toyboxdx toy blog brog: is graceful art of daily expressing japanese toy  

“You’re inferior.”

Godmarz had dealt with this his entire roboty life… “Godsigma doesn’t have to deal with this, and he’s only got 3 members!” Godmarz had always felt outcast from the other robots due to his Custom-type sensibilities, and yet, whenever more than five kaiju showed up at a time, the other robots still called Godmarz in to save the day. Godmarz was forced to act as sentinel, guarding over the other robots in case of a vinyl invasion.
Godmarz stands alone.

The GB-88 Godmarz Custom marks a turning point in my new foray into the wild world of vintage robot toys, especially those made by Popy. Godmarz is my first ‘big’ Popy toy… everything else up to now has been the early super robots like Great Mazinger and the Getters, or ST-sized figures like Dairugger. Godmarz is my first DX vintage ‘gettai’ figure, and stands alone from the crowd right now as something ‘more’ than the other vintage guys. He’s got a friend or two on the way, but he’s also on the border between the Chogokin toys and the vinyls, forever forced to stand guard against their growing, squishy ranks.

“I feel like Thor entering Valhalla.”
-Erik Sjoen

Not since a visit to the legendary Warren Schwartz‘s house in 2000 (a visit so breathtaking that the mere secondhand mention of it on this site provoked emotion intense enough to shatter the minds of several readers, necessitating a hastily contrived warning label be applied to the report lest its savage contents cause further casualties) have I been so overwhelmed by a collection and its owners hospitality.

Kazunori Saito, author of three seminal books about Japanese toys that blew our collective mind when they were first released in the late Nineties, lives in a suburb of Tokyo. His neighbors are undoubtedly totally unaware of the treasure trove that slumbers within its walls. In fact, few visitors to his home even realize it. His collection is shoehorned into a single tiny room off the main hallway, inside every wall floor to ceiling adorned with vinyls, boxes, showcases, and more boxes. It feels like just about every Bullmark kaiju vinyl in the world is here. Ditto for the Jumbo Machinders. And weirder, rarer stuff. Then there are those glass cases stuffed full of Popy and Takatoku diecasts…

I would call it a secret crypt or catacomb if not for the miniature table and four chairs in the middle of the room, inviting visitors to sit, stare, and partake. Surrounded by some of the world’s rarest soft vinyls, Jumbo Machinders, and diecast toys, the effect is akin to that of the Mad Tea Party from Alice in Wonderland. Or perhaps a few hours spent in the kitchen of hashish brownie pioneer Alice B. Toklas.

But you don’t need mind-altering drugs to achieve enlightenment in Saito’s lair. Fueled by nothing more than diet coke, cookies, and the oh-so-sweet musk of slowly decaying cardboard and three decade old vinyl, we spent hours talking about where he’d found this treasure or that (inevitably, he’d picked it up years and years ago, when prices were only mind-boggling instead of outright insane). He opened his heart and home, offering to take any piece, no matter how rare, out of the display for us to fondle and drool over. The coup de grace: an audience with that King of Machinders, the Jumbo Daikumaryu.

After an extended session assembling it on his kitchen table, the only place in the house with space enough to accomodate the space dragon, Erik Sjoen, Jim Maitland, and I bid our farewells and stumbled out into the afternoon sun, stunned once again by the potent brew of hospitality and polyethylene. Who needs the Photonic Energy Research Institute when you’ve got a toy institute like this?

Click here for the full gallery of photos!

“Patch” (from the Japanese “pachi,” a.k.a. “pachimono” (パチもの), literally “fake”) toys are just what the name implies. It refers to basically any kind of bootleg, but these days is most enthusiastically applied to soft vinyl kaiju figures: some modern homages or parodies, some vintage knock-offs, and others totally original characters with suspiciously familiar-sounding monikers, named to lure confused parents into buying the wrong toy (shades of “Kore Ja Nai Robo.”) They’ve gotten so popular that there’s even an annual “Pachimono Kaiju Summit” of collectors in Tokyo.

