Easily one of the ten best tree action figures

Add the Inhumanoids to the list of promising yet under-marketed eighties toy properties. Inhumanoids had a leg up, with Hasbro production and even a cartoon tie-in. Alas, the cartoon consisted of an anemic skein of seven-minute clips on Sunday morning animation graveyard Super Sunday. The story was compelling enough: A team of heroic scientist adventurers battles a series of re-animated ancient subterranean monsters with the aid of other ancient subterranean monsters. Sounds good, right? Apparently not to children or parents, circa 1986. The toys were neat, though.

Redlen here is one of the good Inhumanoids. He is a sentient tree-monster, not unlike an Ent. While he apparently assisted the humans, he looks unfriendly, even frightening.

The arms and legs are each minimally articulated.
Redlen’s torso can telescope to make him grow. The mechanism in mine is worn out, and he doesn’t stay up very well.

The sculpt and paint are solid, capturing the feel of a knotty, sinister tree-creature. I love the menacing sneer on his face.

Also of note is the light port from his head to his eyes, which gives them an otherworldly glow.

Redlen also came in a gray colorway.

He’s not exactly packed with fun, but this handsome figure is a nice complement to a monster or Kaiju display.

The first, and still the best, of the googly-eyed super robots.

Outer Space Mantis hails from Insect Protector Mantid, the second of Sunrise’s Glorious Insect Protector series, airing from 1977-78. Rumor has it that Popy designed the Mantis in-house and then out-sourced production to Saku Toys, a company primarily known for its junky train-station figures, because of complex licensing issues. The Mantid was repackaged as Outer Space Mantis for American and European release, though I’ve only ever seen the American box.

This toy is my grail. After seeing a blurry black and white photo in a Japanese toy magazine in the early-nineties, I was obsessed. I had seen only two of these before this one showed up on ebay last year, mislabeled as an Insecticon. I offered the seller 2500 dollars, and he bit. The other two went for at least three times this amount, so I just got lucky with an ill-informed or desperate seller. When the mantis arrived, I lost my lunch.

Just kidding (please do not post enraged comments). This is another ugly, crappy Chinese bootleg. But funky! Actually, it falls into a gray area in the realm of bootleg/knockoff, but because it’s an original toy as far as I can tell, it’s neither.

The simple box, just a cardboard lid on a styrofoam tray, measures a healthy 13” x 18” x 4”.

Inside, the pieces are arranged in vehicle mode. There are three vehicles and an assortment of insect parts. Accessories consist of three transformer guns and a smokestack for the construction vehicle. All of the vehicles are made up of trashy but solid ABS and great blocks of diecast. The fit and finish is thoroughly Chinese Bootleg.

The intriguing engrish on the side of the box explains: “Invading the earth, this preying mantis change into a racing car sandcrab, destroyer robot, construction dozer, alien creature, and fighting warrior.”

Thunder Car

Thunder car is a beefy racecar (6” long). His rear spoiler comes separate, but plugs in easily. The big tires are rubber and roll.

Transforming the Thunder Car into robot mode is stupid easy. You turn around his head, pull the rear of the vehicle out, and fold out his floppy, floppy arms. This mode is kind of a joke, but also primitively cool. Those shiny legs? A giant hunk of diecast! Poseability is limited to swiveling the head and rotating the shoulders. The heavy wheels on the shoulders prevent any actual static poses, though.

Destroyer

The Destroyer is, I guess, a tank (4.5” long). The vehicle mode is just a mess. It’s just a lump of crap with wheels and a turret. You can see the robot’s head protruding from the front. The turret pivots and the hard plastic wheels roll freely.

Transformation is again very simple. You turn the head, pull out the rear section, and pull out the arms from body of the tank. The robot mode is well-proportioned and reasonably attractive. The turret doesn’t do anything but turn slightly to avoid obscuring the head. I really like his head, though. It has a vinyl Ultraman flavor to it, owing to the silver and yellow colors, and the doughy sculpt. You can see in the robot mode that the “XI” markings on his chest are painted on! Articulation is the same as the Thunder Car robo, head and shoulders. Again, those legs, and this time the feet too, are chunky diecast.

