This character was designed by Kunio Ohkawara. You can definitely see the similarity with some of the characters he designed for G Gundam.

I’m pretty clueless about this toy. Its Japanese name is Jummoth (ジャンモス), and it comes from the show Magical Mobile King Granzort (魔動王グランゾート). The original toy was made by Takara, but in Korea the toy was made by Sonokong. In the past, Sonokong toys have been almost identical in terms of quality, so one can assume the same about this kit.

The toy line is called Mado Collection which I’m sure is supposed to mean Model Collection. It was a series of snap together action figures. The parts come on sprues like model kits, but the plastic is of a higher quality. Once assembled, it is a durable action figure, complete with action features and decals. It’s small – about 4” tall.

Jummoth’s body is the head of a Mammoth. The arms, legs and head are articulated. The right arm can hold a large yellow scythe that has a moveable top. The left arm fires a spiked ball. What is interesting about this launcher is that the ball is attached with a string.

This character was designed by Kunio Ohkawara. You can definitely see the similarity with some of the characters he designed for G Gundam.

I got this toy in a random lot of Korean bootleg toys a few years ago... I thought it was so unusual, I had to keep it. I’ve never seen another one of these toys for sale, so if you are interested in finding one, good luck!

Micro Machine Series 011 - Spy Heli with Magne Power Microman Kirk is part of the Microman Magne Power line. Released in 1999, the Magne Power toys all featured a magnetic gimmick.

Micro Machine Series 011 - Spy Heli with Magne Power Microman Kirk is part of the Microman Magne Power line. Released in 1999, the Magne Power toys all featured a magnetic gimmick.

Spy Heli came with an exclusive Microman Magne Power figure, Kirk. Kirk could ride on the Spy Heli in its various modes. The figure is fine, but I never liked the magnet arm - it looks odd and has no articulation.

The great thing about this set is that it comes with a Ramen Noodle cup (called Spicy Noodle - Pepper). Since Micromen are meant to me actual size, the figure is in scale with the ramen cup. The Spy Heli can be stored inside the cup, or can grasp on to the top of the cup. The cup can also be used as a sort of secret base.

The Spy Heli can transform from helicopter mode to turret mode. It can also be used as a sort of jetpack for the Magne Power Robotman.

This version you see here is the Korean version, released by Sonokong Toys. Sonokong is the official Korean licensor for Takara Toys, so this toy is the exact same toy as the Japanese release; it just uses box packaging instead of a blister card.
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GaoGaiGar is the main robot of the 1997 Sunrise-produced anime series
Brave King GaoGaiGar, which is the 8th consecutive show in the series
of
Brave series that started in 1990.

Review text by Fighbird, Photos by JoshB

GaoGaiGar is the main robot of the 1997 Sunrise-produced anime series Brave King GaoGaiGar, which is the 8th consecutive show in the series of Brave series that started in 1990. All series were a collaboration between Sunrise and japanese toy manufacturer Takara, who had been looking for a replacement for their then faltering Transformers line, and many argue that Brave toys are cousins to the Transformers and basically a continuation of G1, engineering wise. The GaoGaiGar show is undoubtedly the most popular of the Brave shows, and the toys are by many considered the pinnacle of 8 years of Brave toy development.

In the mid-1990's, Korean toy manufacturer Sonokong had seen the potential in both the Brave shows and the Brave toys, and developed a licensing agreement with Takara and Sunrise to produce the toys for the Korean market. Takara has long since ceased production of their Brave toys (except for the odd re-issue once in a while), whereas Sonokong re-launches old Brave lines at an annual rate. That makes the Sonokong releases less hard to acquire than the Takara releases.

This particular toy set (the Sonokong release) comes in a plastic tray in a huge and colorful box. Surprisingly enough, considering most other Brave releases, the few stickers that are on this toy came pre-applied from the factory. The toy is all plastic, but high-quality plastic. Many people regard the Sonokong Brave toys as inferior in quality to the Takara releases, but they are actually exactly the same - with the odd exception that this particular Sonokong set is molded in off-white/cream plastics, whereas the original version is white.

The set comprises of Galeon, the lion, the three Gao Machines - Liner Gao, Drill Gao and Stealth Gao - and the orange Dividing Driver. Galeon is a white-ish lion with a gold mane, and is rather blocky in this mode, but still a nice looking mechanical lion. Transformation into robot mode, which stands about the same height as the average TF gestalt, is in the show done when the main protagonist, Guy, fusions with Galeon to become GaiGar. Using mostly ratchet joints, GaiGar has articulation in the shoulders, elbows, neck, waist, thighs, knees and feet, but is still rather limited because most of this mode is geared towards acting as main torso for GaoGaiGar (more on that below).

In robot mode, GaiGar can make use of two of the Gao Machines: Using Stealth Gao as a backpack in a hang glider fashion, and/or using Drill Gao, when split down the middle and attached to GaiGar's hands, as powerful tools; Liner Gao can not be used by GaoGar.

Creating GaoGaiGar - aka "Final Fusion" on the show - basically requires GaiGar to fold his arms on the back, the train to go through the torso to become shoulders, the jet to attach on the back and the drills to seperate and become boots. Sounds simple, and is pretty much also executed just as simple. But it works: GaoGaiGar is very impressive to look at with the added height of about 2 inches, even though he is retains much of the blockyness. Articulation is more limited in this mode, as only the shoulders, elbows, waist and thighs can be moved. But GaoGaiGar gets to wield one of his ultimate weapons: The orange screw-driver like Dividing Driver, which clips on to his one hand.

For me, personally, this is an excellent toy. Not only is it large and displays excellently, it is also sturdy and offers a lot of play potential - especially the way GaiGar can make use of the Gao Machines in robot mode, even though they are very much out of scale with each other. Brave toys are known for not having too many unnecessary accessories other than weapons (i.e. no gestalt pieces), but Liner Gao and the Dividing Driver should have had more play features than they have. Also, the toy feels a bit like something designed for very young kids, especially considering size and simplicity, but that does not make it less fun to play with. That being said, I still consider this the quintessential Brave toy.

Land Bison comes from the brave series: Legendary Brave Da Garn. Originally manufactured by Takara, this version is a licensed Korean version from Sonokong. The toy is identical in every way, only the packaging is different.

Land Bison is a combiner robot consisting of 4 robots. The four are plain and feature very basic transformations.

• Mach Lander
• Turbo Lander
• Big Lander
• Drill Lander

Each robot has a gun, and requires decals. All four guns can combine when you assemble Land Bison. Big lander's trailer can store the three other vehicles. The trailer can be applied to Land Bison's back and the rear door of the trailer becomes a shield. Once combined, Land Bison is an impressive cowboy-themed robot. Land Bison's head has a translucent vein on top that makes the eyes glow when there is a light source above it.

I really love the design of this robot. It is less blocky than most brave robots, and it almost crosses over into the super robot school of design. The chrome drills on the shoulders are a nice touch as well.

None of the robots, including the combined form, has any articulation to speak of. You have some range of movement in the arms with Land Bison, but that's about it. It's pretty solid, and fun to transform. The only real flaw with this one is that the stickers on Mach Lander do not like to stay on. You can find the Sonokong version for significantly less than the Takara Versions. Sonokong still manufactures many Brave Series robots that Takara stopped producing a long time ago.