Above: a vintage vinyl kaiju by Miura Toy, discovered by Jim Maitland at a shop here in Neo-Tokyo, one of only two the obscurer-than-obscure manufacturer is known to have released. Any resemblance to more famous kaiju characters is purely… intentional.

Right now, the some of the most sought-after vintage pachi-kaiju toys are probably those made by an equally minor maker called “I.K.B.” (“Imagawa Kyodai Bussan,” or “Imagawa Brothers Products”), which in the early Seventies made a super-groovy series of pachimono Hedorah toys (1, 2, 3) that inspired a popular series of homages by the “designer vinyl” manufacturer Gargamel.

Alen accidently [and stupidly – Ed.] wiped out the original thread that this appeared in. But, I thought it might make a good Rumble so here it is…

Often referred to as the most common “Gateway” toy into Japanese Toy collecting, the Bandai Ultra-Kaiju are a lot of things, but respected is not often one of them.

I, however, love the things. They are like crack to me. Easily gotten, cheap, and so much fun to handle. Plus they look colorful and great on any shelf. Especially with many of their fellow brethren on hand.

They also tend to come in 2 varieties…The Funk and The Legends.

This is most evident in my recent twin purchase of King Joe and Tyrant.

King Joe is of course the Legend…

Remembered as the powerful robot adversary from one of the rare 2-part episodes of Ultra 7, this character has captured the hearts of kaiju fans for many years. He first appeared in America by way of Popy and Mattel when he was brought over from Japan as part of Godzilla’s Gang in the 1970’s.

He has been made in Toyform in japan in every style and design imaginable. Of course he was famouse for having 2 versions in the Arklon line of diecast (once again appearing on American shores). He was one of the very few Kaiju to get the Chogokin popy treatment and he will be returning as a modern Soul of Chogokin figure in April.

But, what is his appeal?

I think its the fact that he is a Kaiju designed to look like a giant, toy, robot myself. He looks like a 50’s and 60’s tin wind-up or battery powered robot come to life and grown to giant size.

He was also a combining robot, which was a rarity to be sure in live action televison of the 1960’s. Though he didn’t really split into anything very recognizable, he did split.

The Bandai vinyl is molded in nice metallic gold and painted in silver, black, and has a cool metalic rainbow thing going on in his chest area. :D

He is a nice break from the usual organic Ultrakaiju.

Now here we have Tyrant…The Funkmeister!

One of the evil Yapool’s army of Cyborg Kaiju from Ultraman Ace, Tyrant is molded in green, sprayed in silver, and has the most lethal set of appendages I’ve ever seen on ANY Kaiju. His right hand is an axe, his left hand is a spiked mace. Plus he has horns and spikes everywhere.

Much like Gigan of the Godzilla series, this Kaiju was nothing created by nature. Every part of this cool design gives the impression that this is a conquering war-machine designed to kill and only kill. Add to that the Chrysler symbol that was festooned upon the belly of all the Yapool kaiju and the copious silver paint and Tyrant delivers the FUNK!

Also adding to the FUNK is the villainous Giant Yapool…

A regular thorn in the side of Ultraman Ace through the entire run of his series.

This version of Yapool is acually the most recent one that appeared in the series Ultraman Moebius.

Here is a video tribute to the Evil King Kaiju known as Yapool…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Oq4dQcyZv8

This is my absolute favorite kind of the Kaiju, the REAL HEAD TRIPPERS. It was with great satisfaction that I opened him out of the mailer package and my roomate proclaimed…

“What head-tripping Shroom-Head designed that thing?!?”

This is how I guage when I have a real winner. :D

The only complaint I have is that I wanted him to come with his groovie septor like he is carrying around in those clips from Ultraman Ace.

The advantages of Bandai’s Ultra Kaiju are many. Besides the great price, the sheer variety of sculpts and attention to detail is unsurpassed in any other toyline. There are Kaiju designs in this line that have never and probably will NEVER see the light of day in any other form. Also there is something to be said about one of the longest running figure lines in the world.

These are a lot of fun and look great on display, I recomend the whole line.

