I picked up King Joe at the last East Coast Summit from my pal and fellow contributor Roger. I was jonesin’ for gokin and he had my fix.

I picked up King Joe at the last East Coast Summit from my pal and fellow contributor Roger. I was jonesin’ for gokin and he had my fix.

For those who have not read the previous three King Joe reviews, let me recap. King Joe is an evil robot from space, and an enemy of Ultra Seven. Ultra Seven, of course, is one of the Ultraman shows, airing in 1967.

This toy was released by Popy in 1978 as part of the Chogokin line of toys. Each chogokin had a number designation – King Joe is GA-94.

King Joe separates into four separate parts. The legs are sturdy and largely made out of diecast metal.

The abdomen is a small plastic part. Included are attachable antennae for when the abdomen ship is not attached.

The upper body is also largely metal. It clicks into the abdomen and features cool holographic stickers on the chest.

The head and shoulders attach to the top of the chest via a clip. The whole top assembly is plastic. Each arm features a firing fist which can be replaced with one of the included yellow missiles.

I love the funky inaccurate toys like this, with giant name stickers on the waist. It reminds us that these were toys and were primarily designed for fun, not collecting.

BIG, BAD VAMPIRE BAT!!

Gre-Gory is a pretty famous toy among monster collectors. Fans of Halloween and cheesy black and white monster movies tend to have a soft spot for the classic rubber bat and this one is a winner. Released in the late 1970s, Gre-Gory comes with feature unique to himself in the rubber bat world. His chest has been hollowed out and a clear plastic stomach has been inserted. Within this is some "blood" that actually flows when you press his back! Unfortunately, many remaining specimens, including my own, no longer function because the blood has dried up over the years. Finding one with working blood isn't easy.

Much like any other rubber bat, his wings flap when you shake him. Also, the feet have holes in them through which you can run a string or rope and hang him upside down.

But for my money, the best part about having this is the box. The colorful, blood-drenched artwork on the cover alone makes this one worth picking up. Of course, getting the box is harder than finding a loose specimen, but it's worth waiting to find one.

I love toy finds like this one. The Nomura Message Capsule was a cheap, 45 yen counter toy back in 1978, filled with junk to amuse the kiddies. This toy comes from the series Space Battleship Yamato (or Starblazers in the US).

I love toy finds like this one. The Nomura Message Capsule was a cheap, 45 yen counter toy back in 1978, filled with junk to amuse the kiddies. It is like a little time capsule, buried and all but forgotten until I came across it.

From the series Space Battleship Yamato (known as StarBlazers in the US), this Message Capsule is a 1:1 scale replica of the capsule found on Mars that contained a message from Starsha of Iscandar. The message inside had instructions on how to make the Wave Motion engine that enabled the crew of the Yamato to make the long journey to retrieve the Cosmo Cleaner.

The clear plastic capsule separates in the middle to reveal an assortment of goodies relating to the show. I love the simplicity of the items included inside.

• Stickers – One sticker is of the Yamato, the other of the Analyzer
  
• Eraser – a square white eraser with Yamato graphics on the sleeve
  
• Pin – embossed plastic clip pin of the Yamato
  
• Charms – there are 4 charms depicting the crew of the Yamato, and 3 of starships. Included are small blue things that look like wrenches. What those are actually for is to clip all the charms together to make the bracelet.
  
  
  

All this fun for only $5 at Kimono My House!

Thanks to SteveH, who did not write too much.

King Joe is one of the Ultraman Sofubi to end up sold in the US as part of Godzilla’s Gang. These toys were individually bagged and came with a header card that listed all of the figures in the line. At the time, these sold for about 99 cents each!

Back in the late 70s, American toy maker Mattel struck a deal with Japanese toy maker Popy. Mattel got the rights to sell a bunch of Popy  Chogokin and Jumbo Machinder figures under the Shogun Warriors line. In addition to the toys that became the Shogun Warriors, Mattel also had the Godzilla license.