Dozer

The dozer is the most complex and interesting of the three (10” long). There are generous paint applications, and the smokestack is a nice touch. The Dozer rolls on tiny plastic wheels beneath the treads, and the shovel is articulated where it meets the boom arm. The scoops are solid diecast.

To transform, you straighten the shovel, slide out the recessed head, and pull the treads away from the body. Fists extend from the arms, and the treads separate at the elbows for a little articulation. The arms and elbows bend, but that’s it. I like the overall proportions. The chest is well done, both symmetrical and asymmetrical, with nicely molded details and paint apps. The mono-leg is weak, but the metal toes are great. That head, though, is ugly. It suffers from the doughiness of the others, but has a weaker paint scheme and less distinguishing features.

In all, the robots are crude, but fun.

Outer Space Mantis Combine!

To combine to form the OSM, you begin with the vehicle of the car and dozer, bend the Dozer in half, plug the upright Destroyer robo onto the top, back the car into the rear, and plug in the insect parts.

The resulting toy is just silly: a big block of mechanical flotsam dressed up like a bug. The giant, googly-eyed mantis head teeters comically above the Destroyer’s robot head, the purple legs all dangle about at different angles, and the combined massing is awkward, to say the least.

It kinda works, though. I like the audacity and the goofiness. I found the gratuitous use of diecast charming (those big mantis feet!). I have no idea what the designers were thinking, and I like that.

Flamestone, or Rubyman in Japan, a friendly grinning demonic monster, is cast in red translucent plastic, with chrome diecast limbs and joints.

The Jewel Lords are a subset of the Rock Lords, themselves a subset of the oft-maligned Gobots, or Machine Robo toys in Japan. Despite an impeccable Popy pedigree, these toys are little loved, at least in the States. It’s true that the line had its disappointments, but there were terrific entries as well, such as the Jewel Lords.

As Machine Robo wound down in the late eighties, Bandai lost its damned mind and introduced the Rock Lords. The Rock Lords are baffling. What appeals to me about transforming mecha is that something inherently cool, a robot, becomes something else which is cool, say a gun or a spaceship, using the same mechanical vocabulary. The Rock Lords, however, aren’t robots at all - they are living rock-monsters. But hold on! These living rock-monsters, as if by magic, can transform into…ROCKS. That’s it, rocks. Becoming a rock solves nothing. It’s not productive, fun, scary, or cool.

That being said, I love the Rock Lords. They are surprisingly good toys. Many have decent diecast content, and the transformations are inventive and sophisticated. The figure modes are mostly attractive, really embracing the alien/monster aesthetic, not unlike the MR “devil” foes before them. Rock Lords are more substantial than the typical, first-wave (or 600 series) Gobots, really durable and 4” tall.

The Jewel Lords were a late entry into the Rock Lord pantheon, and switched things up with translucent plastics. Their alt-modes are crystalline gemstones. Other than late-period scarcity, one can’t help but speculate that the sales of these were impacted by the vaguely feminine quality of the toys. There is a distinct My Little Pony/She-Ra vibe to these.

No matter. The clear plastic over metal aesthetic is beautiful, evoking Henshin Cyborg and Microman. Each of the Jewel Lords is solid, well detailed (painted screws!), and fun to hold and play with.

Flamestone, or Rubyman in Japan, a friendly grinning demonic monster, is cast in red translucent plastic, with chrome diecast limbs and joints.

His head is painted a little sloppily, and his face is more aggressive and menacing than the other Jewel Lords’.

His only accessory, a gold club/staff, is missing from this specimen. While Flamestone is technically well-articulated, his joints mainly exist in service of the transformation.

His feet are very broad, so that any movement in his hips or knees makes him tip over. You can move his shoulders a little, but it easily messes up the appearance of the mode. Like Solitaire, many of Flamestone’s joints only work laterally, further limiting any posing.

The transformation to ruby alt-mode is simple and intuitive; you basically fold up his limbs.