— Ray

[Talk about it in the BBS…]

2005 will perhaps be best remembered as the Year of Business as Usual.
While there were some amazingly solid efforts from Bandai, Takara, Yamato,
Aoshima, Max Factory and a half dozen other second and third-tier manufacturers,
there was very little in the way of truly break-out products. Sure, Bandai
wound up the GD line on a high note by giving us Aquarion, perhaps one of the most
ambitious toys in recent history, but that was the notable exception.
As it was, we got more SOCs, Masterpieces, AG’s, HCMP’s, Transformers, Max
Gokins and other collectibles than our wallets could possibly absorb.

It is then perhaps understandable that we have become slightly jaded over the
years and have forgotten just how unlikely something like Aquarion, or an HCM
Asshimar actually is. In 2005 we have felt the weight of the market shift
away from the traditional consumers (ie; Japanese children) and come to rest
firmly upon the otaku and their gaijin imitators. Gone are the days when
the Yamato YF-19 — tab B and all — was the oasis at the end of the Great Toy
Desert. Today, we are firmly in the crosshairs of collectible manufacturers,
expertly marketed to from every direction. If one makes merely a passing
attempt to stay abreast of Japanese toy news, it’s not unusual to become bored
with the new SOC a full three months before it’s even shipped.

It is through this haze that every new release must wander and hopefully find
a way to separate the robo-geek from his yen. And so it is not altogether
unsurprising that the winner of this year’s contest was not the biggest, nor the
fanciest, nor the most heralded, but rather the one with the most character.
And though his face may be hid “amid a crowd of stars”, the numbers show that he
clearly shone the brightest.

In 2005 the toys stayed the same. If we find less to please us here
than at this time last year, it is because we have changed.

8th place (tie) – Studio Halfeye Godanner

Another resin edifice to kanzen henkei insanity. Unfortunately, at roughly
$450 SHE maintained their tradition of pricing insanity as well, thereby
limiting the potential market for this piece to all but the most ardent fanboy.

8th place (tie) – SIC Kamen Rider Faiz

Another year, another PVC nightmare.

8th place (tie) – Marusan Giant Size Godzilla (super7 version)

brianflynn says:

It is bigger than all of your SOCs combined, it glows more than the
stuff they use to keep Michael Jackson in check, and it came in two
colors that reference original colors. What more do you need?

8th place (tie) – GD-07 Flame Convoy

xiombarg says:

I voted for Flame Convoy as the toy of the year because it’s everything a transforming toy should be. Flame Convoy is fun to play with, looking and feeling legitimate in its two forms as dragon or robot, and without seeming fiddly or poorly represented. The sculpt is fabulous and the colors are fun without being overly garish. The articulation isn’t perfect, but Flame Convoy displays very well. He looks great, and tough I might add. The gimmicks on Flame Convoy are well implemented and genuinely add to the play value with the sounds of roars or laser guns in the respective modes, and the pop up hydra heads are brilliantly fun. Bottom Line; this is a toy that is made to be played with.

8th place (tie) – Extended MSiA Zeta Gundam

RAC says:

EMiA Zeta features the best that MSiAs currently have to offer: great articulation, a superb sculpt, and since it’s Extended, a spiffy paint job to boot. On top of which, it’s transformable, albeit in a parts-swappy way. And it comes with a bonus head to recreate the infamous Zeta Zaku; what’s not to love?

8th place (tie) – DX Majin Gattai Magiking

GX9901 says:

What makes Magiking such a wonderful toy is the fact that it can recombine into a huge and cool-looking dragon in addition to having a funky robot mode. The engineering is also simple, yet elegant. Sure, it doesn’t have great posability or diecast content, and it carries the stigma of being a Sentai robot, but it looks great in both combinations and is above all a fun toy.

7th place (tie) – Yamato Koenig Monster VB-6
Released in the twilight of 2004, Yamato’s VB-6 was unable to find a
significant place in the hearts of this year’s robotaku voters. Every now
and then Yamato manages to clamber out of Recolour Hell and remind us that it is
still capable of daring greatly.

