First003:Mr. Ishida, First’s ultimate gas gun guru – standing outside the “Tomahawk” military surplus section of First. First014: We’re all happy because we have just been playing with…….. First015: Scary beards do exist in Japan.
First Factory, East Nagata 5-18-2, Osaka, 577-0012, Japan.
by Darren-Jon Ashmore (d_j_ashmore@hotmail.com)

(First Factory URL http://www.first-jp.com/top.html) – needs a Japanese capable Browser.

BioHazard Collection | The Article

First006: By the time you get this far in there is no turning back. First005: The shop as you see it when you enter. Heart’s racing by now.
I found this while looking through some of the excised sections of the bible recently:

 “And on the 6th day – at around 5.55, just before clocking off time – God did create The Factory which was called First because, though Raphael did say unto him “surely Lord, this doth righteously take the p*ss”, the big man was on a roll!”

There are many excellent custom houses and purveyors of fine Airsoft products throughout Japan:

But then we have First Factory. Maybe not purveyors of the most obscure guns (no MP40s here mate), but certainly the home of Airsmithing on Earth – if their vast range of mechbox upgrades, APSII parts and cosmetic sections can be believed. 

First011: We got biggies too. TOP M60VN for 390(ish) quid? Sweeeeeeet (first we get the Cheezey Poofs, then we get the Yellow Megaman, then we get the PSG1).
First012: The infamous Ogre Eater (a Blademaster with a real blade attached – lets hope I win it (it has been put up as a prize in ARMS magazine)).
First016: Mr. Ishida shortly before he was beaten to a bloody pulp for daring to tell me he acquired this mint, shiny chromed, Fujima Semi/Full Auto Mauser – with box, all air fittings (yes, she was an internal/external air job) and instructions – for 4,000 yen. Barst! ^_^
Aug001: The one thing which saved Mr. Ishida from certain Mauser related death. The Maruzen 3/4(?) scale External gas feed Steyr AUG. The cheapest gun I have ever bought – at 500 yen as you can see. Once owned by Mr. Ishida hisself (his first gun by all accounts). The fan-boy in me takes over!
First009: Custom Parts? The buggers make most of their own. Ever heard of them ^_-

Then there is the fact which keeps bringing customers back time and again – it is possible to buy a 1Joule Marui custom (the “J-Nesis”) from First for less than the RRP of the gun itself (At the moment anyway). Moreover, their range of custom boxes (called the “Hard System”) can be whipped up in hours – or if you prefer not to wait you can take a “card” from their Fast Food Selection of ready made custom guns.
 
J-Nesis: A cheap and effective upgrade using the joule spring and airless nozzle.
Fusion: Effectively the Systema 1 joule tune up kit (and retailing at the same RRP), but including a TN tight-bore barrel into the money as well as fitting.
Sonic: As Fusion, but including a custom spring guide, high speed gears, and a custom piston head/Nozzle.
Matrix: Up to a 150 spring, uprated cycle speed and durability.
Exceed: Up to a 170 spring and all that entails.
Extreme: Up to a 190 spring (2 joules on a full auto) (I’ve seen these things shred full drinks cans in the twinkling of an eye – oh for a more liberal view to velocities in the UK ^_^).
First013: Indoor 10m range.

These upgrades are of the highest order and have made the name of First legendary in Japan (don’t forget that Airsoft Dynamics are the official UK source for First Factory gear, including their superb range of custom guns) and with good reason.

First008: You want AEGs. These guys have got em (flat rate of 42% discount on Marui’s RRP as part of a special year long sale – AK(S)47 for 110 quid anyone? PSG1 for 200 squidlies? (Super) FAMAS for 85?).
 
First001: The First Factory boss has many tricks up his sleeve – guns too. This was one of his first pieces (bought 16 years ago now). The original Marushin M1 carbine (though it looks more like an M2 or M3 to me). Before Maxi, before SSB, there was this intruiging little springer. Apparently based on an airborne troops version, the grip on the underside is purely there to pump it.

Then we have special upgrade packages for both the APS II and the PSG1. The former taking her up to the 190 spring level (or gas bolt if prefered) and the latter creating the ultimate sniping system – at a 97,000 yen price tag, (66,000 yen if you already own the gun).
 
But it is more than that. The after sales service, the friendly nature of the staff (including a few English speakers) and the general hands on attitude of First is what makes it the best place to shop I have been in (Then again it is nice to see a good place this side of Nagoya – Tokyo might have the most, but she don’t have the best ^_-).

TMP001: The New Second Generation KSC TMP. We only got a few mags worth each through her (it went on sale on the day after the visit – the 14th), but I can say off the bat that she kicks harder, is much louder and feels so much more REAL than the first edition.

