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Special Interview with Yohei Yamamoto
This weeks guest of honor is talented MOC builder Yohei Yamamoto a.k.a. LEGO DOU Moko from Japan. He is known for his amazing mechas and Sci-fi creations as well as brick-built anime characters and transformers. He is also the builder of the largest Mecha MOC on the internet named Evangelion. Photos from the work of our guest will be presented between the questions but you should check the builders flickr photo-stream for tons of amazing creations
Kaplan: We already know you are one of the best LEGO MOC'ers in the world. What can you tell us about yourself other than that. What is your real name? What is your dayjob? Do you have any other hobbies or activities?
Yohei: I work as exclusive builder at PlusL. My other hobbies include watching animated TV series and Hero TV shows
K: Do you remember the day when you got your first LEGO set? Which set was it? And How old were you when you started playing with LEGO bricks?
Y: During my childhood I got lot of random LEGO sets from our neighbors. Many of them are Classic Town sets
K: What is your best/unforgettable memory involving LEGO?
Y: My best memory was when my own creation was exhibited for the first time in an event at work
K: If you have to choose, what is your all-time favorite LEGO set?
Y: It is 6668 Recycle Truck
K: What is/are your favorite LEGO theme/s
Y: Space and Classic Town and Castle.
K: Did you have a "dark-age"? If you had one when did you return from your dark age and how?
Y: No I didn't have one.
K: How many LEGO bricks/sets do you own approximately?
Y: Because I am provided with a LEGO-only room, I have a lot LEGO bricks.
K: What are your favorite top three of your MOCs?
1. EVANGELION
2. Steampunk
K: Do you scrap your MOC's after taking photos or displaying or do you keep them? How do you decide which ones you keep?
Y: Normally, MOC's are kept without dismantling. I decorate the MOC in the room, but recently I am out of new places to decorate any more MOC's.
K: What do you think about custom or third party pieces in MOC's?
Y: I think it's alright to use both but I don't use them.
K: You are especially great at building mecha and robotic creations. What is your secret?
Y: The secret at building a mecha is to know how to make a face and the joints.
K: Your photography skills are really impressive. Can you give us tips about light setup, background selection etc.?
Y: We use four lights and two reflectors. The photos were taken in a state of reflecting light in the reflector with a the back-light.
K: You have an album "building ideas" where you share interesting techniques. Do you find those techniques during the building process of your creations or you came up with the ideas by trying different connections first and then you use them in your MOC's?
Y: Usually I find during the building process. Sometimes I work on new ideas in advance so that they can be used to do something in the future.
K: Are you currently working on some MOC's or other LEGO related projects?
Y: Nothing right now particularly.
K: Do you member of a local LUG? Do you participate in collaborative builds?
Y: I am an active member of JapanLEGOUserGroup.
K: And the final question Tiles or studs?
Y: I like a beautiful finish of stud-less designs more.
