Tokyo Marui

Infobox Company
company_name = Tokyo Marui
company_
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company_type = Private
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foundation = 1965
founder =
location_city = Adachi, Tokyo
location_country = Japan
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origins = test
key_people =
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industry =
products = BB guns and rail transport modelling
revenue =
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homepage = [http://www.tokyo-marui.co.jp www.tokyo-marui.co.jp]
dissolved =
footnotes =

Nihongo|Tokyo Marui Co. Ltd|株式会社東京マルイ|Kabushiki-gaisha Tōkyō Marui is an airsoft gun manufacturer from Adachi, Tokyo, Japan. [ [http://www.tokyo-marui.co.jp/company/index.html 東京マルイ ] ] Its main market is Japan, but third-party retailers sell in Hong Kong (PRC), Republic of China (Taiwan), People's Republic of China (PRC), South Korea, East Asia, and worldwide.

Such is the popularity of its guns that the company has its own center for airsoft sport called "Tokyo Marui BB Sports Field" [ [http://www.tokyo-marui.co.jp/field/index.html 東京マルイ ] ] . As its products are notable for their detail and accuracy, they have appeared in numerous movies. Tokyo Marui is widely known as Japan's largest and most renowned airsoft gun manufacturer. [ [http://www.tokyo-marui.co.jp/tieup/index.html 東京マルイ ] ]

Automatic electric guns

Tokyo Marui was the first company to produce airsoft guns powered solely by electric-powered, motor driven air compressors. This compact air compressing system, in which Tokyo Marui dubbed "AEG" in the mid 90's, was first implemented in their first production electric powered automatic replica, the FAMAS F1. Tokyo Marui's original design ushered in a new era of airsoft guns. Instead of using external air systems to power airsoft replicas (see Classic airsoft), the Tokyo Marui AEG concept pioneered the use of self-providing electric powered air power. Their groundbreaking AEG system is still in wide use today, and it has been copied numerous times through the years by many other airsoft gun manufacturers.fact|date=September 2008

Tokyo Marui's airsoft replicas are made primarily from ABS plastic bodies, but also feature some metal parts, usually where needed. Some of their more recent models, however, such as their Type 89 rifle and AK-74M have featured full metal externals. The internal gearboxes of these guns are primarily powered by rechargeable batteries. A standard, unmodified Tokyo Marui gearbox will fire 0.2g BBs at around 280 to 300 feet per second (around 0.8-0.9J depending on the model. These gearboxes may be modified for higher performance by the installation of aftermarket parts, but Japanese law limits their power to 0.98J.

Tokyo Marui makes the following AEGs:
*M14 series
**M14 SOCOM
**M14 (fiber-type stock)
**M14 (wood-type stock)
*M16 & M4 series
**Colt M4A1 carbine New-type
**M4 S-System
**Colt M16A1
**Colt M16A1 Vietnam version
**Colt M16A2
**Colt M733 Commando
**Colt M4A1 R.I.S.
**Knight's M4 SR-16
**Colt M4A1
**Colt XM177E2 (discontinued)
**Colt CAR-15 (discontinued)
**Colt M653 Barnes [Burns is a misspelling of Barnes] version (limited edition)
*MP5 and G36 series
**H&K G36C
**MP5-J
**MP5-K
**H&K MP5SD5
**H&K MP5SD6
**H&K MP5KA4 PDW
**H&K MP5A4 High Grade
**H&K MP5A5 High Grade
**H&K MP5 R.A.S. [Production was temporarily halted until January 2006, when manufacturer of red dot sight went out of business]
**H&K MP5KA4
**H&K MP5 Navy (Limited Edition)
*P90 series
**P90 [Production was temporarily halted until September 2006, when upper receiver mold broke]
**P90 Triple Rail
*FAMAS & Steyr series
**Steyr AUG Special Receiver
**Steyr AUG Military-type (discontinued)
**FA-MAS Special Version
**FA-MAS 5.56-F1 (First AEG ever made)
*SIG series
**SIG SG 550 (discontinued, due to burst fire microchip malfunctions)
**SIG SG 551 (discontinued, due to burst fire microchip malfunctions)
**SIG SG 552-2
*AK series
**AK-47
**AK-47S
**AK-47 Spetsnaz (limited edition)
**AK-47 Beta Spetsnaz
**AK-74MN (Electric Blow Back)
**AKS-74U (Electric Blow Back)
*G3 series
**H&K G3A3 (discontinued)
**H&K G3A4 (discontinued)
**H&K MC51
**H&K G3 SAS
**H&K PSG-1
**H&K G3/SG1
**HK51 (limited edition)
*Other
**Howa Type 89
**Howa Type 89-F
**Vz. 61 Scorpion
**Heckler & Koch MP7A1
**Uzi submachine gun
**Thompson M1A1

Automatic electric pistols

Automatic electric pistols (AEP) run on 7.2V rechargeable batteries. These pistols and compact submachine guns are often more reliable than gas powered replicas in cold weather. However, due to their lower voltage supplies and miniature gearboxes, they usually feature lower muzzle speeds (about 0.25 - .5J per BB) and slightly slower rates of fire than replicas using a full-sized gearbox system.

