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

Sunday Macrobrog. Ark Kong

Some images of the most sought-after Double Machine Robo.
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Being far away of having a focus in collecting japanese toys, my only “kind of focus”
is Rockbat & Blazer. Not a focus, more a obsession I would say.
I even bought some Bullmark Rockbat eraser-figures some weeks ago…please don’t tell my parents ;-)
There are lots of Rockbat toys I don’t have, but this is no problem. I’m always very excited when
I find something “new” on Yahoo, or see things like Uncle Warren’s Bullmark Rockbat Playset. Great!

The Bullmark Blazer Zenmai isn’t such a mysterious super scarce toy,  like the Single MFV Blazer
or the Playset. But he doesn’t pop up too often. I bought MY Blazer in 2 steps.

Step 1 was the Box.
Last year I bought the emty box. Some of you may remember the auctions of this seller on Yahoo around December.
Popy Jumbo machinder villain boxes, Bullmark Zenmai boxes, etc

Step 2 Blazer himself. Luckily a few weeks later a loose Blazer pops up. Perfect timing (karma?)
Super blurry auction fotos, very high starting price…perfect auction, argh.
Whats-a-reasonable-price-question-PM to Mr.Fraser…instant answer (thanks again Josh).
I was the only bidder and won him. Baaaang, fast job ;-)

I was a bit nervous about how the Blazer will look like. Because of the very bad auction fotos,
it was very difficult to judge how the condition will be. The seller didn’t answer my questions.
But no risk no fun … also I had a “good feeling”.

I had luck. Under a coat of dirt was a real nice Blazer. Sometimes dirt
could preserve the condition of a toy…like a bog body ;-)

Great little toy. I also love the box-art.
A very nice addition to my Blazer family and I believe not the last tin walker I would like to have.
I feel the Zenmai love!

More fotos in the BBS.
If you want to see the Bullmark Rockbat eraser-figures, tell me ;-)

Impressions of the master caretaker via the heated brains of Josh and Regan:

Josh: It has become a pilgrimage. A place you think about when you leave, and A place you look forward to visiting again, because you NEVER get to see all that it has to offer.

Warren Schwartz is the personification of the Karmic toy boomerang. The robot toy original who with a genuine smile, finds himself to be the caretaker of one of the most comprehensive collections in North America. It has been so since 1986, where Warren went on his first trip to the motherland and began what would become a collection only the most obsessed of us could fathom, let alone attempt.

Eight years ago Alen Yen and Matt Alt took the trip and expressed their views on the power of the Schwartz. They had to create a viewer advisory label for their Rumble due to the player hating of those early days. Luckily as time progressed, so hopefully did the level of courtesy among the community, and so this sequel is uncut and uncensored for your pleasure. Hell the coverage is even coed this time around.

Regan (pronounced like the former president or the space gun) and I drive over to Warren’s to meet for lunch. Although she has met him at Dim sum, It is her first time seeing his collection. She seems excited, and I can tell, not just because she is doing her Tyrannosaurus imitation ( a bottle of wine later and you will witness it too) … I also remember the first time I went up those stairs to the attic filled with the familiar smell of old cardboard and styrofoam awaiting.

Regan: I don’t have a Tyrannosaurus impression. I just have very short arms…jerk. I was, however, very excited to get to know Warren and see the infamous collection. It’s immediately obvious that the adoration and reverence paid to both is well fitting.

Josh: We are greeted with the tell tale boxes and bags filled to the brim with diecast tin and vinyl. The sun is out, and the room is filled with an almost cliche like movie light . The dust in the room is dancing on the rays and I get one of those fuzzy feelings you get when your a kid on the first day of summer vacation.

Regan: At this point I believe Josh was getting a little misty-eyed and I began to feel the sanctity of the place myself. Boxes line both sides of the room, the contents of each meticulously cataloged and labeled. Kaiju and robots are peeking out from every shelf. There’s a jumbo Bandai Godzilla and Bullmark Battenger next to a vase with a hand-painted pastoral scene. It’s organized chaos and it’s beautiful. Even the enthusiastic poodle waits respectfully for us in the hallway

Josh: “Uncle”, with a playful smirk, starts taking out missile firing things and talker things and combining things and walking things. The aging paper fills our waiting noses, and like anyone who has opened a jumbo machinder after years in storage… it is the smell of memories and fall leaves. Warren’s attic is the real life representation of the wardrobe out of C.S Lewis’s own crazed imagination. Except in this story, there is a robot instead of a faun to greet us.
Like a surreal toy alchemist, he graciously takes out an array of rarities including some major vinyl grails of various sorts. Not least of which was the his complete boxed Astro Mu collection, a remarkable Groizer X talker, a wonderful Rockbat sofubi boxset ( although the box was a c-1 and looked as if it would infect the handler with anthrax ), as well as a complete mint in box “BIG” Zaboga Missile firing vinyl, ( which by looking at the box we realized there may in fact be a Mach Baron version as well ) a lust inducing 18 to 20 inch Red baron vinyl ( of which there are only two recorded) and the very coveted Red baron Missile firing vinyl, with a never before seen box. The last item we both held with great care, as the box by itself was worth more than a mimb GA50.

Regan: In one of the more surreal moments of my life, which seem to have come in greater frequency since spending time with Mr. Fraser, I am tasked with outfitting an Astro Mu 5 figure . In my entire fashion career, he was the most difficult creature I have ever had to dress, second only to an angry Siamese I stuffed into a Frankenstein costume.