The ruby, while an attractive object, suffers from the inherent Rock Lord flaw in that it doesn’t do anything. It feels more like a puzzle than a proper transformer.

Flamestone is a solid toy, though in my opinion the weakest of the Jewel Lords. You can expect to pay anywhere from ten to twenty-five bucks for Flamestone loose. In my experience, Flamestone is the rarest, by a small margin, of the Jewel Lords.

Sunstone, or Amberman in Japan, is a boxy, pugnacious figure cast in orange translucent plastic, with chrome diecast limbs and joints.

The Jewel Lords are a subset of the Rock Lords, themselves a subset of the oft-maligned Gobots, or Machine Robo toys in Japan. Despite an impeccable Popy pedigree, these toys are little loved, at least in the States. It’s true that the line had its disappointments, but there were terrific entries as well, such as the Jewel Lords.

As Machine Robo wound down in the late eighties, Bandai lost its damned mind and introduced the Rock Lords. The Rock Lords are baffling. What appeals to me about transforming mecha is that something inherently cool, a robot, becomes something else which is cool, say a gun or a spaceship, using the same mechanical vocabulary. The Rock Lords, however, aren’t robots at all - they are living rock-monsters. But hold on! These living rock-monsters, as if by magic, can transform into…ROCKS. That’s it, rocks. Becoming a rock solves nothing. It’s not productive, fun, scary, or cool.

That being said, I love the Rock Lords. They are surprisingly good toys. Many have decent diecast content, and the transformations are inventive and sophisticated. The figure modes are mostly attractive, really embracing the alien/monster aesthetic, not unlike the MR “devil” foes before them. Rock Lords are more substantial than the typical, first-wave (or 600 series) Gobots, really durable and 4” tall.

The Jewel Lords were a late entry into the Rock Lord pantheon, and switched things up with translucent plastics. Their alt-modes are crystalline gemstones. Other than late-period scarcity, one can’t help but speculate that the sales of these were impacted by the vaguely feminine quality of the toys. There is a distinct My Little Pony/She-Ra vibe to these.

No matter. The clear plastic over metal aesthetic is beautiful, evoking Henshin Cyborg and Microman. Each of the Jewel Lords is solid, well detailed (painted screws!), and fun to hold and play with.

Sunstone, or Amberman in Japan, is a boxy, pugnacious figure cast in orange translucent plastic, with chrome diecast limbs and joints.

His head is nicely detailed with paint applications.

The claws on his hands and feet are painted with metallic silver, a detail similar to the Devil Satan Six monsters.

His only accessory, a dull gold axe, is missing from this specimen. While Sunstone is technically well-articulated, his joints mainly exist in service of the transformation. His arms just sort of flop around and cannot hold a pose. His knees bend, but once you bend them he cannot stand. His hips spread somewhat, though balancing him once you’ve done so is difficult. Oh yeah, he has a waist joint.

The transformation to a lump-of-amber alt-mode is complex, requiring you to slide pieces apart, twist and collapse them.

Sunstone has the best and most Rock Lord-like transformation of the Jewel Lords.

The lump-of-amber, while an attractive object, suffers from the inherent Rock Lord flaw in that it doesn’t do anything.

It feels more like a puzzle than a proper transformer. Sunstone is a solid toy and looks great along side the other Jewel Lords, Rock Lords, or translucent toys. I would expect to pay anywhere from ten to twenty-five bucks for Sunstone loose.

Solitaire, or Diaman in Japan, is of that rare species, the female robot toy.

The Jewel Lords are a subset of the Rock Lords, themselves a subset of the oft-maligned Gobots, or Machine Robo toys in Japan. Despite an impeccable Popy pedigree, these toys are little loved, at least in the States. It’s true that the line had its disappointments, but there were terrific entries as well, such as the Jewel Lords.

As Machine Robo wound down in the late eighties, Bandai lost its damned mind and introduced the Rock Lords. The Rock Lords are baffling. What appeals to me about transforming mecha is that something inherently cool, a robot, becomes something else which is cool, say a gun or a spaceship, using the same mechanical vocabulary. The Rock Lords, however, aren’t robots at all - they are living rock-monsters. But hold on! These living rock-monsters, as if by magic, can transform into…ROCKS. That’s it, rocks. Becoming a rock solves nothing. It’s not productive, fun, scary, or cool.

