FarEast Posted January 6, 2007 Report Share Posted January 6, 2007 Well it’s that time of year again where anyone slightly interested in Airsoft or collecting makes their annual pilgrimage to the Tokyo BlackHole Show. I woke up on a cold and wet Saturday morning at 6:30 and got everything charged up and ready for the day. I wanted to be at the show before the doors opened so I met up with the other members and headed on in. As a regular to the show and also technically being a there to report on the show for Arnies Airsoft I was able to procure a Press Pass for myself and BadSailor, whom by default was then roped into taking some photographs for me. This year the show was at its usual place the Tokyo metropolitan industrial trade center, but unlike other years it only runs the Saturday and Sunday rather than the Monday which is a public holiday here in Japan. Unlike previous events, this years BlackHole Show was on the 2nd, 3rd and 4th floor with Tokyo Marui’s booth being right as you walk in. I was a bit disappointed with the stand this year as it wasn’t as big or impressive as the Shizoka Hobby show, or even last years BlackHole Show. But putting that aside all you AEP and AESMP fans will not be disappointed. Tokyo Marui will officially release the Vz61 Scorpion in the early spring of 2007 along with the AEP H&K USP .45 Auto and in 2008 the M92F. The reason for the delay is due to them making some upgrades to the internals as well as following what I suggested months ago that they will release 1 AESMP a year, so those waiting for the others you’re going to have to wait! Tokyo Marui Booth Video Also sharing the second floor was a real steal importer of decommissioned guns, now for anyone who purchases this kind of parts for their Airsoft collection will be shocked by the price you’re looking at over ¥65,000 JPY (£290.00GBP for a real steal SUSAT that is totally broken. Another great stand on that floor is the Hakko stand, these guys make high quality real steal optics and they had some amazing offers such as a 1st generation Night vision scope for ¥8,000 JPY!!! The urge to buy this just for the sake of it was immense, but I’m glad I didn’t as I was able to pick up a Heckler & Koch red dot scope that featured on the original images of the MP7A1 for ¥4,000 JPY. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
FarEast Posted January 6, 2007 Author Report Share Posted January 6, 2007 The 3rd floor is where all the action is for the serious player with well over 100 stores and possible near on 100 private sales booth your guaranteed to find those little parts that you’ve been after to complete (Although alas I was unable to find a CAR9 adapter for the M4!). Also on this floor were several Hong Kong and Taiwanese based manufactures such as STAR, VFC, Best Gun and others! The VFC Team I stopped off at the VFC booth first as I was deeply impressed by their H&K416D kit and I wanted to see if they had any new offerings for 2007. VFC will be releasing a FN-SCAR/L sometime in early 2007 along with the FN-FNC, they had no prototypes or mock-ups as this one is tightly under wraps until it’s finished. What they did have though was their new AK-74N and AK-74UN. Now these two rifles are exact copies of the real-steal and as you can see from the photograph they can take real furniture from the actual AK. The rifle also strips down in the same fashion as its real steal counterpart making this probably one of the most realist Airsoft replicas I have seen! Take a look at the video and you’ll see just what I mean! VFC AK-74 UN Demo Video VFC will also be releasing steel barrel, vortex Flash and QD Silencer for the M14, these were again of a very high standard and took a little over 1 minute to disassemble. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
FarEast Posted January 6, 2007 Author Report Share Posted January 6, 2007 Next door to VFC was STAR, they only had one gun on display and that is the new L96 with folding stock it goes by the name of AW 338, now unlike the Maruzen version this is a gas gun! Pull back the bolt and you will see the loading valve, check out the videos of just how detailed this gun is, I’m just hoping they are paying a little more attention to the internal for 2007 as they have nailed the externals on this and previous releases. STAR L96 Gas Valve location and bolt action Video STAR L96 Folding Stock Demo Video Best Gun was also there, for those that don’t know who they are they released the MRP kit in early 2006. This year they were displaying the new M4 Monolithic Rail Platform with quick release barrel and also a prototype of their forthcoming WA2000 Sniper rifle. I also liked their home made gun stands, Genius! Again it looks like we are going to be looking at Taiwan and Hong Kong for new and innovative ideas. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
FarEast Posted January 6, 2007 Author Report Share Posted January 6, 2007 Also on the 3rd floor was one of my favorite stands Tac-Nylon. Tac-Nylon is a Japanese company that specializes in webbing and pouches for the Airsoft community. He’s a one man show but has actually got the rights to produce multi-cam products here in Japan. He has come up with some cool bit’s and pieces like watch band/covers and radio pouches for popular brands like Motorola and Siemens they also come with an extra battery storage space. Not only that but he will make you custom items to suit your needs. The other great thing about Tac-Nylon is that he will haggle and I managed to get ¥1,000 JPY off both my purchases! Although I was very skeptical about some of the stands selling of Multi-Cam Ciras’s for ¥60,000 JPY when in actual fact they were the copies that you can get from Redwolf, WGC and other Hong Kong retailers for a snippet of the price. I did mange to pick up though a Black Water Range Vest in Multi-Cam, if this is a fake or not I will let you decide, but for the price I’m more than happy as this