Category: Other

Marushin Toy Machine Blaster Bull Caesar Takemi 1976 from anime Blocker Gundan IV Machine Blaster

This is the Machine Blaster Bull Caesar by Takemi in 1976. I paid $38 for each of these(Bull Caesar and the Robo Kress) whenever I bought these.  I could not figure out what these two robots I picked were. The box and catalog were all in Japanese. The internet was not nearly as fast as it is now, so it took hours(forever) to do the research I can do in a few minutes now.  So I never really bothered until I setup this site. The seller I picked these up from had no idea either.  These were likely listed as die cast metal Japanese robots.

Marushin Machine Blaster Bull Caesar Takemi 1976 Accessories

When I got them, I thought they were ugly, cheap, poorly made pieces of metal. Maybe even bootleg versions of some cool anime. I was spoiled by the quality of other Japanese toy companies like Bandai, Takara, and Takatoku robots. I was so disappointed with these, that I promptly stuck them in a box and did not look at them till I took this picture three years ago. When I finally found a little more about them, I was a little intrigued. This is the 5″ Machine Blaster Bull Caesar by Takemi from their Bigger Gokin series. Its from the  anime Blocker Gundan IV Machine Blaster(ブロッカー軍団Ⅳマシーンブラスター ) in 1976-1977. It is an early super robot, so I could forgive how crudely these were made and give them a little leeway.

The anime was popular in Europe and especially in Italy, so you can find the robots there too. These robots have a beefy Gokin heft. There is plenty of diecast metal in each robot. The Machine Blaster robots came out around the same time as the Shogun Warriors 5 inch robots, so I am little sad they did not put more thought into the design and quality of these. When I look at them, they remind me more or cheap Taiwan knock offs of the time. That being said, these are nice little time capsules of early super robots before Popy put out the Chogokin we reminisce about today.

So I finally updated the images on this post. This is the old image below. The yellowness really seems to come out on my old iPhone 4 pictures.

Bull Caesar 1976 diecast metal robot from Takemi from anime Blocker Gundan IV Machine Blaster 1976-1977 (ブロッカー軍団Ⅳマシーンブラスター ) aka Astrorobot Contatto Ypsilon in Italy (Army Corps IV)

My cousin Dave and I finally went on a trip to Japan together to go robot hunting. The first place we made it to after going to Midori Sushi in Tokyo was Toy Planet. The East Urawa store was an hour out of Ikebukuro Tokyo by subway. It was the closest location to us. I have no idea how my cousin found it as we had to transfer trains to get there and he cannot read kanji. Toy Planet carries a wide assortment of toys like a Toys R’ Us for used toys or Goodwill(except well organized and clean).  So old video games from the Super Famicom to the current generation of systems, Tomy cars, a lot of trains including Thomas, Super Sentai robots from the last 5-7 years, a wall of Gunpla, dolls & dollhouses, baby toys, anime figures, a few Soul of Chogokin, etc.

A couple of years ago my cousin found me a Hikaru Bandai 1/55 scale Origin of Valkyrie with armor, some loose DX Sentai robots, and my Aura Battler Billbine. Toy Planet is a big box store for Japan, but it is outside of Tokyo.

Toy Planet East Urawa Store used toys, hobbie and video games. This is a huge store for Japan.

The selection of robots is mostly current toys or from the last few years. There were only a few older pieces from the 1980’s. They had a few Chogokin pieces that were way out of my price range like the Popy Godsigma and Daltanious. Behind the counter they had a 1991 Bandai Hi Metal Super Valkyrie on layaway. I was tempted to pick up a Takatoku Macross Block System SDF-1 from 1983 for $40. But it looked and felt really cheaply made. I picked up a Destron Laserwave(Shockwave) Masterpiece Transformer, some Japanese PlayStation 1 games and Machine Robo Baikanfu which I found by accident as we were about to leave. The Baikanfu was a real find. I honestly did not think they would have and robots from the 1980’s I could afford. Dave picked up a Mushagundamcloth which came out in 1989. He found this store on a YouTube video. Go figure.

Here is a link to their site if you plan to make it out to one of their 7 branches. Google Translate helped read about them a little bit. They may have more branches but it does not look like they have updated the site since 2007 based on the copyright date on the bottom of the site. If you are in Japan for a little toy hunting, its not a bad little 4 hour day trip.

http://www.toyplanet.jp/index.html

I think they need a bigger sign.

Here is what I picked up. I will add Dave’s later when I have the picture.

Machine Robo DX Baikanfu Series C Bandai 1987

Transformers Masterpiece Destron Laserwave MP-29 Takara Tomy 2016

Realtype Mushagundamcloth DX Bandai 1989 Japan

I bought these old clunky robots 10 -15 years ago and they were pretty cheap. I really had no idea what they were. I do not think the seller did either. They were listed on Ebay with the most generic terms. Probably something like die cast metal Japanese robot. I was curious and they were listed around $15-25. So I figured what the heck. When I received them, I was so put off, I promptly stuck them in a box and did not look at them till I took these pictures in 2013.

Over the years, I finally found a little more about them. This is the 5″ Machine Blaster Robo Kress by Takemi which is an odd little robot from their Bigger Gokin series. Its from the  anime Blocker Gundan IV Machine Blaster(ブロッカー軍団Ⅳマシーンブラスター ) in 1976-1977.  The anime was popular in Europe, so you can find the robots there as well. If you like your diecast metal, this one has plenty. They feel like they are completely made of metal based on their weight. They remind me of the Shogun Warriors 5 inch robots of the 70’s, but so crudely made. The design and finish are pretty poor. They are like the ugly cousins of the Clover Dunbine robots I have.