Mattel once again looked to Popy for toys to add to their new line of Godzilla toys. This line would be known as Godzilla’s Gang. These toys were taken from Popy’s series of standard soft vinyl (or Sofubi) figures. Of course, Godzilla was included in the line, but in an odd move, the rest of the series consisted of Ultraman villains! These figures were made by Popy in Taiwan, not Japan.

King Joe (キングジョー) is one of the Ultraman Sofubi to end up sold in the US as part of Godzilla’s Gang. These toys were individually bagged and came with a header card that listed all of the figures in the line. At the time, these sold for about 99 cents each!

The figure itself is nice. King Joe is molded out of a purple-brown vinyl and is highlighted with sprays of silver, blue and light purple. The figure is articulated at the waist and arms.

One thing to note is that this figure is often found with its antenna broken.

This is another example where the original Popy Jumbo Machinder is infinitely better than the Shogun Warriors version, but regardless, I'll always love this Mattel toy.

I don't care what anybody says, I love the Shogun Warrior Daimos. This is THE one for me. The one that brings me back to when I was little. I was just three years old in 1978 when it was released, but I distinctly remember my first exposure to it, hidden away in my parent's closet, waiting for it's Christmas time unveiling. Technically, I think it was a gift for one of my older brothers, who'd led me to that closet in the first place, but we all played with it (as well as the others in the line). There wasn't one in the line that I didn't love back then, but Daimos was my favorite. I loved the red and black color scheme, augmented by those silver and yellow stickers. I loved the slight smirk on his face. Maybe it made him looks closest to human and more easily related to or something. Or maybe it was just the wonder and excitement of looking into that closet and seeing something I wasn't supposed to that I've always connected with this toy. Regardless of why, I'll always love this one.

Of course, it's not the best Jumbo representation of the character. The Popy original is widely considered a masterpiece and most people agree that the Mattel version can't hold a candle to it. Too many changes were made and too many corners cut for this release. Most of the weapons were dumbed down or removed entirely. None of the handheld weapons are included anymore and the parts that formed those weapons originally have been replaced by stickers. The missile launchers on the upper thighs are gone. The ones on the calves are still there, but for some reason the color of those missiles have been changed from red to yellow (4 are included). Instead of both fists shooting, only the right one does.

The stickers on the arms, legs and pelvis of the Popy version have been replaced with a couple original stickers on the front of the legs. Strangely, although there were both English and Japanese language waist stickers on the Popy version, Mattel only used the Japanese language one, an odd choice since this was released in an English speaking country. Of course, this was also released in Europe, but it still seems sort of bizarre to me. Perhaps they wanted some consistency with the other imported jumbos in the line.

Daimos is pretty simple beyond those changes. There is simple articulation at the neck, shoulders and hips, though moving the legs is pointless since you really can't pose it anyway. The right fist is jointed so it can be swiveled, which is cool, but it kind of just makes you sad that the left one isn't the same. Furthermore, the right fist now hangs lower than the left. The missiles launchers on the legs can turn to rest in a dip in the legs. Each foot has one large and one small roller on the bottom.

Ok, so the Popy version is much better. In fact, in looking at Mike's review while writing this one, I like my toy a little less than when I started. But this is still the best Shogun Warrior Jumbos, in my opinion. All of them are asymmetrical in one way or another, but overall, I think this one has the best proportions and color scheme. It's also the hardest to get. Most suggest that is because it was released at the tail end of the line when sales where already sagging, and therefore had a lower production run. It should sell in the $200-300 range on average, but as usual, you will see exceptions to this rule. I myself got mine for about $130 about a year and a half ago while a couple months back one sold for a stupefying $1200!

