The Nagato-class battleships of the Imperial Japanese Navy were the first in the world to mount huge 16-inch guns in their main turrets. Until the massive Yamato-class battleships were built, the Nagato and Mutsu were the most powerful ships in the IJN. The Mutsu saw action at Pearl Harbor, the Battle of Midway, and the Solomons Campaign. The Mutsu was sunk while moored in Hiroshima Bay by a mysterious explosion that blew the ship in two, with the loss of 1,121 of her sailors.

This kit of the Mutsu features superb molding and details, with 823 parts (including three entirely new sprues of parts to build the Mutsu from the original Nagato kit ) to create one of the most accurate and detailed 1/350 ship models yet. The hull features bulkheads to offer greater structural integrity, the characteristic towering "pagoda" bridge structure is perfectly recreated, and the three Type 95 Reconnaissance Seaplanes are painstakingly detailed. The kit also includes a fret of photo-etched metal parts for railings and other details, and full-size marking, painting, rigging, and reference charts in 1/350 scale. Includes comprehensive instructions in Japanese and English, as well as a 13-page booklet of Mutsu facts and photos, also in Japanese and English.