7th place (tie) – Max Factory Mazinkaiser

LurkerX says:

Superb piece. You can hold this piece horizontally without its legs flopping forward. Yeah,
love the crotch-clicking action the SOCs & Aoshima never had!!!!

7th place (tie) – Masterpiece King Exkaiser

Ginrai says:

I like Brave and I’m glad to see Takara applying its high grade collector’s mentality to a product other than Transformers.

7th place (tie) – Kaiyodo Gazelle the Peace Maker

Faisaijin says:

This one is too awesome. As expected of from the great 3 (Nightow, Toytribe & Kaiyodo) a another masterpiece anime figure is created :) Highly detailed,
beautifully posable and intricate original weaponry. A has that killer look. Probably
the non-robot figure toy of the year, IMO.

7th place (tie) – THS-01 Galaxy Convoy

MysticalMonkey says:

My vote’s for the HBS: its design and heft made it feel like a decently-built piece. It not only looks great but it’s also one of the few import toys I actually play with on a semi-regular basis.

7th place (tie) – Daigokin Great Mazinger

joydivision says:

A lot bigger and heavier than its predecessor, Daigokin Great Mazinger is the ultimate monument to gokin lust. It truly is the heavyweight champ! What presence to behold. The great T28 deserves to have it placed at his side!

7th place (tie) – Force Impulse Gundam Metal Material Gundam Quality

Chet says:

I voted for the Metal Material Gundam Quality Force Impulse Gundam because it is the perfect combination of slick mecha/real robot design with classic die-cast toy appeal. To me, the Force Impulse Gundam is actually one of the more visually appealing interpretations of the classic Gundam design. Its anime-accurate translation into a premium toy in the Metal Material Gundam Quality line is nothing short of magnificent. The 1/100 scale lets it blend in with several Gundam toys of the past (New Material Model, Metal Material Model, and Arch Enemy figures, among others) and gives it a large enough size to make it very detailed, but not so large as to make unwieldy. The die cast parts give it stability and a nice heft, but there isn’t so much diecast that you would worry about things like paint chipping. Its parts separate and combine
flawlessly into their component vehicles, just like the anime, but without detracting from the sturdiness and poseability of the toy. Indeed, with playability and gimmicks that will enthrall kids, coupled with detailing and die cast to satisfy older collectors, the Metal Material Gundam Quality Force Impulse Gundam represents a new breed of chogokin toy for the 21st century.

7th place (tie) – Aoshima New Getter Robo (metallic version)

big_pickle says:

I can not in good conscience vote for a PVC figure because of their use of paints and toxic plasticizers of unknown stability.

I narrowed my choices to Studio Halfeye Godanner, GX-29 Black Ox, and the Aoshima. But I would say overall, this year was somewhat lackluster and hence the huge list of nominees.

I don’t own the Godanner but from what I’ve seen it is by far the most impressive toy this year. The transformation itself easily blows away the gimmicks of every other nominee. But there is a moral dilemma when it comes to picking a SHE toy as TOTY. Each TOTY should have reasonable lasting value. By the inherent nature of its metal screws on resin components, the Godanner will eventually become a limp rag doll and the $450 price tag makes that inevitability even more painful.

I love the Aoshima because it is so beautiful and is pure diecast delight. The Aoshima is not a brick but its poses are limited. The Black Ox does have the requisite gimmicks and the diecast to be TOTY. The all black paint is also very appealing to most people. TOTY should be the Black Ox because a TOTY should be a toy that can be added to most everyone’s collection without any regrets. But I vote for the Aoshima because the Black Ox is just too damn boring to look at.

6th place (tie) – M-1 Go Hipporito Seijin

Sanjeev says:

Spare me, oh, ye Toy Gods, for voting for a toy I don’t own yet. But, c’mon, it doesn’t take a Vincent Z to see that this year pretty much blew for new toys. …Or does it?

All the better…more chogo-cash to blow on vintage. Ah, but the Hipporito Seijin! It ain’t no secret that I dip into the vinyl kaiju funk. And there, I like to wallow.

