Teasing New Japanese Miniatures (COMMERCIAL)

[Sakuragi Miniatures]

I have new Japanese miniatures coming, can you guess who it is? The answer will be revealed soon...

So far I've only produced wartime civilians, this will be my first foray into something more militant.

[Tom Dulski]

 Soldier with bamboo spear?

[carlos marighela]

1950s JDF taking on Godzilla?

Kimba the White Lion?

Inspector Gadget?

Maybe Japanese troops in temperate uniforms for the 1930s?

[Veroo]

Presumably home guard volunteers from auxiliary units like the Keibodan[sic] or the Boetai?

[Sakuragi Miniatures]

Veroo was correct! Keibodan (Civil Defense Corps) were volunteer police and fire auxiliaries who assisted in matters pertaining to air raids and civil defense. I have a pair of Keiboudan in the works "demonstrating" the use of bamboo spears that can be used alongside civilian militia or armed neighborhood association members.

[NurgleHH]

Sometimes patience until you can show something is better than hurried advertisement.

[Donkeymilkman]

Veroo was correct! Keibodan (Civil Defense Corps) were volunteer police and fire auxiliaries who assisted in matters pertaining to air raids and civil defense. I have a pair of Keiboudan in the works "demonstrating" the use of bamboo spears that can be used alongside civilian militia or armed neighborhood association members.

Looks interesting. I thought the ad was rather amusing.

[Sakuragi Miniatures]

I painted up a pair of spare prototypes to show off the upcoming keiboudan members!

[Freddy]

They look cool, but did they have full military gear just no rifles?

[Sakuragi Miniatures]

They look cool, but did they have full military gear just no rifles?

None of the gear is military. They're wearing civil defense uniforms and civilian helmets, which are made of a cheaper metal than real helmets.

Civilian men at the time were also encouraged to wear kokumin fuku or "national clothes," which were patterned after military uniforms but not actual uniforms; people carried a bag with a first aid kit, triangular bandage, and a canteen. So it may look like they have military uniforms and gear, but it was all private purchase.

Depending on how the spear-armed militia do, militia with old rifles is also a possibility. 

[Freddy]

None of the gear is military. They're wearing civil defense uniforms and civilian helmets, which are made of a cheaper metal than real helmets.

Civilian men at the time were also encouraged to wear kokumin fuku or "national clothes," which were patterned after military uniforms but not actual uniforms; people carried a bag with a first aid kit, triangular bandage, and a canteen. So it may look like they have military uniforms and gear, but it was all private purchase.

Depending on how the spear-armed militia do, militia with old rifles is also a possibility.

I see, that makes sense, thanks for the explanation (Western militias usually wore civilian clothes with some armbands or badges.). In Hungary civilian defense and firefighting helmets were basically the military helmets, sometimes even strengthened with additional metal stripes. http://demeterwebmilitaria.oldalunk.hu/site.php?sd=demeterwebmilitaria&page=nf8XjvnK3w

[Sakuragi Miniatures]

I see, that makes sense, thanks for the explanation (Western militias usually wore civilian clothes with some armbands or badges.). In Hungary civilian defense and firefighting helmets were basically the military helmets, sometimes even strengthened with additional metal stripes. http://demeterwebmilitaria.oldalunk.hu/site.php?sd=demeterwebmilitaria&page=nf8XjvnK3w

It's harder to see, but these guys also have armbands. Toward the end of the war, arm bands were about all they had to issue. Due to the war situation not necessarily advancing in Japan's favor, production of the civil defense uniforms were strained. I'm also going to release a set of spear-armed militia wearing their regular clothes with arm bands and headbands.