I do not know what United Royals is…is that terrible? Haha. I actually heard about this event awhile back but really had no idea who ran the event until just recently. The name sounds cool but not very Japanese at all so there were early indications that it was not an event put on by Japanese locals. After some further misguided research, I somehow managed to discover that it was an event that was themed towards USDM car culture, hence the name “UNITED Royals”. Furthermore, it was also an event that was organized by a friend of mine, Ross from JSPIRIT in Hawaii. The show was geared towards the USDM car culture enthusiasts in Japan and had a very “Hawaiian” feel to it. Of course, I didn’t really learn all this until I actually invested 5 minutes of my time into looking it up on Instagram, haha. Sorry, I’ve been busy…

Honestly though, I developed an active interest in this event after I visited Hawaii recently and met up with Ross for the Spocom Hawaii show. He was helping the guys from Spocom run the event and during my trip I met up with a couple of Hawaiian locals who were set to fly out to Japan for this event. My friend Sara Choi from the island was hired to fly out to work the event and she seemed excited about it. If it was any closer to the Kday event that was happening over in Sendai, I might have actually even flown out to cover both events myself. Plane tickets are terribly expensive right now but with having my own Year.SIX anniversary event coming, it just didn’t make sense to head across the world to explore. That and the United Royals event was almost three weeks apart from the Kday event. I definitely wasn’t going to try to stay in Japan for almost a month to cover both events. It all sounds fun but a trip like that can get pricey REAL quick…

I also wouldn’t have stopped myself from going if plane tickets were like 600 bucks either, but that also wasn’t realistic. Any flight that was going out there was going to have a long layover since it was so close to the event and I’m just not down to sit in an airport for 5 hours just to fly another 12 to get to Japan. That sounds like more of a task than a vacation. Being that the event was close to Osaka, I knew the Tactical Art guys were probably going to head out to United Royals so I was going to get coverage regardless. Yasu and the crew go out to practically EVERYTHING in that area. They are true car guys who support their community. If there is something happening, chances are, they will be there. Kinda like me over here in the U.S. We just try to attend events around us to support the scene. Yasu has recently taken up photography as well so he offered to provide me with some photos from the show. That is what we’re going to look at today…

Looking at the lot from Google Earth, the event wasn’t terribly big. It was a good sized show with a lot of variety. The way the Osaka car scene is, you’re likely to see all kinds of different cars. They just happen to have a very diverse scene and it is booming right now thanks to the popularity and growth of USDM style. For us, it isn’t anything out of the norm and I’m sure many of you would like to say more “J-styled” cars but seriously, whenever you put on an event like this, you’ll see a little bit of everything. Things just seem to be a little more colorful and sometimes outrageous in Japan. That is what is so great about the enthusiasts out there. They’re not afraid to take risks with their cars. As a society they’re are very well-kept and quiet, but when you have a vehicle (literally) to express your artistic side, man, the results are just beyond normal comprehension. I still think that USDM style as a whole needs a lot more understanding to be executed better in Japan, but I like to look at what they’re doing because their interpretation is USDM style with a blend of their own personal tastes, which makes for a completely new look. I don’t know what to call it. In the photos below, you’ll get a good grasp of what I’m trying to describe to you all. Just look at it with an open mind and try to appreciate the work that was involved in putting these cars together and not so much how their style compares to our own….

Thanks to Yasutaka Shimomukai from Tactical Art for the photos. All captures are by him and the post-processing was done by myself as always….

PHOTOS BY YASU SHIMOMUKAI

WORDS BY STICKYDILJOE

Since Yasu is a gangster and does whatever he wants in Osaka, he also just parks his S2000 anywhere he wants to, haha…

One of the rare times you’ll see a Kanjo build in the daylight. This is an EG from Late Riser, a long-time Kanjozoku car club in Osaka…

Next to him was another EG. I believe this is the same EG that you saw from my coverage of the LAW BREAK 30th Anniversary event….

Really clean Honda Integra Si-VTEC on Volk TE37 just chillin’ in the parking lot of the United Royals event….

