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

Gordian Warrior (闘士ゴーディアン ?) was a popular anime series aired in 1979 to 1981 in Japan. That’s the back story!

Well.. I actually had a lot to say about this piece.. The more I think about it the less I have to say. If you’re down with the Popy brand, and you are a completist, well obviously this is for you. If not, well.. It’s a solid diecast panther that was so dissed in the Popy lineage that its only other representation is made out of rubber.. A total cast off. A gem fueled panther. How 80’s. Nuff said..

– Sjoen

BIG UP to Mark Gradwell aka machinesoldier for uploading this!

It’s been sitting on a shelf waiting for a rainy day. With 2012 closely approaching, Nibiru on the horizon and global warming causing precipitation to fall every other day, I could take an exacto and some elmers to it any time now. In anticipation of this, and since I haven’t been able to find another one, so I decided to digitize the pages so everyone can get some paper robot action. You can download them here:

DOWNLOAD HERE

They don’t look all that great when completed. This is obvious from the image above. But they do seem to to be simple and fun, as opposed to some papercraft stuff that I have tried in the past that took a day and half a pound of glue (and a slew of papercuts) just to make one small peice.

I would recommend printing these on heavy paper, on a laser printer if you have one. Inkjet is passable but you will use a lot of ink and the paper might get saturated and warped. This could seriously hurt the otherwise impeccable anime accuracy of the completed peices. All the images are the exact same size so even if they don’t print at 100% resolution, everything should still match up. The original pages are perforated at the cut and fold lines and are designed to be punched out, so when you cut the peices out, cut along the perf lines and not where the image starts. I haven’t tried them myself yet so caveat emptor, but its free… So, have at it! And always wear safety goggles

Download. Print. Cut. And ASSEMBLE TROOPERS!

P.S. If you build em, post pics! Savvy young photoshoppers could even recolor the Soltic into a Korchima Special, the dougram to a JAKT.. you could even add platforms to the crabgunner and voila… TEQUILA! It’s PAPER, people! the possibilities are endless…

– machinesoldier

Happy New Year everyone!

I would go ahead and recommend this toy for TOTY but I’m not sure that it actually came out in 2008. I’ve searched the toy and box up and down and can not come up with any discernible information verifying what year this actual piece was released..

Ah well.. I’ll just go ahead and say, for me, it’s the coolest new toy I picked up in 2008 that was NOT vintage.

I’m sure we’ll be seeing a ton of cool stuff come out in 2009, as last year held some of the coolest new school releases thus far. That CMs Gakeen anime colored magnemo gokin came out! Also, there was the Bandai SOC Godmars, which is simply the most incredible modern day diecast toy ever made if you ask me. That was followed by the dominating Yamato Dangard A and the CM’s Baldios.. Man, if those GOKIN weren’t so dang expensive I would no doubt own all of them by now.

On the other hand, the Konami Lagann Impact Model I’m reviewing actually has NO diecast metal at all, but holds its own as a very unique piece if you ask me. You’re probably wondering where the hell it comes from? Well, much like the very popular anime Neon Genesis Evangelion, Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann is another hit from the anime studio Gainax.

Honestly, I’m not a big fan of anime at all, but due to the interest here on TBDX and the fact that the show was playing on SciFi, I got a chance to check out GL via my DVR. I have to say, I barely made it through the first few episodes without getting incredibly bothered by the VincentZ fanservice bullshit. Well, luckily I stuck with it, as the series did actually have some redeeming qualities most of which being super robot madness. And YES, there was some seriously cool Super Robot shit.

When I finally got my hands on the Konami Lagann Impact Model Series the first thing I noticed is that it is a very sturdy and satisfying toy. No diecast to speak of, but still totally built and designed with care. Its construction reminds me of a vintage plastic Bandai toy from the late 80s, much like a piece from the Tobikage or Gallat series. Comparatively speaking, new toys seem to lack the playability of older toys, as they are designed to be displayed and not actually played with. This piece is clearly not a part of that ideology, as every piece is very interchangeable, solid and locks when put in place. This gives the piece a feeling of solid construction, and leaves the owner a feeling of satisfaction. This is important as the piece isn’t cheap. It’ retailed at 4950Y I believe, but if you’re looking for one you’ll most likely pay up to 10,000Y on YJP for one now.