And not just ANY old vinyl kaiju, mind you! I require gimmickery, damnit! This is why I loves me glowies so much. Simple yet wonderful gimmickery. What does ol’ Hippie offer??? A MAGNET!!

MY MIND!!!

Roger says:

It has a magnet in the hand. A MAGNET IN THE HAND!

6th place (tie) – HCM Pro Asshimar

Beggar says:

The HCM Pro Asshimar is such a great solid and posable toy that amazes me everytime I see it at work!
Ever since I had the very special privilege of witnessing first hand Tomino’s “revisioned” scenes involving the Asshimar at the World Premiere of the Zeta Gundam movie last October I’ve wanted a toy just like this.
Transformable MS’s, especially the Asshimar in the Zeta TV series left such a deep impression on that generation and is doing even more so with the new movies.
I really feel this HCM Pro captures that same strong onscreen impression I felt with the crowd that special day.
This is without a doubt the toy of the year for me. I hope it gets the respect it deserves.

Fort Max says:

As money tightens and shelf space shrinks, I’ve become increasily infatuated with the new trend of high quality mini figures.
Since you can’t vote for a line I’ve decided to use the Asshimar as my spokesperson for the HCM Pro figures.
Their high quality paint & construction has impressed with each new release while their fun-size proportions & stockpiles of weapons have given my hands a steady supply of fiddle fodder throughout the year.

6th place (tie) – GigaByte Garada K7

shogundan says:

What else can you say about it; it’s freakin’ huge and cool!

BigD says:

If I have to choose any, I have to go w/ a villain. Reason being is that our beloved heroes would be nothing without the twisted, warped, hate-mongers known as “the bad guys”. Drum roll please: GigaByte Garada K7.

Now I wanna state that I don’t own this item. All I know is its 36″ inches tall and looks creepy as all hell. I mean com’on; he’s got giant friggin’ blades coming out from his head. I’ll say it again >>ahem<< GIANT FRIGGIN' BLADES COMING OUT OF HIS HEAD! He was a classic Mazinger villain and one of the forefathers to the great monster/robot baddies to come. I mean let’s face it, the bad guys never gets any glory. Case in point, there’s plenty ‘o’ good guy ‘bots to own, but when you wanna have them battle someone who you gonna pit them against? Cobra? Decepticons? Made up Lego thingies..? The Renegades? (Okay forget the last one). Seriously! Who wouldn’t want a sweet looking Lightning Satan that was on Starvengers/Getter Robo G or tremble at the feet of the great and all powerful Darius from Gaiking. Villains are highly overlooked and taken for granted and I know I’m not the only person who thinks so! I mean wouldn’t you once like to see Tom eat Jerry. -BigD P.S. Gaiking SOC GX-27 comes in 2nd. I actually own it. Every time I take it out of it packaging it cuts me. The world needs more toys that can cut little children.

6th place (tie) – GC-01 Galaxy Convoy

hypermook says:

Sturdy. Fun. Well-engineered. One touch and your Fanfic will flow from your keyboard like surging hydraulic fluid through Convoy’s bulging thighs.

Shaggydog says:

i voted optimus cuz i like transformers. and optimus is the best transformers. they keep making optimus all the time and it always looks the same right?

6th place (tie) – AG-01 Scopedog

A vote for AG-01 was really a vote for the Actic Gear line. Although
Yamato kicked off the VOTOMS nostalgia with their incredible 1/12 Scopedog last
year, Bandai, Takara and CM’s wasted no time cashing in on the act with their
own offerings, the most prolific of which promises to be Takara’s tiny, but
hopefully obsessively-expansive AG line. Of course there is the, ahem,
small issue of the toys size, and the fact that 2005 gave us seven Scopedog
recolours in this scale, which probably hurt its chances. With Max
Factory’s up-coming offerings, as well as Takara’s 1/18 scale Microman-compatible
Scopedog along with a dozen other non-Scopedog AG variants sure to follow, look
for 2006 to be the Year of the Dog.

