Where as the Spiral Zone Kamen Rider Black was pure toy and The SFG Spiral Zone line proper was a fine balance between toy and model kit, the Spiral Zone Saint Seiya Sagittarius and Gemini were pure model kit.

Spiral Zone Saint Seiya Sagittarius

Where as the Spiral Zone Kamen Rider Black was pure toy and The SFG Spiral Zone line proper was a fine balance between toy and model kit, the Spiral Zone Saint Seiya Sagittarius and Gemini were pure model kit.

From a line of figures that is already obscure to begin with I introduce to you one of the three rarest items in the entire Spiral Zone line, Saint Seiya Sagittarius. I believe Bandai was headed in the right direction when they began to manufacture other character properties using the Spiral Zone’s 36-point articulation Systeminjection figures. 1987 was the third and last year of Spiral Zone production and it was in that year they would introduce to the market three non SFG Spiral Zone figures using the Spiral Zone bodies as the center of the deluxe figure release.

For all I know Bandai only released these three non Spiral Zone deluxe figure sets, but I would not be surprised if we discover more figures of other character properties produced. If I had not seen these when they were originally released in 1987 I would not have even known they existed, as there is still little or no Internet or published information on these figures.

I had always wondered why only Sagittarius and Gemini were released by Bandai in this form but after reading another Collection DX review of the excellent Saint Cloth Myth Sagittarius Aiolos I now understand both Gemini and Sagittarius characters were the main exciting incident characters of the Saint Seiya TV show. I also believe that by Bandai releasing the two Gold Saints chrome gold figures first, it would make a very attractive stand out toy.

Typically, being a Japanese toy collector in the 1980’s we had a lot of great toys available to us but the anime themselves were still quite elusive and expensive to the average American kid. I always admired the look of Saint Seiya armor but other than the armor being made of metal, I never liked the look of the figures that were released at the time as they were completely out of proportion and had the Super Sentai toy curse of the female figures used the same bodies as the males.

So when Sagittarius and Gemini were released with the more accurate and attractive Spiral Zone figures I had to purchase one. Unfortunately I never was able to purchase Gemini, as for some strange reason was nearly double the price of Sagittarius with Sagittarius being priced at $25.00 and Gemini priced at $45.00. Years later I still have not seen one for sale but the sad part is I had Gemini in my hands and to this day I wonder what lucky kid in Los Angeles owns it and will it ever make it into my possession again?

Gemini was a great looking figure and the only Spiral Zone figure released with supernatural appeal, as his head was molded in purple/blue with eyes painted only as white. If you know of a Spiral Zone Gemini offered for sale please feel free to email me at Uplandmod@hotmail.com, it would be much appreciated!

Sagittarius includes: 1X 36 point Systeminjection figure (8 parts to be assembled), 3x screws, 2x pivot washers, 3x Gold plated Chrome sprue, 1x black sprue, 1x instruction sheet.

Unlike the other Spiral Zone releases Sagittarius was released in a model kit style box with a full color lid with two clear windows exposing the chrome parts and Spiral Zone figure. The bottom part of the box is plain cardboard which is a complete let down as Spiral Zone boxes rear artwork is always one of the best selling points of the line. But the cover artwork is well done with Sagittarius in a fighting stance in front of a Greek ruins afloat in space with Gemini glaring down on him.

Before assembling Sagittarius I suggest purchasing a good set of sprue cutters from a hobby shop to get a nice clean cut of the parts off the sprue. Keep in mind that the Sag armor is molded in gold chrome and accordingly the plastic used in molding chrome is a bit harder and brittle than regular plastic found in toys and model kits. A small sized Phillips crosshead screwdriver is also needed to assemble the Spiral Zone figure. Give yourself about a three-hour build time to cut the parts off the sprue and assemble Sagittarius.

For many reasons, as stated previously, Sagittarius is pure model kit. Bandai asks the builder to many things that were not previously asked to do on the other Spiral Zone releases. First off Bandai asks the builder to not only assemble the figure but to paint the figure as well. Spiral Zone figures always came in real cloth uniforms but the Sagittarius figure red under suit needs to be painted onto the figure and the hands need to be painted gold. Normally a second set of “gloved” hands would included molded in the color that was needed and can be switched out with “flesh” hands.