Anyway, the aesthetic beauty one can achieve with this guy while in action on the supplied stand is incredible.. Luckily, for all the geeks out there that are into “anime accuracy”, there are multiple expressions and weapons that appear in the show included with the figure.

BUMMER.. No waist joint to speak..

As a collector of vintage Japanese toys, I have to say I am overall very impressed with this piece. Unfortunately there are only a few other parallels I have to compare this to within the lineage of our vintage Japanese toy family tree. First off there is the Daltanias Popynica, which is an incredible piece that features missiles and electronic lights. That piece was actually preceded by the Takemi Machine Blaster head/bust displays which are a superb mix of diecast and plastic, but are totally under-appreciated. On a lesser note, there is the Takara Jeag talking necklace that can be displayed with the aforementioned pieces in harmony, but just doesn’t really make the grade.. Also, more recently, Bandai released the PX-01 Soul Of Popyica Mazinger Z head, which in my opinion is extremely well done.

Hopefully we’ll see more “head” in the future, but I’m not holding my breath.

Erik Sjoen

Hello everyone!

As many of you might have heard, it’s a very sad, sad day. Kimono My House, one of the last remaining vintage Japanese toy stores in the US will be closing it’s doors come Feburary 1st 2009. The 25 year run of the so called Mecca of Japanese toy stores in the United States, is coming to an unfortunate end in the coming months and will be missed incredibly by a devout and maniacal following.

As the master of the run-on sentence, I feel qualified to bring you this very unfortunate news in a way that I am only capable of, so hold your breath.

Back in 1983, the dawn of “kanzen henkei” was in bloom in Japan, and Yuki and Susan decided to import and sell 1/55 Takatoku Valkyrie’s in the window of their Berkeley based Kimono shop. Who would have ever thought that their insight into these incredible toys would have led to the the toy phenomenon that might have led to the mainland interest in Macross that would eventually lead to the “Robotech” franchise. Did Carl Macek just so happen to walk by? Hmm…

Wow! Right? Right!

Well that’s just a lil’ taste of the stories that embody the intrigue that is KMH’s history. There is quite a bit more to tell, but you’ll just have to come to the party to hear these toy stories of yesteryear.

As many of you guys/gals are already aware of, we are planning a “TBDX ten year anniversary, RIP KimonoMyHouse” get together that will be taking place on the roof of KMH in Emeryville Ca at 2pm Sat 1/24. We would love to see you on the roof that Sat. afternoon for some killer conversation, refreshments, shopping and a collector based swap meet. So, bring your odds, ends and general trading fodder to partake in our very own swap meet. But beware, toys are not to be bought or sold as the only changing of money should and will only be done inside KMH. If we catch you swapping cash we’ll break your arms..

ACHTUNG!! There will also be a SERIOUS kind of debauchery that will ensue afterward, which only the hardcore TBDX crew elite can deliver. Otherwise known as the “TBDX 10 Year Roast”, this invite only event requires an RSVP to attend, so please continue reading if you’re interested.

Anyone and everyone that IS interested in the post party event should email me directly. Please include your first/last name and any other personal info, ie email, phone number and astrological sign, as it would be nice to ping you late night when I’m drunk and crying over the tragedy that is KMH’s end..

Please keep in mind we have only allocated about 40 spaces for said after party so far and we do need to hear from you in advance if you are in fact interested in attending.

This WILL truly be the quintessential meeting of the Japanese toy collecting minds in the USA, and I feel that it’s only fair of me to say that no matter how many “summits” that occur domestically or “group trips” that go to Japan that happen, this meeting will most likely be the one and only opportunity for all, or any of us, to meet and hang out together.