You wanna try a gun, any gun? Just ask (they keep one of each custom level – represented by an M16 – for power checking too)! Can’t do a custom job? They will undertake anything you can imagine.

After an old classic gun? If they can’t find it no-one can (as a giggle I mentioned the infamous Asahi M40a1 in mind of Sniper’s monumentally impressive Coupe and while I am not actually saying they had one – oh no that would not be allowed under Japanese law – the way Mr. Ishida was stroking an oddly long Asahi box was very intimidating ^_-).

Cleaning? Repairing? Upgrades? Cup of tea and a chat (with a drinks machine and communal seating area the shop is the centre of softing for the Osaka region[1] and many a blissful hour can be worn away there  ^_^)?
 
Then they let me play with their ARMS Magazine custom guns…….but you have to see the photos for the full effect.
 
First007: Those First Factory Jackets. Hope mine fits!
First002: Smug little bugger (well not so little. Well, bloated actually).
First004: Mr. Ishida’s very sweet custom skirmish AEG. And when a First Factory bod goes and picks a FAMAS over all the other toys they sell, you KNOW, the gun has good points (oh you doubting Thomases ^_^). As well as custom mags (400 rounds each so I am told), she carries a milspec red dot sight and a full on German military laser sight.

 

First010: Now you are taking the p*ss. Sniping with a 203? Whatever floats the boat I suppose! ^_-

Now for the tricky bit. I don’t go there often – once a month, it only tortures me to go more – but if there is an item you really can’t find anywhere else, drop me a line[2] (D_J_Ashmore@hotmail.com - offer good till 1st February 2002) and – if my “quota” is not yet full for that month (only so much I can run down to the post office before the other half wants to do non airsoft stuff on a Saturday ^_~) I will give it a go (because, as it was once told to me, “Japan bound Gaijin softers have something of a responsibility” – in this case I see it as spreading the wealth as much as I can before Taeko and I are dragged kicking and screaming back my department in Sheffield for another year.).
 
Nauty Boy.

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The BioHazard Collection:


Bio001: The ARMS Magazine Biohazard gun contest spawned many more projects than actually made it into the first (ARMS number 9) event.

Bio002: The First (though I thought this was a Carrot design) Racoon Police Department M16 pistol. She takes a mini battery in the top mounted pack and sports a First Factory Fusion Mechbox upgrade. (The Nauty Boy did not want to give this one back as you can tell by the pained look on his face - Taeko). Bio003: The Mother of all P90s. The textured surface is a resin mix, and the adjustable stock end is straight from the Real Steel version according to our First hosts. The front lower rail looks a shade weird, but the overall appeal of this baby is way high.
Bio004: M3 not look meaty enough for you? Zombie popping ahoy with this contender. The stock in particular is splendid and those flip up sights (apparently from a real steel M4 – and 25,000 yen each for front / 26,000 yen for rear) add a really sweet touch. Bio005: Now this is a REAL Barry Burton special. It has been the bane of many lives here that Marui chose to release a Blademaster as Barry’s signature gun (when any Biohazard/Resident Evil fan will tell you good old Barry is a revolver man ^_-), and the thought of First putting this modification for a Tanaka M29 onto the market is making me drool.

Bio006: I once accused Good old “Sheriff” Matty Dean of “having a woman’s gun M’lord!”, but if First can churn this out and still make it look brick, then I have no right to criticize the good Sheriff ^_^. Rebecca Chambers has not appeared much in the Biohazard series, but she’s still a popular figure in Japan. The pink coloured ridge above the tac-light on the right as supposed to be a laser site (though it seems that the model simply sports an LED). Bio007: Short of attaching Vinnie Jones to it, how do you make a Desert Eagle look harder? Well, this little bugger has zombies, bioweapons and all manner of mutants running for their sticky lives at the mere mention of it. Apart from the rail, all the custom work is cosmetic, but for those sort of looks…………. Well, I’m a convert ^_-.

Bio008: Another of the more superficial custom jobs – this time to a 92F. I find it a little odd to see a gun as wimpy as the F (IMHO) sported up like this, but she still looks the part. 		 
[1] And beyond. In the afternoon I spent there, I met a bod from Nagasaki, one from North Biwa, 2 from Tokyo and one from fe*kin Hokkaido (though he was in Osaka on business admittedly ^_^) – all of whom were down to take advantage of the First hospitality.
[2] Keep in mind though that due to time constraints I wont be able to do all the sort of things that US customs require – sad but true – you can take the risk, but I would not advise it.

This page last updated: Friday, January 4, 2002 8:11 PM

copyright 2001Arnie's Airsoft.