Shooting Proud Star 18641: Design and MA Kit Guide
Shooting Proud Star, item 18641, is a Mini 4WD PRO MA chassis kit whose story is visible in its body design. Tamiya connects it to Hyper Dash! Yonkuro and to the older Dash-3 Shooting Star, but it is a specific later assembly kit with its own 4:1 gearing, large-diameter white wheels and 49 mm published height. The question for a shopper is whether that character-linked design and the one-piece MA build are the combination they want. Here is what the official product page actually establishes.
The Shooting Star connection
Tamiya says Shooting Proud Star is a machine from the Hyper Dash! Yonkuro strip. It also notes that designer Hiroyuki Takei contributed to the original Dash-3 Shooting Star: his design entry as a school student was selected as a basis for the older model. The newer car uses cues from that predecessor, including a narrow, rapier-like canopy with an intake above it and side intakes. The front and rear of the body depict damper units, while a pronounced wing completes the shape. Those depicted dampers are appearance details; do not confuse them with installed moving mass dampers.
This is a useful kit for someone attracted to the design lineage, but the manga connection is not a performance specification. For the broader character timeline, see our Dash! Yonkuro history guide. This article stays with the 18641 box and how its physical parts differ from another kit carrying a “Shooting” name.
The exact MA configuration in 18641
Under the body is Tamiya's midship MA chassis with a central double-shaft motor. Tamiya lists six individual low-friction rollers, a rear skid bar and a 4:1 gear ratio for this release. The frame is a single piece, unlike the separate units of MS. White large-diameter four-spoke wheels wear slick tyres. Published assembled dimensions are 156 mm long, 97 mm wide and 49 mm high. Those measurements help distinguish the kit from shorter or lower-bodied MA releases; they do not tell you how it will handle a specific ramp, bend or class limit after parts are added.
The stock gearing is especially easy to get wrong if you treat every MA kit as identical. Blast Arrow 18635 is published with 3.5:1 gearing, whereas Shooting Proud Star 18641 is published with 4:1. Neither number on its own determines which car is quicker on a track. Motor condition, batteries, tyre contact and course layout can change the result. Our MA kit comparison guide explains the family, while this item's Tamiya source provides the specific box details.
Build the box you bought
Tamiya describes snap-together assembly and includes a double-shaft motor. You supply two R6/AA/UM3 batteries separately. Identify the white wheel set and slick tyres before pressing them onto the axles, then check even seating. Follow the instructions for the MA gear cover and motor installation; avoid forcing a cover over a wrongly positioned gear. Rotate the wheels by hand before fitting the tall body and again after it is in place. That second check can reveal a tyre or body clearance problem that was invisible with the shell removed.
If you want a clean character model, spend time aligning the stickers and protecting the shaped wing while handling the car. If you want to race it, begin with a standard assembly so you can separate a build fault from a later tuning decision. Decorative damper moulding on the body does not replace functional tuning parts, and there is no need to buy such parts before you have observed how the stock kit behaves. Race-entry rules depend on the event and current regulations, not the fact that the kit is part of Tamiya's PRO line.
Who should pick Shooting Proud Star?
Choose 18641 if the link between Shooting Star's design heritage and a modern MA build matters to you. It gives a defined 4:1 stock drivetrain, large white wheels and a striking high-canopy body in one complete assembly kit. If you want a lower, modular body for colour swapping, compare DCR-01 or DCR-02 instead; their body designs and stock ratios differ. There is no need to call one a better racer without running both under the same conditions. The choice you can make from the box is about design, chassis assembly and documented contents.
See Shooting Proud Star 18641 at Monkee Mods for live availability.
Frequently asked questions
Are the body damper details working mass dampers?
Tamiya describes them as details of the body design. The item page does not identify them as installed moving mass damper hardware.
Are batteries in the box?
No. The kit includes its double-shaft motor, but calls for two AA batteries separately.
Source checked 26 September 2026: Tamiya's official item 18641 page. Published figures describe the standard kit.