5th place – Max Factory Guyver 01

CarbonTetra says:

With significant improvements in sculpt and articulation, Guyver 01 is toy of the year for me. It doesn’t have the OMGOMGOMG FANBOIGAZM!!! quality that the Scopedog is getting, but that’s no excuse. This was a great year for toys and Guyver 1 has to be the best for me for a number of reasons:

It is simple, yet complex. Austere, yet Beautiful.

The paint apps are pure and simple and very clean; the teal color is vibrant and insectile: a warning to predators that this creature is deadly and quite possibly poisonous. The articulation shows a quantum leap from the first release of 03, with better engineered elbows and hips. Brilliant use of soft pvc on the upper thigh armor allows it to have both excellent hip articulation and source-accurate sculpting. And for all you fetishists out there, it’s even got a little bit of metal (the hinge pins on the chest are solid metal; not much but it’s there).

The main reason it’s toy of the year, is because this is the quintessential action figure of a very much beloved character that has not had a toy outside of vinyl kits and some very well done fan-made dolls.

alexander says:

Max Factory normally goes all the way!
And it was truth with the Guyver offerings…great finish, good poseability, and a stunning presentation..extra hands plentiful, so
you can pose your Bio Booster fighting, blasting, punching or wrestling.
The display stand comes with a back support, to make sure your Guy’ doesn’t fall flat on his face…and most important, there has never been a version of any Guyver that
you didn’t have to put together…and most probably, if you put it together, it is a compromise for all the Max factory one can offer.

4th place (tie) – GX-29 SOC Black Ox

bobafitt says:

I found this to be a very basic/simple toy, and it really rekindled a flame in me for the Soul of Chogokin line.

beverins says:

Black OX perfectly captures the essence of the melding of new engineering with old design. A smooth black finish with hidden gimmicks that were almost
unattainable back in the 70’s or 80’s, yet with simple design that mimics the original concept very well. The other choices are all terrific, but this is also has to match up under the scrutiny of being a TOY, something that can be played with without fear of it breaking or things falling off.. Black Ox measures well here too, with solid joints, balanced weight and a good chunk of metal included.

4th place (tie) – Chogokin Doraemon

Erik Sjoen says:

Solid. Retro. Gimmicks galore.. It’s got the funk. What more can you say.

diecastsquirrel says:

In a world where the biggest guns mounted on the broadest armored shoulders is given the most sophisticated treatment, it’s refreshing to see the same respect and attention to detail being applied to something as fun and innocent as this. It’s hilarious, funky, lovingly designed,
ridiculously inspired and, if carelessly tossed around, it could actually kill you. Awesome.

hillsy says:

Beefy……diecast……Doraemon.

John_K says:

ball-shooting lump of metal.

3rd place – SoC Xabungle

SteveH says:

Voted Xabungle just because it’s amazing how much is right about it.

If TotY ever went to multiple catagories, however, I would have voted the AG line as best idea/line/concept/whatever.

Thus let it be written!

Fugly says:

Tiny and blue, but worth the well-spent cash. Sure, he requires four sets of wheels, but who wouldn’t love that folding cockpit, those sexy folding wings, and that extra Brockary. Extra. Model. Brockary. Say it with me….Extra…Model…Brockary… You know you want to.

JoshB says:

I voted SOC Xabungle for toty because it was the Xabungle toy that never was, the missing link in the HCM legacy. It compliments the HCM Galliar perfectly, and the Broccoli kit is mind-blowing. It’s packed with gimmicks and accessories, has loads of play value, and relatively few problems. I was going to nominate Gaiking, but as much as I love the character, he’s not as much fun to play with.

thomas says:

Despite its failings (shoulder weapons popping off and those bloody antenna), SOC Xabungle is a great toy that has the look and feel of an early 1980s Godaikin toy, coupled with very good articulation, a ton of accessories, a really great sidekick in kit-shape, and a transformation that was supposed to be ‘impossible’ to pull off in toy-form.