Instead of a second separate sprue being included with the darker bronze colored armor parts of the headdress, skirt armor, heel wings, arrow and bow, Bandai asks you to paint those parts with clear dark yellow. Years ago I wisely made the right decision to not paint any of the parts and it is not an issue if you do not decide to paint Sagittarius as it is still a great looking figure when not painted.

Once the parts are cut off the sprue assembling the armor to the figure is very quick. Be careful not to break off any of the pins into the female side of the armor parts. All the parts hold on well to the figure except the shoulder armor and heel wingtips. They could prove bothersome when trying to display the figure. The gold chrome still looks bright 21 years later and have not flaked off the plastic or faded.

The weapons include a bow and arrow, with the arrow being an extremely fragile part. It is best to keep it in a safe place of the figure holder when not on display. When it comes to Spiral Zone figures 36-point mobility, the ease of display comes down if the owner decides how much they want to loosen the figure as they are quite stiff when one first open the package. Figure mobility is based on that issue, which could pose a problem if you want to display Sag in the arrow firing position and the figure is still stiff.

As stated before with the other character likenesses such as Kamen Rider Black and Yutaka’s Chirico Cuvie Spiral Zone style figure, I like it when Bandai sculpted licensed characters as Spiral Zone Figures and Sagittarius is no exception. Sagittarius sculpt is a great likeness of the character and is about the only feature that I think is superior to the otherwise better produced and current Saint Cloth Myth s Sagittarius figure. An odd feature to note is the two small bumps on the side of the head that the headdress attach to, which is not featured on any of the other Spiral Zone figures.

Most of the build time is spent on building the centaur figure, which I believe is the weakest part of this release. One of the tenants of a Spiral Zone figure is that the set should not need any type of glue to assemble the figure or armor. Although the centaur figure itself is easily built it is completely loose and falls apart quite easily. Putting the armor on is a disaster as the figure quite simply falls apart or the parts fall off the figure. To take the photo for this review was a nightmare just to balance the figure just right and even then I still think I did not get the shot I wanted.

The centaur has no mobility what so ever. One suggestion is to glue the centaur together and I believe it should hold up quite well but as a Spiral Zone release I do not think I should have to do that. I also do not believe the figure represents the strength of the centaur personality adequately. On the positive the figure looks awesome when one puts the headdress on the black centaur figure as it has a cool and creepy look to it.

The great mystery of the Gemini and Sagittarius releases is were there more Saint Seiya Spiral Zone figures released as the box states it is kit “15”? Or is it a continuation of other basic Saint Seiya model kits that were released at the time? Could it be a continuation of the Spiral Zone Acts 1-12 with Kamen Rider Black being kit 13, Gemini kit 14 and Sagittarius being the last kit with 15? But that is based on if Gemini is kit 14 which I do not know at the moment. Regardless I find the “15” quite cryptic.

The pendulum swings wild on this one. If you are a hardcore Saint Seiya collector it is a definite pick up for the collection for its odd historical footnote and extreme rarity involved with the piece. If you are looking for great representation of this figure I guide you to the current Saint Cloth Myth release of this figure that is currently being produced. The new Saint Seiya releases are brilliant in design and look great on the display shelf. Unlike the regular Spiral Zone figures, SZ Sagittarius has been out classed by the current Saint Cloth Myth release of this character. Besides only two figures were released as Spiral Zone figures while new Saint Seiya figures have been going strong, with new releases every few months.

As for the Spiral Zone collector it is a must own as it is another great Spiral Zone Systeminjection figure that needs to be included in the SZ collection. In terms of practicality it is not the best release of the line, but the pure charisma of this released cannot be denied. The iconic history of Sagittarius in the Saint Seiya canon, the beautiful gold plated armor and a great Spiral zone figure should be more than a few reasons to locate this deluxe figure set for the collection.
©2008 Leonardo Flores “ModCineaste” and Collection DX.

Mike Vosburg designed the Bionic Six? Who Knew?

The Bionic Six was a really cool show at the time. It had an anime type feel with American storytelling.

American toymaker LJN had the toy license for Bionic Six, and decided to do something unique with the line – each figure was to be made out of diecast metal. These were American Gokin.

