I'm not sure how this vintage US Jumbo eluded me when I was a kid, but I'm glad I have it now. It's a great toy and an affordable alternative to the expensive Popy version. It's always on Ebay and should be in every Voltron and Jumbo fans collection!

Voltron ruled the airways for me and my friends when I was about 10 years old. It was far and away our favorite show at the time and I had nearly all of the toys. But one that I never even heard of until I started collecting as an adult was this motorized version of the Popy Golion Jumbo Machinder that LJN released in 1984. Most people that I talk to now all remember it, but somehow it completely escaped me back then. Like most of the other vintage Jumbos released in the US, it takes the original Popy version (released 3 years previous in 1981) and modified it for the US market. And like the others, it was made worse than the original.

But that doesn't mean to suggest that this toy is not worth having. In fact, this one is probably closest to it's model than any other US jumbo. The sculpt of the toy is nearly identical to the Popy version. The only differences seems to be that the copyright stamp was changed and the missile launching mechanism and missile holders were removed (they used to be on the hips). But this is a real shame since the original gimmick was really cool. On the Popy version, when you pushed the levers on the red and green hands to open the lion mouth, it would press a button on the bottom of the hand and launch a missile out of the mouth! A great idea that I'm sure kids here would have loved, but I suppose it was removed for safetly concerns. But LJN did something to make up for it. They included a "blazing sword" that Volron could hold in either hand. This is something that the Popy version did NOT have!

Not only did you it have the sword included, but this version also came with a motorized base that you could attach Voltron to and move him around the floor. You could place Voltron on top of the base and use 4 included screws to make the connection. The screws would have to go up through the holes in the bottom of the base and then screw into the holes in the bottom of Voltron's feet. Insert two C batteries into the "remote" control, flip the switch and Voltron would roll back and forth. Most collectors think this is pretty lame, but hey, maybe kids got a kick out of it back then. And really, any extra gimmick you get can't be bad, can it?. If you don't like it, you don't have to use it. Strangely, this is not the only jumbo to use a motorized base. The first version Famosa Great Mazinger also had one, though it's served a different purpose.

There is a downside to the base though, actually. I assume it is probably the reason why the weights were removed for this release. Usually the Popy jumbos have the feet weighted down giving them a very solid feel. This toy, while the quality of the plastic is fine, feels almost like a bootleg because it is so light.

One other thing that I don't like about this toy is the amount of stickers that need to be applied. I count over FIFTY stickers that had to be put on this thing. When I got mine, the adhesives on the back had all dried up, too, so I had to respray each one and then apply them. It seemed to take forever to get them all on. But the toy does look great when they are all in place.

Voltron has 9 points of articulation. The head turns, the arms raise and lower, the wings are adjustable and the red and green lion's mouth open. Also, the elbows are on a ball joint. The only problem there is that the levers of the lion's mouths can hinder the arms movement as they often bump into the waist.

One quick note about the wings. They are a very similar mold to the wings on the Popy Robot Factory God Sigma Jumbo. And the Giant Commander Voltron has two different versions of wing connections. One is like the God Sigma jumbo and they fit over a rounded peg on the back. The other version has a plastic covering that pushes through the wings and into the back. This version does not appear to come off like the first.

Voltron comes in a large box (25.5" tall by 14.75" long and 6.5" deep) with a cellophane window in the top half that allows you to see the robot inside.

I recently came across a very cool related item, a giant 5 foot tall standee used to promote the show and the toy at Spencers. One collector remembers only seeing this toy at that store. Since I never saw it at all when I was little, I have no idea if it was sold only there or in regular stores as well. If anyone has any info about that, please leave a comment.

The motorized Giant Commander Voltron is a pretty cool toy, one that I feel doesn't get the respect it deserves. If it only shot something, I'd say it's better than all the Shogun Warriors. It's certainly the nicest looking, in my opinion. Furthermore, it's a cheap grab for a vintage Jumbo. You can usually get this thing on ebay for about $100 give or take. I can see not getting one if you aren't into jumbos. But if you've even got a passing interest, there's really no good reason not to have this one.

LJN was not the only company to copy the Popy Golion Jumbo. In Korea, there was a bootleg version that was called "Super K". (Click the image for more information about that toy.)

Voltron combination sequence (I never noticed the "War Of The Worlds" sound effect!)

Doks Guardian Manon Type Sofubi

Doks Guardian Manon Type Sofubi. This toy is incomplete missing the cannons on the back. If you have the cannons, let me know.

Considered by many to be the epitome of vintage Japanese robot toy design, Bandai America's "Godaikin" release of the venerable SG-01 Chokinzoku T-28 stands as an undeniable work of art.

