if there’s one endearing thing about Japanese car culture, it’s that they never seem to forget the classics.
Hachimaru Hero, vol. 1: Eternal Idol AE86
Hachimaru Hero by Geibunsha Publishing is one of the few Japanese automotive magazines to focus entirely on the cars of the ’80s. From beloved highway stompers such as the Fairlady 200ZR to the humble family wagon Civic Shuttle, a bewildering array of cult to cooking cars are covered in ten incredibly well-produced volumes.
and in typical Japanese attention to detail only the most tastefully modified and “periodically correct” vehicles are showcased within the pages of Hachimaru Hero – flipping from one article to the next is almost like peering into a time capsule of sorts; wheel choices, stereo systems, engine and suspension modifications, mufflers… hell, even the floor mats for each vehicle tend to match the era and nothing looks out of place.
Technical and comic relief articles too have a decidedly ’80s slant to them – one of the issues even has a write-up about some fanatical followers of the cop drama Seibu Keisatsu who have painstakingly built replicas of all the various Machine-RS DR30s and even the Gloria driven by Daimon Keisuke, culminating in the re-enactment of a shootout scene from the series (and yup… everyone’s in costume).
Turbocharged '80s Sportscar: FC3S vs. Z31 vs. A183A
Bear that in mind next time you’re reading NZPC and come across an article about something “sackd owt” on huge tasteless chromes proclaiming to be “true oldschool”… sorry folks, it doesn’t quite work like that.
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Hachimaru Hero backissues can be ordered directly from Geibunsha Publishing Co, via Amazon Japan. or if you have access to Yahoo Auctions Japan, second-hand copies can often be found here. |