The figures themselves were ok. They were about G.I. Joe-sized, and made out of metal, but in my opinion they suffered from poor sculpts, and looked nothing like the characters on the show. The standout toy of the line was their robot monkey F.L.U.F.F.I.

F.L.U.F.F.I. was a giant diecast robot ape. The entire body, legs and lower arms are all metal. The head and upper arms are plastic. The toy has small transparent plastic panels that allow you to see the circuitry underneath.

Apparently the F.L.U.F.F.I. toy was hard to find during the first release of the toys, but subsequently became more common during later releases.

While doing research for this toy, I found out some things about Bionic Six I didn’t know. One unusual fact is that all the character design was done by comic legend Mike Vosburg. Secondly, Bionic Six was very popular in Korea (Another similar American show, the Mighty Orbots, was also popular in Korea).

While this toy is common, it can be hard to find unbroken and nearly impossible to find mint on the card. This figure is often found with the legs or lower arms broken off.

This was a great quality diecast metal toy that really captured the spirit of Chogokin.

I believe Bandai was heading in the right direction with their 1/12 scale SF Spiral Zone line when they began to manufacture some of their other Bandai licenses as SZ figures. As far as I know only three figures would be made: Kamen Rider Black, Saint Seiya Sagittarius and Saint Seiya Gemini.

I believe Bandai was heading in the right direction with their 1/12 scale SF Spiral Zone line when they began to manufacture some of their other Bandai licenses as SZ figures. As far as I know only three figures would be made: Kamen Rider Black, Saint Seiya Sagittarius and Saint Seiya Gemini.

I bought my example of Kamen Rider Black in the 1980’s at Los Angeles’ Little Tokyo hobbies and animation shop Pony Toy Go-Round for $23.00. Few Spiral Zone / Chogokin collectors know that SZ Kamen Rider Black even exists and if I did not see it in 1987 I would have not known either. Over the years, because of its uniqueness and rarity, it has become one of my most cherished figures in my collection.

Kamen Rider Black was the 11th incarnation of our favorite sentai bug eyed rider. Played by Tetsuo Kurata and stunts by Jiro Okamoto, KRB ran for 51 episodes from October 4th 1987 to October 9th1988 and also spawned three motion pictures.

Just like the Spiral Zone proper, Bandai spared no cost with Kamen Rider Black’s packaging. The full color box features windows displaying the unbuilt figure of lead character Minami Kotaro, cloth under suit and Rider Mask. By this time Bandai started to refer to SZ style figures as 36 Action System injection and is prominently printed on the box. But the back of the box is a sight to behold. A beautiful, full color oil painting reproduction of Kamen Rider Black in classic sentai pose with some of his beaten down monster foes at his feet. Right on Bandai! We haven’t even opened the package yet!

Kamen Rider Black package includes: 1x Minami Kotaro (10x parts to be assembled), 1x rider mask (4x parts), 1x cloth suit, 3x sprue of various armor (2x Black, 1x gunmetal), 2x sticker sheets (1x vinyl 1x cloth), 3x screws, 1x full color instruction sheet.

Unlike the SF Spiral Zone figures, which are packaged pre assembled, Kamen Rider Black’s figure needs to be assembled. This is easily done with the screws provided but you must supply your own small Philips screwdriver. KRB only comes with black detachable “gloved” hands unlike SF Spiral Zone figures that are packaged with both flesh colored hands and “gloved” colored hands. KRB’s head sculpt is well executed with a superbly rendered anime version likeness of actor Tetsuo Kurata looking extremely tough.

The complete Kamen Rider black armor is actually a quick assembly. Just put the Kotaro’s suit on, assemble his Kamen Rider Black armor around it and your just about finished. His armor might look a bit chunky for some, but I think it speaks volumes of where Japanese toy design was at in 1987. It’s not perfect like many currently available highly detailed Japanese and American action figures but it still holds up very well for being a 20 year old figure design.

Kamen Rider Black’s helmet is just another sight to behold on this figure. The two colored stencils are sharp and the sculpt is top notch and captures all the wonderful oddness we love about Japanese toys. But unlike Yutaka’s SZ Chiro Cuvie figure where one has to pull the head off the figure and replace it with a “helmeted” head, the Rider Helmet snaps in two parts around the figures head. I suggest clear portions of the plastic stickers provided for the helmet be trimmed so the stickers can fit comfortably around the high angled contours of the helmet.