Perhaps American readers will be more familiar with Mitsuteru Yokoyama's classic, Tetsujin 28 Go, under the Fred Ladd-imported name, "Gigantor". Regardless of the name you use, the titular giant robot, Iron Man #28, is generally considered the first of his kind. Both Go Nagai and Yoshiyuki Tomino certainly owe much to Yokoyama for T-28's clear influence on their own respective juggernauts, Mazinger Z, the first modern Super Robot, and Gundam, the first "real-robot" or mecha. With no foreseeable slow-down in robot genre, Tetsujin's giant footsteps will, no doubt, be heard for quite some time to come...

Just as significant as the works of these pioneers of animated fiction, in this writer's opinion, are the myriad masterful works of the ingenious toy designers who wrought these characters into life with brilliantly-painted tin, vinyl, diecast metal, and plastic. Among the greatest examples of vintage Japanese robot toys is Popy's Chogokin--"super-alloy", a phrase lifted from the pages of the Mazinger Z cartoon by Popy to describe their toy line; a term now used as a catch-all term for any diecast Japanese character toy. These toys typically feature copious use of diecast metal, high-gloss enamel paint, chrome bits, and gimmicks that prioritized fun over accuracy to the source material.

Indeed, it is quite arguable that it was this artistic license taken by the Japanese toy designers of yesteryear that truly allowed their work to transcend mere commodities to entertain/distract children...and evolve into critical art. One such designer was Katsushi Murakami. In 1981, he was tasked with renewing the Tetsujin 28 franchise with a new large-scale toy design to be developed alongside a new anime series (a cartoon later brought to the States as The New Adventures of Gigantor).

1980-81's Tetsujin 28 Go

Matt Alt, of ToyboxDX (a Japanese robot toy fansite) fame and co-author of Super #1 Robot, has graciously translated portions from the book, Chogokin Chronicle. In one section, Katsushi Murakami talks about the initial conceptualization of this toy, to be called the "Chokinzoku". Please have a look: ULTIMATE: Forging the Ultimate Toy from Sheet Steel.

So, the result--Popy's Chokinzoku Tetsujin 28--served as a sort of last hurrah for the classic chogokin era. While perhaps not a huge success upon release (it retailed in the neighborhood of $80USD--early 1980's dollars), the toy enjoys a considerable amount of niche stardom as a "holy grail" of sorts in the collector aftermarket. Boxed, complete specimens in excellent condition typically fetch on the order of $3000USD. But there are certainly rarer Japanese robot toys out there. So why is the demand so high for such a commercial flop?

Simple: this toy is nothing short of amazing.

Previously reviewed on CDX was the original Popy SG-01 Chokinzoku Japanese release. Bandai, Popy's parent company, repackaged the same toy for US distribution under Bandai America's "Godaikin" line in 1984. The item number ("SG-01") and "Chokinzoku" moniker were dropped and the result, the Godaikin Tetsujin 28, is the subject of this review. (See also Robot-Japan's coverage of this toy for more info and pics.)

Foot detail showing the 1981 manufacture date (despite the 1984 US toy release).

The box, alone, for this monster is impressive. At over 21 inches tall, it rivals some Jumbo Machinder boxes. The box is over 15 inches wide and 5 inches deep. Underneath the main lid is a secondary inner lid with many punched holes covered with clear cellophane to spice up the display and add some visual appeal. The right side of the box features an opening for a thin plastic handle that hooks into the inside of the main box. Fortunately, the handle and surrounding cardboard on the box and lid with this specimen are in good shape.

Styrofoam tray, inner lid, and contents.

Right side of box featuring plastic handle.

Immediately, you can see the first flaw with this specimen: aside from the minor scratches and chrome wear from general play, the "28" stickers are missing from the forearms of the figure. Besides the main figure, we have a number of parts and accessories. First is the instruction booklet. In classic Godaikin fashion, the glossy, colorful booklet contains information about the toy's gimmicks accompanied by clear photos (please see the Gallery for detailed images of the instruction booklet pages). Also, in terms of paperwork, there was a folded postcard in Japanese. I am unable to tell if this was actually included in the original Godaikin release, but it was there when I obtained this specimen from eBay. Strange to have something in Japanese language in a US release... Then again, none of the English text anywhere on the box and paperwork makes any reference to "Gigantor" or any of the English release names.

Instructions back/cover.

Front of included postcard.

