Although not mentioned on the box, the Shiden-Kai was known by the Allies as "GEORGE". The SHIDEN (Violet Lightning) - KAI (Variant or Improvement) was essentially a redesign/conversion to a land-based fighter from the floatplane N1K Kyōfū, codename "REX". The Shiden-Kai entered service in early 1944 and, in the hands of an able pilot, could easily compete with the Corsair or Hellcat. The Shiden-Kai was extremely rugged and carried four 20mm cannon but, to its detriment, was plagued by mechanical problems.
My jumping on this review was primarily for one reason; I had not had a chance to build a 1/144 scale aircraft and this looked like a good model to start with. I can honestly say that in no way, shape, or form was I disappointed with the kit. Building 1/144 scale fighters from this era without a doubt forces the builder to tackle the project with a slightly different mindset than your typically larger scale kit.