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Popy
Popy (ポピー) was a Japanese toy manufacturer of the 1970s and early 1980s. The company was owned by Bandai. It was founded in 1971 and merged back into the parent company in 1983. The company is best known for its groundbreaking Chogokin robot figures. History Popy was formed by Bandai in July 1971 to distribute products intended for candy shops and other retail outlets outside of the usual toy stores. Before long, the company began to license characters and vehicles from popular live-action (Tokusatsu), Anime and Manga series. Its first major success in this vein was a child-sized version of the "Henshin Belt" worn by the hero of the ''Kamen Rider'' television series. Although other companies selling similar products, only Popy's incorporated a light-up mechanism, making it a smashing success despite its then-high retail price of 1500 yen. (It would eventually go on to sell some 3.8 million units.) In the wake of the success of the "Henshin Belt," Popy introduced a palm-sized, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Jumbo Machinder
Jumbo Machinder is the name of a series of large-scale plastic robots sold by Bandai's character toy subsidiary, Popy in the 1970s. Although a trademarked brand name, in common usage Jumbo Machinder is often applied to any large-size robot toy roto molded out of polyethylene terephthalate (PET), a sturdy plastic also used for shampoo bottles. Jumbo Machinders are generally (but not always) 24" in height. After Popy's success with the Jumbo Machinder series, several other Japanese companies, including Takatoku, Nakajima, and Clover began producing large-size plastic robot toys as well. Several of the Jumbo Machinders were retooled for sale in the USA and Europe in the late 1970s as '' Shogun Warriors''. Initial Jumbo Machinder line The first Jumbo Machinder, released in 1973, was a portrayal of manga artist Go Nagai's character Mazinger Z, a fictional Super Robot. Originally planned to stand a meter (roughly three feet) tall, the toy was scaled down out of safety concerns. The Jumbo ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Chogokin
{{nihongo, Chogokin, 超合金, Chōgōkin, Chō: ''Super'', gōkin: ''alloy'', Sometimes spelled either Chougokin or Cho-gokin is a fictitious material which first appeared in Go Nagai's ''Mazinger Z'' manga and anime and is later adopted by Popy in 1972 as the name of a new line of die-cast metal robot and character toys sold in Japan - the first of these is "GA-01" Mazinger Z, which, in spite of questionable engineering that led Popy to offer a free replacement campaign, ignited a craze that changed the face of the Japanese toy industry in the 1970s. Bandai, the parent of Popy, continues the Chogokin line to this day, branded under their own name. Vintage Chogokin Chogokin toys were generally produced in ST (short for "standard" and usually in the range of 5" in height) or DX ("deluxe" and usually much larger; additionally this class of Chogokin product usually came with more features such as separating parts and more complex weaponry, usually with launching projectiles (which ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Godaikin
Godaikin or GoDaiKin (a combination of ''gokin'' (合金, "alloy") and ''dai'' (大, "big"/"great")) was a line of Super Robot toys released by Bandai America from 1982 to 1985, composed of figures from Popy-created series such as ''Chogokin'' and '' Popinika''. History Mattel had previously tried to market Popy's figures as '' Shogun Warriors'' in the late 1970s, before the line was cancelled, partially due to safety concerns. In 1982 Bandai decided to try themselves, and came up with the ''Godaikin'' range. The name is presented as "''GoDaiKin''" on the packaging (however, within collectors' sources, the title case version is more commonly used). Popy selected ten of their most popular Deluxe (short: DX) ''Chogokin'' figures for release in North America for 1982 - these typically varied between 10 and 12 inches in height in robot mode and came in large boxes with carrying handles on the sides. Bandai America had no American facilities for manufacturing the figures, instead ship ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Dairugger XV