Besides the paperwork, we have four figures: two "Roboboys" (ostensibly the boy operator/partner of Tetsujin 28, Shotaro Kaneda--or Jimmy Sparks in the English cartoon) and two wonderfully chromed "Maintenance Robots". The figures are actually rather impressive: they feature a magnet embedded in the sole of each left foot; these allow the figure to attach to the main robot's armor and other areas. More interesting, however, is that each Maintenance Robot has four points of articulation, while each Roboboy boasts seven. Tetsujin 28, on the other hand, has two. Two.

Incidentally, many specimens of this toy that show up on auction sites are understandably missing these figures. Of course, to the completist collector, this is no good. But very reasonable facsimiles are available to those less worried about a complete set: Starcom! This was a 1986 toy line by Coleco, comprising astronaut-themed figures and vehicles. Most of the toys featured magnet-driven gimmicks, and yes, you guessed it: not only are the figures in scale with those included with Tetsujin, but they indeed have magnets in their feet!

Roboboy, along with Starcom's Agon-6 and a Maintenance Robot...separated at birth?

Also, eight red missiles are normally included with the toy, though this specimen is missing one (the second flaw). Not a huge problem, however, since only two can be displayed in the chest launchers at once and there are no other display/storage places for them. The missile-firing button is found on the back: pressing the bright yellow button halfway will discharge the first missile, fully will launch the second. Yes, they will put your eye out.

Locked and loaded.

Missile-launching button in small of back.

Launching missiles are, of course, a must--regardless of whether the robot character in the cartoon was actually equipped with them or not! The other obligatory chogokin gimmick is launching fists. Yup. The staple of any great robot toy: the ability to torment your pet with appendages that can fire with violent force. The fists on Tetsujin 28 can be locked into the wrists at 90-degree intervals due to their square pegs; the launch buttons are on top of the forearms. The fists also feature articulated fingers: the four fingers are mounted on a ratcheted hinge. This allows Tetsujin to grasp one of the two included chrome hatchets patterned after his helmet crest (NO, the actual crest on his head does not come off!! Many specimens of this toy show a great deal of chrome wear on the helmet crest, suggesting this popular, but unfortunate, misconception!).

Fight the Power!

For the uninitiated, you may be wondering why Tetsujin 28 appears naked in many of these photos. Well, this brings us to the main feature on this toy: the "ingenious use of powerful magnets" coupled, of course, with the use of pressed sheet steel in the manufacture of the armor pieces. There are a total of eight magnetic connections in the toy (not including the Roboboys and Maintenance Robots): the large chest plate, the rocket assembly on his back, the two upper arm coverings, the two thigh coverings, and the two lower leg coverings. The chest plate and rocket pack attach very simply by popping on and off. The limb coverings actually mount to moveable bare metal arms that hinge open like a door (without having to remove the armor piece). What fun!

Dressed to impress.

Another subtle thing you can pick up from the images is that there is a door that swings down from just underneath the missile tubes to expose them. The chest plate actually has an opening for this door, so whether the armor is attached or not, the missile door is free to open or close. Next, just below the missile launchers, in the robot's...*ahem*...crotch, is the cockpit (hehe). Seriously: this robot thinks with his...well, y'know...

What's neat about the cockpit feature besides the gorgeous mold and sticker detail (and, of course, the "crotch-pit" jokes) is that the chair is actually hinged and can swing up into the robot's abdomen--even with a Roboboy figure still sitting in it! When closed, the chair clicks firmly into place; unfortunately, the only other flaw of this specimen is that the locking mechanism appears to be broken. Now, if you're at all familiar with the original cartoon, you're probably wondering why there's a cockpit at all! Shotaro/Jimmy controls Tetsujin/Gigantor via an Atari joystick-like remote control. So what's the deal...? The answer? Shut up, it's cool.

Moving on. We next have the upper arms. Not much really to say here. If you open the hinges, you can see some nicely molded chrome detailing. Lovely for display...not terribly fun for playing. The legs, on the other hand, are great!

In the right thigh (upper left in the image above), we just have an empty room. Sure, there's some nice molded plastic detail, but still not a lot going on. This is that spare/guest room for your in-laws whenever they're in town visiting. At least it's got a metal floor, so any figures standing in it won't fall over when you're gleefully zooming Tetsujin around your living room.

What?

Anyway, I generally use that room to hold the missiles when not displayed in the launchers. Below that, however, is a much more visually interesting chamber. There's some cool, chromy doo-hickey coming down from the roof and a lot more wall detail thanks to a colorful sticker. Also, the floor is again metal, but this time, it also features a sort of turntable-like construction: the floor actually rotates. Great for having a couple figures in there, re-enacting a classic Star Trek fight scene or...I dunno...a Waltz?

Maintenance Robots hard at work...and underpaid.

