Will there be more comical re-releases?

[Quandry 378]

Every time I look at the Comical Grasshopper I am finding it more and more appealing and this video is not helping!!

I wonder if Tamiya will release a Comical Hornet, Comical Hotshot, Comical Frog, Comical Avante??   Imagine if they released a Comical 959 lol the die hards would be sick.

I can see this being a whole new collectible range.   I am already out of space in my display case so have to come up with some kind of archival rotating storage option haha!

Which model would you like to see come back as a comical and why?

[Mokei Kagaku 2706]

Considering all the new parts necessary to turn the WR-02 into the WR-02CB and that a new version just takes a body, stickers, body manual and probably wheel inserts in a different colour, I can't imagine that Tamiya won't make further versions. Especially so as the Comical Grasshopper seems to be rather popular already. I imagine that Tamiya's classical 2WD buggies are the most likely ones to get the "Comical" treathment first, and it's absolutely certain that WR-02CB Hornets will start to pop up very soon.

Something different I've thought of with regard to the WR-02CB, is that this is possibly what the RC Boy's series and TamTech-Gear buggy series should have been. Judging by how both series silently died and disappeared, it would seem that they weren't particularly successful. I have no idea about how popular the RC Boy's series was on the domestic market in the initial phase, but I have the impression that the TTG buggies first were relatively popular. So what killed the TTG buggies?

I can just comment from my perspective. The TTG buggies had in common with the WR-02CB that they were cute caricatures of the originals, and that what's appealed the most to me and made me buy them. However, the TTG's weren't suitable for standard radio gear and batteries, which may have put quite a few off.

What I personally dislike about the TTG’s however, is that they are fiddly to assemble and work on. Don’t get me wrong, I like complicated models, but for “unserious” and fun models like the TTG’s basically were to me (and possibly many others), there were simply too many small plastic spacers and I really think the use of 2.6mm hardware was annoying.  To put it short, I had liked the TTG’s quite a bit better if they had been designed to have less parts, especially less generic plastic spacers and similar. And that’s where the WR-02CB in my humble opinion is the answer. Rugged, chunky parts and parts count held to a minimum, allowing for easy and quick maintenance and not having to deal with a lot of tiny parts that can easily be lost when a little repair or maintenance is done outdoors.

So what about the RC Boy’s series versus the WR-02CB? I like the RC Boy’s models and Tamiya can’t possibly have done a mistake when making the chassis mimic a Mini 4WD chassis, can they? After all, Mini 4WD was (and is?) to Japanese kids basically what plastic model kits were to the kid generations of the 60’s and 70’s all over the globe; something “every” kid is into, at least for some time. Still, judging by how shortlived the series was, it seems to have failed, but why? Well, I think the body designs had limited appeal outside Japan and maybe the fact that no Mini 4WD counterpart existed of any of the bodies released for the RC Boy’s series was also a drawback?

And again, that’s where the WR-02CB is so good! With the Comical Grasshopper, it’s a body design that so many Tamiya fans, even the not so crazy ones, can related to. The same will go for Comical Hornets, Foxes, Frogs or whatever Tamiya chooses to make. Maybe they will even make “comical” versions of some Mini 4WD models (that don’t exist as RC counterparts) to appeal to the younger fans coming from Mini 4WD rather than from RC?

Either way, though knowing nothing for sure, I feel pretty confident that the WR-02CB will be a big success and I can’t wait for further bodies to be released!  I’d love to see “comical” sand paddle and spike tires released too!

 

[Quandry 378]

Another point to consider is will there be comical 4wd... like a Boomerang on a GF01 CB or something like that.... :O

I like the lighting options too!  the lights on the Grasshopper looks awesome and overall the setup reminds me a bit of something you would see in Mario Kart.   I still really like the classic cars too but IMO this is a genius move by Tamiya for a subcategory of collectible.

[markbt73 5311]

I sure hope there are more coming. For some reason I've always liked the squashed cartoon-y look, and I've been a fan of this chassis since the WW2 first came out. I'd love to see at least the other two of the "big 3" (Hornet and Frog) get this treatment, and I think a Scorcher and a Sand Rover and even an FAV could be really cool "comicalized". And a 4WD version for the Hotshot and Boomerang would be amazing.

Also, Tamiya, if you're listening: you're just a chassis extender and some body parts away from a WR-02 Rally chassis for the Audi and Ascona...

[VagabondStarJXF 350]

I'm hoping for a comical version of the Jun Watanabe Hornet complete with an all purple chassis.  

[Theibault 1535]

Yes, there will be. Mark my words lol. I'm guessing a Hornet will be next, but would love to see a Fox, WildOne, FAV ,HotShot etc. I think these cars are going to sell very well for Tamiya, so in typical Tamiya fashion, you'll be sick of all the Comical variations in 3 years time. 

[Juggular 4961]

This thread might get combined with the other one...

Mokei commentary is always interesting to read.  Boomerang on GF01 is a good idea, Quandry!  

I don't have a GF01.  I might get one if a CB version of Hotshot, Boomerang or Bigwig is available.  

 

[Quandry 378]

I bought the Landcruiser GF01 for my son a couple of years back and it has taken an absolute pounding and comes back for more - very rugged and durable (while his friends TA02 has been breaking every time they are out bashing together). 

The GF01 can go anywhere - no issue with long grass or steep inclines etc and nice balance between able to pop a wheelie and not just constantly wheelying and uncontrollable.   I guess based on that experience then I can see a really big advantage in the GF01 chassis and hopefully also the WR2.   The only thing is I found out that the WR2 uses a slightly shorter battery tray, so I'll need to find a suitable LiPo that will do the trick.   The GF01 takes a hard case 3,600 it just slides right in there and runs for a looong time.

[njmlondon 570]

I certainly hope there will be. I placed my Fighting Buggy shell on a GF01 and with a bit of cut'n'shutting it would look awesome!

[Falcon#5 594]

My money is on the Hornet next, then the Frog, followed by the Fox.

[kyosho1 86]

19 hours ago, markbt73 said:

Also, Tamiya, if you're listening: you're just a chassis extender and some body parts away from a WR-02 Rally chassis for the Audi and Ascona...

Being a fan of big wheels rally cars Tamiya frog/Lancia 037 & the above mentioned, I wonder if it’s feasible to add on new rally cars WRX, Evo, Statos etc. 

I have the kyosho landmax 1/9 rally car - the big wheels show off the suspension/wheel action in the off road setting better than the current 1/10  tiny wheels of Tamiya Rally cars.

[Quandry 378]

Presumably the easiest cars to "go comic" on are those with drivers included so that narrows it down a bit to the older buggies.

[Quandry 378]

I just received my Comical Grasshopper from Tamico so my collection begins - haha!

[waterbok 1282]

Ordered the Comical Hornet body thats on ebay  lets see if it fits the WR02cb

 

[evssv69 378]

32 minutes ago, waterbok said:

Ordered the Comical Hornet body thats on ebay  lets see if it fits the WR02cb

 

Any pics or link pls dude

[waterbok 1282]

Sure link

 

[evssv69 378]

Mint ...b even better if it was box art

[Quandry 378]

I bought the Comical Frog and Comical Hornet, to collect with my comical Grasshopper - delivered by Tamico this week

Would be amazing if Tamiya released a comical Hotshot!!