Tag: Robot

This is the Robotech Mac II Monster Destroid Cannon international release as the text on the box is in both English and French. Originally it came out  as the Destroid Monster. It is a really clunky robot, but I was really excited to add this to my collection. I can’t imagine this robot ever being used in combat. It looks like a sitting duck. Low mobility, can’t fly, I guess it is a moving anti-aircraft gun. I hardly even remember seeing it in the cartoon. I am still a huge fan of the Macross series and I was able to add this to my Macross robots at a nice discount to the Takatoku Toys version. I really don’t see much of difference between the robots except for the color.

The Matchbox version is a dark green whereas the Takatoku one is an olive green. This one barely moves at all, but it is a die cast monster. You can bend the arms and legs a little, emphasis on little. Kinda reminds me of my Srungle robot in functionality, but the design and color is so much better.

Matchbox Robotech Mac II Monster Destroid Cannon from Robotech: The Macross Saga 1985

Matchbox Robotech Mac II Monster Destroid Cannon from Robotech: The Macross Saga 1985

Matchbox Robotech Mac II Monster Destroid Cannon from Robotech: The Macross Saga 1985 超時空要塞マクロス

Matchbox Robotech Mac II Monster Destroid Cannon from Robotech: The Macross Saga 1985

Matchbox Robotech Mac II Monster Destroid Cannon from Robotech: The Macross Saga 1985

Unfortunately, I could not find a video of this robot in action.  Matchbox/Irwin

The SDF-1 DX 1/3000 scale is my holy grail for robots. I have bid on this guy several times, but I still don’t have one. Having the smaller ST 1/6300 scale robot provides me some solace. But displaying this one really doesn’t have as umph as the DX.

I really hate how the white plastic parts yellow with age. I have to dig around and find out why so many robots yellow after a while(L Gaim, Macross Valkyries, and the SDF-1 for starters). Grey would have been a lot better choice for this robot. I guess they use cheap plastic in Japan. I remember my Super Nintendo Entertainment System SNES was grey and it yellowed too.

This is a nice little piece. You can tell the how white it was suppose to be when you see the metal part in the middle. Like most 80’s robots, it is not very poseable.  There is not much detail on the ST version. The Takatoku Storm Attacker Construction looks identical except it has black plastic cannons instead of red, the shoulder cannons are not included(even though the box images and instructions indicate otherwise), there is a yellow painted outline for the chest pieces and grey plastic instead of white which looks a lot nicer. I am tempted to get that as well.

Anyway, Macross/Robotech was one of the main reasons I am still into the whole robot genre as the cartoons kept going for a few years. As Shogun Warriors faded for me, I got into Macross, Godaikins, and Transformers. I really did not have any Robotech robots until I got the G1 Transformers Jetfire for $30 down at Talbot’s Toys in San Mateo. Takatoku and Bandai Valkyries were like $80+ in the 80’s in Japantown, so Jetfire was a bargain. Most of the time, I just went to my cousin’s house to enjoy his Valkyrie collection. It is quite impressive. He has them all, but 3 are reissues. I hope he puts out his Macross robots soon.

Here is intro to remember Robotech.

Robotech Miniature SDF-1 Battle Fortress by Harmony Gold from Robotech: The Macross Saga 1985

Robotech Miniature SDF-1 Battle Fortress by Harmony Gold from Robotech: The Macross Saga 1985

Robotech Miniature SDF-1 Battle Fortress by Harmony Gold from Robotech: The Macross Saga 1985

Robotech Miniature SDF-1 Battle Fortress by Harmony Gold Stickers/Decals and Instructions from Robotech: The Macross Saga 1985 超時空要塞マクロス

Its funny how the instructions are still in Japanese in the US release of this toy.

Robotech Miniature SDF-1 instructions and decals/stickers from Robotech: The Macross Saga 1985

I would be tempted to get one of the newer SDF-1 below, but they are a bit beyond my price range.

Voltes V ST GoDaiKin aka Popy GA-80 1977 from anime Chōdenji Machine Voltes V(超電磁マシーン ボルテスV) 1977-1978

Voltes V is one of my favorite pieces. The ST version is a hefty piece of metal. It would be nice to have the DX counterpart but I don’t have the dough for that piece. My cousin has it, but it tilts a little bit from playful overuse. I am more picky about the pieces in my collection, but at least one of us have it. I picked up Voltes V on eBay. It comes with the sword and the chest piece becomes part of the sword.

Finally a robot based on anime. The anime was Super Electromagnetic Machine Voltes V. This cartoon was popular in the Philippines and translated to English. I definitely need to get around to seeing that version of the cartoon. When my cousin and I get together, we will need to do some binge tv watching.

Got the Votoms Red Shoulder Scopedog and Brutishdog off eBay. Guess Armored Trooper Votoms is not that popular so I didn’t pay much for these. At least not as much as I thought I would. My cousin has both of these too.  I enjoyed watching the anime for Armored Trooper Votoms, even though they recycled the action scenes a lot. I have to get around to watching the last season of this show to see how it ends.

Just added a couple of images. One was just blurry enough I had to make it a little artsy to save it. Initially I never cared for these robots. Seemed like a cheap design without much thought. They looked like the old deep sea diving suits they used to use or the Michelin Man. After watching the anime and robots in action, I developed an appreciation for them.  They have a rugged, thick, rounded tank like design. The green color makes so much sense. It makes it look just like military vehicles.