Oh god, the Missile Firing Red Baron…I don’t think I breathed while we had it out of the box. I had flashbacks to being an altar girl in a Catholic church when I was a kid – just a blur of ‘don’tdropitdon’tdropitdon’tdropit.’

Josh: A sobering thought for sure. But regardless or rarity, cost or any other factor that would make the average collector hesitate to let a friend, let alone a relative stranger handle and play with these gems. Uncle has his priorities straight, and the friendship outweighs the funk any day of the week.

Regan is grinning, as she and a Diapolon store display make friends, while Warren like a good-natured curator looks for another grail to offer.

Regan: It’s true. If I were 12, I would give Diapolon half of a necklace that said ‘Friends 4-ever’.

Josh: Today has been one to remember, and neither one of us will forget. Thanks, as always Sifu.

Regan: Though I am slightly less schmoopy than my associate, I must agree completely. It is an honor to know Warren and witness the labor of love that is his collection. It was a good day.

Time for a little Bullmark Ufo Diapolon Standard Size foto review.
I call him “blocky eye” variant of the ST vinyl Diapolon.

“Blocky eye”, “big eye” Diapolon…I don’t know if there’s a “official” name for this guy?

He’s not really a variant, with his body mold he’s a complete different & new,
compared to his “standard” brother.

This version of Diapolon is a bit more rarely I think,
compared to the “normal” standard size vinyl.
No, “high end” vinyl, but a nice addition to every Diapolon collection.
Here are the foot markings of this guy.

Finally a little group shot with the usual suspects.
Second Diapolon from left (in bag) is the “normal” ST size version.

I personally like the sculpture of him, all in all a nice piece of vinyl.

More fotos etc in the BBS.

Takara Tetsuwan Atom Mechablock DX

This is really a deluxe toy. You get a Plastic Atom Boy with a diecast endo-skeleton
in a beautiful box. Lots of  fantastic features. I’m totally flashed by this toy!
You all know this toy, but I thought it is time for some extra love…

Had to buy 2 to get one perfect specimen.  I don’t regret it, because now I could display one
and play with the other ;-)

Dismantle Atom Boy in order to put the endo-skeleton inside his body.
Some of the skeleton parts (arms, tank tracks) are made out of heavy diecast.

You could assemble the skeleton parts to a robot etc…Ark-style-play-feature.

Now you know where the guys from Pixar got the idea for the design of WALL•E.
A few detail shot of the endo-skeleton parts.

The greatest detail of Atom is his “chest part” with the moving gears under
a window. You really could “move ” these gears with one of the 2 “screwdrivers”.
Atom Box also comes with a very nice illustrated instruction sheet and a few stickers.

Thats it for today. More pictures in the BBS.

Bought my first Nakajima Tiger Mask Standard Size Vinyls:
Great Zebra & Mr Question

I always had an eye on these crazy looking Wrestlng guys,
but didn’t dare to start collecting them. I know why!
These japanese Luchas are pure funk and you want them all ;-)

After cleaning them with all kinds of plasic & car paint cleaners
they look very good again. I also tried a Ultra sonic Cleaner
the first time for cleaning the face, boots, hands etc.
Worked very good! Only water with a bit soap, leaving
them a few minutes in the Ultra Sonic Bath and the dirt has
gone without destroying the paint.

I already won a few other of these psychadelic wrestling guys Yahoo.
The good thing is that they pop up quiet often. Only getting them
complete with all “accessories” (sash, cape, boots etc) is a bit tricky
and pushes up the price for them. The Tiger Mask Bug bite me !

More stuff etc in the BBS.

cheers all

Waist-joint fresh

Feel the vintage burn.

Nakajima Tekkaman Mini Size versus Eidai Grip Tekkaman.
Which Tekkaman is the better toy? I’m trying to find an answer today.
I know that any serious robot collector asked himself that question ;-)

Lets start with the Box.

The Nakajima Small Size version comes with a very beautiful box, same artwork style as
his bigger “standard” size brother. Ok, same artwork style as all Nakajima gokin boxes.
Nice combination of illustration-style on the front and foto elements on the other sides.

The Grip Tekkaman comes in the usual Grip “plastic-dome” box, with “instruction sheet art”
on the back and a nice colorful illustration inside.

Two different styles of packaging.

I really like the Grip “you-see-what-you-get” style, but the Nakajima box is a bit more “practical”
and the artwork is very nice…with “practical” I refer to the very small size of the box. Thats an
advantage when your display is cramped with robots ;-)
So I would say 1:0 for Nakajima.

Quality & Details

Both Tekkamans  are made nearly enirely out of metal. Only the heads and
the forearms of the Grip version are plastic. The build quality of them is
very good. Also they are both very movable, with all the joints they have.

Detailing is very nice too.

So, in this category there is no real winner. 1 point for both.
Nakajima still in front with 2:1.

Now Accessories & Action Features

The Nakajima Tekkaman comes with a yellow whip and a stylish golden stand.
Grip’s Tekkaman only with his silver spear and 2 plastic fists/forearms.

The stand is a nice feature for displaying Tekkaman…but the fists of the Grip
are worth one point! You could shoot them.

2:2, we have a tie.
Sounds like a happy end? Yes, why not.

So the question which one is the better toy is answered. If you like Tekkaman,
you have to buy them both. If you have another opinion, let me hear it  in the BBS.