Ryu Asada (1978 - 2021)

On March 23, 2021, the diecast world lost one of its driving forces. After a prolonged fight with cancer, Ryu Asada drove off into the sunset at the age of 42.

It’s difficult to sum-up the affect that Asada had on the lives of all diecast racers. Many fans of the sport probably just learned his name for the first time last year when a prototype model of a car he designed was given to 3DBotMaker to race in the DRC. For fans of the channel and the sport, that Lancia Delta Integrale, then still in its raw Zamac form, became synonymous with its creator in much the same way that the Escort Rally #8 became known as Steven King.

Ryu Asada was far more than a character in 3D’s videos. Since 2004 he designed many of the castings that have populated the tracks of children, collectors, and racers alike.

Born in Osaka, Japan, in 1978, Asada came to America to attend the University of Oregon, where he studied Physics. He furthered his education at ArtCenter College of Design. In 2004, after a short stint designing 1:1 cars for Peugeot in France, Asada returned to America and shifted his focus to 1:64 cars at Mattel. Originally a designer for Matchbox, Ryu was occasionally lent to the Hot Wheels side of the corporation starting in 2009. In 2012 he moved to Hot Wheels permanently, and in 2013 he became the lead designer for the main line $1 cars.

Ryu Asada’s legacy at Hot Wheels will partly be defined by the rise in popularity of JDM (Japanese Domestic Market) castings. His affinity for Honda, especially made itself clear in the brand’s recent models. Reportedly, he drove a yellow S2000 to work every day. A photo of Asada as a child (below) features the exact car he patterned the Hot Wheels Honda City Turbo II after.

Ryu’s name will continue on in the diecast community for years to come. Early in his time with Hot Wheels, he designed a new type of wheel, dubbed the RA6 (Ryu Asada Six-Blade). He also designed the Ryura LX , a luxury model that bears his name.

Ryu Asada is survived by his wife, Hazel Diaz. He will be missed by hundreds of thousands of fans of his work.

Remembering Ryu on the Race Track

• My Hot Wheels Collection hosted a “Tribute to Ryu Asada” race featuring eight Honda S2000s.

• Redline Derby Racing is hosting a tournament of Honda City Turbo IIs, entitled “City Connection” and dedicated to the memory of Ryu Asada.

• Wallside Diecast Racing is currently holding “The Asada Cup”. Group Stage rounds 1 & 2 have posted to date.

• WCDC - World Cup of Diecast Cars is hosting a 64 car tournament entitled the “Ryu Asada Memorial”. The field is not yet full and will soon be calling for entries.

• 3DBotMaker has two series in which Ryu Asada can be seen as a driver. His original appearance in the 2020 DRC Delta Integrale prototype, and the current 2021 DRC Event 1, in the finished white version of the same casting.