is a mecha anime series aired in Japan from 1982 to 1983. It is also referred to as ''Dairugger 15'', ''Dairugger XV'', ''Armored Armada Dairugger XV'', ''Armored Squadron Dairugger XV'', or ''Machine Platoon Dairugger''. It ran for 56 episodes (52 regular episodes and four recap episodes). In the United States, it was heavily edited to become part of the ''Voltron'' series. The ''Dairugger'' footage was the primary source for the "Vehicle Voltron" episodes, though various footage was also inserted into the more commonly known "Lion Voltron" episodes (themselves adapted from another, unrelated Japanese series, ''Beast King GoLion''). Story The Rugger Team is an exploration, planetary survey, and defensive force. Planet Earth is in a time of prosperity. The Galaxy Garrison launches a mission to explore the galaxy, colonize, and build new maps of the stars. Soon after commencing the mission, the Rugger Team and their starship, the ''Rugger Guard'', are attacked by the xenophob ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Die-cast Toy
A die-cast toy is a toy or a collectible model produced by using the die-casting method of putting molten lead, zinc alloy or plastic in a mold to produce a particular shape. Such toys are made of metal, with plastic, rubber, glass, or other machined metal parts. Wholly plastic toys are made by a similar process of injection molding, but the two methods are distinct because of the properties of the materials. Process The metal used in die-casting is either a lead alloy (used early on), or more commonly, Zamak (called ''Mazak'' in the UK), an alloy of zinc with small quantities of aluminium and copper. Lead or iron are impurities that must be carefully avoided in Zamac, as they give rise to a deterioration of the metal most commonly called zinc pest. The terms white metal or pot metal are also used when applied to alloys based more on lead or iron. The most common die-cast vehicles are scale models of automobiles, aircraft, military vehicles, construction equipment, and trains, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Raideen
is a super robot anime series. Produced by Tohokushinsha, Asahi News Agency and Soeisha (later renamed as Sunrise), it aired on Nihon Educational Television (now TV Asahi) from 4 April 1975 to 26 March 1976, with a total of 50 episodes. The official name being ''Raideen the Brave'', it is mainly known as "Brave Raideen" or "Heroic Raydeen". A series called was broadcast from 1996 to 1997 on TV Tokyo, and another series called ''Reideen'' was broadcast in 2007 on WOWOW. Story After a slumber of twelve millennia, the Demon Empire awakens to seize control of the Earth. Raideen, the giant robot-like protector of the lost continent of Mu, senses the evil presence and awakens within its golden pyramid. A young Japanese boy, Akira Hibiki, is alerted about the Demon Empire by a mysterious voice and rushes to the pyramid. It is soon revealed that Akira is a descendant of the ancient people of Mu who must help Raideen save the Earth. Akira enters the robot by accelerating his moto ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Bandai
is a Japanese multinational toy manufacturer and distributor headquartered in Taitō, Tokyo. Its international branches, Bandai Namco Toys & Collectables America and Bandai UK, are respectively headquartered in Irvine, California and Richmond, London. Bandai is a subsidiary of Bandai Namco Holdings and is the parent company's core toy production division. From 1981 until 2001, Bandai produced video game consoles. Bandai was founded by World War II veteran Naoharu Yamashina as Bandai-Ya on July 5, 1950 as the corporate spin-off of a textile wholesaler. The company began as a distributor of metallic toys and rubber swimming rings, before moving to metal cars and aircraft models. It was renamed Bandai Co., Ltd. in 1961 and achieved considerable success with its action figures based on the anime ''Astro Boy''. History Origins and success with toys (1947–1968) In 1947, Naoharu Yamashina began working for a Kanazawa-based textile wholesaler. The eldest son to a rice retailer, Ya ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Machine Robo
is a Japanese transforming robot toyline first released in 1982 by Popy, a division of Bandai, then later by Bandai proper. The franchise was marketed as Robo Machine in Europe and Machine Men in Australia. A large portion of these toys were exported to North America as part of Tonka's Gobots series, which began in 1983. About Machine Robo The initial assortment of Machine Robos consisted of small toy robots which transformed into vehicles, aircraft, etc., comparable in size to Matchbox cars. These early MR toys have become known as the "600 series" (being priced at ¥600 each), and were developed through ideas submitted by children, similar to the children's submissions in the ''Kinnikuman'' anime series. Larger-scale deluxe ("DX") toys were soon released, along with other non-transforming vehicles and figures. Catalogs packaged with the toys contained stories depicting the Machine Robos as beings from the Romulus system. Romulus was collapsing in on itself, and those beings wh ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Golden Warrior Gold Lightan
