1/24 Shuffle!: Mazda RX-7 FD3S

"Itasha" literally means "pain car" in Japanese, suggesting that these cars garishly decorated with colorful anime character graphics are embarrassingly painful to look at, or ride in. A bit harsh, perhaps, but there you have it! Another take on the name is that it's riffing on the similar sound of the nickname for Italian cars, also pronounced "Itasha" but with the kana for Italy's "Ita" in place of the kanji for pain (also pronounced "ita" in this combination). "Sha" in both cases means "car."

This nice Mazda RX-7 kit features graphics of characters from the popular anime "Shuffle!" The decals for the graphics are particularly well done, featuring image fidelity not often seen in automotive kits. Aside from the decals, this is a standard curbside kit (no engine detail) of the RX-7. The body is molded in white, with clear parts, black rubber tires, and dark multi-spoke wheels.