Tag: Japan

Starvengers was one of my favorite anime early on. It was a lot better than Super Friends on Saturday mornings which I loved, but Starvengers has fared the test of time much better than Super Friends. These cartoons came out with Force Five, but I unfortunately did not see those cartoons. I will have to check those out. Maybe the OVAs have subtitles. It would be good to see the Getta Robos kick ass on the Pandemonium Empire again. Sure the bad guys were super cheesy, but it was still so much fun to watch.

Among Shogun Warriors robots this was my least favorite, but I am glad to have it to complete my set of Getta Robo robots. Probably just the color scheme on this one. The plastic has this odd yellowing I have never seen before. Odd, just noticed now I do not have the red missiles shown on the box.

Shogun Warriors Raider Mattel

Shogun Warriors Raider Mattel yellow missiles

Shogun Warriors Raider Mattel or Getter Liger in Japan

Since I have the most of the Shogun Warriors, I can pop in a picture of them together for a group photo into this post later. Pop in a comment below and I will get to it a little quicker. ***

Transformers Generation 1 Smokescreen Commemorative Series VI 2003

Here’s a brand new in box, Toys R Us reissue Smokescreen from the early 2000’s.  I just picked him up on Ebay for a pretty good price – I think it was about 35.

I don’t recall ever having this one as a kid. I now have all the Datsun 280 ZX molds.  The other two are Silverstreak and Prowl as pictured below.

Generation 1 Smokescreen Transformers Commemorative Series VI 2003

Bluestreak, Smokescreen and Prowl Transformers G1 Autobots

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

Here’s a nice 7 inch deluxe set that I just got on Ebay for like 35 dollars.  It’s the Nu Gundam with the armor and heavy arms.  I haven’t taken it out of the box because there’s so many pieces and I just wanted to put him on this post first.  I’ll take him out someday and take a pix once I have assembled him.

Nu Gundam FA-93 HWS Heavy Weapon System Deluxe Edition 2003 Bandai Cartoon Network from anime Char’s Counterattack

Nu Gundam FA-93 HWS Heavy Weapon System Deluxe Edition 2003 Bandai Cartoon Network from anime Char’s Counterattack

Here’s one of the enemies for the Gundam Wing: Endless Waltz – the Tallgeese III. I got the Arch Enemy Tallgeese III at Target in the early 2000’s. He’s not a big deluxe 12 inch robot figuresl but a nice 7-8 inch figure. He is one of my favorite bad guys based on his design and looks, although I didn’t really get into Gundam Wing.  I am a big fan of bad guy robots as they have so much more variety.

Arch Enemy Tallgeese III OZ-00MS2B 2002 Bandai America 7 1/2″ from anime New Mobile Report Gundam Wing: Endless Waltz 1997

Tallgeese III OZ-00MS2B from anime (新機動戦記ガンダムW: ENDLESS WALTZ, Shin Kidō Senki Gandamu Uingu: Endoresu Warutsu) in 1997

Here’s a rare variant that I have never seen – toy or cartoon – a camouflage Zaku MS-06J. This was another loose piece I got on Ebay for a good price.  If you were to get him on the card, you’ll pay about 50 dollars. I got him for about 9 dollars I think. I do not really care about the packaging or box anyway. I really like the camo version of the Zaku. Actually, I have not run into a Zaku I did not like. It is one of my favorite Gundam designs.

MS-06J Camoflauge Zaku II still From anime 1 Year War in 0079

MSIA Zaku II MS-06J Camouflage ver. Mobile Suit in Action 2000 Bandai Japan