Hobby Road Aeon Niigata Nishi will host the Volks Five Star Stories Series Exhibition Mini Caravan in Niigata Hobby Road 2026 Autumn from September 26 (Saturday) to October 12 (Monday, national holiday), 2026, giving visitors an up-close look at figures based on the mecha from Mamoru Nagano's popular comic The Five Star Stories, serialized in KADOKAWA's Newtype magazine. The event is organized by Volks Inc. (Shimogyo-ku, Kyoto), which plans, manufactures, and sells plastic model kits and hobby goods.
This marks the first time the Volks Five Star Stories Series Exhibition has been held outside a Volks store. With 2026 marking the 40th anniversary of The Five Star Stories' serialization, the exhibition — previously centered on Volks stores — is coming to Niigata so local hobby fans can enjoy it too.
Roughly 40 Years in the Making: Volks' Five Star Stories Figures Come to Niigata
The Five Star Stories and Volks' Journey
The Five Star Stories is a long-running work that could be called Mamoru Nagano's life's work — he has continued serializing it in Newtype (published by KADOKAWA) since 1986. Set across a vast group of star nations, it is a sweeping epic spanning thousands, even tens of thousands, of years of history, woven from "Headliners" — superhumans with power beyond human comprehension, known as knights — the artificial life forms called "Fatima," and giant robots, all rendered through an intricate world and striking visuals that continue to captivate fans. Its bold, original ideas and designs have had a lasting influence on robot and character design, keeping the series at the cutting edge of its time.
Partway through the series, Nagano redesigned the robots that appear in the story, moving from "Mortar Headd (MH)" to the newer "Gothicmade (GTM)." For roughly 40 years since the series began, Volks has worked under Nagano's supervision to turn the mecha and characters of the story into figures and merchandise, expressing the world of The Five Star Stories in three-dimensional form as the series has evolved.
Bringing Volks' Five Star Stories Figures Closer to Fans
The Volks Five Star Stories Series Exhibition has so far been held only at Volks stores nationwide, but fans of the series in areas without a Volks store have voiced a strong desire to see the actual pieces and finished samples up close. With the cooperation of Hobby Road Aeon Niigata Nishi, a hobby specialty store long loved by local fans, this event marks the first time the exhibition has been held outside a Volks store. The Niigata event is the first step in a new effort to bring the appeal of Volks' The Five Star Stories figures to hobby fans across the country.
What Is the Volks Five Star Stories Series Exhibition?
Having worked on figures and merchandise for The Five Star Stories for roughly 40 years, Volks brings together pieces that push the history and possibilities of its craftsmanship for this official exhibition. The venue displays finished samples created under Nagano's supervision — "one-of-a-kind official kit finished samples supervised by the original creator," pieces that are typically used and shown only during product development and otherwise kept out of public view. The exhibition gives visitors a chance to view these pieces up close and experience the world of The Five Star Stories with the impact only three-dimensional form can offer.
Exhibition Highlights
- First time in Niigata, and the first time ever that the Volks Five Star Stories Series Exhibition has been held outside a Volks store
- Around 200 of Volks' Five Star Stories figures on display, including finished samples and product prototypes
- Rare pieces found only at an official exhibition, including creator-supervised finished samples, viewable up close
- Numerous new pieces on display, including the GTM resin kit "リッタージェットMk4 マッハ・シャルトマ," currently in development for release in 2027
A curated selection of popular mecha from the newest Five Star Stories figures will be on display. Alongside current kits, upcoming releases set to launch from autumn 2026 onward will be shown wherever possible, offering a look at the leading edge of Volks' ongoing work on The Five Star Stories figures.
Also on display is the HSGK "リッタージェットMk4 マッハ・シャルトマ," the newest GTM resin kit, first unveiled at a summer 2026 event. This highly anticipated piece is currently in development in two scales, 1/72 and 1/100.