That being said, I look forward to a full inbox. I ALSO look forward to anyone who can help me with my run on sentence problem. Seriously, please help me..

On behalf of Alen and all of us here at TBDX, we look forward to seeing you all there.

Best,

Erik Sjoen

esjoen@gmail.com

Kimono My House
1424 62nd St.
Emeryville, CA 94608

510 654-4627
510 654-4621 fax
info@kimonomyhousetoys.com

Discuss on BBS

It’s the end of an era: the first vintage japanese toy store to hit the web in the ’90s shuts its doors in January 2009. On January 24th 2009, join us and Open Kimono for the very last time as 50 well-known freaks from the Tribe of Vintage descend upon San Francisco. This is your chance to drop the mouse and finally give them that reach-around and/or punch in the face you’ve been blabbering about.

A catered mandatory vintage toy masturbation session follows. Details forthcoming. RSVP’s go to Sjoen: esjoen (a) gmail.com. Seeya!

[BBS Comments]

Tiger Mask II (タイガーマスク二世?) is a Japanese manga that was adopted into an anime series that aired from 1981 to 1982 as a sequel to the original Tiger Mask.

An episode from this series just so happens to be included on a VHS tape of shows that came to me from a distant aunt that I poured over as a kid back in the early 80’s. Needless to say, those NHK recordings have had a serious influence on my collecting..

Nuff said..

Overall, this toy is just fantastic! It’s delivered in a DX Popy style box and it bears the spring loaded action and killer accessories that one would expect from any DX Popy toy. This toy is actually very similar to it’s Popy DX Chogokin super robot counterparts, as the box, accessories and paperwork are totally over the top. This 18″ bad ass toy totally delivers. Spring loaded madness, vinyl head/cape and some kick ass accessories really add up to an awesome vintage toy. If the chance presents itself, I totally encourage you to buy this if you are a fan of Popy. Honestly, it’s Popy at it’s best.. Believe me, you will not be disappointed.

Erik Sjoen

Also, here is a comparrison shot with the Chokinzoku Tetsujin 28 SG-01 for scale.

You know.. I’ve always been a big fan of tracking life enjoyment (see lower part of Robotora box).. I mean, who isn’t? Right? Right…

I’m not exactly sure what tracking life means, and I’m not sure enjoyment stems from it. What I can tell you is that I own almost every toy associated with 8chan and I can honestly say that I enjoy every piece. Seriously. From zenmai to chogokin to tricycles, I have everything 8chan.

The DX Robotora is a very rare piece. Who would have thought? It’s proven so, as it only took me 5 years to acquire one. Was it worth the wait? I’ll let you be the judge:

So, if you already own the 8chan stuff this review should only lead up to one conclusion.. Find a Robotora and own it.

– Erik Sjoen

If you’ve been following CM’s Corporation’s Patlabor sofubi releases, you should be familiar with the drill by now – ‘Same scale’ as the main Brave Gohkin figures (approx. 1/46) with ample detail but limited articulation. And of course a limited run: MPL96 blue TV ver. (700pcs); MPL96 white OVA ver. (500pcs); SSL96 standard ver. (300pcs). In my case, I opted for the ‘standard’ and ‘TV’ versions because I’d already invested a small fortune to recreate the TV-edition Ingram team.

‘Official history’ tells us that the MPL96 Taisyo was the Mobile Police’s first operational labor, hastily adapted from the Asuka-SSL96 Taisyo, an existing construction model. The front view shows the obvious similarities, but at the same time, I was pleased to see that CM’s used quite a number of different parts to create the two models; the only common parts are part of the upper arms and most of the lower body and legs. The shoulders are different molds, as are the upper bodies, forearms and shins. From the back, you can appreciate the details even more. The MPL in particular has quite a bit of tampo printing for the SV2 emblem, as well as the tiny ‘license plate’ on the left hip.