Tokyo Marui makes the following automatic electric pistols:

* H&K USP
* M93R
* Glock 18C
* MP7A1
* Škorpion vz. 61
* Beretta M9 (not released)
* Steyr Mannlicher TMP (not released)
* Mac-10

AEG Boys series

Tokyo Marui makes replicas scaled down for use by children 10 and up. They are powered by 6 AA batteries and feature lower power ratings than their 1:1 scale counterparts.
*H&K MP5A5
*Colt M4A1 carbine

Electric blowback pistols

Tokyo Marui's electric blowback pistols (commonly referred to as EBBs) are powered by four AAA batteries and typically fire at 160 FPS with a .12 gram BB. Some models may be select fire, and most models have an additional grip safety that must be held in in order for the pistol to fire, with the exception of the Combat Delta models that use the gun's usual grip safety. The pistols feature a very weak blowback, and the slide usually only moves a third of the distance as it would on a typical GBB or real firearm.

*SIG Pro SP2340
*Combat Delta
*Combat Delta Silver Model
*M92F Military
*M92F Silver Model
*Desert Eagle .50AE
*Desert Eagle .50AE Silver
*KP85
*Centimeter Master
*Glock 18C

Gas blowback pistols

Tokyo Marui Gas blowback pistols are designed to use HFC134A refrigerant to fire BBs and also to blow back the slide, mimicking the recoil of automatic hand guns. Refrigerant is sold in canisters similar to small propane canisters used in portable gas range. Propane based "Green" gas can be used, but could damage the replica due to higher pressure it exerts to mostly plastic parts used in gas blowback replicas.

*Desert Eagle .50AE Hard-Kick
*Desert Eagle.50AE Chrome Stainless Hard-Kick
*Desert Eagle .50AE (Non-Blowback)
*Desert Eagle .50AE Biohazard 2 (1998 Limited Edition)
*Desert Eagle .50AE Biohazard 2 10" Custom Ver. 98' Two-Tone (Limited Edition)
*Desert Eagle .50AE Biohazard 2 10" Custom Ver. 2007 Chrome (Limited Edition)
*Detonics .45
*Detonics .45 Combat Master Enviro Hard Chrome
*Glock 17
*Glock 26
*Glock 26 Advance
*M1911 Colt Government
*Hi-Capa 4.3
*Hi-Capa 4.3 Dual Stainless Custom
*Hi-Capa 5.1
*Hi-Capa 5.1 Government
*Hi-Capa 5.1 M.E.U
*M92F Biohazard Samurai Edge Standard Model
*M92F Biohazard Samurai Edge Jill Model 1999-2000 (Limited Edition)
*M92F Biohazard Samurai Edge Chris Model 2000 (Limited Edition)
*M92F Biohazard Samurai Edge Barry Model C/S.E-03 2001 (Limited Edition)
*M92F Military Model
*M92F Chrome Stainless
*M9 Tactical Master
*Mk23 SOCOM (Non-Blowback)
*SIG Sauer P226
*SIG Sauer P226 Stainless

Gas revolvers

*Colt Python 2.5 inch
*Colt Python 4 inch
*Colt Python 6 inch
*M19 Combat Magnum 4 inch (Discontinued)
*M19 Combat Magnum 6 inch (Discontinued)

Bolt action air rifle

These are Bolt Action "sniper" rifles. Before each shot is fired, the shooter has to pull the bolt, cock the piston and load BB into the chamber. All three versions share the same stock, same internals and same air chamber. Pro-sniper version has black stock, 430mm long inner barrel and most accurate of the three versions. Real Shock version has a metal weight in the piston to simulate recoil. Real Shock has simulated wooden stock and same 430mm long inner barrel. However, due to the vibration caused by the heavier piston's impact, Real Shock is the least accurate of the three, albeit only by less than an inch difference in 20m distance. G-spec is shortened version with a silencer attached. Inner barrel is 303mm long, but slightly tighter bore. Due to short inner barrel it's accuracy is close to Real Shock, but a couple mm more accurate. A needle like contraption called air brake pretrudes from the piston. Air brake plugs the cylinder before piston impacts, trapping last bit of air between piston and cylinder. This reduces impact vibration and adds to VSR series' unique accuracy.

*VSR-10 Pro-sniper version
*VSR-10 Real Shock Version
*VSR G-Spec

Air shotgun and air rifles

Tokyo Marui makes several replicas that are powered by compressing a spring. For the shotgun and grenade launcher models, each shot fires three BBs at a time.

