With the 56th All Japan Model & Hobby Show now two weeks in the past, many of you have been wondering why there was no major announcement from Tokyo Marui regarding upcoming products during the show. Whilst we are all used to the company surprising us about product developments at two events every year: the Shizuoka Hobby Show and the All Japan Model & Hobby Show, for this year, they decided to do things differently.

But before that, we know that there will still be some products that are expected to be released late this as based on our previous story on the event: M405 Bolt Action Sniper Rifle, M4 CQB-R Block 1 Gas Blowback, the Samurai Edge Variation Color, and the HK45 Tactical. So far, the Tokyo Marui KSG Gas Shotgun and the Glock 22 Gas Blowback Pistol have been released for this year.

The Tokyo Marui display area, big as it was, was designed for visitors, trade and public visitors, to be able to have their hands on the products for them to try for feel or for those who want to pull the trigger, be able to shoot them. For this year, visitors who have not tried their hands in airsoft many were able to do so as the shooting range covered more than half the display area. They were able to shoot the AA-12 AES, the DEVGRU Custom HK416D NEG, and the Glock 22 GBB Pistol. Guides from Tokyo Marui carried colour-coded cards to indicate which airsoft gun is available to shoot so that visitors will be able to decide quickly which airsoft gun they would like to try.

The main product in the show that is still “a new animal” is the M40A5 Bolt Action Sniper Rifle. Totally a new design, its parts are not compatible with the best selling VSR-10  Series, and the L96 Sniper Rifle. Visitors milled around as there were shooters demonstrating the accuracy of the M40A5. In this case, the targets placed at 10 metres were an alumnium target 2.5cm in diameter, a .45ACP dummy cartridge, and a stick 2mm in diameter. The visitors were impressed that the shooter was able to targets though they were not able to try the rifle out themselves until it gets released later this year.

For those who collect miniature gun plastic models, Tokyo Marui have cooperated with TomyTec, which is a world famous Japanese company for known for its small scale models. In this case TomyTec made a 1/12 scale MP5SD6 based on the designs from Tokyo Marui which was on display at their booth.

Now, back to the question of why there were no new product announcements from the company for this year’s Model & Hobby Show?  As per tradition, they may announcements in May (Shizuoka) and September (Model & Hobby Show), which means an interval of just four months for customers to wait but from September to May of next year, customers will have to wait 8 monts. A new recommendation was to space their new product announcements that customers will wait for 6 months.

Thus, if you have noticed, the Tokyo Marui Festival did not take place during the Summer season of 2016 and instead they will be holding it in November where they will be making new product announcements. So expect new product announcements from the company in May, during the Shizuoka Hobby Show, and November during the Tokyo Marui Festival. As to what new airsoft guns they will be producing, we do not know and we all hope to be surprised again come November 2016.

Photos of the 56th All Japan Model & Hobby Show at the Popular Airsoft Facebook Page.