That being said, I love the Rock Lords. They are surprisingly good toys. Many have decent diecast content, and the transformations are inventive and sophisticated. The figure modes are mostly attractive, really embracing the alien/monster aesthetic, not unlike the MR “devil” foes before them. Rock Lords are more substantial than the typical, first-wave (or 600 series) Gobots, really durable and 4” tall.

The Jewel Lords were a late entry into the Rock Lord pantheon, and switched things up with translucent plastics. Their alt-modes are crystalline gemstones. Other than late-period scarcity, one can’t help but speculate that the sales of these were impacted by the vaguely feminine quality of the toys. There is a distinct My Little Pony/She-Ra vibe to these.

No matter. The clear plastic over metal aesthetic is beautiful, evoking Henshin Cyborg and Microman. Each of the Jewel Lords is solid, well detailed (painted screws!), and fun to hold and play with.

Solitaire>

Solitaire, or Diaman in Japan, is of that rare species, the female robot toy. She is cast in two shades of blue translucent plastic, with chrome diecast inner mechanics. Her head has paint apps at her horns, eyes and mouth.

I believe the lipstick was unique to the American market. She has a decal on her torso resembling a bathing suit or costume. Her only accessory, a dull gold sword, is missing from this specimen. While Solitaire is technically well-articulated, her joints mainly exist in service of the transformation.

Many of them only move laterally, making the figure relatively static and incapable of interesting poses. The transformation to the diamond alt mode is simple and intuitive; you just fold up her limbs. The diamond, while an attractive object, suffers from the inherent Rock Lord flaw in that it doesn’t do anything. It feels more like a puzzle than a proper transformer.

Solitaire is a great piece and a unique addition to your shelf. She can display well with other Jewel Lords, Rock Lords, or other lady robots. I would expect to pay anywhere from ten to forty dollars for Solitaire loose, though prices can vary wildly. She is generally considered to be the most desirable of the Jewel Lords, though the most common.

Although not completely without fault, Matchbox’s Spartas / Veritech Hover Tank vehicle accessory for their Robotech 3 3/4 action figure line unintentionally created a classic toy that previously had not been made in Japan.

Spartas/ Veritech Hover Tank

Although not completely without fault, Matchbox’s Spartas / Veritech Hover Tank
vehicle accessory for their Robotech 3 3/4 action figure line unintentionally created a classic toy that previously had not been made in Japan.

I say “unintentionally” as didn’t anybody at Matchbox know that the Robotech Masters portion of Robotech is considered the most unpopular portion of the series? At the time if you were to ask the kids what vehicles from Robotech would they have liked to seen manufactured, I am sure the Spartas would not even make the top ten list, being in queue behind Valkyries, Alphas, Cyclones, Ajax’s, Betas, Monsters etc.

Don’t get me wrong, I will never forget the day when it switched over from Macross to Southern Cross and how upset I was about it. But as I watched it I learned to appreciate Robotech Masters for its colorful ensemble cast of characters, noble armor designs and unique vehicles that are quite unlike anything in any other anime.

I really do not have the “Hate Robotech” paranoia that most people have these days as Robotech was life shaping event for me in my youth that led me to appreciate foreign films and led to my own filmmaking goals. Although today I suggest people watch the originals versions first, I personally like both versions very much for their own reasons. But in 1985 there was nothing more exciting than running home from elementary school and barely catching the opening credits at 3:00pm on KCOP Channel 13.

What deeply fascinated me about Southern Cross was the lead vehicle known as the Veritech Hover Tank in Robotech Masters and The Spartas in the original anime Super Dimensional Cavalry Southern Cross. For some reason I always felt at the time there was never a clear shot of the Spartas in the anime. The open cockpit hover tank reminded me of some fantasy Roman chariot, the siege gun Gerwalk mode seems to be one of the most practical Gerwalk modes ever and the cyclops eyed Battle Sniper robot mode always appeared to hold their own against the invading Zor army. The personal armor of the pilot also added an extra dimension to the Spartas system itself and some of the most moving images in Southern Cross is Jeanne / Dana driving her Spartas with her winged helmet on.