*M3 Super 90
*M3 Shorty
*SPAS-12
*SPAS-12 Metal Stock version
*M203 grenade launcher for M16A1 and M16A2
*M203 grenade launcher for M4A1, M4A1 RIS, and Knight's SR-16
*Tactical launcher, an M203 with stock and pistol grip for standalone use
*XM177E2
*M16A1
*MP5
*Škorpion vz. 61
*Uzi
*Heckler & Koch G3A3
*Walther MPL
*Walther MPK (Kurz or short)

Air handgun

The spring is compressed by racking the slide. Some have hop-up and some do not.
* Walther P38
*.44 Auto Mag
*Omega 10mm Auto
*Biohazard Ashford Luger Model (limited edition)
*Colt M1911A1 Government
*Centimeter Master
*Colt Double Eagle
*M645
*Desert Eagle
*SIG P228 High Grade
*Glock 17L
*Glock 17L High Grade
*KP85 High Grade
*H&K P7M13
*Auto Mag III
*Smith & Wesson PC356
*Beretta M8000 Cougar G
*H&K SOCOM Mk. 23 High Grade (named one of the best spring pistols ever made)
*H&K USP High Grade
*CZ 75 High Grade
*Beretta M92F Military Model
*AMT Hard Baller

Radio controlled models

Tokyo Marui was also at the forefront of the developing radio control hobby in the mid-1980s with a line of high-quality 1/10-scale electric buggies, monster trucks and even an unusual NASCAR stocker, all in kit form. This kit of Bill Elliott's Coors Melling Ford Thunderbird was built on a four-wheel-drive buggy chassis; full-scale NASCAR racers are rear-wheel-drive. The body could be raised or lowered for either onroad or offroad use and two full sets of wheels and tires were included, pre-mounted sponge slick tires for onroad and knobby spiked rubber tires for offroad. The Big Bear Datsun, a 1/12-scale monster truck topped with a Datsun pickup truck body, powered by a Mabuchi RS-380 motor and initially sold via mail order, was one of the best-selling radio controlled models of the period and contributed greatly to the hobby's growth.

Scale variations on the simple and strong Big Bear chassis included both regular and "Super Wheelie" versions of the Jeep CJ-7 Golden Eagle and Toyota FJ40 Land Cruiser, each lacking the oversized wheels and tires of the Big Bear and equipped instead with more scale-looking Goodyear offroad tires. A proposed third version which would have been Marui's ninth release was that of a Mitsubishi Pajero, shelved due to licensing problems. Twelve models were released in all, numbered 1 through 13 since the aforementioned ninth model never made it to market.

Strong competition by the end of the decade, especially from Tamiya and Kyosho, caused Marui to pull out of the hobby-grade R/C market. They returned to the R/C market in 2000 with a still-popular line of ready-to-run, 1/24-scale military tanks (see below).

The company released and sold the following models:

*Hunter 2WD entry-level sport buggy
*Galaxy 2WD sport buggy
*Galaxy RS 2WD sport/mild competition buggy
*Shogun 4WD sport/mild competition buggy
*Samurai 4WD competition buggy
*Ninja 4WD competition buggy
*Coors Melling Ford Thunderbird 4WD NASCAR stock car
*Big Bear Datsun 2WD sport monster truck
*CJ-7 Golden Eagle 2WD sport offroad, available in regular and "Super Wheelie"
*Toyota Land Cruiser 2WD sport offroad, available in regular and "Super Wheelie"

Radio controlled battle tanks

Tokyo Marui has combined remote control and airsoft by making a series of 1/24 scale remote controlled tanks that fire BBs. By remote control, a user may move the tank forwards and backwards, turn in place, rotate the turret, elevate the barrel, and fire. The range is only 25 m for 0.2g BBs. The tanks run on eight AA batteries. [ [http://www.tokyo-marui.co.jp/products/rcbattletank/index.html 東京マルイ ] ]
*Leopard 2 A6
*Tiger I
*Tiger I Camouflage
*M1A2 Abrams
*Type 90 Tank JGSDF 71st Regiment

Others

Tokyo Marui has also in an attempt to compete with Tamiya manufactured 1:24 scale model cars, Mini 4WD of their own RC cars as well as licensed by other companies including Kyosho and educational models. The early nineties recession would force the company to scale back production to airsoft guns. Tokyo Marui has since returned to the RC car market, albeit the lucrative mini RC market with its 1:24 cars [ [http://www.tokyo-marui.co.jp/products/rcclub/index.html 東京マルイ ] ] and also since 1994, builds remote driven Godzilla models. [ [http://www.tokyo-marui.co.jp/products/rckaiju/index.html 東京マルイ ] ]

References

Tokyo Marui: Soft Air Gun-2004 All Line Up Catalog

ee also

*Airsoft guns

External links

* [http://www.tokyo-marui.co.jp Tokyo Marui website] (Japanese)