Doug-Nemo!
Everyone has (or should have) that one toy on their list… the one that’s been so elusive that you begin to wonder if it really exists. For me, it was the Dougram Magnetype.
I first heard about this toy from a fellow collector back in 98, who heard that a dealer had it, who supposedly sold it before my friend contacted him (or something like that). The second time it slipped away was 3 years ago, I found it for sale on Masato’s site, but was gone before I contacted him.
Then a few small pics of the box appeared in the Dougram datafile. It was for real, I had hope. Fast forward to a few weeks ago, one appears on eBay, probably for the first and last time.
I had heard very little about this toy, and considering how fanatical people can be about Dougram toys, I wasn’t expecting much. But what I got was everything I hoped it could be.
First of all, this is not a dual model. Plastic and zinc diecast, yes; but this is a TOY. It has several shortcomings that will put off many folks in regard to posability, but I don’t care. It’s got GIMMICKS, and plenty to boot. I think the reason I like this toy so much is because it’s a companion peice to the other Dougram toys, not a replacement. It has everything those toys don’t have, and doesn’t have a lot of the things that they do.
The toy comes disassembled, and I originally thought the magnetic feature meant that its joints were magnetic, when in fact they are not. You attach the body to the waist with one magnet, a similar one on the back attaches to the backpack. The arms attach in the same way as the dual model, avoiding magnets entirely. Notice the lack of an elbow joint. And see that big, ugly red lump on his shoulder? We’ll get to that in a bit…
The legs are attached using a peg, which prohibits any movement at the hips. I can hear the articulation freaks closing their browsers…
Ok, now that only the hard-core are left, let’s get to the good stuff:
First, the design is spot-on, and the proportions match the dual models (he’s in the middle). The scale is not mentioned, but it looks to be around 1/60.
The cockpit, while opaque, opens on a hinge. There is a figure included, but that’s still sealed in the bag. But wait! Takara went one step further, and lets you lift up the chest armor to see the part of the inner skeleton.
Flip the big guy around, open the backpack, and store his arm weapon in there! I have no idea if this is show accurate, nor do I care. Note the stubbiness of the gun, that is because it fires long missiles. These can be stored in the red holders inside the backpack, and also in missile racks on each leg. Once again, those parts are sealed in a bag.
Moving on down, check out the lower legs… shiny… and HEAVY! Solid zinc here, folks. And it’s a good thing, too; because this toy lacks the moving suspension system, which is a mainstay in DX Dougram toys. There is articulation in the knees, and the ankles. All the joints are metal as well, which for those who are keeping track are: Shoulders, Knees, and Ankles. That’s all (no waist joint!).
Then there is the box. Beautiful artwork, and a window so you know what you’re getting yourself into. There are also several PVC rubber mini figures: Dougram, Soltic, Bushman, and Blockhead. There is a pic on the back of the box suggesting that you should fire the missiles at these little guys. Notice how the styrofoam around each of these figures has been melted and eaten away. See people? PVC is evil!!
Anyway, this is a great toy; at least to me. This is not one for the casual collector, and you really should track down all the other large scale Dougram toys first. But as you can see, he fits in quite well with his brothers.
A chapter in my life as a collector is now closed. What’s next? I hear Masters of the Universe is pretty cool…