Nice capture of another EG6 Civic rolling into the parking lot. This one had headlight covers and what looks to be a First Molding front lip…

The inside of the show offered up a variety of different builds. His Lexus IS was seated on a set of recently re-released SSR Formula Mesh wheels in a 19-inch variety….

My buddies from Japan; Keisuke from HKS, Phaze2 Eishi, Sara Choi from HI, and Yasu always reppin’ The Chronicles….

A duo of S2000 owners from different parts of the world…

Widened Kouki S14 Silvia with USDM Kouki front end and optional front lip. Engine bay is nicely done with a bevy of polished pieces….

A couple more since I see this car so sparingly. Front fenders appear to be Rocket Bunny/T.R.A. Kyoto and rear is a riveted blister over fender….

Mad Mike’s FD3S RX-7 that resides in Japan. This is not to be confused with the “MADBUL” FD that he is more well-known for. This is his Red Bull-sponsored build for when he drives in Japan…

Under the hood is a ridiculous 26B Quad-Rotor engine that is similar to the 4-rotor motors found in the old Mazda 787B concept cars from the ’90s. You hear 13B and 20B often but not too often do you encounter a 26B….

The gutted interior and rear quarter of the TCP Magic-kitted RX-7 on Gram Lights 57Extremes…

This custom Honda Zoomer had some interesting bits on it. Note the gusseted frame and the dual polished dildo handlebars, haha, kidding….

Always a pleasure to see an FD rocking full RE Amemiya aero…

Keita Kikuchi’s 326Power S15 Silvia seems to be one of the more popular, more often-seen, builds from Japan this year….

Rocket Bunny ER34 Skyline on BBS LM wheels….

T’Z Style Racing Mitsubishi Evolution with full INGS+1 aero and Volk Racing TE37RT. Love the smoked clear tails in the back and how it flows with the black of the Evo….

Lotus Exige on TE37SL wheels…

…that turned out to be owned by a member of the U.S. Arm Forces….

…and was also right-hand drive. Guess the owner liked it over there so much that he retired from the Navy and just stayed there with his Exige…

Another S15 Silvia wearing 326Power aero. This one also had white SSR Professor SP1 wheels and Ganador Super Mirrors…

One of my favorite VIP builds from Japan is this green UCF20 Celsior with custom radiused fenders front and back and full Aimgain aero kit….

One of my favorite wheels of all-time, SSR Professor MS3….

Wild custom UCF30 Celsior with a massive front mount intercooler, widebody, and Work Equip wheels with DEEP lips….

Phaze2 Eishi’s creamy white S2000 on red, step-lipped CCW wheels….

Hisa’s Z33 Fairlady from DROPPER car club….

Really liked this khaki-colored Nissan Skyline 370GT coupe on Advan Racing GT wheels….

Z33 Convertible slammed on TWS forged wheels….

Mao Nakai’s incredibly vibrant Skyline 370GT sedan from 9010DESIGN…. 9010, for those unaware, is a custom interior and upholstery shop in Japan….

Honda Beat with Mugen front bumper and Work Equip 03 wheels with a gold-face/bronze-lip combo. Note the orange interior and Recaro seats….

Gonna wrap-up Part 1 of our visit to United Royals with some photos of one of the wildest builds at the event, this highlighter yellow BMW Z4 from Peerless. First time seeing this wild build, I think…I wonder if it is the same Z4 that was also from Peerless that was once a bright green on gold Work Meister S1 wheels….

Custom molded rear spoiler and wild rear carbon diffuser that looks like it was once meant for an FD RX-7. Possibly an RE Amemiya diffuser…

The bright pink customer interior of the Z4 done by 9010DESIGN. Once you see the owner in Part 2, it’ll make a whole lot more sense, trust me…

Custom front and rear flares to fit the re-barreled, refinished BBS LM from J-Wheels. Overall, a crazy Z4 that you would rarely see executed this way in the states…

That’s all for today folks. Thanks for looking and stay tuned for Part 2 of 2 next time!!!….