The left leg, however, is where the magic takes place! Running the entire length of the leg, you'll immediately see a sort of corkscrew shaft. There is a metal platform attached to this column that folds up when the armor is in place. Figures can obviously stand on this platform, and by way of a small crank on the back of the heel, the column rotates, driving the platform up or down!

Crank knob extended.

Oh yeah, an elevator...in his leg!! How can you NOT love that!? The charm. The absurdity. The utter disregard for the cartoon the toy is based on! That's love right there, folks. That's a toy designer taking pride in his work and designing something crazy for no other reason than just plain fun.

So there you have it. The Godaikin release of Tetsujin 28. A 16 inch pillar of chromy, glossy plastic and steel...chock full of gimmicks that simply don't get boring. You just can't help it: when handling it in person, every square inch fills you with wonder--either the fired-up imagination of that young person in all of us or the more adult, art collector side of us trying to fathom just what Katsushi Murakami was thinking! Either way, you just can't help smiling with this toy in your hands.

Y'know, some people collect certain things because they see some kind of intrinsic value in them that others may not. Some people collect things simply because they're rare. Who's right, who's wrong--I'm not qualified to say. All I can say is that even if Bandai were to reissue this toy and flooded the market with thousands of identical replicas for $100 a pop, I wouldn't bat an eyelash. Oh, sure, I'd lament the cash I dropped on my vintage one...while signing a check for two or three of the reissues! But in my mind, rarity has no bearing on the value I personally see in this toy.

It's pure love!

It seems there is no place I won’t go in my quest to get as many toys of Voltron 1 as I possibly can. Each time I make a purchase I am amazed at the depths to which I have sunk.

In this case, I managed to track down on of the few American exclusive Voltron 1 toys made by LJN. This one is called the Computer Control Vehicle Force Voltron. He stands about 11” tall, and is actually a pretty nice representation of the character. The arms move, but that’s about it. He comes with a sword, but I unfortunately do not have mine.

The Computer Control Voltron has a control panel on the back, on which you can program a series of moves. For example, if you press the up button 3 times and then press GO, Voltron will move ahead three cycles. He is battery operated, and the battery compartments are under the feet.

The toy comes in a giant window box that is almost never seen intact.

LJN also made a Lion Force version with the same Computer Controls.

I kind of dig this toy, largely because of the character. I’m sick, I know…..
:

You may know him as Vehicle Voltron, or by his original Japanese name, Dairugger XV!

This has to be one of my all time favorite toys. The Deluxe Voltron 1 Warrior set. I’ve been obsessed by this character since I was a little kid.

When I was about to turn 12, I asked my parents for a voltron. I probably should have been specific and said the “LION” voltron, but I didn’t. My birthday came and I got the deluxe Vehicle Voltron. I was so let down. I really wanted the Lion Voltron. But when life hands you lemons, you make lemonade. I got into the Vehicle Voltron eventually. Its interesting combination and huge size established the precedent of what I like about toys today.

Me and my Voltron, 1985

The story of this toy is a bit complicated...

The original Character comes from the 1982 Japanese Animated series Armored Fleet Dairugger XV (機甲艦隊 ダイラガーXV - Kikō Kantai Dairagā XV). Produced by Toei, the series ran for 52 episodes and ran until 1983. The premise of the show was that Dairugger XV was a space exploration team. The individual Dairugger ships could combine their 15 vehicles into 3 individual teams, or combine into one larger robot.

The show was popular enough for Popy to make a few toys for it. Along with the standard and DX chogokin toys, Popy planned a larger, diecast, combining version, to be in the same line as the SG-01 Chokinzoku ("Super Metal") Tetsujun 28. The toy was designed by Katsushi Murakami (who also designed the SG-01) but the expense of the SG-01 caused the line to be cancelled. Popy decided to move forward with the toy, but in plastic instead of metal. This toy was called the Deluxe Kikougattai KikouKantai Dairugger XV. For a more in-depth look at why the SG-01 was the last of its kind, check out this great translation of an article from the Chogokin Chronicle by Matt Alt.

The original Popy versions were sold as a boxed set, or as three sets of 5.

In 1983, an American company called World Events Productions was looking for Japanese shows to import and translate for American audiences. Golion, Albegas and Dairugger XV were chosen. (Another show, Daltanious, was considered, but never got aired.) These shows would become known as Voltron, although Voltron II was never aired.

Matchbox got the rights to produce toys for Voltron, and decided to use the Japanese toys as a base for their American products. Where the DX Golion toy had to be heavily modified to meet US safety standards, the large Dairugger did not. In fact, all that was changed between the US and Japanese versions were the omission of a sword, stickers, and three small antennae. The very first versions of the Deluxe Voltron Warrior robot still has all the Japanese copyright info on the backs of the vehicles (Later versions do not).