I took these pictures way back when I first created the site. The quality was so bad and the pictures were so yellow that I decided not to use them. But, since I have been too lazy to post anything. Well, here it is. I used a photo editor but these are still really bad. These are pictures from when I used my iPhone 4 for pics. I promise to put up better pictures when I find these again.

Robo Kress 1976 diecast metal robot from Takemi from anime Blocker Gundan IV Machine Blaster 1976-1977 ブロッカー軍団Ⅳマシーンブラスター

I found the Fisher-Price Imaginext Power Rangers Morphing Megazord(that’s a mouthful!) at Target. It was a bit of a surprise. I did not think the first Megazord(the Dino Megazord came out in 1993!) would still have any interest. I figured they would only have the current Power Rangers stuff out. Who would remember Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, except for maybe the parents. Anyway, seeing a 23 year old Super Sentai robot was a was a nice surprise. Major blast from the past.

It reminds me a bit of the Playskool Epic Optimus Prime I posted 2 years ago as it is similar in size and style. Even the back part is hollowed out like the Epic Optimus, but this is way taller. I have to think they have the same designer. While the Epic Optimus was 22″ this one is a whopping 27″. It is by far the biggest robot I have ever seen. Design wise it is a bit closer to the actual robot from the tv show, than I thought it would be. Which is a nice plus. I have always been fond of Super Sentai robots, even if I did not care much for the shows. Looks like this generation has the Epic Optimus and the Imaginext  Morphin Megazord as Jumbo Machinders for their nostalgic robot memories.

Fisher-Price Imaginext Power Rangers Morphing Megazord 2015

For you Mighty Morphin Power Rangers fans this may be the piece to get, if not the Power Rangers Limited Black Edition Legacy Megazord at Toys R’ Us

Here is another Polyfect robot, the Slusher Car. The names for these are so bad I don’t know what to say.  So far I have put up the robots Construction, Tornadonumber, and now Slusher Car from good old Polyfect Toys. That last one is just terrible. I really wonder who came up with these names. Was it the one guy at the company that knew English or what? I mean when I read that, I see Slushee Car.

This robot took forever to figure out which robot it was a copy of. I love the mystery this presents. After digging, this is the Transformers Sixbuilder Micromaster in 1992 from the Generation 1 series. At first look, I do not particularly care for the color scheme. Design wise it does remind me of Devastator a little bit, but more solid(which I like).  Especially the wing on the chest. So it may grow on me. While the colors really throw me off, there is a version of Sixbuilder comes in Devastator green that I would pick up. If you are going to make a knock off, you could at least try to improve it by using  a better color scheme. At this point I cannot say it will ever grace my display shelves. It is 6 robots that combine into one, so if each robot transforms it may be fun to play with. I can bring it to work and transform it on my desk when I am bored.

Slusher Car Polyfect Toys

Anyway, it is hard to beat the cheap fun of a combiner Transformer for $5.99. Checkout your local Dollar Store for one of these cheaply made plastic robots.

Slusher Car Polyfect Toys

Polyfect Slusher Car

I was just resizing my images when I found this last bootleg the Super Change Robot from Harmony on my trip to France last year.  Two of the same robots in red and yellow. I can’t figure out which robot this is a knockoff of. I am guessing it was a Transformer, but not sure which one. This is from the same store in Lourdes(France) right across the street from the chapel on the field. They sell a lot of religious tourist trap stuff at the store, but they also had some toys to keep the kids from driving their parents nuts religious pilgrimage. I would not pay 5 euros for these robots.

Harmony Super Change Avion Transformable Robot

From the first picture you can see Harmony makes a bunch of other cheap toys. I could not find any info on the net for the Harmony Super Change Avion Transformable en Robot Plastique. So I guess I am the only one who has a post on this little bugger. Anyways, I always find the bootlegs pretty fun to post. I am sure I will find more soon. It is odd that the text ,”Avion Transformable en Robot Plastique” means Transformable Robot Plastic airplane when it is clearly a robot car. Go figure.  Someone needs to learn French.

Harmony Super Change Avion Transformable Robot

Tornado Number is from Polyfect Toys. It is another dollar store find. It appears to be a knockoff of a series that never made it over to the US. Granbird  from the anime  Brave Fighter Sun of Great Fighbird back in 1991-1992 came right after Transformers Generation 1 ended. I am not a fan of the Brave Series robots design wise. Takara made some robots for this in DX deluxe or STD standard versions. A lot of the robots from the series are recycled and modified from the Transformers cartoon.

Sorry, I won’t be putting up any images of this in robot mode as I will not be adding it to my collection. But the quality and build looks better than most robot knockoffs I have seen. If I actually liked the robot it would be on display now. It may be cheaply made, but it does not look cheap. They are fun additions to the site, so I will put them up on my site until they stop making them.

Polyfect Tornadonumber

Polyfect Toys makes a number of knockoff toys or KO for short, but the quality is much better than I would have thought initially based on Construction the Devastator KO I picked up from them. Even if they do not last, $5.99 for a cheap plastic robot will not break the bank for a nice little display robot.

Polyfect Tornado Number

I put an image of the Takara Granbird below. Look familiar?

Yuusha The Brave Fighter Of Sun Fighbird DX Granbird Takara 1991

Polyfect Tornadonumber Tornado Number