Model car collecting often starts with toy cars, with commercials and packaging urging kids to not just play, but “collect them all!” Depending on what part of the world, you’re from, those early influencers could be from many different brands.
If you’re from Japan, Tomica is likely the origin of your hobby obsession. Makers of primarily 1/64-ish cars, Tomica (and their various other names such as Tomy) were essentially the Matchbox of Nippon culture. Focusing on mostly Japanese production cars, they inspired a generation of auto enthusiasts of all ages. For that powerful grip on the imagination, Tomica is the Model Car Hall of Fame Historic Model Brand of the Year for 2024.
Despite their early emphasis on no-nonsense JDM cars and trucks, Tomica branched out to trucks, buses, and military vehicles to widen their appeal. These were often built to be larger than the cars. Even if there was some compromise in the scales, playing with buses that were longer and taller than cars probably felt more realistic.
Tomy is also known for its pop culture and fantasy models, often based on anime and manga themes. They also produce extensions of their trucks, including a shark tank transport with nicely detailed nurse shark. The appeal to younger (and also female) fans is obvious, and they have nailed that market over the years.
Tomica’s unending popularity makes it one of the biggest diecast brands in the world. As a company doing this for over 50 years now, they deserve induction into the Model Car Hall of Fame as Historic Brand of the Year for 2024.
The Model Car Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony was held at the International Toy Fair in Nuremberg, Germany, on January 30, 2025. Thanks to everyone at Spielwarenmesse for having us as a part of their event.
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