Second Release (english) First Release (Japanese)

The Deluxe Voltron Warrior also had two different kinds of packaging. The first version had an opening cover that revealed a die-cut window, while later versions just had a solid box.

UK version 1 box

US version 2 box

Leftover vehicles were also sold individually bagged in discount houses.

Bagged Voltron part

The Toy

The Deluxe Voltron Warrior set is comprised of 15 Individual vehicles that can combine three teams, or the full deluxe robot.

Air Team (クウラガー Kurugger)

• Command Jet Explorer (ラガー1 - Rugger 1)
• Strato Weapons Module (ラガー2 - Rugger 2)
• Advanced Recon Helicopter (ラガー3 - Rugger 3)
• Advanced Recon Helicopter (ラガー4 - Rugger 4)
• Fighter Plane (ラガー5 - Rugger 5)

Air Team

Sea Team (カイラガー Kairugger)

• Communications Module (ラガー6 - Rugger 6)
• Space Prober (ラガー7 - Rugger 7)
• Space Prober (ラガー8 - Rugger 8)
• Multi Wheeled Explorer (ラガー9 - Rugger 9)
• Multi Wheeled Explorer (ラガー10 - Rugger 10)

Sea Team

Land Team (リックラガー Rickrugger)

• Armored Equipment Carrier (ラガー11- Rugger 11)
• Rotating Personnel Carrier (ラガー12 - Rugger 12)
• Jet Radar Station (ラガー13 - Rugger 13)
• All Terrain Space Vehicle (ラガー14 - Rugger 14)
• All Terrain Space Vehicle (ラガー15 - Rugger 15)

Land Team

All of the vehicles are plastic. There is no metal in this toy, unless you count axles, springs and screws. The tires on the vehicles are rubber, and on the smaller vehicles are often dried out and cracked, if not gone altogether.

	Command Jet Explorer is a small jet that becomes the head of Voltron. The doors on the top open up to reveal the face. There are four rubber wheels on the bottom, two of which have a friction motor. This piece is commonly found with missing tires and broken fins.
	The Strato Weapons Module becomes the upper chest of Voltron. It looks simple but it serves many functions. The wheeled base can rotate 90 degrees to allow it to roll when combined with the rest of the Air Team. As a stand alone vehicle, it features two silver blocks that fold out, apparently some kind of weapon. It looks as if missiles should go in these blocks, but no version ever had firing missiles. One of the red bands also rises up, just for aesthetics. The red button in the center acts as a release button for the head and middle torso pieces when combined.
	The Advanced Recon Helicopters feature rotating silver blades and rubber tires. The blades are commonly broken off at the center, and the small rubber tires are often cracked or missing. These units do not have friction motors
	The Fighter Plane features 2 small white clips that fold out to attach to the chest of Voltron. This ship has rear friction wheels as well. The red ship is commonly found with portions of the wing broken off
	The Communications Module forms the mid-torso of Voltron, and also forms the middle of the Sea Team. It has no action features other than rubber wheels. In the Japanese version of the toy, the Communications Module (or Rugger-6) has a tall chrome antenna. This was flattened to a chrome panel and permanently attached in the US version. It is made of the fragile blue Popy plastic, and is often broken at the connection points.
	The Space Probers form the upper legs of Voltron, and are also the tips of the Sea Team. One features a Red front, the other Blue. These feature wheels on the bottom as well.
	The Multi Wheeled Explorers form the lower legs of Voltron, as well as the rear sections of the Sea Team. They both feature a white cube section that slides out to accommodate the tabs from the Communications Module. These vehicles feature friction motors in the rear as well. The Japanese release included a chrome tower on each vehicle. These have been omitted for the US release, but the holes for the towers are still visible. These vehicles tend to take the most beatings, and are often in the worst shape. First, the wheels are often broken off, and secondly, the tabs that connect this unit to the upper legs often snap off, or lose their ability to grab to the parts. There is a lot of weight on these joints, so it is not surprising.
	The Armored Equipment Carrier forms the lower torso of the Voltron Robot. The center part pushes in and reveals two tabs on the other side that the legs connect to. To retract those tabs, you need to open the silver door on the top and move the yellow switch. This switch is nearly impossible to move without some kind of instrument.
	The Rotating Personnel Carrier (red) and Jet Radar Station (blue) become the hands of Voltron. Each features a firing fist, and friction rear wheels. The rubber tires are often cracked of missing altogether. The fists are often missing due to the fragile tab that locks them into place. It’s a good idea to remove these fists for long-term storage.
	The All Terrain Space Vehicles become the feet of Voltron. Each vehicle features friction wheels and small, chrome supporting wheels to keep Voltron from falling over in robot mode. These are probably the most durable vehicles in the set.

