History of AIRSOFT and ACTION AIR: Part 1 of the Complete Timeline of a Global Phenomenon

This is the complete history of AIRSOFT – from a Japanese toy concept to a global phenomenon spanning local weekend skirmishes, ACTION AIR competitions, SPEEDSOFT matches, and massive Milsim events. This documentary uncovers, how Japan’s original “soft air” replicas evolved into a serious sport, like paintball, and to a tactical training tool with a worldwide community. Part 1 takes you up to the year 2006, highlighting year by year the major innovation milestones and the emergence of some of the most important manufacturers and brands in Airsoft history.

CONTENTS:
00:00 Intro: Airsoft, Action Air & Speedsoft
01:29 The Reasons to Airsoft
02:40 Finnish Airsoft Milsim scene
03:34 What kind of money is involved with the Airsoft industry?
04:13 Most production happens in Asia – LCT’s production line presented.

THE BIG PICTURE OF AIRSOFT HISTORY
04:25 Overview
04:47 Pre-Classics
05:29 Classic Era
05:57 Modern Era
06:35 2000s: All-China-Made AEGs, LiPo, MOSFET
07:00 2010s: Modern HPAs, spread of GBBRs

DETAILED TIMELINE
07:15 1981-2 Industry Regulations
07:41 1985: Bullet Valve (BV) system, JAC Battlemaster (Asahi, JAC)
07:57 1st semi-auto non-blowback gas pistol, M93R (MGC)
08:36 1985 1st Tokyo Marui (TM) replica, Luger
09:00 1986 1st gas blowback (GBB) pistol, S&W M59, TM
09:15 1986 1st electric-gas hybrid, Jatimatic, WA
09:42 Arnie’s Airsoft list of early replicas
10:08 1988 KWA – NS2 and KFS systems
10:36 1990 Systema Engineering
11:09 1991 1st AEG, FA-MAS, TM
12:11 1991 Hi-Cap Magazine

TRACERS (and other muzzle devices)
12:21 1991 Tracer Unit, TM
12:34 Shotgun Tracer Units
12:54 Tracer Grenade Launcher – The Volcano, Acetech
13:05 Flash Unit, MFG Venom (2014)
13:29 Smokey Wolf by Martina (2023) and Smokey by Eshooter
13:54 PFI Smoke Cap (early 2000s)

14:10 1992 Japan’s Economic Recession
14:33 1993 1st Minigun, Asahi
14:40 1993, Hop-Up
15:13 Maple Leaf (2012)
15:23 1993 1st modern GBBR, JAC AR-15a2
15:48 1993, Cybergun, “Air Soft Guns”
16:07 1995 Pre-Cocking, TM
16:25 1995 Split Gearbox, TM
16:32 1995 ICS (on Discovery Channel, 2015)
17:38 1996-7 Burst Microchip, TM

SHOTGUNS
18:00 1998 3-shot Shotguns, TM
18:30 AA-12 (2016)
18:41 Super Shotguns, FLAK (2021)
18:54 Saiga-12K (2023)
19:03 Wolverine TTI Gen-12 HPA (2025)

19:18 1998 ASG
20:03 1999 Classic Army
20:58 M134 mass production (2008), CA
21:12 1999 Umarex
22:20 1999 Pegasus System, Tanaka
22:45 2000 CYMA
23:12 2001 G&G Armament and GK99 (or RK-95)
24:12 2003 Cylinder Support Ring Tech in VSR-19, TM
24:38 2003 PTW

HI-CAPA
25:28 2004 the Hi-Capa
26:43 Airsoft Masterpiece and EDGE
27:30 CTM TAC (2019)
27:45 LA Airsoft, LA Capa Customs
28:24 Dr. Black
28:41 LayLax

29:03 2004, Automatic Electric Pistol, AEP, TM
29:25 2004 VFC
30:00 2004 King Arms
31:04 2005-2008 Spread of All-China-Made AEGs
32:00 Mid-2000s Lithium-based batteries

MOSFETS
32:50 2006 MOSFET
The Three Big European Manufacturers
34:24 GATE Electronics (2009)
35:29 JeffTron (2011)
36:12 Perun Airsoft (2016)

TOWARDS PART 2
37:12 To be continued from 2007 onwards
37:26 3rd gen BioBBs – the TerraBB
38:20 Thank you!
39:34 The Team

Behind this documentary are Finnish Airsoft enthusiasts, and we especially wanted to highlight some Airsoft stuff related to Finland, like:
– Airsoft replica based on a Finnish SMG was released in 1986: the Jatimatic.
– G&G Armament released in 2010s the Airsoft version of the Finnish army assault rifle RK-95 (Airsoft marketing name GK99).
– In a 2025 article, the National Defence Training Association of Finland representatives stated that Airsoft replicas allow for safe, two-sided force-on-force combat training, and they diversify the CQB training opportunities for reservists and are therefore an excellent addition to the development of individual military skills. (
– The most environmentally friendly biodegradable BBs (BioBBs) are a Finnish invention by TerraBB.

By referencing to videos made by others, we wanted to highlight many Finnish YouTube Airsoft channels, and also great videos from other countries. Stay tuned for Part 2!

THE TEAM:
Olli Nevalainen – @890lli
Pekka “Mahonen” Mäki-Kuutti – @pmakiku
Miika “Carnage | OldBoysAirsoft” Julku – @OldBoysAirsoft
Ilkka “Ilendil” Puusaari – @IlendilsAirsoft
Otto “MrDuffo” Solmula – @MrDuffoairsoft
Jesse Nio – @jesseniocompetitiveshooter
Marko Turunen
Joona Parhankangas – @JoonaParhankangas
Sakari Vyyryläinen – www.terrabb.eu & www.atom-airsoft.fi
Pasi Töytäri – @trigon1980
Juho Rasimus
Axel “MacJorma” Jormanainen – @MacJorma

#Airsoft #Documentary #Milsim