiya part of the forum that is not Tamiya!!.I should add that if you like building kits you will be hard pushed to find better packaging/ instructions etc than Tamiya?

[Kowalski86]

I think a lot of people take this hobby way too seriously, and not just the people who criticize Tamiya. In my other hobby (art), hardly anyone criticizes each other over their tools, and we don't complain when an artist doesn't mimic the latest art style fad.

There is too much gatekeeping in this hobby.

[Torhaantje]

@Kowalski:

For those people there is a solution:

It has Philips screws  a brushed motor  a nimh 3000 mah battery with Tamiya connectors:

The Comical GPL Tribute DT03 RFF ( Ready For Fun)! 

[GToddC5]

You can count me in for blissful ignorance quirkiness! 

Between my youth and now, I have decades of time that I was not aware or involved in the hobby. Since my return over the last couple years, the Tamiya brand nostalgia and their offerings primarily consume my interest and time. I quickly learned that my interest ranged completely from 1976 through current, and set about choosing models to represent each year (still on the fence, looking for a 2009 model!). As I was finding my groove and getting up to speed on what I missed, I would say I was more drawn to the quirkiness, for sure. Whether it's a rare/hard to find model only available as an XB, or the RC Limited Sales Series,, or the Special Project Items - half or more of my collection is made up of those. Those "special" ones really grab my attention and admiration, and if that makes me silly, then so be it. I mean, I am 51 and still play with toys, so I'm silly by default . I look forward to any and all the Black/Red/White/Blue Editions, Metallic Editions, Dump Trucks, Kumamon driving, MS and Star Unit madness they can muster up! I don't care how badly they handle, the chemistry of the plastic used, or how many parts they reuse from the bins. I don't think it would be nearly as fun WITHOUT the quirkiness, and I'm glad they do their own thing.

[njmlondon]

On 4/17/2025 at 2:11 PM, markbt73 said:

We would all be a lot better off if we just slowed down, took time to savor the things we love, and learned to just ignore the things we don't like.

Amen!

I have a real desire to get a BBX. It looks cool in my eyes. Not any good for racing or competition. Not truly vintage. Not revolutionary. Just cool, great looking, sort of retro, just want one.
 

Not many other companies hit this market and that’s why 40 years after getting my 1st Tamiya I am getting ready to buy my I-have-no-idea-how-manyeth Tamiya. 

[Kowalski86]

8 hours ago, Torhaantje said:

@Kowalski:

For those people there is a solution:

It has Philips screws  a brushed motor  a nimh 3000 mah battery with Tamiya connectors:

The Comical GPL Tribute DT03 RFF ( Ready For Fun)! 

If Tamiya made that into a real kit, I'd grab one up and make it into a Dan Gurney tribute.

[skom25]

18 hours ago, Saito2 said:

I don't like extremes myself. Blind fanboyism isn't for me and I say that understanding Tamiya was/is a major influence in my life. Complaining about what they "aren't" or what they "should be doing" isn't for me either. I just feel, to truly love something, you can point out its flaws, accept them, and still love it. Tamiya does what they do and they have weathered the seas of change. I love them for that.

I think this is good summary.

Many times I wrote about issues with Tamiya kits. Does it mean that I am hater? No, I still like cars I have, but I do not want to pretend that everything is perfect. Probably all of us know what is wrong with Tamiya, but we still buy and build their models. I know that I am not only one here with similar point of view.

Being fanboy, loving everything what Tamiya does is bad at the same level, as being hater who does not even want to hear word "Tamiya".

I am just afraid of one thing: "quirkiness" is different thing than "bad/ poor design". You cannot say that TT-02 steering is "quirky". It is just bad.

19 hours ago, Torhaantje said:

Was it the emphasis that some put on what is wrong with certain Tamiya models instead of seeing the positives?

Probably because at the end, we pay real money to buy RC car. There are things which just cannot be ignored.

To be honest, I do not remember even one topic, where I saw only negative comments about particular model.

[Torhaantje]

4 hours ago, Kowalski86 said:

If Tamiya made that into a real kit, I'd grab one up and make it into a Dan Gurney tribute.

They did: the Neo fighter dt03 

[Mad Ax]

I personally didn't feel the latest thread criticizing Tamiya's choices as being a whinge, or a moan, or really, anything that negative.  It came from someone who to me seems a genuine fan but is asking serious questions about why they don't improve their offerings for the worldwide market.  And they're valid questions, even if we can take a guess at their answers.

From time to time we do get someone come along who just seems to want to stir up trouble, and they soon disappear when they don't get the response they want, but I don't think that's happening now.

I, personally, love quirky RC.  OK, I don't love all quirks - I don't have a Kumamon car or a black metal dump truck - but I hang on every model show update to see what craziness is going to come from Tamiya this year.  There's so much potential for modding and fun in whatever Tamiya kit you find, and the modular compatibility means kitbashing isn't hard and all sorts of inspiration can be found.  The sort of perfection that the other big names (Losi, Associated) go for often lacks any kind of soul; the big bashers like Traxxas and Arrma just seemed to be aimed at some kind of faux-macho Bro market which is probably going to implode or feel very old-fashioned sometime, and while there are plenty of much cheaper and better-specced clone options from China, there's such terrible inconsistency in parts and quality that it's often a false economy buying cheap parts for a project only to find they don't fit, don't look anything like the photo, or are so badly machined they won't even turn properly.