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

“The cat is a dog”. Yes. I’m pretty confused. I was one of the guys who thought for
decades t hat Norakuro is a cat. Japan’s answer to Felix the Cat. Holy shit.
He looks like a cat! But I was wrong.

Norakuro (のらくろ), or Norakuro-kun was created by Suihō Tagawa.

“The name Norakuro is an abbreviation of norainu (野良犬, stray dog) and Kurokichi
(黒吉, the name of the dog, literally meaning “black lucky”).”  wikipedia

Norakuro started his manga career in 1931 as a private, serving in an army of dogs
called the “fierce dogs brigade” (猛犬連隊 mōkenrentai).

I always wanted the Popy Chogokin version of Norakuro, but I needed a few
years to get one. He’s not very scare and not very expensive, always another
toy was on top of my “list”. Norakuro had to wait. Finally I got one from Yahoo
Japan last year. When he arrived I was really amazed. All I can say. Super nice toy!

The 1976 Norakuro GA-72 is from Popy’s Meisaku Series. Let’s start with the box art.

The toy comes with a plastic stand, a bag with accessories, a Popy chogokin catalog and
a little brochure.

Hope you all appreciate what I do now ;-)
I destroyed the C-10 condition and open the plastic bag with the accessories.
Hmmmmm…I smell more than 30 year old preserved japanese odor.

In the bag are Norakuro’s rifle, sword, bayone, backpack and 7 attachable badges of rank.
With the badges he could be gradually promoted from private to 2nd lieutenant.

Here are some detail shots of his military equipment.

Norakuro itself is heavy diecast. Only his head is plastic and
he could move his arms and legs.

…again. Super nice toy!
I love this little dog and I hope that Norakuro didn’t make any bad things in
China during the 30ties when he was part of the Imperial Japanese Army.
Ok, not really Imperial Japanese Army…”fierce dogs brigade”.

THANKS Mr.Chairman Sjoen destroying my illusion that Norakuro is a cat.

All the old fotos are from the secret archive of the Imperial “fierce dogs brigade”.
They never had been published before.

More fotos in the BBS.