Gaiking
Daikyuu Maryuu Gaiking (Japanese:大空魔竜ガイキング; In English "Giant Sky Demon Dragon Gaiking") was a Super Robot mecha anime series produced by Toei Animation on an original idea by Akio Sugino (not Go Nagai, contrary to legend, even though his company, Dynamic Productions, co-produced
the show from Episode 22 on, but he had no direct involvement), which ran from
April 1976 through January 1977 and consisted of 44 26-minute episodes. Gaiking
was notable for being perhaps the only show of its kind (besides GoShogun)
to take place in real places outside of Japan, and for being the first Super
Robot series to have a mobile carrier for the chief robots.
The story chronicled the battle between the crew of the semi-transformable
carrier Daikyu Maryuu (also called the Kargosaur) and the Super
Robot Gaiking against an invading race of aliens called the Zelons, whose
home planet is facing destruction by a black
hole. Notable aspects of the series include the dinosaur-based designs
of the Daikyu Maryuu and its support machines and the use of part of the carrier
to form the main robot. The robot Gaiking was piloted by a baseball star
named Sanshiro Tsuwabuki (Sanshiro's name was changed to Aries Astonopolis
for the English version of the show with the carrier being called the "Great
Space Dragon", a literal translation of "Daikuu Maryuu"). It is most easily
distinguished from other mecha by
its skull-shaped golden torso and its golden horns. (Wikipedia)
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The metal flecks mean it's Gokin
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Nessar was an aquatic mech piloted by Bunta Hayami, the "Big Guy" of the crew of the Daikyu Maryu. There's always one in every crew. Being a big guy myself, the inclusion of these characters in these shows helped me identify with the Japanese shows moreso than their western counterparts.
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The Gaiking Necklace is the new must-have fashion accessory for 1977.
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The Mecharobo Gaiking is better known in the US as the Shogun Warriors ZARGON.
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The main draw here is the glorious golden skull. This screaming face is the embodiment of Gaiking. It features large opening jaws that really accentuate the ferociousness of this mode.
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It's a big giant Daiku Maryu and that's what you need!
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Another Gaiking Jumbo, this time Venezuela's take on the Mattel Shogun Warrior toy.
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Though inferior to the Popy toy it's based on, the Shogun Warrior Gaiking is one of the most famous and beloved Jumbos worldwide.
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First of all, let's get one thing clear. This is not the classic Gaiking from the 70's. This is the new version of Gaiking from the 2005 series "The Legend of Daiku-Maryu". It looks just like the classic Gaiking, but with some subtle differences.
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The last Jumbo to come from Japan......
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Although I have a few minor complaints, for most part, Gaiking is really, really nice. It looks great, has nice proportions, and is fun to play with. The fists shoot far, he can recreate many poses from the show, and the power-up mode is an added bonus.
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Gaiking is a cool and clever little novelty, and guaranteed to get attention.
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