Bandai executed a great design feature when they made KRB’s antennas detachable from his helmet. I wish they could of made it with softer rubber like SF Spiral Zone’s Hyperboxers helmet. But in the 20 years I have owned this figure I never had a problem with his antennas breaking. That’s saying something because I did play with it as a kid in the 1980’s.

Another unique feature is the cloth stickers that are provided which are not seen in any other Spiral Zone releases. These stickers are provided for the color stripes on his cuffs, pants and kneepads and neck. As the cloth suit doesn’t go up to his neck Bandai provided a black cloth sticker for the figures neck. Bandai could had easily asked the customer to paint the neck black but instead provided a cloth sticker. Nice.

Super Sentai type characters and poses are perfect for the high pose ability of Spiral Zone figures and definitely Kamen Rider Black is no exception.

What is the drawback of this figure? That Bandai did not make more of these! What I’ll give for a Spiral Zone JAK-Q, Kamen Rider X or Dynapink. Or a 1/12 scale Battle Hopper or Road Sector motorcycles to go with their SZ Kamen Rider Black.

But that’s the essence of the entire Spiral Zone line for you. It just feels unfinished. The possibilities were endless but at least they made hero Kamen Rider Black.

Additional information of Kamen Rider Black can be found at the following websites:

• http://incolor.inebraska.com/stuart/riders/
• http://www.freewebs.com/basrisite/

JJ is great little figure from the obscure Zillion line from Sega, a company that did not often manufacture action figures. I wish I could have acquired the entire Zillion line back in the 1980's.

Japan never really caught on to the 3 ¾ size type action figures like the USA. American makers such as Kenner, Hasbro, and Mego seemed to edge the worldwide market on this style of toys with such great toy lines as Star Wars and GI Joe. Of course there are exceptions, Takara's legendary Microman series and one of my personal favorites Sega's 1987 Zillion line.

Zillion was a Sega / Tatsunoko co-production based on the Sega video game of the same name. It has been said that many of Zillion's character and mecha designs were left over from the aborted Robotech: The Sentinels series by Harmony Gold.

The 3 ¾ Zillion line had six releases: White Knight JJ, White Knight Apple, White Knight Champ, a motorcycle with a side car, and an impressive motorcycle that transforms into armor.

These Zillion toys were rare in the USA. Pony Toy Go Round, Los Angeles' Little Tokyo anime haunt in the 1980's, never really seemed to stock the Zillion line except JJ and the transforming Motorcycle. As a teenager I even wrote to them about purchasing Apple and Champ but they kindly said that they were unavailable.

But I do have my White Knight JJ!

JJ comes packaged in a small colorful box with a display window that shows JJ figure's face. The package includes one JJ figure, headset, gun pistol, holster, 2x shoulder pads, a screw plug, a sheet of stickers and a full color instruction sheet that doubles as a poster. The only assembly is putting the screw plug on his back on and the shoulder pads on his shoulder.

Articulation includes the typical GI Joe movements but with swivel legs and feet added, most likely so JJ can sit on the motorcycles correctly. But keep in mind the JJ is a bit fragile and I wouldn't exert the figure to the rigors of a GI JOE or Star Wars figure.

I like the face sculpt and It is great to see an anime style face on this size of figure. The paint includes glossy painted face features with flat painted hair.

JJ's accessories fit well with a snap on the leg for his holster. His pistol can be put in either his hands or the holster, but the holes in his hands are much bigger than the pistol handle itself. In fact the worse feature on JJ are the hands which are badly molded with thin plastic and are fragile. His headset fits on his head with tension but doesn't completely go around his head. The shoulder pads I believe are meant to be glued on but they hold on well without glue for display.

JJ is great little figure from the obscure Zillion line from Sega, a company that did not often manufacture action figures. I wish I could have acquired the entire Zillion line back in the 1980's. What I really wanted was the crown jewel of the line., The transforming Motorcycle that is to this day one of few toys I regret not buying. There is something about the Zillion series I like, most likely it's the 3 ¾ sized action figures that is not normally seen in Japanese toys.