Category: Soul of Chogokin

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.

Here is my Soul of Chogokin Getter Liger. This one is not one of my favorite robots from this anime series. I have never been a big fan of its design or the color scheme. It was never a must have robot, but since it was cheap I just bought it to complete my set of Getter Robo G/Starvengers. The robot makes me think of the Greek god Hermes with a jesters hat.

Getter Liger GX-19 Bandai Soul of Chogokin 2003 from anime Getta Robo G(ゲッターロボG ) 1975-1976 Starvengers

The back of SOC Getter Liger. I never saw this one in Japan. I purchased this on Ebay 80 dollars

Here is my Soul of Chogokin Getter Poseidon. I picked it up cheap on eBay. I had the others, so I figured I would pick this one up too. It was cheaper to buy it on eBay than any of the robot shops like Mandarake in Japan. I have the older one from the 70’s so you can see how far the toys have come since then.  You can actually pose this one.

Getter Poseidon GX-20 Bandai Soul of Chogokin 2003 from anime Getta Robo G ゲッターロボG in 1975-1976

SOC Getter Poseidon. Also purchased on Ebay 11/14 for 80 dollars.

Getter Poseidon GX-20 in the Soul of Chogokin line by Bandai in 2003 from anime Getta Robo G ゲッターロボG in 1975-1976

Danguard Ace is another anime Super Robot that came to us with the Shogun Warriors. Dangard was one of the earlier Super Robots. The anime came out way back in 1977. I never had this one as a kid. Here is my Soul of Chogokin Danguard A that I picked up on my trip to Japan this year. I picked this up at a pretty good price and I am really happy I have this in my collection.

Danguard A Ace GX-62 Bandai Soul of Chogokin 2013 from anime Planet Robot Danguard Ace 1977-1978

Soul of Chogokin – Danguard A Ace GX-62 Bandai2013 from anime Wakusei Robo Danguard Ace 惑星ロボダンガードＡ 1977-1978

Danguard Ace GX-62 Bandai Soul of Chogokin 2013 from anime Danguard Ace

Soul of Chogokin Danguard A GX-62 Bandai 2013

Here are some new additions to Dave’s Collection. The Soul of Chogokin UFO Robo Grendizer GX-04 came out way back in 2000. The first one we both had was the Combatler V. Dave found this and a few others in his last trip to Japan in Akihabara. While not as large as we usually like our robots, the Soul of Chogokin makes up for it is superior poseability, actual die cast metal and awesome robot goodness from the 70’s. Grendizer hales  from the anime  UFO Robo Grandizer from 1975 to 1976 which we never got to see here in the US.

UFO Robo Grendizer GX-04 Bandai Grandizer Soul of Chogokin 2000 from anime UFO Robo Grandizer from 1975 to 1976

Grendizer is one of the few must have robots for us as he was one of the classic super robots that came over as Shogun Warriors. The Shogun Warriors hold a special place in our hearts. While it is not a monolithic chunk of die cast goodness as the original, the articulation makes it more fun and it is more true representation of the robot from the actual cartoon.

UFO Robo Grandizer GX-04 Bandai Soul of Chogokin 2000 from anime Yûfô robo Gurendaizâ from 1975 to 1976

We will likely never have the original as neither of us wants to fork out the $300-$600 it would take to get the original, but this is an great alternative. After watching an episode on Youtube I realized this was an anime series by Go Nagai. It is part of the same universe that includes Mazinger Z and Great Mazinger.  I always see the original 70’s toys from France and Italy in European packaging on eBay. I appears Grendizer was popular there as well as Goldorak in France and Goldrake in Italy.

UFO Robo Grendizer GX-04 Bandai Soul of Chogokin 2000 from anime UFO Robo Grandizer ＵＦＯロボグレンダイザー from 1975 to 1976

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

Here’s a Leopaldon Soul of Chogokin. The original I believe was sometime in the early 80’s and he was Sentai live action robot. The original is taller and presumably more heftier than the re-issue. Still, I never had this one and I liked having the opportunity to get this one as a re-issue. I will say the Soul of Chogokins are quite well done and I got this one for like 60 dollars used at Mandarake in Akihabara. I have finally taken him out of the box and put him on my shelf. I’m so paranoid with losing pieces that I’ve only displayed with his sword and shield.

Leopaldon – 2006 Soul of Chogokin Re-issue GX-33 by Bandai from tv show Supaidāman from 1978-1979

Leopaldon in action

Spiderman & Leopaldon 2006 Soul of Chogokin GX-33 from tokusatsu tv show (スパイダーマン, Supaidāman) 1978-1979

Admin note from CCC:

This robot is from a Japanese live action(“tokusatsu”) show Supaidāman from 1978-1979 based on Marvel’s Spider-Man by Toei Company. Leopardon just made it into the Marvel universe in 2014!