Voltron is not a sturdy toy. The plastic can be brittle, and the connection points wear out easily. The fists break, the tires dry up. The toy just doesn’t age well. It just wasn’t able to stand the punishment a young child was going to put it through. Finding a unused mint one is a rare find, and although parts are plentiful on ebay, piecing one together from loose bits is next to impossible.

There have been many bootleg versions of this toy out there, some produced as recently as 2004. There was a version sold at Toys R Us that was very high quality, and even included a sword (something the US release did not). It’s worth getting just to have the sword. You could also get fists from this toy as well.

Voltron 1 with Bootleg Sword

Despite all its flaws, I really love this toy. Part of it is sentimental, but part of it is that it is so damn aesthetically pleasing. It’s a big chunky robot toy that shoots fists and transforms.

On a personal note, It was this toy that began me on my path of rooting for the underdog so to speak. NOBODY liked Vehicle Voltron, including me. He was always second best. But I really identified with it and that concept at a young age. Since then I have always been drawn to the things that are unpopular or uncool. It’s part of my nature that I can trace back to this toy.

My original Voltron 1 from 1985, as he looks today

Random Notes about Voltron 1

• On the US version of the box, the three teams are the Land, Sea and Air teams. On the UK box, the teams are called Turbo Terrain Fighter, Aqua Fighter and Strato Fighter. Adding to the confusion, the three box sets refer to them as Space Warrior, Land Warrior and Air Warrior.
• Also, the UK box uses the English spelling of “Armoured”
• The US version is called Voltron 1 Deluxe Warrior Set, where the UK version is called Vehicle Team Voltron.
• The US box incorrectly states that the toy is made of “Durable Metal Die Cast Parts”. There is no Die Cast metal on the toy.
• The photos of the toys on the back of the box are all of the Japanese Versions of the toys.
• The quote on the front of the US box says “Includes All Parts To Make the Towering and Terrifying Voltron 1 With Heroic Human Face for Hours of Endless Play!”
• The illustration on the box has the fists on the wrong sides

This is a great piece to get for collectors who are just starting out.

Giant Gorg (巨神ゴーグ) aired for 26 episodes from April 5 until September 7, 1984. Takara released the jumbo the same year, the first jumbo they'd released since Jeeg in 1975. It was also the last one made by Takara.

The toy doesn't seem to be very popular, though I'm not entirely sure why that is. One complaint is that it doesn't feature much articulation, but the head swivels, the arms move and the legs turn. Most jumbos do not do much more than this. Some do even less.

It's a nice sculpt, but one thought might be that it doesn't display as nicely with other jumbos as it could because it's arms tend to point outwards. Personally, it doesn't bother me much.

Probably the most valid complaint against it is that is isn't very colorful. It's dark blue polyethylene is augmented by just a few small stickers, many of which are also dark blue/purple. One of the ones that isn't blue is the gold outline around the neck, but this sticker can be a pain to apply. The gold on the head comes pre-applied.

Speaking of the head, it's a very nice design and is not made of soft vinyl like most traditional jumbos. Instead, it is hard plastic and actually contains a light up feature. Twisting the battery compartment lid turns this on and off. I think it's a nice addition to the toy, and certainly unique among jumbos. This requires one AA battery to work.

Giant Gorg doesn't feature any kind of shooting mechanism though and I know that is a popular favorite with Jumbo collectors. It also has no wheels on the feet, but I don't think that is considered a very big deal either way. When I first got it, I was a bit turned off by the "high heels" look of the feet, but since I've added about 30 or so Gundams to my toy collection since then, I guess I've grown accustomed to it.

One thing I don't like about the toy overall is the box. It's just too big (likely due to those outstretched arms) and doesn't display well with the thinner Popy boxes. And if you aren't displaying it, storage may be a problem.

This is a great piece to get for collectors who are just starting out. It's not rare or expensive at all, costing generally about $150, more or less. They are almost always on Yahoo!Japan and can easily be found in most Japanese shops as well. It's probably the most common Japanese jumbo (along with Bandai's Five Robo and Yutaka's Getter Robo Go). A bootleg version of this toy was released in Taiwan at some point. That toy is more colorful and is actually harder to get than the real thing.

There have been many versions of the Legioss produced over the years. This version is desirable because it transforms into all three modes, and contains some diecast metal.

The Legioss (レギオス) comes from the show Genesis Climber Mospeada (機甲創世記モスピーダ). This show would later be re-edited and brought to the USA as Robotech: The Next Generation. The Robotech name for this ship was the Alpha Fighter.