Gotta love Japanese packaging as it makes it so easy to keep all the pieces and keep your robots in like new condition. The box is a little bigger than the other two, I love the cover art and it has a Takatoku finish on the box like on the old Valkyries. When you pull out the styrofoam it reminds me of an High Complete Models or HCMs. These robots builds are so much better than the HCMs Bandai made(all plastic, kinda easy to break when removing accessories).  The die cast metal gives it that nice 80’s heft. For a robot made in 1983, the design is relatively sophisticated, but not as good as a Macross Valkyrie. Though my Scopedog needs a little dusting. I would display them if I didn’t hate dusting so much.

Here is the intro for Armored Trooper VOTOMS 1983-1984. I watched these as rentals on VHS tape and I enjoyed them. I saw them at the local library as DVDs as well, so you can purchase or borrow these. I have to see if they are on some of my Roku channels too.

Red Shoulder Scopedog ATM-09-RSC 1/24 scale Takara 1983

Red Shoulder Scopedog ATM-09-RSC 1/24 scale Takara 1983 from anime Armored Trooper Votoms(装甲騎兵ボトムズ)

Votoms Red Shoulder Scopedog ATM-09-RSC

Red Shoulder Scopedog ATM-09-RSC

I am not a big Sun Vulcan fan. The design is a little too boxy for me, but all the accessories and the big ass sword make up for it. It’s kinda like the Megazord before they came up with it. Big, clunky, dorky. That is the Sun Vulcan Godaikin in spades. Hmm, checking out the design a little more, the top part is ok, only the legs need a redesign to make this a cool looking robot. This one has the standard red, yellow and blue color scheme as many of the Super Sentai robots have from the 80’s. Based on what I have read, this is the first Sentai combining robot.

I got this in mint condition. I don’t this thing has ever made it out the box as the tape is still on it. Guess the previous owner was not a big fan either. Still, it’s better than Abega or Machine Dolphin. The Sunvulcan DX came out first as a Popy Chogokin robot GB-32 in 1981. We got it here in the States in 1982 in the Godaikin line.

Though it would be nice if this was more than a rectangle chunk of plastic with arms, legs and a head. It’s kinda like a Rubik’s cube with a head and some arms. That being said, it is nice having a Godaikin in mint condition.

Sun Vulcan Godaikin – Popy Sun Vulcan Robo GB-32 from Taiyo Sentai Sun Vulcan 1981-1982

Sun Vulcan Godaikin – Popy Sun Vulcan Robo GB-32 from Taiyo Sentai Sun Vulcan 1981-1982

Here is a funny video of Taiyo Sentai Sun Vulcan from 1981-1982 playin with their own toys.

Machine Dolphin was one of those borderline purchases for me. The robot was not very good if you can call it a robot, but light years better than my Abega purchase. Like Abega, I find I like it better as Dolphin Jet or as a car. The only reason I have this is because it is part of the Godaikin line.

To me, Machine Dolphin is a really large Gobot. It was designed as a car, looks good as a car, but not so good as a robot. It is a cruddy Gobot. That being said, I am a big fan of the Gobot/Machine Robo line up. Just not too fond of Machine Dolphin. To me, this is next to the worst Godaikins out there.

This robot is from the Super Sentai series Machine Man in the 80’s.

I have to figure out how to get his arm stickers to stay on. Might have to whip out the Gorilla Glue to see if I can fix that.

Machine Dolphin GoDaiKin 1984

Machine Dolphin GoDaiKin 1984 by Bandai

Machine Dolphin GoDaiKin 1984

I can pop in a picture of the robot out of the box into this post later. I am still putting up the rest of my collection. Pop in a comment below and I will get to it a little quicker. ***

Seiun Kamen Machineman from tokusatsu 1984

Dynaman is another great Godaikin. It is from a Super Sentai series. I will have to watch one before I pass judgement on this series. Like many Super Robots it incorporates a red, white, yellow, and blue color scheme, it has a solid build, and it stands well. You wouldn’t think that was important. But when you want to display it, it sure helps. The colors remind me of Combattra, Daidenjin, Voltes V, Daitetsujin 17, or Sun Vulcan. It seems like so many of them incorporate the same colors. The only real design flaw I see, is the head seems a little small for the body. I would have made it a tad bit bigger, but this is one of the better builds for a DX Godaikin. I noticed the feet and legs are almost identical to other robots, like say Vavilos, Goggle V, or Machineman. It makes sense since those Why reinvent the wheel if you already have a solid foundation?

I sure wish my Dynaman Godaikin came with the sword. It’s a little cheaper to pull off Ebay if they are not complete. Maybe I can pop in the sword from my Protector Self Separation(the Gardian clone) into his hands. I don’t really think many would be able to tell the difference anyway.

Dynaman Godaikin 1983 Bandai America

Dynaman DX Godaikin 1983 Bandai America

Here is a the intro for Kagaku Sentai Dynaman from 1983-1984 also listed as Kaizoku Sentai Dynaman. I would have added the spoof from USA Network, but the quality of all of the videos were terrible. But they were pretty funny. Check them out on Youtube.