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

The MFVs are, unfortunately, the vinyl robots for me. The Bandai MFVs are the right size to match up against (and really, dominate) the plethora of vinyl kaiju that’s out there, and the chunky sculpts just speak to me. Getter 2 is usually a slender and spindly robot, but this rendition has a little more heft and speaks to a machine that can move, but still take and give a beating, courtesy of that fearsome drill!

This guy is also my first experience with good, proper vintage ‘smell’. The couple of Popy minis I have just don’t have much scent to them, but this guy has more than enough material to really keep a stink in him, and it’s great. Now all he needs are some missiles. Until then, he’s going to have to beat up monsters the old-fashioned way:

THE BULLMARK “BIG” VINYLS OF WARREN SCHWARTZ

It’s been an incredible year or so in the land of vintage Japanese toy collecting.. It seems new discoveries and purchases are happening every week as opposed to only several per year in our little circle. Wether it’s the economy or just dumb luck, we have seen some very rare pieces come up for sale over the course of the last two years. From vinyl to diecast, and from jumbos to tin, just about everything once totally coveted is popping up on the regular for all to have a crack at.

Uncle Warren Schwartz, aka as the Jock Ewing (of Dallas fame) of our little clan, has been lucky enough to score several of these rarities as of late, and he is no way hesitant to share the love with us here at TBDX.com. So, here’s a quick blurp and some really great pics of two of the greatest vivntage Bullmark vinyls ever created! Enter.. BULLMARK’s BIG vinyls.

Per Warren (with a little backstory about his vs. mine):

“The BIG Blazer landed on my house a few years ago. I thought this was probably unique which is to say, no “series”. I became aware of a large Zaboga which has been listed on eBay by a guy from Hawaii off and on for a long time. Then you scored the Big Zaboga (under the radar) a couple of months ago. Since then I’d been searching for why the belt had “buttons” on either side at the waist, but the guy from Hawaii said he knew nothing of any missing parts to the one he had on auction. Both this one and yours was listed on eBay, but I’d never seen one on Yahool. This one appeared in November 2009, with a box, holsters, and missile firing mechanisms attached to the waist.

It turns out that it was another “BIG” in the “series”, if there is a series. No missiles though.

When it arrived, the mechanism turned out to be the same one for the Blazer (duh) in a different vinyl housing. Since the Blazer had the missiles I tried them out in the Zaboga, and of course they fit like a glass slipper, ref Cinderella. The missiles were big-sized like the vinyls, and I’ll send you a picture of the standard rubber-tipped Bullmark yellow missiles for comparison, but more interesting is that the missiles have an internal spring for firing instead of the spring being attached to the firing trigger. This is cool.

So for the record here are the TWO AMIGOS side by side. For some reason the Blazers are not exactly abundant, but you can find them. And I have no idea why the Zabogas are hard to find, why they are usually missing the holsters, guns and missiles, and why we haven’t run into any other boxes except for this one with water damage. Mysteries are good, and usually someone knows the answers.”

Well, there you have it. WAIT….. Hold the presses. We think there might be a Mach Baron. You heard me… If so, we’re no doubt looking at another $5K toy. Below is the picutre featured on the Blazer box:

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A quick side note, I know Bullmark made "Big" kaiju aka Kanegons, Baltan, Pegassa and Garamon. I don't think these were sold under the same moniker but I'm not 100% on that. Feel free to hit me up with info. Thanks! ES esjoen@toyboxdx.com

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.

A great standard sized Bullmark Kaiju originally from Ultra Seven. Measuring in at 9.75 inches. The spray on this one in particular is awesome. Love the metallic blue/green mixed with red. Beautiful. Enjoy.

After many years — and a fierce duel on the battleground of Morphy’s Auction House, where I was outbid by an order of magnitude by a mysterious woman with a fetish for fine diecast — I have finally gotten my hands on the King of the Diecast Beasts: Kemler! (Thanks again, Warren!) This elusive prey represents one of the few diecast monster toys made in the Seventies, and the only one to my knowledge not made by the kaiju-powerhouse of Bullmark/Ark.

Now here’s the interesting thing. When it arrived, I noticed that the spring-loaded disk launcher on the back didn’t work as advertised. “Open the wings to launch the disks!” shouts the box-copy. (Then again, it also claims “tilt the mouth open and it screams,” suggesting that whoever wrote the instructions was either mildly delusional or working on little sleep and much saké, or perhaps both.)

I opened the wings. Nothing launched. It didn’t even seem to have a trigger, though a gaping rectangular hole in Kemler’s side seemed to indicate that it had at one point. It took approximately two seconds of fiddling with the plate that holds the mechanism in place before it popped — perhaps “fell” is a better word — clean off, revealing an engineering effort so singularly pathetic only Marushin could have pulled it off.