In addition to Popy and Mattel, two other companies would release jumbos of Daimos. Nacoral (Spain) and Famosa (Venezuela) both released versions more similar to the Shogun Warrior. There is also another Daimos that is similar to the Mattel, "Super Daimos" I believe it was called. It had more missiles but it's uncertain if this was a legitimate release or a faked custom. At least one collector from the Philipines recalls a version there that had a hard plastic head with a light up feature (perhaps not unlike the Takara Giant Gorg toy), but at this time there's not a photograph of such a toy. Lastly, if you have the Mattel Daimos, but wanted to make it look more like the Popy, there have been custom sticker and resin repro parts on the web at various times to help with that. So you may see some interesting "hybrids" out there. The Popy add-on stickers are available at the Machindershop Yahoo! Group.

DAIMOS OPENING by ANIMETAL:

Though inferior to the Popy toy it's based on, the Shogun Warrior Gaiking is one of the most famous and beloved Jumbos worldwide.

Among the characters that Mattel chose to import from Popy's Jumbo Machinder line, the Shogun Warrior Gaiking is easily the most different from it's predecessor. It's almost a completely different toy. Since I don't actually own a Popy Gaiking, for the purposes of this review I'm actually comparing the Mattel version with the Unifive version, which is basically the same thing.

The first difference you can't help but notice is that the torso has been changed. Instead of separately molded parts that open to reveal the missile launchers/storage racks, the entire torso of the Shogun Warrior version is one molded piece. Stickers provide the black of the eyes as well as the silver and red off the mouth and the effect is far less impressive. The missiles still shoot from the eyes, but now the firing mechanism is located on the back. It utilizes the same mechanism as the one found on the Popy Dangard Ace Jumbo. Of course, what this means is that now there can be no wings on the back like the Popy Gaiking.

The firing right fist was carried over, but here Mattel added a hinge that allows for greater poseability than before. But the downside to that is that now the symmetry of the design has been compromised. And the extra black on the right arm has always sort of reminded me of Canada's Greatest Athlete. With the missile racks no longer available inside the chest, they are now stored on top of the shoulders. Most of the Shogun Warrior Jumbos had the regular red shaft/white fin missiles, but my Gaiking has the opposite color scheme.

The "Counter Cross" weapons that could be removed from the legs of the Popy toy have been replaced with simple stickers on the Mattel toy. Most people hate this, but in a way, I think it works better on this toy, since the chest has also been simplified. I think if you had separately molded "Counter Cross" weapons on the legs, they would stick out much further than the now flat torso and the effect would be strange looking. Of course, it would have been better if none of these changes were made at all.

About the only things that were not changed here are the hips and the head. The head looks like the exact same sculpt, but the paint job is much, much poorer on the Mattel toy. Not only is it more sloppily applied, but there is no color within the grills of the mouth. That missing detail makes a huge difference. The horns were molded in yellow instead of gold, but I have to admit, even though the gold looks nicer on the head, I sort of like that it now matches the color of the chest.

Now, you're probably reading all this and thinking, "Gee, Dave really hates the Shogun Warrior Gaiking" and that couldn't be further from the truth. I'm just acknowledging that it is in fact inferior to the Popy toy. But it's also the toy I grew up with and loved as a kid. Due to it's inclusion in the "Force Five" cartoon, which was widely loved where I grew up, Gaiking was a VERY popular robot and remains so to this day. Though the cartoon wasn't one of my favorites of the group, only it and Getter Dragon were chracters from the show to be released in Jumbo form in the United States, so familiarity alone made me love the toy as a child. And despite it's flaws, I still love it as an adult.

It seems all the Mattel Shogun Warrior Jumbos were produced in great numbers and are pretty easy to findon ebaY. You can expect to pay about $100-200 for one in the box. However, as easy as it is to get the Shoguns, it's not so easy to get them in PERFECT condition. Often the boxes are pretty beat up and things like inserts and paperwork are missing. A perfectly deadstock example will command a much higher premium.

I've listed the original price for Gaiking as $13.88 because I've seen a picture advertising Mazinga, Dragun and Raydeen for that much, and until I know better, I'd assume that Gaiking was the same cost. If you know otherwise, please let me know.

In some ways, these toys were better than the toy they were based off of. While Astekaiser was fragile, the Star Mites were solid, sturdy chunks of metal.

