Category: Popy

Poseidon originally was from the Popy line-up from Bandai as GC-12 in 1975. Poseidon oddly enough is one of my favorite robots. I have a special place in my heart for Getter Robo G robots from watching Force Five Starvengers cartoons when I was a kid. Poseidon really does not do much. The arms move, you can shoot the missiles and he can stand without falling down(that counts for more than you think when you want to display these guys). There are no shooting fists as you normally see in these robots(so I haven’t lost the fists) or transformations. That being said, he is a sturdy, solid, chunk of metal worthy of the Chogokin name.

I like the design and color scheme and I actually had this one when I was a kid. Since Starvengers and Getter Robo were some of my favorite cartoons, so is Poseidon here. The Shogun Warriors were the first robots I had as a kid. I had the Great Mazinga, Dragun, and Poseidon 5″ toys. I also had the two foot Rodan, Godzilla and Great Mazinga. Man, I had a lot of fun with those.

Still waiting for Starvengers to come to Bluray/DVD. I don’t even see a Getter Robo G version on Amazon to see the originals in subtitles which I would prefer now. Till then guess Youtube may be the way to go.

Shogun Warriors Poseidon 1979 Mattel

Shogun Warriors Poseidon 1979 Mattel

Shogun Warriors Poseidon 1979 Mattel

Here’s the original “Heavy Metal L-Gaim” that I purchased in Japan, 1985. I never saw the cartoon but I liked him nonetheless.  I actually saw this again in a 2nd hand store and was going to get it for my cousin as it was reasonably priced at 30 dollars.  Good thing I didn’t as he already has this.  Anyway,  I bought a later version under the “HCM – Hi Complete Model” series in 2004 but that one is much smaller than this one. I have customized my toy, however, by painting the leg flaps silver with black trim and the waist armor, black.

L-Gaim DX Hi Metal 1/100 scale 1984 Popy Chogokin from Heavy Metal L Gaim

L-Gaim from the anime Heavy Metal L Gaim(重戦機エルガイム) 1984-1985

Die-Cast Metal Shogun Warriors 5″ figure

Invincible Guardians of World Freedom!

Dragun Launches fist & battle axes! Rotate Arms, Launch Axe Launch Fist

Made in Japan   Manufactured by Bandai Co. Ltd Distributed by Mattel

Copyright Toei Doga

I remember accidentally breaking off the little plastic spikes on his head. I was so pissed. No chance of Dr. Saotome fixing my robot. Now that I am looking at the copy on the box I realize how little these guys can do. You can’t pose them, they can’t bend, just rotate arms and shoot. I have heard the Japanese versions can bend their legs, whoopee! Though I can’t say my Star Wars figures did much more.  Still this is my favorite Shogun Warrior they have a lot of nostalgia for me.  The red one. Like a shiny red sports car, it really is the best color.

These Dragun, Poseidon, and Raider hail from Getter Robo G/Starvenger fame. Not sure why those franchises did not setup merchandising right for the robots in the US. Instead Marvel purchased the rights and used them for their comic book Shogun Warriors and the robot line we got to see in the US. It’s too bad they did not produce a matching cartoon. I am a little surprised that these did not end up in the GoDaiKin line instead as many of the Popy robots made their way there.

Just got done editing my cousin’s posts, so now I can start working on putting my collection up again. Happy Holidays everyone!  ***

Dragun Shogun Warriors Mattel 1979

Dragun Shogun Warriors Mattel 1979

Shogun Warriors TWO-in-ONE 5 1/2 inches tall

Raydeen He’s a bowman! He’s a Bird!

Turn him into a bird! Launch his bow & shield! Rotate his arms! Make him roll on wheels! Push buttons! Launch fists! Bend his legs! Literally that is all this guy does summarized by the copy on the box.

Made in Japan  Manufactured by Bandai Distributed by Mattel

Copyright Tohoku Shinsa Film Co LTD.

Too bad all the Shogun Warriors are all from different studios. It would have been nice to see them all in one cartoon. These were my favorite robots growing up. I was totally into these before my cousin came back from Japan with his Macross Takatoku Valkyrie. I loved shooting off the fists and smacking them into each other. These robots are probably why I love those heavy old die cast metal robots. I watched some of the Getta Robo(or is it Getter Robo?) as Starvengers cartoons on the old Betamax or VHS with my cousin before Transformers came out and I have loved robots ever since. I don’t have any of my original Shogun Warriors, but here is one of the new ones I got off eBay.

Looks like Raideen had his own show as Brave Raideen. It was the first robot anime to reach the US via Hawaii per Wikipedia. Looks like the only was to see it is on Youtube. I see some download versions as well, but I prefer not to download stuff from people I don’t know.

 

Click on the images to see larger versions

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’s another toy that I bought on a Japan trip in 1985. This one’s called Bismark DX. He transforms into a spaceship but I have never transformed him. I basically would buy the toys, take them out of the box and put them on the shelf. My one regret wasn’t being able to keep the boxes or instructions since I was traveling and it was sooo heavy carrying these boxes. On my ’85 trip I bought so many toys, I had to freight a box home. I remember we had to get a box from JAL and pay an extra fee.

Bismarck DX – 1985 Popy GC-22 from anime Sei Jūshi Bismark 1984-1985

Bismarck DX – 1985 Popy GC-22 from the anime Star Musketeer Bismarck 1984-1985

Star Musketeer Bismarck anime from 1984 – 1985