Kemler’s vaunted disk-launching mechanism consists of a spring seemingly scaled down from a clothespin, actuated by a lever balanced on a tiny point, held in place by little more than slight pressure and wishful thinking. (Bear in mind that in an era when rival firms like Popy were executing intricately engineered works of transforming and combining toy-art, this was a company that resorted to magnets to hold questionable looking diecast figures together. Even Kemler, arguably Marushin’s masterwork, features loosey-goosey limbs tacked on with a design apparently inspired by “pin the tail on the Donkey.”) A few seconds of re-rigging and everything was back in place, barely… But mysteries remained.

Was this a defect? Was it damaged? Or do those adjectives better apply to the grown men (and the occasional woman) who spend insane sums of money to own bejeweled diecast lizards? I suspect few of us care to know the answer to the latter, but the former were quickly ascertained by a call on the chogo-phone to Uncle Warren, a.k.a. The Keeper Of All Those Crazy Toys You Wish You Owned.

Warren examined his two specimens and discovered that the back plates weren’t fixed in place on those, either. This in spite of a tiny hole on the upper right that would seem to accomodate a rivet, pin, or screw of some kind. But: “Mine doesn’t even have a screw socket,” reported Warren. “I think they must have painted over the hole at the factory.” Ah, Marushin.

Anyway, consider this my throwing out the “toy-signal” for assistance: any other Kemler owners out there willing to send pics or describe the condition of the back-launchers of their specimens? Post ’em in the BBS!

SANJEEV SAYS:

“That was the Godfather,” I stated in a slow tone, lowering the phone from my ear.

“Alen?”, my girlfriend queried, already knowing the answer…and based on my expression, also knowing full well the weight of the proposal just put before me.

A metric ton of Japanese vinyl monster toys spanning nearly four decades of production waiting in Denver, Pennsylvania to be identified and evaluated. Character and non-character toys from Bullmark to Blobpus. Vintage Marusan to modern Marmit. And the assignment of wrangling these beasts was to fall onto my shoulders. After all, who else could accomplish such a herculean task but TBDX’s own Chief Glowologist? And who could even think of turning down such a toy-nerd dream? And most importantly, who could say “no” to the Godfather?

For a moment, I pondered who from the Boston unit would get to be Ryoma…me, Alen, or Josh. Hey, as long as I wasn’t Benkei, right? These are the general sort of thoughts that occupied my fevered otaku brain en route.

Upon arriving at Morphy’s however, such whimsy was set aside. I didn’t envy Mark, Josh, and Alen’s job of identifying the myriad robot toy bits and matching them to their boxes. But at the same time, the sheer volume of vinyl before me was awe-inspiring.

Over the next three days, I formed my own one-man Monster Attack Team, with Josh and Jim Maitland’s invaluable aid. But WOULD the kaiju be corralled in time?

JOSH SAYS:

The normal executive timbre in Alen’s voice was colored with an obvious undertone of fanboy excitement. I had spoken only the night before with Uncle Warren hypothetically about this, and in his usual fashion, Alen picked up the ball and ran with it. I knew this was going to be special in a way none of us could imagine.

There really was almost no reason to ask the question. Of course I was going to do this. Despite the magnitude of the task, this was something that all of us could not have fabricated in our wildest otaku drenched dreams.

Within a week of the conversation, details were laid out and tickets were purchased. Sanjeev on vinyl would work, but after some industrial math, we knew we were short. We would need another person — someone else to complete an East-Coast trinity. If only we knew of someone who could relentlessly crush like a machine, and fight like a solidier. A Machinesolider…

MARK SAYS:

As I pulled up to Morphy’s showroom, I could sense a vibration in the air. The energy… here was an entire warehouse full of gokin, less than an hour drive from my house.

I had seen a few advance pictures but that did not prepare me for the shock and awe of seeing it in person. Rows of tables, lined up end to end, on which hundreds, possibly thousands, of boxes were stacked. Popy. Takatoku. Takemi. Bandai. Unifive.

The boxes were mostly empty. Aisles of drawers, reaching almost to the ceiling, contained the loose toys and accessories that belonged within. Missiles and fists were everywhere. The task ahead of us was daunting to say the least.

We organized the boxes first, grouping by series and manufacturer. Once that was in order, we dug in to the drawers to gather the toys and their accessories, and put them with their boxes to create lots. Treasures were found, and it amazed me how mint these toys were. Most looked like they were taken out of the box when bought new, put on display, and have sat untouched ever since. A Voltes V was found in 5 separate pieces, which had never been combined; as well as a mint, unbroken Takemi Sandaio, and a Gardian with intact knees.

* * *

We honestly had no idea what was waiting for us. Before this was over, and after an intensive 72 hour marathon, the word “Morphy” would be burned into our skulls.