There have been many versions of the Legioss produced over the years. This version is desirable because it transforms into all three modes, and contains some diecast metal.

This version of the Legioss, the Triple Change mini. Stands about 5” high. It comes with removable landing gear, a gun, wings and a back assembly. Most versions of this toy have plastic feet, but some (including this one) have metal feet.

The toy can transform into all three modes (Armo Fighter, Armo Diver and Armo Soldier). Although the transformation is not “perfect”, it is still convincing, and it does all that the more expensive 1/55 version does.

Armo Fighter

In Armo Fighter mode, the Legioss is about 6 inches long. This is the weakest mode of the three. Things just don’t click into place, and the arms move around a lot. This mode is supposed to have landing gear, but mine are missing.

Armo Diver

This is the Mospeada equivalent of Gerwalk mode. The Legioss is transformed half way between the Fighter and Soldier  modes. The wings have to be removed, and a replacement part simulating the wings needs to be attached to the back. The Legioss can hold its gun in this mode.

Armo Soldier

The Armo Soldier mode is the Legioss in its humanoid form. It features several points of articulation, and is able to hold its gun in this mode. The metal feet give it a good weight, making it hold poses well.

This is a case of me not reading the auction close enough. When I got this item in the mail it was missing a few things. Most importantly, this toy is missing the landing gear. But I had never had a Legioss toy before, and the the price was right, so I figured what the hell.

Trivia:

The Henshin Robo line was Gakken’s attempt to export their toys to English-speaking markets. The same toy was released in a Japanese Legioss box, as well as a Robotech Box.

This toy is not the Legioss that interfaces with the legendary Tread Fighter, made by Lansay.

The Takatoku 1:60 Ishkick Commander was actually designed to be painted and detailed (The box even says diecast / plastic model). The images on the back often look nothing like the toy pictured inside.

The Gerwalk Ishkick Commander Version MBG-21F-1 comes from the show Super Dimension Century Orguss, the follow-up show to Super Dimension Fortress Macross.

My love affair with Orguss started with the Robotech Model kit line by Revell. Back in the early 80s, Revell imported a bunch of model kits from various lines, including Macross, Dougram and Orguss, and released them under the Robotech name. While this Ishkick commander was not part of that line, the Orgroid was, under the name Nebo. I could not build that model correctly to save my life, but I really loved the design. Time flew by and I discovered that Nebo came from Orguss, and I fell in love with all the mecha in that line. Unfortunately, I would learn that these toys are fragile as hell.

The yellow connector at the hip is where these toys commonly break

The Takatoku 1:60 Ishkick Commander was actually designed to be painted and detailed (The box even says diecast / plastic model). The images on the back often look nothing like the toy pictured inside. You have to assemble several pieces, paint, and apply stickers. However, most people just see them as toys, and leave them as they are.

Painted Ishkick from the back of the package.

I found this toy in a small store in Shimo-Kitazawa called Home Rice. It was only 2,000 yen, but it was missing a few accessories. I actually knew someone who had the parts I needed, so I grabbed it right away. The notoriously fragile hip joints were unbroken, a rarity for this toy.

The Ishkick Commander version is actually a pretty cool toy. It has die-cast metal feet, tons of leg articulation, opening cockpit and missile bays, removable rear armor plate, a small pilot and a few weapons. The toy does require minor assembly, including small handles on the legs, and attaching the weapons. The weapons fit snugly into the holes on top, so PLEASE don't force them all the way in.

The box is classic Takatoku with the textured cardboard and glorious shots of the completed toy. The toy rests snugly inside of a styrofoam tray.

Box Front

Box Back

Be aware that there are also knock-off versions of this toy. The toy itself is almost identical; the only way to tell it apart is that the copyright info on the bottom of the feet is blocked out. The box is easy to tell - the bootleg version is all in English.

The Godaikin Abega consists of 3 robots that transform into jets as well as combine into one larger ship. The original toy was called the New Super Abega Jetrobo DX Popynica, manufactured by Bandai Japan in 1983.

Way back around 1984 or so Bandai America was importing Japanese toys under the brand name Godaikin. The assortment of toys was random, mostly consisting of whatever Bandai Japan was producing at the time. Of course, you got your assortment of giant robots, but a few of the robots had a noticeably different feel to them. Instead of firing fists and lions, you got an interesting 80s aesthetic. White metal, red highlights, and chrome metallic appendages – it was very cutting edge at the time. The age of LCD watches had come and it had influenced toy design.

Laserion. Vavilos. Abega. All were products of this school of design.

