How 'Fantasy Weapons' Made in Hyogo Are Elevating Cosplay Culture

Cosplay is a popular activity where participants wear costumes and accessories representing characters from films, anime, and games. Many cosplayers capture the fun through photography and attending events, where they showcase elaborate costumes, exchange photography tips, and discuss the use of props. Among these props are replica swords and guns, often referred to as "fantasy weapons" in Japanese. I visited a store specializing in these items, frequented by many cosplayers.

*The "God Death Gear," a prop ax over two meters long, is surprisingly light and can be wielded with one hand.*

A Visit to Takumi Armory

Upon entering the shop, I was greeted by walls covered in swords, axes, spiked maces, and treasure chests.

Takumi Armory is a branch of Takumi Kougei, a plastics processing company based in Takasago City, Hyogo Prefecture. In addition to their main business, Takumi Armory crafts weapons for cosplay and theater productions and is also known for creating signboards.

"Sword-making saved me," shares the company's CEO Takumi Orii.

*Takumi Orii applying color to a prop hammer.*

The Art of Creating Fantasy Weapons

Orii's journey began with a passion for building plastic models, leading him to work at a Tokyo plastics processing company at age 19. By 30, he started his own business, which faced significant challenges and left him struggling with debt.

*Multiple layers of paint are applied to replicate the texture of metal.*

Amid these difficulties, Orii found a renewed sense of purpose: "I wanted to create something that was exciting for me." This led him to start crafting replica swords.

Orii's process starts with designing creations on a computer, producing detailed blueprints. Materials are cut with precision down to 0.01 millimeters, and translucent films are added to enhance clarity. He also applies various paints to replicate rust and the dull sheen of metal.

Creating a single piece can take one to four months, with larger items often costing over ¥300,000 JPY (about $2,000 USD). Despite the high cost, these lightweight, intricately crafted weapons are highly prized by cosplayers for their authenticity and ease of posing.

*The "Gear Gatling" machine gun, is one meter long and priced at ¥590,000 (about $4000).*

Customer Testimonials and Growing Fame

Kaichi Miyazaki (29) from Hokkaido, bought an acrylic knife from Takumi Armory and was impressed with its quality. "It fits perfectly with my costume's theme. It's well-made, easy to use, and looks great in photos," he remarked.

*Kaichi Miyazaki poses with an acrylic knife in a studio at Yotsuya BASE, Shinjuku, Tokyo, where the transparent blade reflects neon lights like a scene from a movie.*

In late July, I visited Takumi Armory's pop-up store in Ikebukuro, Tokyo. Inside the bustling shop, Misaki Muto (31), holding a large weapon said, "Holding a big weapon makes me feel stronger."

Orii shares, "Making swords has made me more optimistic and has also brought in more work." In addition to crafting weapons, he now designs stage sets for theme parks.

*Takumi Armory's pop-up store in Ikebukuro, filled with a variety of weapons.*

His fantasy weapons are gaining international recognition, and he dreams of seeing them featured in Hollywood movies. What started as a small local workshop is now evolving into a journey toward the global stage.

(Read the article in Japanese.)

Author: Shigeru Amari, The Sankei Shimbun