To further revitalize the bass fishing market in Japan, Shimano released Scorpion ANTARES in 1998 as a spinoff from the Scorpion series. ANTARES, named for the first-magnitude star in the constellation Scorpius, was released as the flagship model of baitcasting reels for bass fishing. It fascinated many fans due to its lustrous design, which took full advantage of its metallic beauty, and its innovative full-face shape as well as high functionality. This became the first model equipped with the G-free Spool for baitcasting reels. It achieved the longest casting performance at that time due to reduction in weight and inertia, which was achieved by using a magnesium material. In 2006, Shimano released ANTARES DC, which further increased the long casting performance and was equipped with a DC (digital control) brake. ANTARES continues to shine as a model deserving of its name while constantly incorporating new technologies.