The ‘frog eyes’ on the SSL96 are very kawaii, and the only quibble I had was the painted-on ‘holes’ on the calves. I mean, they DID mold the holes on the shoulders… Otherwise, that’s it. They look nice on the shelves but they do absolutely NOTHING ELSE. Sure, they’ve got a waist joint but seriously, I was expecting the arms to at least rotate at the shoulders! As the ‘worker’ Taisyo is going to be a pretty rare find in days to come, I decided to leave it be in the company of the other laborers.

Now the MPL96 is a whole ‘nother matter to me. No way could I be satisfied with a ‘Patlabor’ that couldn’t even look like it’s going to arrest a wayward labor. So after a quick examination, I took the plunge and did some surgery to it… and Voila! My MPL96 is now able to carry a battle staff for riot duty.

To begin, I detached both shoulders, carefully prising them away from the body. As expected, the parts are assembled with ‘superglue’, so you will need a tool like a flat screwdriver, and quite a bit of force. Once taken apart, I noticed that the original mold had already included a convenient circular depression right where a joint would go. I pierced it and shoved a spare ballpoint pen shaft through to serve as a simple ‘axel’. Do note that the bit of extra ‘shroud’ hugging the bottom of the hollows are in fact originally part of the shoulders, cut-off and re-attached here.

One of the tricky things about customising sofubi is that the casting is never exactly the same for each figure, and even less consistent from one hollow part to another. Just look at the shoulder cavities for example: The one on the right has plenty of excess PVC around the joint, so that even after slicing the ‘shroud’ to create a rounder cross-section (for easier turning), the joint is still pretty solid. However, the one on the left is a lot more ‘airy’; while slicing the shroud, I managed to cut into the hollow and had to patch it back with putty.

Lastly, I cut apart the arms at the elbows and inserted a custom joint using Kotobukiya’s M.S.G. (Modeling Support Goods – rolleyes) ‘Poly Unit Double Joint D-113B‘. Although the part is a double joint, I simply left out the mid-section to create a ‘single joint’. I also had to carve out a bit of the forearm’s attachment point to accept the thicker pegs, but ultimately it was a pretty simple job. I couldn’t do anything about the wimpy hands, but if you twist them in just the right angle, they CAN exert enough grip to handle a 6.5″ length of plastic rod.

So there you have it, after 2 hours’ work: from what was once a limited edition figure with limited functionality… to one with a bit more displayability…

Well, I did say it had limited appeal, right? ;-)

Even as a kid I could tell that most Clover toys ‘sucked’ when compared to the better efforts of Takara, Popy and Takatoku. Dunbine? Insect! Gundam? Shiny nonsense! Xabungle? Hmm… No matter their shortcomings, Yoshiyuki Takani‘s oil painted box art definitely resonated well with Xabungle’s trio of realistically designed mecha; and the most desirable, of course, was Irongear… not that I could afford to have one then.

Well, I finally got my hands on a Henkei DX Irongear (See Matt’s original Rumble from ’02) around ’99-’00. It may have been practically all-plastic, but the toy was true to the romantic notion of massive ‘landships’ that bristled with armaments and ‘sailed’ the desert with impunity. The tiny afterthought of Xabungle on the box art, dwarfed by this Mother-of-all-Landships added immensely to the sense of scale and drama. For a Clover toy, it was darn close to perfect: Painless transformation, elevating cannons everywhere, nice molded details and even gimmick compartments. Despite the senseless need to detach the fists, the Henkei DX was absolutely satisfying as a true toy experience. You could lift it in one hand to fly it into battle, or roll it on the metal wheels concealed under the split-halves of its legs.

So what has the SOC to offer that the Clover doesn’t? In a word: Articulation. The older toy was obviously a brick, and not having watched the show, I could even convince myself that the actual design never ‘walked’. Boy, was I wrong! The hobby mag photos had already revealed most of the gimmicks, but I was still pleasantly surpised by the heft of the package. SOC Irongear packs serious steel in key areas such as the chest, groin, thighs, rear lower legs and connecting hinge. However, the real ouerve by Bandai’s team of toy engineers is in giving back to Irongear the magic of poseability: There are no less than 19 points of articulation on the SOC, including firm detented joints in the hips and knees.