When Matchbox decided to release a scaled variable version of the Veritech Hover Tank for their 3 ¾ action figure line, I asked and received one for Christmas. I always thought that the transformation of the Sparta was mysterious and one of the main contributing factors for wanting this when I did was just so I can see how the Spartas transformed.

The Matchbox Veritech Hover Tank includes: 1x Tank, 1x sticker sheet, 1x cannon, 1x instructions, 1x fan club information. It is suggested to purchase the Dana Sterling figure, which was sold separately to complete the set.

The Spartas was the only Matchbox made 3 ¾ vehicles that actually transformed. Unfortunately it only transforms to two modes, the Battle Sniper robot mode to the Walking Cannon Gerwalk mode. What is so frustrating is that it is so close to turning into the Sniping Clapper Hover Tank mode. I am sure some customizer has already remanufactured a full transforming version as it would not be too difficult if one had the right skills: Redesign the waist to completely revolve the legs under the body, make the feet snap closed and cut off and scratch build the hover jets themselves. The seat would also need to rotate.

A new scratch built cannon would also need to be made, as the correct rifle is not included. Matchbox has one disconnecting the main cannon from the arm and inserting it with a flip out peg in the Spartas’ hand. I do like the three-barrel machine gun on the other arm fairing that comes out in the Gerwalk mode.

Transforming the tank is quite easy, flip out the arms and slide them into the grooves in the body, flip back the back half of the body and allow the head to move through the door. Straighten out the legs a flip out the hands. The main gun disconnects and with a flip out latch pegs into the hand, although that is the wrong type of gun and not anime correct.

The articulation has begun to show its age compared to what is being made today as it is very bulky and has very basic movements. The weakest point being the elbows that only pivot in, meaning if you would like to aim the gun forward, the entire arm needs to be raised. The head does not rotate.

The Jeanne / Dana figure is a must own accessory for the Sparta. The figure sits in the seat in Gerwalk mode and there is a flip up computer screen that is the figure's control panel although the more anime correct motorcycle style control handles would have been much better.

Not only is this the only toy likeness manufactured of the Spartas but it is also a huge sized vehicle that really stands out on the shelf, about 13 inches tall. Matchbox did design these toys for rough kid play and accordingly is a very solid made toy unlike many of the other poorly made Robotech toys that Matchbox manufactured.

Years later it is still one of Matchbox’s stand out pieces in the line that was filled with so many misfires and bad quality control. Unless somebody like Revoltech releases some items from Southern Cross this Spartas is the only item available of the main vehicle from the series and a must own if you are a fan of Southern Cross. This is one item I am glad that Matchbox accidentally got right.

©2009 article and photos by Leonardo Flores & CollectionDX.

If there is one item in both the Bandai and Tonka Spiral Zone lines that is remembered by even the most passive toy collector, it is the iconic Act 10: Monoseed. The sheer audacity of the one wheeled designed assault motorcycle along with Bandai’s beautiful multi-media engineering and high craftsmanship resulted in Monoseed being one of the few Spiral Zone acquisitions by non SZ collectors.

Spiral Zone Act 10: Monoseed type III

Bandai was somewhat ahead of its time when they released their SF Spiral Zone figures and accessories back in 1985. The Spiral Zone toys themselves were a fine combination of model kit details and toy mobility and were a definite forunner of Bandai’s High Grade and Master Grade model kit series that are currently being produced today.

Unfortunately it was a huge let down for collectors when the SZ line was killed just after two years of production, with only 12 “Acts” released. Although it appears that Bandai was gearing up to release a quick attack assault jeep called Fat Lynx, only one SZ vehicle was ever released, the one wheeled assault motorcycle called Act 10: Monoseed type III.