2nd place – GD-99 DX Aquarion

There will only ever be one Kawamori and one Bandai. Which begs the
question; if Bandai and Kawamori can’t make an Aquarion toy that works, who the
hell can? It appears that Bandai perceived that robot fans were clamoring
for something different. The lesson here to be careful what you wish for.

Peace says:

The Aquarion is an excellent fresh newcomer. A new anime with an nice design, IMHO. The toy is a great representation of the robot in the toon, with great engineering and good packaging, too. It just stands out as my fave for this year.

robomatt says:

I voted for the SOC Aquarion because it represents a commitment to pushing the envelope of what is possible in the areas of engineering and design. The effort was to make something new and great. The toy has a little too much kibble etc..but it went the furthest to make the kind of toys that I love.

vatshu says:

As haphazard the design and transformation may be, the Aquarion stands out as a toy that innovates more than any other toy in this year’s offering. It attempted the impossible and pulled it off, albeit with mixed results. Definitely deserving of a tip of the hat, if not the TOTY crown. All hail Aquarion!

The Yamato Koenig Monster comes as a close second, if only for design’s sheer audacity.

H-man says:

No toy from 2005 pushed the envelope in engineering and design further than the Aquarion, despite it’s apparent flaws.

1st place – Gaiking SOC GX-27
For the third time, Bandai’s SOC line takes the coveted TOTY crown.
Not particularly for execution, since we now take excellence as a given when it
comes to an SOC, but because of the character in question. If anything,
the SOC Daikumaryu made fans more hungry for a modern diecast rendition of
Gaiking than before. It took four years and 22 SOCs between, but Bandai
finally delivered. Not without its flaws, it filled the void none the
less. And as the results below show, domestic robotaku are not significantly
different than their Japanese cousins when it comes to character worship.

Bald Evil says:

What more could you ask for? Here is a fantastic rendition of one of the iconic super robots, including a complete alternate “power up” mode along with a huge array of accessories. SOC Gaiking is my pick for TOTY!

Marvin Lee says:

We’ve been bitchin’ about getting this since GX-05 came out. ’nuff said.

chen says:

This was a tough choice in picking a TOTY. There were no standouts like the years before and seemed like a pretty level field. In a field of great figures I voted for GX-27 SOC Gaiking NOT because it was so
much better than the rest but because of my emotional attachment to the character which gave it the edge.

llesha says:

Reasons:
1. It’s Gaiking, one of the best super robots/very popular.
2. It’s an SOC, IMHO, the best collector toy line going.
3. It’s large enough to display along with other SOC’s/Godaikins/Popy’s.
4. It’s got a decent amount of die cast to justify the gokin title.
5. It’s got lots of accessories and a fancy display stand that works.
6. It’s got the spring loaded arms.
7. The transformations and combining work well enough.
8. Its a 2-in-1 with the powered up version vs. the normal version.
9. The only con is the armor for the legs are pretty loose and sometimes the legs retract too easily.
10. Its ToyboxDX TOTY 2005!

Todd says:

It’s the “full-size” version of Gaiking that everyone’s been begging/hoping/praying for since the release of the SOC Daikumaryu over four years ago… and he’s a great toy, to boot!

“He’s a Samurai! He’s a robot skull!” What’s not to love?

Gcrush says:

It’s fricking Gaiking, for Chrissakes!

NEOGETTER says:

I’m giving my vote to Gaiking, just because so many of us were waiting for a great Gaiking figure after the long wait/tease of Wee-king. Once
receiving it in the mail, it was all and more than I expected.

mcfitch says:

Because it’s fucking GAIKING!!!

cae says:

Bandai’s SOC Gaiking continues the line’s almost spotless tradition of taking a vintage robot design and bringing it to life for the modern collector. From horns to toes, the SOC Gaiking reverberates with everything that is good about Japanese toys – eye-catching aesthetics, refreshing mutability, intricate gimmickry, well thought out display. The fit and finish of this toy demonstrates the best of a manufacturer’s ability to transmute love of a design into a 3-dimensional object. Bravo.

easnodddy3 says:

About time a new and useable figure of Gaiking was created. All hail! :)

—TBDX Rumble Crew