Without further ado, let’s have a rundown of Old Iron versus New Metal:

:: 01 :: BOW SECTION
	No doubt about it, the SOC’s bow section looks nicer than the Clover’s. From the independently elevating main cannons to the detailed bulkheads, the SOC impressess with its gritty realism. My first surprise: the rotation of the SOC’s bow tips are synchronised as they are joined by a peg between the halves. Clover’s saving grace are the spring-loaded launchers for the mini-vehicles.

:: 02 :: FORWARD SECTION

The SOC’s forward section sports even more molded detail in the form of rivets, grills and 2 x 4 opening panels that reveal the mechanical guts of Irongear, ala PG Gundam kits. The Clover isn’t too shabby, but relies more on stickers to add visual contrast. An interesting note: the two midship gun emplacements are fixed on the SOC, but are free to rotate on the Clover. Bandai is probably more ‘accurate’ but I prefer Clover’s tactical embellishment.

:: 03 :: MID SECTION

The Clover’s mid roundel is a sturdy affair held together by two pegs on both extending sides. It is only slightly marred by the patch of light gray from the rear half of the thighs. Bandai managed to achieve perfect homogenity and even included a pop-up ‘Potan Cannon’ on the left side of the roundel. Owners of the Clover should take care to read the SOC’s instructions BEFORE transferring the torso / bridge to the aft section. It requires an extra step of separating the rear legs in order to insert the 2-part metal hinge, unlike the simpler (but limited) mechanism of the Clover. If you are hasty in transforming the SOC to either mode, you may risk paint chips on the white thighs or even breaking a plastic peg or two.

:: 04 :: MAIN DECK & BRIDGE

One major difference between the two is that Bandai has provided optional parts to depict a refitted Irongear in the later episodes. This includes a nifty flag that attaches to the left antenna mast, a new ‘jaw piece’ and also a ‘head-wrap’ that I haven’t shown here. The Clover sports some gold trimming around the opaque deck windows, while Bandai has opted for green-tinted clear plastics. A nice touch is the SOC’s flip-top head that reveals the bridge.

:: 05 :: THE HANGAR

Taking a closer look, the contrast between old and new is really stark. The Clover’s one-color Xabungle miniature and plain empty hold was pretty much par for the course in those days; The SOC pushes the envelope with a full-color PVC Xabungle (and Walker Galliar), plus a richly detailed interior; even the hatch features slide-out access ramps. To top it off, the rear wall of the hangar comes in 2 flavors: 1. A curved, functional piece that allows the neck to fully retract (at the cost of room for a miniature), OR 2. A flatter decorative piece that gives the illusion of a roomy hangar (but prevents the neck from retracting).

:: 06 :: AFT SECTION
	For the purpose of comparision, I have folded-up the wings. Where the Clover clumsily resorts to removable fists, Bandai has done the ship justice with properly retracting ones. In addition, the main rocket thrusters on the SOC feature opening hatches as well. Needless to say the molded details on the SOC’s nozzles clearly blow away Clover’s minimal efforts.

:: 07 :: UNDERCARRIAGE

Taking a peek below, I am reminded of the pleasant surprise I had on discovering that the Clover toy actually put in quite a bit of detail for the many hover nozzles. The best thing about the Clover toy is the inclusion of rolling metal wheels… afterall, such kiddy niceties were de rigueur. The SOC follows suit in a similar fashion, with the biggest improvement seen in the cluster of physical funnels for the mid roundel; otherwise, I feel the loss of wheels rather sharply. Another price to pay for all that hardware: you cannot expect to safely hold the SOC in one hand for actual play. It has to be supported by both hands. Sigh.