If there is one item in both the Bandai and Tonka Spiral Zone lines that is remembered by even the most passive toy collector, it is the iconic Act 10: Monoseed. The sheer audacity of the one wheeled designed assault motorcycle along with Bandai’s beautiful multi-media engineering and high craftsmanship resulted in Monoseed being one of the few Spiral Zone acquisitions by non SZ collectors.

I picked up my Monoseed back in the late 1980’s at Pony Toy Go Round in LA’s Little Tokyo district for $45.00. Due to the still high demand for Monoseed these days, expect to pay between $100-$250 for an example.

Act 10: Monoseed comes with: 1X preassembled Monoseed Motorcycle, 1X Cowl, 2x file cards, 2x springs, 2x wire antana, 1x sticker sheet, 1x rubber hose, 1x black sprue, 1x green sprue, 1x grey sprue, 2x handles, 2x mirrors, 1x instructions. No name plate is included with Monoseed.

Monoseed’s options include: Optional Jet Pack, maintenance Stand. Some of the Monoseed statistics was that it was produced in 2003 with a 1200cc engine with 10,000 rpms. Fuel is both gas and liquid hydrogen when using its jet pack. Maximum speed is 280km on open road and has a specialized analog bio-computer onboard. Armament include 2x 50 cal liquid cooled guns with 17mm Ceramic/Kevlar/ anti-laser armor.

As previously stated, Monoseed is a fine line between toy and model kit which results in some assembly being required. I suggest a good sprue cutter tool to cut the parts off the sprue and give yourself about three hours build time. It is not a difficult item to build up but a couple of the hydraulic hoses need tweezers to attach to their pegs that are buried in the frame.

The stickers sheets comes with various call numbers and stenciling for the bike but as the box art suggest you can repaint and airbrush Monoseed to represent the three colors styles from the other extra protect suits. The sticker sheet comes with side art for those various versions. Although the green is a different shade, Monoseed is colored for Act 1: Bull Solid.

Once assembled Monoseed is a sight to behold. The tire is good high quality rubber that after 20 years still holds up very well. The shock system is made up of cast metal parts and a real spring shock system. The entire cowling and various paneling are completely removable down to the frame for maintenance. Real rubber hosing attaches to all the throttle and breaking systems. I also love the details on the dial screen that is enclosed by a clear plastic cover.

Due to the many various parts, some of the components do have a tendency to fall off the bike, these parts can easily be glued in place, although it has been my policy with all the Spiral Zone toys to not glue any of the parts on so I can put them back into the packaging.

The figure posed on the bike look great although I believe Act 3: Sentinel Bear armor most likely will not fit on the bike due to its bulky armor.

One great feature about Monoseed that has never been documented online is the how you can attach Bull Solid’s and Hyper Boxer’s specific equipment and weapons to Monoseed's back rest for an intergraded look. Bandai’s engineers took some time out to design Monoseed’s backrest to accommodate those parts down to a place to attach Hyper Boxer’s backpack hoses and its 7mm cannon. In fact there are some clips that are unused and I am curious if they were designed for other protect suits that were never released. Because of Bandai has not suggested how the equipment and weapons attach to the bike in the instructions, feel free to comment if I missed an attachment to the backrest as I would like to have that mystery solved.

Unlike Tonka’s “Zone Rider” bike which features a squared off wheel for balance, Monoseed features a rounded tire that can easily tip the bike over. A front stand is included that can lean the bike towards the front of the bike when not in action, but most importantly a black maintence stand is included to display the bike in ride mode.

But hold on! Just when you think a one wheeled assault combat motorcycle is more than enough for combat duty a detailed optional Jet pack is included to attach to your Monoseed motorcycle so your figures can buzz the Spiral Zone battlefields. The jet pack system is an over the top feature for Monoseed but is so well designed and integrated into Monoseed design itself, it is a nice addition to the set. The jet pack system attaches to the side cowls, front stand and backrest and features moveable wing surfaces and all the components are attached together by two metal springs. According the beautiful box art, Monoseed is pictured flying quite high with these jet packs thus making it a formable weapon in combat.