The newest MH plastic kit, IMS 1/100 "Siren F =カラミティ・ゴーダース 2989/3112=," is scheduled for release at the end of 2026. A painted finished sample is set to make its first public appearance at the Niigata venue.
Special Sales of Volks Five Star Stories Merchandise
The venue will hold a special sale of "VSMS" and "IMS," Volks' plastic kit series that turn the GTM (Gothicmade) and MH (Mortar Headd) from The Five Star Stories into figures. For the Niigata area, which has no Volks store, this is a rare chance to see and buy the products in person.
Also available will be the fixed-pose models "HSGK" and "SAV," which pursue the dramatic presence and beautiful standing poses of the series. These are garage kits (resin cast kits), reproduced and manufactured one by one by hand at Volks' own workshop in Kyoto from prototypes created by sculptors, and are special items sold only at select events. Visitors are invited to enjoy Volks' The Five Star Stories figures at home after seeing the exhibition.
Newest GTM Plastic Kit Also Goes on Sale as the Event Opens
VSMS 1/100 "Daccas the Black Knight = Both 3074 = John Weinzel"
- 1/100 scale, two-color molded injection plastic kit
- Height 244mm, width 169mm, length 159mm; 263 parts total
- Prototype production: Zoukeimura Five Star Stories Project Team
- Price: ¥9,350 (tax included)
- On sale from September 26 (Saturday) at the Volks Five Star Stories Series Exhibition Mini Caravan in Niigata Hobby Road 2026 Autumn, all Volks showrooms nationwide, Akihabara Hobby Tengoku 2, Hobby Square, and the Hobby Tengoku online store
What Is VSMS?
VSMS (Volks Super Modeling Series) is Volks' newest plastic kit series, bringing the GTM (Gothicmade) from The Five Star Stories to life in 1/100 scale. It was developed to combine the beautiful silhouette of Nagano's original designs with a high degree of poseability — completed models offer a striking standing pose, and a twin-swing mechanism also allows for dynamic posing inspired by scenes from the story. The newest VSMS release, "Daccas the Black Knight = Both 3074 = John Weinzel," will also be sold at the venue.
Event Overview
Organizer: Volks
Dates: September 26 (Saturday) – October 12 (Monday, national holiday), 2026
Hours: Weekdays 1:00 PM–8:00 PM; weekends & holidays 10:00 AM–8:00 PM
Venue: Hobby Road, Aeon Niigata Nishi, 3F
* The event is closed only on Wednesdays.
* Please note that the event hours differ from the store's regular business hours.
Three Ways to Enter
1) Special ticket with ticket folder: ¥1,650 (tax included)
Includes a ticket folder (choose from seven designs). Unlimited re-entry during the event period. On sale from September 26 (Saturday) at Hobby Road Aeon Niigata Nishi.
2) One-day ticket: ¥550 (tax included)
May be used on a day other than the date of purchase; re-entry is allowed only on the day of use. On sale from September 26 (Saturday) at Hobby Road Aeon Niigata Nishi.
3) ABSOMEC "GTM Kaiserin" owner's certificate: free admission for holders
For further details, please see the special website for the Volks Five Star Stories Series Exhibition Mini Caravan in Niigata Hobby Road 2026 Autumn.
https://hobby.volks.co.jp/event/fss-exhibition/260926.html
Volks plans to keep delivering a range of hobby products and services to fans throughout Japan and around the world. Held in cooperation with Hobby Road Aeon Niigata Nishi, the event offers a new opportunity for many people to discover the appeal of The Five Star Stories. Visitors from Niigata Prefecture and the surrounding area are warmly welcome.
Venue
Hobby Road
3F, Aeon Niigata Nishi, 2-1-10 Koshinminami, Nishi-ku, Niigata City, Niigata 950-2028
Phone: 025-378-8155
Store hours: Weekdays 11:00 AM–8:00 PM; weekends & holidays 10:00 AM–8:00 PM
