The Daitetsujin 17 was one of the most faithful adaptations of a Japanese robot character ever produced. Perhaps beacuse of this, it was produced in huge numbers: according to Green Arrow Graffitti: The Big Encyclopedia of Chogokin and Popinika, some 1.5 million of the toys were made in the late 'Seventies.

There is also a popinika (vehicle-only) version of the base form of Daitetsujin 17 that very closely resembles the transformed form of the chogokin piece. Both shoot tiny vehicles from spring-loaded launching decks.