Alpha

Beta

Gamma

The Godaikin Abega consists of 3 robots that transform into jets as well as combine into one larger ship. The original toy was called the New Super Abega Jetrobo DX Popynica, manufactured by Bandai Japan in 1983. It came from the show Albegas, which was to become Voltron II in the United States (it never aired, but the toys for Voltron II hit the stores in 84).

The name Abega is a combination of the names of the three robots:

• Jet Alpha
• Jet Beta
• Jet Gamma

Each robot has a vehicle mode and a robot mode. The toys are mostly plastic, with metal being reserved for chrome limbs and select body parts. I’d say 25% of each toy is metal. The three robots combine in vehicle mode to form the Abega Jetrobo. This combination is not too solid, but it holds together fine.

Bandai must have been going through a weird phase at this time. This toy (as well as the DX Albegas) shows some really innovative design, but some really poor construction choices. The wings and arms have a tendency to break on these due to a bad choice of material. The hinges on each of the robots are especially fragile. If you’ve been toy collecting for a while, you’ve undoubtedly seen the corpses of broken Abega toys littered in transformer lots throughout eBay.

It’s an interesting toy, but not a particularly rare or desirable one. If you find one unbroken, it’s worth picking up.

Godaikin Abega with the popy ST Albegas toy

In Japan, Voltron II is known as Kosoku Denjin Albegas. It is often translated as Arbegas, Abegas, Albegus and Arbegus.

Voltron II or Gladiator was meant to be the second TV series to go along with Voltron I (Dairugger XV) and Voltron III (Golion). For some reason, the show never aired, but Matchbox licensed the toys and put them out anyway.

In Japan, Voltron II is known as Kosoku Denjin Albegas. It is often translated as Arbegas, Abegas, Albegus and Arbegus.

In 1983, Popy released the DX Chogokin Kosoku Denjin Albegas Denjinbox. It featured three individual chogokin robots that could be transformed into 6 “official” modes. The robots were Alpha Robo (Black), Beta Robo (Blue) and Gamma Robo (Red).

Alpha

Beta

Gamma

Each figure featured a sword and firing fists. The six modes are:

• Denjin Dimension (Alpha > Beta > Gamma)
• Space Dimension (Alpha > Gamma > Beta)
• Magma Dimension (Beta > Gamma > Alpha)
• Sky Dimension (Beta > Alpha > Gamma)
• Marine Dimension (Gamma > Alpha > Beta)
• Guard Dimension (Gamma > Beta > Alpha)

The Albegas Denjinbox actually comes in two versions – The first version box is horizontal and has the green, grid-like background artwork and the Popy logo. The second version is vertical a rainbow strip at the top and the Bandai logo. Popy was absorbed into Bandai during this toy’s production run. The toy originally retailed for 4,500 yen.

In 1984, when World Events Productions licensed Albegas as Voltron II, Matchbox imported the Denjinbox set for release in America. To conform to safety standards, Matchbox removed the swords and the firing fists from the release. They also split the box set up into individual robots.

At the time, the Gladiator Robot was a pretty ingenious thing. Each robot came apart and could recombine in endless combinations. Because we never saw the show, we really had no idea what was the “right” combination. I always thought the red robot was supposed to go on top as a kid.

Marine Dimension

Each robot is constructed basically the same. The legs attach at the waist via a fragile connection point. The bottom of the legs are solid metal, with a hinged foot and knee. Doors on the side open and act as a lock to hold the legs in place when they are compressed. The arms are jointed at the elbow, but have a small bump in them that prevents them from bending backwards. A yellow button on the shoulders releases the arms so that they can swing backwards for the combination. The shoulders slide out from the metal chest area and a grey hinge allows you to compress the torso into the chest, and then the shoulders push back in to lock it all in place.

Hinge Assembly

As a kid, I remember getting one of the three Gladiator robots – I think it was the blue one, but my memory is hazy. I remember the toy practically disintegrating after a short period of play. As cool as the concept was, these toys were really fragile. The connection joints where the legs attach to the body are pretty flimsy on their own, but add in Popy’s trademark fragile blue plastic, and you have a recipe for disaster. To this day, finding an unbroken set is a rarity. Other common problems were fists breaking off (they were just glued in), and slouching. Over time the middle plastic on the robots cannot support the heavy weight of the metal chest, and the robots “slouch”.

I have always had a soft spot for this toy, largely because as a kid I never had all three robots, and was never able to see the 3 robot combination. As an adult collector, I love the looks of this toy, and its endless play value. It really is a shame that it is so fragile.

The art on the Matchbox package shows the Gladiator with his hands out, but the Albegas robot always had only one set of hands visible at a time.

Terebi-kun ad from July 1983 for the Popy DX Chogokin Albegas Denjinbox