is a mecha anime television series that aired from 1981 to 1982 in Japan. The show was also popular in Hong Kong and was aired there around the same time. There are 52 episodes that were aired at 30 minutes each. Original story The story is about a young boy named Hiro Taikai who finds a gold lighter which turns out to be the giant Golden Warrior Gold Lightan, who has the mission to save the earth from an invasion by King Ibalda. Gold Lightan joined forces with his robot teammates to ruin the plots of King Ibalda and destroy invading alien robots by using his surpassing hand and leg strikes. Hiro also founded a group called the "Bratty Rangers" with his friends. Concept The robot is usually disguised as a tiny gold Zippo-style lighter in Hiro's pocket. When called upon, Gold Lightan transforms into a giant robot towering at 30 meters and weighing 200 tons. All robots in the show are sentient and do not require pilots. Usually the robot ends a battle with a trademark g ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Robo Machine
''Robo Machine'' was a European transforming robot toyline released by Bandai from 1982 to 1988. ''Robo Machines'' was a short-lived revival from late 1992 to 1993. The line was initially a European release of the ''Machine Robo'' line, before gradually becoming the counterpart to Tonka’s '' Gobots'' line. The line appeared in the UK, France and Germany, amongst others. Early years The line was initially a straight import of the ''Machine Robo'' line, with the ‘600 Series’ and other figures released on blister cards, and featuring the literal designations that adorned the Japanese toys. The toy codes were also retained, though the “MR” abbreviation was reversed as “RM”. The packaging of larger figures revealed a back story along the lines of the Japanese series, with the Machine Robo mecha being used to defend Earth from the alien Devil Invaders. The Battle Suits were also issued at this stage. GoBots In 1983, Tonka purchased the rights to distribute ''Machine Ro ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Shogun Warriors (toys)
The Shogun Warriors were the main characters of a line of toys licensed by Mattel Inc. during the late 1970s. They were a series of imported Japanese toys based on several anime and tokusatsu shows featuring giant robots. They were originally manufactured in three sizes: plastic versions, die-cast metal versions, and slightly taller but much more detailed 5-inch (127 mm) die-cast versions. Several vehicles were also offered, as well as a set that could be put together to form the super robot Combattra. Toward the end of production, Mattel proposed the inclusion of plastic toy vehicles for the 3.5" figures to ride in exclusively in the United States, but these toys were never released for purchase. Features The toys featured spring-loaded launcher weapons such as missiles, shuriken and battle axes. Some were able to launch their fists, while the later die-cast versions also had the ability to transform into different shapes. Raydeen, for example, could become a birdlike spa ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Mattel
Mattel, Inc. ( ) is an American multinational toy manufacturing and entertainment company founded in January 1945 and headquartered in El Segundo, California. The company has presence in 35 countries and territories and sells products in more than 150 countries. The company operates through three business segments: North America, International, and American Girl. It is the world's second largest toy maker in terms of revenue, after The Lego Group. Two of its historic and most valuable brands, Barbie and Hot Wheels, were respectively named the top global toy property and the top-selling global toy of the year for 2020 and 2021 by The NPD Group, a global information research company. The name of the company is a portmanteau of the names of two of the company's founders; the surname of Harold Matson and the first name of Elliot Handler. History Origins and early years Harold "Matt" Matson, Ruth Handler, and Elliot Handler founded Mattel as Mattel Creations in January 1945 in a ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
