Former TV Asahi Announcer Yasuma Matsui Fulfills His Middle-Aged Dream of Living Surrounded by Model Kits After Retirement

Packed into four rooms

“Excuse me for intruding.”

As soon as I entered the room, I was rendered speechless by the overwhelming presence. Shelves were packed with boxes, and more boxes. Most of them are extremely rare plastic models that went out of print in the 1960s and ’70s. The owner is Yasumasa Matsui (61), a former TV Asahi announcer.

“At my family home in Inami, Nanto City, Toyama Prefecture, there are four rooms packed full. About 20 years ago, I counted over 3,000 items. Adding the ones stored at my home in Tokyo, I can’t keep track of them all. After retiring from TV Asahi, I live surrounded by my beloved plastic models.”

 

Matsui, whose passion for plastic models led him to become a modeling history research advisor at Tamiya, a giant in the industry, in March of this year, is living out his “middle-aged man’s dream.” Let’s delve into the extremely obsessive life of this former announcer, who was captivated by the allure of plastic models at the age of 10.

“My uncle offered to buy me something from a local ‘general store’ that sold a bit of everything. He suggested a plastic model, though I can’t remember the exact reason. I chose a Tamiya model of the French fighter jet ‘Mirage’ and the Soviet bomber ‘Ilyushin.’ The reduced-scale forms were true to the real thing, and the assembly instructions were densely packed with explanations, including kanji characters that were difficult for an elementary school student. I was instantly fascinated, realizing this was not just for kids.”

Matsui started ordering Tamiya’s general catalogs and ‘Tamiya News,’ which drew him deeper into the world of plastic models.

“When I looked at the 1974 general catalog, I saw that some kits were already discontinued that year. I felt that I needed to ‘keep them safe’ and started collecting kits that were at risk of being discontinued.”

Visiting toy stores on local reporting assignments.

Matsui didn’t just collect old plastic models. He cycled around local toy stores, checked the “for sale” sections of modeling magazines, and sent postcards to secure rarer and highly coveted “treasures” from fans.

“For example, Tamiya’s first edition kits come in boxes that fit into a space when the top and bottom are aligned. Later editions are of the type with an opening similar to a caramel box. The rarity is different. The sense of treasure isn’t limited to the boxes. For instance, the Swedish fighter jet ‘Draken’ usually has silver plastic parts, but there’s a rare green version that’s almost never seen in the first edition. I managed to acquire both versions.”

 

After joining TV Asahi, Matsui worked on flagship programs like “Music Station” and “News Station” before becoming a sports commentator for professional baseball. Each time he traveled to cover training camps or games, he would find time to visit toy stores that sold plastic models.

“During spring training, there’s usually a day off in the two-week reporting period. On those days, I would rent a car and, without modern navigation, rely on phone books and maps to visit stores. When I found a ‘treasure,’ I wouldn’t immediately ask to buy it. Instead, I would express my enthusiasm for plastic models by saying, ‘This is a model that went out of print in the 1960s and is now hard to find.’ Once, I discovered a completed model of the American M40 tank, nicknamed ‘BIG-SHOT,’ from 1972 in a showcase at a model shop in Miyazaki. Although I only admired it at that time, when I returned the following year for another camp, the shop owner remembered me and said, ‘You came last year, didn’t you?’ He then told me that he was closing the shop soon and agreed to sell me the ‘BIG-SHOT.’ I think my passion conveyed my seriousness to him.”

Recently, he has been winning “treasures” on online auction sites more frequently, though he admits there’s a hint of loneliness associated with it.

That accident was the trigger for.

“When negotiating directly with shop owners, it was essential to have my passion recognized to obtain the items. Online auctions, while convenient, often only require money to win. I feel a sense of loss of personal connection and find it a bit complicated emotionally.”

Matsui, a graduate of Tokyo Institute of Technology with a background in the sciences, applied his knowledge and passion for plastic models even in his reporting work. This was notably demonstrated during the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster that occurred right after the Great East Japan Earthquake in March 2011. 

“Other networks were unable to accurately represent the reactor. I happened to find a two-view diagram of the Reactor Building No. 1 online. I quickly saved it, thinking it might be deleted soon. After confirming with several nuclear power plant officials that it was genuine, I spent about two weeks at home creating a full-scratch model of the reactor building based on this diagram. It’s a 1/144 scale model that faithfully reproduces the complex piping and pressure vessels. It was praised as ‘excellent’ at my desk and was frequently used in TV Asahi’s news programs.”

Matsui also contributed to specialized magazines like ‘World’s Warships’ and created a full-scratch model of North Korea’s cargo-passenger ship, the ‘Mangyongbong,’ which further benefited the programs he worked on.

“As a plastic model enthusiast, I appeared on the late-night variety show ‘Tamori Club’ about ten times. My last appearance was in a segment where experts admired B-grade models of animals and insects, such as ‘Bowling Boar’ and ‘Longhorn Beetle.’ That was my final job as an announcer.”

In March 2023, Matsui reached retirement age. While TV Asahi offered to extend his tenure, he had two things he wanted to do after retiring.

 

“One goal is to revitalize my hometown, Inami in Toyama Prefecture. The other is to repay Tamiya, a company that has supported me since childhood, by writing an official guidebook. Fortunately, Shunsaku Tamiya, with whom I have had interactions, asked me to help out after my retirement, so I gladly accepted. My immediate task as a modeling history research advisor is to renovate the ‘History Museum’ at the company headquarters in Shizuoka City, which has remained largely untouched for the past decade. I will ensure that Tamiya’s history is preserved and enriched.”

Matsui credits his ability to immerse himself in the world of plastic models to the support of his family, including his wife. In his second life, he plans to deepen his passion for plastic models.

From the September 6-13, 2024, combined issue of ‘FRIDAY.’