Besides the jet pack components, what is the believability of such a vehicle to exist in the real world? A few years ago a young inventor and motorcycle enthusiasts wanted to create a zero emissions electric motorcycle. The result was the Monoseed looking working prototype “Uno.” Although the Uno is actually two large wheels that are close together side by side, one cannot help but think of Monoseed in the Uno side profile. I do not know if the Uno will be mass-produced but it is a great looking bike.

Monoseed is the crowning achievement in the entire Spiral Zone line and if there is one item that is a must own for any toy collector, Monoseed is the best example of the innovations and imagination of the Spiral Zone collection. An assault jeep called Fat Lynx was designed and prototyped for release in 1/12 scale for the Spiral Zone figures but it never made its way into production only seeing the light of day as a very rare premium mail order only model kit and a gashapon accessory. Like the rest of the Spiral Zone toys there was so much potential in the line but it was quickly cut short when the line was discontinued in 1987. Sadly Monoseed would be the only vehicle released, but what a release it is!

©2008 Article and Pictures by Leonardo Flores and Collection DX.

Reissued and re-colored releases of previously manufactured toys have always been a blessing and a curse for collectors. Some re-releases could be very creative and well thought out while others releases can be a blatant cash out for the manufacture without any thought to the quality of the toy line.

Spiral Zone Act 5: Hyper Boxer Parapsychic "Razorback"

In 1986 Bandai released four extra protect suits for their SF Spiral Zone action figure line. Unlike the first three sets which featured a protect suit and a SZ figure, these basic sets included the protect suits and armor only. These were essential re-colored armor and cloth sets of Act: 1 Bull Solid and Act 2: Hyper Boxer. Unfortunately Bandai chose not to recolor and release Act 3: Sentinel Bear.

Reissued and re-colored releases of previously manufactured toys have always been a blessing and a curse for collectors. Some re-releases could be very creative and well thought out while others releases can be a blatant cash out for the manufacture without any thought to the quality of the toy line. The prices of casting molds for the injection machines are quite expensive and receiving the most from the investment can justify the re-colored projects in the eyes of the manufacture. No toy manufacture is immune to this, Hasbro, Kenner, Mattel, Bandai, Takara etc have done this at one time or another with their respected toy lines.

As is, Spiral Zone was a small line to begin with, with only 12 releases total with four of the Acts re-colored from the first two releases, Act 1: Bull Solid and Act 2: Hyper Boxer. I believe Bandai was marginally successful with the re-colored extra protect suits. Not only was the price point an issue as one could spent $5.00 more and get a deluxe protect suit and figure set but generally they were not as aesthetic pleasing as the deluxe sets.

Act 5: Hyper Boxer “Parapsychic” is the first of two and the least attractive of Hyper Boxer re-colored sets. Although the black armor looks great I do not know why Bandai decided to give Act 5 a silver threaded lame suit with orange paint highlights. It completely dismisses the military overtones of the Spiral Zone line. The orange trim could look good but it visually clashes with the silver of the suit. It is simply just a mess of colors.

The only reason why I do like the set is that I never had one back the 80’s and it is somewhat of a mystery set as I never seen one in person until I received this one from Japan a few months ago. One other feature that I do like is the stencil stickers that come with call numbers for the side of the leg armor. It is great to finally have a representation of Act 5 a in my display case, but otherwise it is weakest representation of the protect suits colors in the Spiral Zone line.

If Bandai had given this set a black real cloth uniform with white trim on the helmet and call numbers It would be a definite standout protect suit like the all black Act 4: Bull Solid “Parapsychic”. Yutaka’s Action Figure Series “Ninja” not only comes with a original 1985 Spiral Zone body that can be used for Act 5 but also a black uniform that could be used to replace the silver uniform for this set. Picture above is Act 5 with Act 3 Sentinel Bears black uniform.

As is, I do not suggest this set for the casual Spiral Zone fan due to its rarity and the fact that it does not entirely represent aesthetic pleasing quality of the rest of the Spiral Zone line.

© 2008 article and photos Leonardo Flores ModCineaste & Collection DX.

