Junichi Akutsu
Junichi Akutsu (阿久津潤一 Akutsu Jun'ichi), alias BEE-CRAFT as a freelancer and ASTRAYS specifically when working on Bandai's Gundam, is a noted mecha designer and "cleanup" artist working continuously since the mid-1980s. He is often tasked with turning concept art into actual workable action figures or model kit designs.[1]
During Beast Machines, he was among those subcontracted by Takara to do the engineering work which translated Draxhall Jump's concept art into actual working designs. The number of designs which he cleaned up or created from scratch, and whether he worked on the entire line or just the pre-Battle for the Spark waves, is currently unknown. He has continued to work on subsequent Transformers lines, notably doing final control art for MP-10 Optimus Prime and MP-24 Star Saber, as well as final art for lines usually intended to be exclusive to Japan such as Transformers Go!.
Known design work
[edit]Beast Wars
[edit]Beast Wars Neo
[edit]
Beast Machines
[edit]Car Robots
[edit]Masterpiece
[edit]- MP-10 Convoy
- MP-24 Star Saber
Go!
[edit]- G01 Kenzan
- G02 Jinbu
- G03 Ganoh
- G05 Gekisoumaru
- G10 Hishoumaru
- G20 Sensuimaru
- G26 Optimus Exprime
Earthrise
[edit]
Gallery
[edit]
Notes
[edit]- As of at least 2017, Akutsu is also a contributor to the 2016 revival of the pre-Transformers Diaclone franchise.
- There, he provided concept art for the flagship "Dia Battles V2" toy that went on to inspire the Beast Wars: Uprising incarnation of Magmatron.[2]
