Category: Sentai

When in Japan, you walk. A LOT. My feet hurt every day I was there. That is probably why people seem much thinner in Asia, everyone walks.  I was only there for 5 days, so you kinda try to make the most of it. Lab was another electronics store within walking distance of the hotel. It had about the same stuff. But near the elevator was a wall of gashapon. Some of it was kind of hentai – ish. I did not know that was a thing. Anyway literally walls of gachapon machines. Dave was buying a certain line his sister liked. According to my cousin, this was a small collection of machines. I can’t imagine a large wall of machines. Lab Electronics is a good place to buy the latest greatest robot toys. They have the most popular hits but you will not find any obscure toys here.

A wall of gashapon machines at Lab

Doubutsu Sentai Zyuohger DX Cube 10 Zyuoh Dodekaioh at Lab Electronics Japan 2016

The Doubutsu Sentai Zyuohger DX Cube robots are an interesting bunch. Blocks 123 and 456 create their own robots on the right. Blocks 1 through 10 make the larger robot on the left.

Doubutsu Sentai Zyuohger DX Cube 10 Zyuoh Dodekaioh Japan Gattai

Ranma, Lupin, Arcadia SOC Soul of Chogokin Daitarn 3

I was planning to buy a few Soul of Chogokin Tryder and Daitarn from Lab Electronics, but I ended up finding some really nice older pieces at Mandarake. Which is really what I wanted to do.

Autobots Transformers MP-31 Masterpiece Delta Magnus Combiner Computron UW-08 2016

The Combiner Computron was an interesting piece because the packaging looks just like the US packaging with Japanese characters. Shinkalion was in all the stores and it appears to be a very popular line of toys right now.

Shinkalion E5 Hayabusa & Komachi E7 Kagayaki E3 Tsubasa 05 Takara Tomy Plarail robots at Lab Electronics

Shinkalion Takara Tomy 2016 Bullet Train Plarail

The Robot Spirits Tamashii Nations Bandai Arcadia Super Robots at Lab Electronics 2016

Robot Spirits Tamashii Nations Heavy Metal Auge Vifam Aura Battler Lab Electronics 2016

I was a little surprised to see the Aura Battler Dunbine figure. I didn’t think the series was very popular. At least not enough so that they would release new versions.

So I guess there was a decent amount of stuff if I have to make another post for Bic Camera. If I had to guess I think Bandai wanted to get into the  building block business. So they came up with the Doubutsu Gattai ZyuohKing show to cash in on the cult that is Lego or maybe to give the robots a Minecraft look. They are kind of cool. Big, heavy, blocky, robots. It is an interesting idea at the very least. I would not buy any, but they did catch my eye every time I popped into a toy section of any department store in Japan. The DX Cube 123 King Zyuoh & 456 Dodekaioh were in a display where you could play with them hands on at another department store name Lab.

Doubutsu Sentai Zyuohger DX Cube 123 King Zyuoh & 456 Dodekaioh by Bandai Japan

Doubutsu Sentai Zyuohger DX Cube 123 King Zyuoh Bandai Ultraman figure Japan Gattai 2016

Is Ultraman still a thing? Just checked now, I guess that show is still going. I did not know it was an ongoing show. Just like the Super Sentai (Power Rangers in the US).

Getter Dragon, Getter 1, & Z Mazinger Dynamite Action, Destroid Monster Macross at Bic Camera

The Dynamite Action Getter Dragon figure looked pretty good. It looks like it popped right out of the cartoon. Based on what I see, I prefer it to the Soul of Chogokin version. They also have a Tetsujin 28 figure that looks pretty good. Their line of robots are totally up my alley but they seem a little pricy. I guess I will have to see how big they are.

Kaiju, Mecha Godzilla, Ultraman and more figures!

Did I ever mention I was a Godzilla fan?

Tomica Cars

The cars by Tomy are cool just because of the packaging for me. Japanese packaging has always been something I have loved about the toys. You can take them out, put them away and practically keep them brand new. In US packaging you have to destroy the packaging to take the toy out, think Matchbox cars for example.

Tomica Cars

The Robot Spirits Tamashii Nations Bandai Unicorn Gundam, Zaku & Sniper

More robots under the girls anime display, which I assume is more for guys than for girls. The Robot Spirits line by Tamashii Nations has a good selection of Gundam mobile suits and 80’s robots in the line. It seems to me to be the line that replaced the MS in Action!! line.