Empire Toys was a subsidiary of a toy company called Empire of Carolina (formerly Carolina Enterprises, Inc.). Empire was a publicly traded toy company in the 70s and 80s that dealt with plastic toys and holiday goods but also had a habit of riding the coattails of the fads of the day.

Seeing as how Diecast robot toys were all the rage in 78, Empire decided to cash in. Somehow they came up with Star Mites, a line of diecast metal toys that was a mix of vehicles from Shinsei’s UFO Commander Series, and Yonezawa’s Astekaiser series. While a majority of the UFO Commander series came through unchanged, Astekaiser was used as the basis for an original line of figures. Astekaiser himself was never released as part of the line.

Star Mites had four figures based off of the Astekaiser mold.

• Mars
• Thor
• Zeus
• Spider Warrior

In some ways, these toys were better than the toy they were based off of. While Astekaiser was fragile, the Star Mites were solid, sturdy chunks of metal.

Zeus is one of the 4 toys based off of the Astekaiser design. It features Astekaiser’s lower body, waist, chest and arms. The left arm has been modified to now include a launching fist, but the arm blades have been removed. Zeus sports an entirely new head and chest covering. The head has a clear dome with a chrome plastic insert. Both the dome and the insert are removable.

Another action feature that was kept was the launching missiles in the feet. Zeus comes with some small blue missiles that can launch from the soles of his feet.

Also included in the set was a toy mace. This toy is missing that mace accessory.

The Star Mites were one of many lines trying to cash in on the robot fad of the late 70s. Unfortunately, the line never caught on, and Star Mites faded into obscurity.

Empire of Carolina filed for Chapter 11 in 2001 and is no longer in business. The trade mark for Star Mites expired in 1986

You are looking at one of my personal holy grails, the GA-09 Black Raideen. As my Raideen collection inches toward completion, the remaining pieces become more elusive and more expensive.

You are looking at one of my personal holy grails, the GA-09 Black Raideen. As my Raideen collection inches toward completion, the remaining pieces become more elusive and more expensive.

The prices have actually made me question whether or not I want to see this obsession through to completion. How can I justify spending thousands of dollars on what will essentially sit on a shelf? At the end of the day, what does it get me?

Fortunately, opportunities have arisen here and there that have allowed me to obtain some pieces that I thought were out of my reach. This toy comes from the collection of Ed Sanford, founder of Robot-Japan. Ed is a great guy and a good friend. We managed to work out a deal that finally landed the Black Raideen in my possession.

Ed had obtained this Raideen from a Japanese seller years ago. The story goes that he was part of a collection of an older man who had passed away. The room with his collection had been sealed for a year before the widow had begun selling his collection. When the figure arrived in America, it still had the dust on it from being locked up, and included a nice note from the widow about the toy.

The Black Raideen was released by Popy three years after the release of the original GA-09. It marked a turning point in the Japanese Toy Industry – It was the first “Black version” toy. I’m not sure why Popy decided to make a black version. Perhaps they were looking for a way to get more revenue out of a mold? Maybe it was an attempt at targeting collectors? Whatever the reason, it started a trend that continues to this day.

The box is identical to the 2nd version Raideen box, aside from a black band printed around the front of the box that says “Deluxe Super Metal Black”. The figure is the same as the original, but all the plastic is cast in black and the metal is painted black. New decals with gold highlights have been added to the toy.

My black Raideen has lived a long life, and all things considering, it is in pretty good shape. I wish the old collector knew that his Black Raideen was in good hands.

There was a reissue of the Black Raideen in 2000, but the molds were poor and it did not have the gold stickers. The box was entirely different as well.

Bandai created a Black Raideen as part of it’s THE Chogokin line. It was originally an exclusive to the Chogokin Expo in 2004, but was later released to mass markets.

If you want to add this machinder to your collection, I guarantee you won't regret it!