While not a great toy on it's own, all collections must start small so this little Kong was a worthwhile pickup for cheap money.

I've quietly been on a bit of a King Kong binge lately, getting a few different things here and there that have enhanced my giant monkey collection. One of these was the small size Imperial Kong that I managed to score for very little money awhile back. I specify the "small" Kong because remember that that there was that large size Imperial Kong that I lucked into awhile ago. Really, that was the start of my Kong fixation, if one could call it that.

As you can see, the smaller Kong I got comes with a tag around the neck, but it was also released on a card with a bubble sealed around it. Although it's the same toy, I'd like to get one of those some day, too. But for now, I'll have to settle for just this one.

This Kong is about 7.5" tall and is made of very thick, almost rubbery vinyl. The arms move up and down, but that is it for articulation. It would have been nice if the neck moved like the bigger version. Ironic then that the tag should bother to specify that it's the "Articulated King Kong". Yeah, barely..

Anyway, this isn't too impressive on it's own. It's best enjoyed in a group with other Kong items.

The first of the two Bandai’s 1986 SF Spiral Zone optional backpack units was Act 8: Personal Floater. Nearly 25 years later Personal Floater is still one of the easiest items to locate inexpensively in mint sealed in the box condition.

Act 8: Personal Floater

The first of the two Bandai’s 1986 SF Spiral Zone optional backpack units was Act 8: Personal Floater. Nearly 25 years later Personal Floater is still one of the easiest items to locate inexpensively in mint sealed in the box condition.

Act 8: Personal Floater includes: 1X Preassembled floater backpack, 3X green sprue, 1X Black sprue, 1x plastic wire, 2x preassembled Floater fans, 2x screws, 1x decal sheet, 2x screen mesh, 1x instructions, and 1x file card.

The box is small compared to the other Spiral Zone releases but still has some of the great features found on Spiral Zone packaging. The two display windows feature the preassembled floater backpack and the mesh screen parts, screws and floater fans. The back of the box features another beautiful painting of Act 1: Bull Solid in flight with the Personal Floater with the backdrop of another abandoned skyscraper and a lighting filled purple and orange sky.

According to the file card Personal Floater was first used in 2005 with a maximum flight distance of 250km and hovering height of 6000m. There are no weapon systems on Personal Floater and although PF can be used with all the Spiral Zone figures it is colored for Act 1: Bull Solid.

The core of the Personal Floater is already preassembled for the collector but take about three hours out to build up PF not because it is difficult to build but many of the parts are extremely fragile and I highly suggest purchasing sprue cutters from a local hobby shop to get a clean cut of the parts of the sprue. A small crosshead screwdriver is also needed to assemble the toy in three places.

One of the best features of the PF is the screen mesh that is used in the cavity of the PF fan, which looks great in scale with the figures. They are inserted into the fans and are firmly held in place with screws. The jet nozzle fans are also some of the most intricate looking pieces of PF but also the most fragile parts and are easily broken. Great care is needed in putting the parts on the nozzle.

Also the Handle (Part 7) should be taken off if you are going to put the parts back in the box as the Styrofoam does not have an opening for the part and is easily broken in the tray. The PF direction handle also comes with a plastic wire that attaches to the bottom of the handle, which is a great detail in scale.

Although PF is a great looking accessory for the Spiral Zone figures I never really liked the look of the backpack on the figure, as it sits to high on the back and looks to top heavy and unrealistic. It really looks quite boring with backpack on the figure just standing there and I always liked the look of the figure holding the PF from the carrying handle. Considering the availability of aftermarket anime figure action stands I think it would look great in flight mode as action seams to be missing when the figure is just displayed with the backpack on.

Act 8: Personal Floater is still the easiest Spiral Zone item to locate. They are always on Yahoo Japan and I just recently just purchased an NOS sealed PF floater for $10.00, $5.00 less than for I what I purchased my original PF for back in 1986! It is a quick pick up for the Spiral Zone collection and with a good anime display action stand it has the potential to be a standout figure and accessory set in the display case.

© 2008 Photos & Article by Leonardo Flores ModCineaste & Collection DX.