More Robot Spirits Gundam, Iron Man, Star Wars, Dragonballz figures

Victory Robo Gogofive 1999 Yutaka from Kyuukyuu Sentai GoGoFive from 1999-2000

I am looking at this robot and I have no idea why I got it. It’s another decent Sentai robot, but it’s not really from the late 70’s, the 80’s or even the early 90’s. I think it was because it was just $10 and did not take up much space. Which really is not a good reason. This robot is made up of the 99Machines. They are five rescue vehicles which can combine to form the Victory Robo from Kyuukyuu Sentai GoGoFive in 1999-2000(The 23rd entry to the Super Sentai series).  Some of that footage made it into Power Rangers Lightspeed Rescue here in the states. I am a little surprised the robot is by Yutaka instead of Bandai. Its the first Super Sentai robot I have ever seen that was not made by Bandai or Popy.  All the other GoGoFive toys show Bandai branding on the box.

I found a pretty cool video of the transformation process. Like I have said before I do like the robots, but I am not a fan of the Super Sentai shows. This video made me smile. I guess I can take it in small doses.

Victory Robo Gogofive 1999 Yutaka from Kyuukyuu Sentai GoGoFive from 1999-2000

My cousin Dave is in Japan now hunting for robots and he made it out to the Bandai Museum in Mibu 100 km from Tokyo. He was a little miffed it was 2.5 hours away by train. 5 hours on a train both ways would drive me nuts. I guess they do not want a lot of tourist traffic as it is so far off the beaten track.

It does not look like much based the the pictures he took. I have a feeling it is a really small museum. His picture taking skills need a little work based the image of the Sentai robot display. Guess I will have to make it out there myself if I want better pictures.

Bandai Museum Sentai robot display Mibu, Japan

Due to the quality of the image, I can only make out a few of the Sentai robots. Along the top i see the older ones. On the top left going right I see, Battle Fever J, Daidenjin, Sun Vulcan, Goggle V, Dyjupiter, Dyna Robo, Bio Robo, Change Robo. On the second row from the top I can make out gold robots, Turbo Robo, and Super Turbo Robo. On the third row Star Five, Turbo Robo the, Magma Base just dominates, it is just huge Jet Garuda, Jet Icarus . On the fourth row I can make out VicTrailer, MegaVoyager, BullTaurus, GingaiOh, Giga Phoenix

Bandai Museum Vavilos Space Sheriff Shaider robot display Mibu, Japan

Bandai Museum Daltanious/Daltanias robot display Tochigi prefecture Mibu

Bandai Museum Jumbo Machinder robot display Tochigi prefecture Mibu

So listed from the top left to right are Daimos, Daitetsujin 17, Five Robo. On the bottom row are Daltanious, Combattler V and Tetsujin 28.

Bandai Museum Popy robot display Mibu, Japan

Muteking on top, Eva Police, Postoller, Robot 8 Chan(Robo Hacchan), dol Giran, Godsigma ST on the second row

Dynaman ST Godaikin 1984 – Popy Dyna Robo GB-97 1983

This is the 2nd robot I bought and as usual, from Japantown.  I vividly remember going to that store almost 3x a month just to scope out what he had and I’d inevitably come out with a wish list.  I think I got into Godaikins because of this guy.  I also have the big DX version.

Kagaku Sentai Dynaman still Dyna Robo in Action 1983-1984

I thought I’d post the Bioman ST since I cleaned him up and took a pix of him.  I have the DX Popy version which I purchased in Japan, but this is the Bio Robo ST robot that belongs to my cousin. This is the US Godaikin version that came out in 1984. The Bio Robo GC-12 is a Super Sentai robot from tokusatsu Choudenshi Bioman(超電子バイオマン) in 1984-1985. My cousin really likes these ST robots as opposed to the DX versions, as he feel the proportions and design look much better. Me I always have been a fan of the DX robots. Give me a big heavy Chogokin robot with a ton of die cast metal.

Bioman ST – by Popy in 1984 Bio Robo GC-12 from tokusatsu Choudenshi Bioman(超電子バイオマン) 1984-1985

Here is my Goggle V DX. Another Super Sentai robot introduced as part of the Godaikin line in the 80’s.  I never had this one as a kid but my cousin was kind of enough to get me this loose one for my birthday a couple of years ago.  He has a lot of wear on the legs and body and the arms are loose and don’t stay up anymore.  Still, I like having him since it fills my collection.  I am surprised they do not have a Soul of Chogokin version of this guy though…

Goggle V DX Godaikin 1984 – Popy Goggle Five Cross in Box GB-70 from Dai Sentai Goggle V 1982-1983

Dai Sentai Goggle V TV show from 1982-1983