Hello Nanoblock fans! This is Simon from Nanoblock Fan Page!
Below are my thoughts and observations at the Nanoblock Award 2014-2015 event:
Just one week before the Nanoblock Award 2014-2015 event, I was already super excited about it! For all the Nanoblock fans outside of Japan who don’t know, when Nanoblock hosts an event or has a booth especially at the Tokyo International Toy Show, it is so much fun. With Nanoblock related stuff all around you, it’s like heaven! Just like in the previous years, I was prepared to take lots of photos for all the local and international fans.
On the first day of the event which was on Friday, I left all my Nanoblock work to one side and headed over to the Tokyo Skytree! By the way, did you know Tokyo Skytree is the tallest tower in the world at 634 meters? Inside the Tokyo Skytree, there is an area filled with shops called the “Solmachi.” This is where the Nanoblock Store is!
So anyhow, I arrived about 20~30 minutes after the event was officially opened and of course, I took a selfie first with the big Nanoblock banner right outside the event space.
Upon entering the event, there was this sense of excitement; you will know if you have gone there! To the right and left were some props which you could stick your face through and take a picture. One was the “Sanada Yukimura” limited Nanoblock (printed, not for sale limited item which was made available to business related individuals only) and the other was a “Welcome to Japan” prop with Nanoblocks around it. In front of you was this extremely huge NanoGauge diorama which is really cool to look at.
After walking past this incredible sight, you would be greeted with a long wonderful display of Sights to See series and Mini Collection Series items! In there were a few incredibly rare items such as the very first Halloween limited Jack-o-Lantern (NBC-040) and the Grandfather’s Clock (NBC-091). Fortunately, I have at least one of the two, haha.
Aside from some of the upcoming June and July Real Hobby series items on display, you would be directly introduced to the original Nanoblock creations which filled up more than half of the event space. Looking at them and thinking about all the creations from the previous years, you could definitely see the builders have been getting more creative and the way they put things together was just so much more polished.
Lying between all these fantastic original creations are posters introducing the winners and other various information. Lately, Nanoblock Award 2014-2015 had included motion based creations and these were on display along with the winners, with each having a tiny screen to show off its video creation.
It was a unique way to get contestants to challenge themselves more! On one side of the event space, there were the photo contest participants and winners and next to it a projector showing some of the judges reactions to this year’s creations.
It was a unique way to get contestants to challenge themselves more! On one side of the event space, there were the photo contest participants and winners and next to it a projector showing some of the judges reactions to this year’s creations.
Just when I was looking at the projector, I saw “Oozu Makoto,” a famous stitch art designer who designed the Nanoblock sports series and also the rare limited Human Anatomy Nanoblock (if you don’t know about this, look it out! Probably the most unique packaging for any type of Nanoblock). Anyhow, this would eventually lead to a surprise for me….
This year, Nanoblock + (plus) has made an appearance in the contest and there was no shortage of original creations. One thing I wanted to mention was, pretty much all of these creation were from Japanese builders and sadly it’s hard for international builders to send their creations to Japan (risking it break apart, etc.).
This year, Nanoblock + (plus) has made an appearance in the contest and there was no shortage of original creations. One thing I wanted to mention was, pretty much all of these creation were from Japanese builders and sadly it’s hard for international builders to send their creations to Japan (risking it break apart, etc.).
There should have a small corner of a few posters or some way to say “these were the international participants and winners of the Nanoblock Award Contest!” This would give people the impression “wow, Nanoblock is all over the world now!” Well, just a thought.
So after walking past all the creations, right in front of me were the experience corners. One of which was you get to make a cute Nanoblock + dog for free. Honestly, I didn’t have much experience with Nanoblock + and putting that dog together took slightly longer than I wanted to. Undeniably, it was way easier to handle than regular Nanoblocks but the blocks with multiple connecting sides can get confusing at first, but I got used to it later.
So after walking past all the creations, right in front of me were the experience corners. One of which was you get to make a cute Nanoblock + dog for free. Honestly, I didn’t have much experience with Nanoblock + and putting that dog together took slightly longer than I wanted to. Undeniably, it was way easier to handle than regular Nanoblocks but the blocks with multiple connecting sides can get confusing at first, but I got used to it later.
After that, I walked across to the other Nanoblock experience corner which cost 300 JPY to try. There were three different designs you could make: Temple, Mount Fuji and the Kaminarimon. Being the fan that I am, I paid for all 3 and made them all! Oh yeah, they also gave you a “nanoid" too to put on it. You got to choose your own colours and hairstyle. These little mini “sights to see” creations sure were fun and very much like those mini animal campaign items during Nanoblock events or at the Nanoblock store and so on.
Lastly, I went to the shopping corner! For people who couldn’t control themselves, you could get your favourite sets right there, but my sight was set to the “lottery” corner where you could pay 500 JPY and stand a chance to win various Nanoblock prizes such as the Hjimeji Castle DX (1st prize) to the Kamen Rider sets to Nanoblock pens.
Last year during the same event, I won the Space Center Deluxe Edition on my second try! After that, I don’t think I have ever won anything like that in my life, haha. So I tried my luck, once, twice, three times, four times (7th prize twice and 5th prize twice), and I gave up after that. I ended up winning some Nanoblock notepads, pens and some old Mini Series sets which I have in my collection already. Well, the pens were nice though.
Okay so I lied, the previous paragraph wasn’t the last, as for collectors this was the most important part!
For the first time during the Nanoblock Award event, a limited item was made available: "Tokugawa Ieyasu.” If you have owned the Nanoblock Sengoku Commander Series set you might know what I meant. But for this, the packaging was your nice black mini series packaging and it made this item even more ‘official’ like (well, it was official) compared to the Sengoku Commander Series items. One person was limited to buying two items only so obviously I bought two of it!
For the first time during the Nanoblock Award event, a limited item was made available: "Tokugawa Ieyasu.” If you have owned the Nanoblock Sengoku Commander Series set you might know what I meant. But for this, the packaging was your nice black mini series packaging and it made this item even more ‘official’ like (well, it was official) compared to the Sengoku Commander Series items. One person was limited to buying two items only so obviously I bought two of it!
So that was the end of my Nanoblock event tour story, but like each year, it gets better and better. I got to speak with various individuals from the Nanoblock team including the “father” of Nanoblock, and before I left for that day, I saw this guy from the back that I knew right away was “Oozu Makoto!”
To a Nanoblock fan, he is like a celebrity. The designer of the sports series and a continuous judge of the Nanoblock Award contests. He was next to the “father” and I introduced myself and got to meet him! It was definitely a rewarding experience.
To a Nanoblock fan, he is like a celebrity. The designer of the sports series and a continuous judge of the Nanoblock Award contests. He was next to the “father” and I introduced myself and got to meet him! It was definitely a rewarding experience.
After saying my parting greetings I left a happy man with a bag in one hand filled with Nanoblock goodies. Thank you for the wonderful experience and I am now looking forward to the next Tokyo Toy Show Nanoblock booth!
To see more photos of the Nanoblock Award 2014-2015 Exhibition, click here: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.945785275473702.1073741830.239933602725543&type=1
To see more photos of the Nanoblock Award 2014-2015 Exhibition, click here: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.945785275473702.1073741830.239933602725543&type=1
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