Fighting General Daimos (闘将ダイモス Toushou Daimos) was an anime produced by Nihon Sunrise and it ran from 1st April 1978 to 27th January 1979. It consisted of 44 episodes. It is the third installement of Tadao Nagahama's Romantic Trilogy. Chodenji Robo Combattler V was the first and Chodenji Machine Voltes V the second. Both were also released as Machinders by Popy.

It looks like the name of Daimos comes from Deimos, one of the two moons of Mars.

A lot of people know this character from the Shogun Warrior line, released by Mattel, but the version we know is clearly a downgrade of a perfect toy. The original version is probably one of my favorite Machinder, stuffed with a ton of accessories and great attention to details. He can shoot from all sides and slice you with a huge choice of blades.

Popy's Machinders usually come with no shooting fist or both shootable. In this case you will enjoy the two shooting fists, and the articulation at the elbow. Unlike the Mattel version, both forearms are red and his right hand is designed to be able to grab the handle for the blades. The handle is the yellow part on the chest which is removable. Once removed, you can put two blue blades in it.

It comes with another pair of huge blue blades that can fit in the forearms. At this place you can also put the little yellow blades that are placed on the legs.

When it comes to the missiles, Daimos also features a big launcher for red missiles, those where designed specifically for this machinder. He also have on the side of each upper leg part 4 missiles launcher for regular popy missiles.

He shares almost all the same features as the Godaikin except that he doesn't transform into the tank. Too bad Popy didn't do it as they've done it for both Voltes V and Combattler V. Well you can still pretend it does as there's some shapes molded on the back of the main body part that look like wheels but this doesn't make a real tank mode.

So from all those accessories, Mattel only kept the missile launcher on the lower part of the legs and one shooting fist. Some pieces where replaced by stickers and they didn't even put as many stickers as were on the original.

The Japanese version exists with two different stickers on the belt, one with the Japanese calligraphy and the other one with 'œDAIMOS'? written on it. I think that the second version is rarer but this is just from what I saw during the years.

This Machinder is quite difficult to find complete, but strangely I've see more boxed specimen than loose ones. The one I own has a repro box so maybe this is the reason why I had a good deal on it. Depending of the condition, a loose specimen should sold for around 1000-1500$ while a MIB is more around 2700$. So be prepared if you want to add this machinder to your collection, but I guarantee you won't regret it!

SHOW OPENING:

This little guy has the unlikely name of King Joe, and the equally unlikely role of giant super-villain from outer space.

EDITORS NOTE

The following review is an excerpt from a work in progress. The larger project details the rather odd circumstances that led to the authors fascination with Japanese toys. The article is written from the perspective, and with the limited knowledge he had in 1978 when he was building the collection. Therefore, much of the information on the toys will be inaccurate, the toy stores listed non existent, and the prices ridiculously low.

This little guy has the unlikely name of King Joe, and the equally unlikely role of giant super-villain from outer space.

Tony, from Toys International, informs me that King Joe is indeed a villain from the Japanese television show, Ultraman. He's also toy number 01 in a series of six transformable robot monsters from the Ark Company. Except for the hands, feet, and accessories King Joe is made of die-cast metal. Like the other Arkron figures his parts fit together with a peg and socket assembly. The robot can be disassembled, re-built, and combined with other robot monsters in the series in an endless number of ways.

There is no English on the box or instructions. This is important insofar as this toy, despite its cute appearance, is not appropriate for small children. Not only are there many small parts to choke on, the shooters are just plain treacherous. (Fun, too!) At 12.95, he isn't cheap either, but the toy is almost all metal, well crafted, and genuinely fun to play with. King Joe, and his fellow Arkrons are as addictive as a bowl of pistachios. You take them apart, re-assemble them, get another idea, and take them apart again - it can go on for hours. Not only that, King Joe is a cool little figure to display on a bookshelf, or to leave on the coffee table as a conversation starter.

A word of caution, however: King Joe will not be in your possession for twenty-four hours before you decide that you need to get the other toys in the Arkron series. Resistance is futile. You have been forewarned.

King Joe is available at Toys International, and Kunimatsuya.*

*The stores (as well as the Ark company) are no longer in business.