will replace my Black Hawk Recon vest here in the summer when it reaches 45°c and 100% humidity! Talking of Redwolf, I bumped into Chris Kong, Christopher Pun and Jerry Lee from Redwolf all of them from the UK, along way from home and it was nice to hear the familiar accent. The fourth floor was more of the same but mainly given way to the private stands or vintage clothing and odds and ends. If you’re prepared to muscle in and spend a good few hours of your time wading through the piles of junk you do occasionally come across a nugget be warned a lot of this is not marked with a sales price so it all depends on if the stall owner likes the look of you, I was quoted ¥45,000 JPY for a pair of Oakley A frame goggles, the same can be bought from a motor-cross shop for ¥5,000 JPY. I did mange to pick up a Heckler and Koch wind breaker for ¥2,000 JPY which is a bargain! Along with a clearance shop selling Tokyo Marui magazines and optional parts for major discounted prices such as M14 high capacity magazines for ¥1,600 JPY. You can see how easy it is to spend your money here! Some other classics were available such as this MMC L85 for only ¥15,000 JPY that’s a staggering £65.00 GBP. Also on the floor CAW had a booth and was selling their products at a really good price and all the guys I went with were sorely tempted to walk away with a M203 a piece. Next to CAW was the Tasco stand another real steal optical company. Every year they knock down the prices of their products to bargain basement levels and you can’t help but walk away with at least something. This time both me and BadSailor bought some scope mounts with integrated 30mm weaver mounts. We thought that it was ¥1500 JPY for one but it turned out it was for two, so we swapped one of each. ¥1500 JPY for one low and one mid height scope mount was even better! Not only scope mounts but they had also their complete selection of scopes and red dots on offer. Well on that note I will leave you but before I go this young lady is one of Japans top IPSC and she does it in costume! FarEast You'll notice that all the images have been watermarked, please respect the rights, if you wish to use them ask me directly. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
PlasticMag Posted January 6, 2007 Report Share Posted January 6, 2007 Excellent writeup! I'd kill for that MMC L85... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Wingman Posted January 6, 2007 Report Share Posted January 6, 2007 Man, I wish we could get a show like that over here. IS ANYONE LISTENING?! My retailer is going to be setting up a booth at a "real steel" show this spring as there were a lot of people there looking for airsoft at last years show. Still it would be nice just to have a big show dealing with just guns 'n gear for airsoft and have it well advertised. Of course I want it on the East Coast as well as West Coast. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
FarEast Posted January 6, 2007 Author Report Share Posted January 6, 2007 Erm the "Shot Show" next week???? I think every single HK and Taiwanese Manufacturer is going to be there, Tokyo Marui and possibly more! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Magsz Posted January 6, 2007 Report Share Posted January 6, 2007 Fareast, did you by any chance ask BestGun when they would be releasing the 10.5 inch barrel kits for the MRP? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
IronWolf Posted January 6, 2007 Report Share Posted January 6, 2007 Well its about time someone made an AI rifle with a stage 2 stock, i've just about given up on Tanaka making one so this is quite a pleasant surprise Cheers for the headsup FE. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Shard Posted January 6, 2007 Report Share Posted January 6, 2007 Hmm, that Star AW338 is posing a great threat to my attempts to save for a new car. Uh oh ! +1 for yet another excellent report Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Nigther Posted January 6, 2007 Report Share Posted January 6, 2007 Those M14 parts from VFC are actually already released. They are replicas from RS products made by Smith Enterprise Inc. Really great stuff which I would encourage M14 owners to check out. You can find them at UNCompany, their site seems to be down at the moment though. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
IronWolf Posted January 6, 2007 Report Share Posted January 6, 2007 FarEast, did you get a chance to visit either the Escort or CAW stands during your visit there? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Nigther Posted January 6, 2007 Report Share Posted January 6, 2007 Also, there is one thing that got me confused here. Why is the guy from team VFC showing the STAR L96? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Marlowe Posted January 6, 2007 Report Share Posted January 6, 2007 Really good work Fareast, and excellent choice in cameramen - the images are top quality! Sorry to be a nitpicker though, but as an anal eastern bloc fan that's been looking forward to the new VFC releases for a while, I have to say that it's an AKS-74, not an AK-74. The normal 74 stock is solid and non folding. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Guinness Posted January 6, 2007 Report Share Posted January 6, 2007 Excellent reporting as usual FarEast! -G Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Hoppum Posted January 6, 2007 Report Share Posted January 6, 2007 Also, there is one thing that got me confused here. Why is the guy from team VFC showing the STAR L96?CA <{POST_SNAPBACK}> The Star desk is next to theirs? You can see L96 stock in the picture. Great write up Fareast. Can't wait for my AKS-74 now. You're a credit to Arnies. Airsoftnews.eu had some news on CAW, Top and Escort. Tokyo Marui Showcased their Prototype Scorpion VZ61. It features a new mini-mechbox and metal lower receiver. I will have more details in the morning. (I only caught a glimpse, Escort was very busy). Reports from viewers say it is electric blowback. Also, showcased was the new electric Beretta. (more info in the morning). (Pictures on monday, I forgot my card reader at home) Best Gun is showcasing their WA2000, again. No progress is made. It is proposed as a spring cocking sniper rifle which uses an AEG spring and piston. (Not terribly exciting). Star has a true winner this time. I have held the new L96 production model. It is scheduled to be released next month. I do not have a price at this time. Now for the good parts, I have owned and held just about every sniper rifle made in airsoft including the Asahi M40a1 and Wa2000. This is THE BEST bolt action rifle EVER made. I have held the real L96 (custom folding model) and this feels solid as a rock. First, the body is better than the Tanaka and lacks the sharp seams that tears at your middle finger. The folding stock is solid with no play. The hinge and locking mechanism are metal. The barrel is machined aluminum as is the receiver. The bolt and cocking handle are gorgeous...machined metals all around....no cheap castings hear. Cocking is clean and crisp with a solid battery. Now for the gory details...the system is gas in the bolt....that means no expensive mags to buy/lose. The magazine holds 50 rounds and the bolt is said to hold enough gas for 100+ rounds. I will have more details tomorrow. (pictures to come). CAW was showing their new Benelli M4 (shotgun). Its not the greatest model I've ever seen, but it is clean and very accurate in appearance. It is magazine driven, firing 29 rounds. The gun is single shot and spring action. The cocking/shell tube is aluminum and the internal system/chassis is cast metal. The best part is the price, roughly 180usd. Its a potential sleeper and fills the gap that Tokyo Marui left us with. CAW also informed me they are working on a stock and sight system for their WW2 German Walther Grenade Launcher. It is to be modeled after the real units. No date or price on this piece. TOP showcased their new blowback M249 with great success. In the spotlight was the new gas/drum developed for the hardcore user. This allows the user to carry a small co2 tank and regulator INSIDE the gun's footprint. (more in depth info later, including detailed picures) Escort was endlessly busy showcasing the new blowback M60 and limited edition AK47. Only 10 AKs are slated to be made worldwide. As of tonight, only 2 spaces remain. Available now are user installable conversion kits for the Inokatsu M60 series. This conversion yields excellent user feedback through heavy weight and a loud muzzle report. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Nigther Posted January 6, 2007 Report Share Posted January 6, 2007 Yes, but still. I wouldn't expect a VFC employee to showcase a product from another company. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
IronWolf Posted January 6, 2007 Report Share Posted January 6, 2007 Yes, but still. I wouldn't expect a VFC employee to showcase a product from another company. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> I think Hoppum may be pointing out that he may not be a VFC employee, but a Star employee. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Hoppum Posted January 6, 2007 Report Share Posted January 6, 2007 Indeed Quote Link to post Share on other sites
nightfire6 Posted January 6, 2007 Report Share Posted January 6, 2007 Nice a AW338 with a 50 round mag and gas enough to fire 100+ rounds. Hmm the M1014 I'm gonna buy once i get the money. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mean_marine Posted January 6, 2007 Report Share Posted January 6, 2007 Awesome! Great read Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Blazer Posted January 6, 2007 Report Share Posted January 6, 2007 Thanks for the photos, nice... I'm so envious. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
FarEast Posted January 6, 2007 Author Report Share Posted January 6, 2007 Also, there is one thing that got me confused here. Why is the guy from team VFC showing the STAR L96? <{POST_SNAPBACK}> He is the main importer for both VFC and Star here in Japan his name is Mr. Sato and was helping out for the day. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
FarEast Posted January 6, 2007 Author Report Share Posted January 6, 2007 FarEast, did you get a chance to visit either the Escort or CAW stands during your visit there? <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Don't you just love it when people post without actually reading the thread! I mentioned CAW and the fact that htey had marked sown prices on all their products and we all almost left with a M203 a peice. No i didn't go to the Escort stand, it will be covered over in detail by Paul himself over at classic airsoft. To be honest escort products don't interest me as they are of no use here in Japan. In the winter it's too cold for them to work properly and in the summer the heat easilly takes them over the legal limits. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
FarEast Posted January 6, 2007 Author Report Share Posted January 6, 2007 Really good work Fareast, and excellent choice in cameramen - the images are top quality! Sorry to be a nitpicker though, but as an anal eastern bloc fan that's been looking forward to the new VFC releases for a while, I have to say that it's an AKS-74, not an AK-74. The normal 74 stock is solid and non folding. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> LOL, the ones posted are actually the ones I took, BadSailor went AWOL with the other camera and came back with bags of plenty! But hey who can blame him. Thanks for the heads up on the AKS74's I'm not an AK man so i don't know the difference. But VFC has kindly agreed to send me one after the shot show to review here on Arnies! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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