Yeah, we thought we were on a mission. But it was really a slice of hell on earth, and it was payment time for all our gokin sins. Manhandling the toys was just the first of the tasks. We had forgotten about a little something called “the LOTS…”

Mark Gradwell’s Photos are online. Check them out:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/8570113@N05/

((( Stay tuned for Part 2… )))

Soul of Chogokin: Project Z is out, and like its predecessors, is filled with juicy shots of customized Soul of Chogokin diecasts. This time, the focus is on the newest animated Mazinger series, “Shin Mazinger Shogeki Z.” Those who send in the reply card (plus 5800 yen, natch) get a Soul of Chogokin “Proto Energer.” (You can see a little pic in the lower right hand corner of the cover; it looks like Mazinger minus the chest plates and head.)

Anyway, I happened to get a review copy of the book from series mecha designer Tsuyoshi Nonaka –the guy responsible for making Mazinger transform into a huge-ass fist — and he wanted me to deliver this personal message to ToyboxDX readers.

Mazinger Z is the eternal hero of Japanese men aged 35 – 45. And how can we forget the kikaiju that fought so viciously against Z? In the new TV anime “Shin Mazinger Shogeki! Z Hen” more than fifty robots redesigned to respect creator Go Nagai’s original comic book illustrations appear. Among them are major characters from other Nagai works, such as Groizer X, who appears as an enemy in the new series.

But I want everyone to know that this new show isn’t just a remake. When Mazinger Z gets ahold of the “God Scrander,” he gains the ability to transform himself into a massive rocket punch and pulverize his enemies. And wild characters shout exaggerated catch-phrases inspired by those of kabuki actors.

I very much want American fans to enjoy the incredibly high-impact battle scenes unfolding like nothing they’ve ever seen before!

So I am sitting in my small but clean Excel Hotel Tokyu room at 3:43 am. I am in a need of a shave, and the sleeping pills have worn themselves off.

I brought a Mini Bullmark Mecha Godzilla vinyl with me so, I can document his Tour of Duty in Nam‘. Picture the Travlocity knome as an archetypal mechanical kaiju and you get the gist.

Awaiting the hours until I wake up in Saigon and live out a very specific film geek dream to mark off the checklist. The unshavenness and underwear will be my only prop… well maybe a bottle of Jack would help as well as a photo of an ex spouse. But the room better have a ceiling fan or heads will roll.

Until then, check out the new cell I picked up. Gaiking looks overtly tired but ready to throw down all the same. Like Mifune’s demeanor after a duel. Sort of like how I am feeling tonight after the longest string of airline mishaps I have encountered in quite some time.
Only the Chu Hi and the Joy Division playing out of my laptop speakers is saving the last shreds of my dwindling humor.

Where is my mask open or electron chain when I need one?

Messing around on a lazy Saturday morning before work… I’ve had a number of vinyl kaiju show up lately, along with more of my YHJ from last week and started messing around. The kaiju is Junker V from Wombat Toys.

Getter 3 and the Scopedog try to hold off Junker V while the civilians flee!

But it’s no use!

Can no one stand up to this terrible monster?!?

Look! The Goggle team has arrived to help with evacuation and stop the monster!

POW! Goggle Jet takes down Junker V after Goggle Dump gets trapped while saving civvies.

But no! The monster is back up!

We need Goggle V! Form up!

Goggle V online! Prepare for battle!

“Have at you!”

The day is saved!

Meet Gosura. You’ve probably never heard of him before. That’s because he doesn’t hail from any particular show. He’s all-original — or, well, he’s just original enough not to invite a lawsuit. He’s giant by soft vinyl standards — a good 12″ tall. He’s called Gosura (“Because the heads look like Gomora‘s,” laughed Marusan president Eiji Kaminaga when I asked him about it the other day.) A gift from Jim Maitland, it turns out I’ve met this kaiju before. Way before.

More than a decade ago, I first spotted this toy on the kitchen table of a certain New Jersey rare and vintage toy dealer. It was scuffed and damaged, but I still knew I’d never be able to purchase it from without mortgaging my soul. Some time after that, it was purchased by Jim, who apparently DID mortgage his soul and decided to try restoring it to its former glory. He hired a pal to repair the cracked horns on the noses, and enlisted the help of former Club Daikaiju head honcho Jim Cirronella to retouch the paint job. At some point during this long process, Roger Harkavy dropped by and checked things out. And then it went back to Jim Maitland, who by this point had acquired another, mint specimen. And some time after that, it flew back to Tokyo with Jim, who gave it to me based on nothing more than my having expressed wanting the toy in an idle chat years previously. Tokyo to New Jersey to Oregon to New Jersey to Oregon and back to Tokyo, four decades after it first popped out of the molds. What a tangled web we weave.

Back in the late Sixties/early Seventies, Marusan started making original kaiju characters for sale along with the regular licensed stuff. A lot of them were an homage to existing characters. Like King Gojira here (not to be confused with, y’know, another famous monster that has a similar name.) Others were totally original creations. There are three scales: the usual standard size, then this Giant size, which Gosura is in, and finally a SUPER Giant size, which is a little bit larger still. All of them are totally funky, bubbly, cheap-ass, hand-sculpted, gloriously old-school sofubi. And the more I handle them, the more they seem like long-forgotten pieces of folk art than toys.

Thanks again Jim!