:: 08 :: HENKEI

This mid-transformation posture is not officially supported, but I thought it would be cool to see anyway. The transformation from Landship to Walker Machine is basically the same for both, but the SOC’s innovative use of joints means it is slightly more complicated than the Clover. On the SOC, the most fidgety part is when attaching the waist to the roundel. The fit of the parts is quite tight and I had to use more force than I expected to get them secured properly.

:: 08 :: WALKER MACHINE MODE
	Here’s the SOC doing its best imitation of the Clover Henkei DX! Although both toys have the same height of about 30cm, you can see that the SOC has slightly different body proportions, with the most obvious being the higher-mounted shoulders.

:: 09 :: DYNAMIC POSING

This is where the SOC really shines. Although the high level of detailing on the SOC’s Landship mode is simply outstanding, in terms of fuss-free enjoyment, the Clover’s lightweight landship doesn’t lose out by much. In Walker Machine mode, however, the Clover is really just a brick with a pair of arms. I can’t begin to describe how impressed I am with Bandai’s ingenious solution for the tricky feat of not only separating the legs, but also designing the requisite joints to allow a truly humanoid range of motion. The hips may have ‘only’ 1 stop forward or backward, and the knees ‘just’ 1 stop back, BUT that is already 2 whole magnitudes of freedom over the original toy. Best of all, the joints are made of metal for durability and the toy is actually able to make use of the potential without losing its balance. Then there is the WAIST JOINT. Wow. Just Wow. :D And not to mention, the double-jointed elbows that allow greater than 90-degree bends. Or the ability to turn and even raise the head… a very important nuance that adds greatly to the SOC’s human-likeness. I think there are few other new or vintage robot toys in my collection that can challenge the SOC Irongear for sheer engineering brilliance. Kudos once again to the team at Bandai! I do believe the SOC Irongear absolutely triumphs over the old stalwart that is the Clover Henkei DX.

:: 10 :: ACCESSORIES
	In line with bonus Walker Machines that come with each Xabungle-series SOC, Bandai has generously provided fully painted miniatures of Xabungle (in vehicular, new and damaged modes), Walker Galliar (separated vehicles, standard and bazooka poses), plus a nifty ‘Goven Class’ Buffalo Landship. More dubious, however, are the DIY ‘kits’ for 6 types of miscellaneous WMs. The problem is that the parts are molded in two colors only – dark gray and light tan, which means painting is a must if you want to achieve the gorgeous ‘anime accurate’ color schemes shown in the booklet. Unless you’re commited to using the right painting brushes in a patient manner, it can degenerate into an awful mess real quick. My own attempts with Gundam Markers are at best adequate… let me tell you: making ‘orange’ by smudging yellow over red paint is not fun at all! Nevertheless, I managed to complete 8 mini WMs (there are enough parts to make 2 of each type in either gray or tan), including 2 with my own color schemes. Seeing the little gang ‘in action’ around the foot of Irongear, ‘trading cargo’ and what-not is an absolute blast. All hail the new heavyweight champion, SOC Irongear!

The reason I say “THE” Curricula Machine is because going forward, ANY ‘merican boys/girls that get into gokin WILL buy Super #1 Robot.

Well, boys and girls, my Curricular Machine is “THE” Curricular Machine featured in the mighty Super #1. The book that is.. Buy it here: http://www.timbrisko.com/super1/

Keep in mind, I did absolutely nothing other than host a photo studio in my garage and hang out with the bros for a week playing with the collection. CM and I are, at the least, honored..

So, what about the toy itself? Honestly, there is not much to say but FUNK. It’s so creepy looking it even freaks me out. I can’t imagine some little Japanese kid watching the show and not losing it. Mister Alt said it was like “Sesame Street directed by Terry Gilliam”, so watch out!

The toy itself is solid die cast with the exception of the stomach, arms, ears and antennae, which are plastic. ARK style plastic just so you know. Eyes move if you turn the ears. Odd #s on the right and evens on the left. Obviously created for a limited attention span. The legs can be pushed forward in a sitting position which reveals wheels on the back of the legs allowing the toy to roll. Maybe he’s Hachan’s Daddy? Who knows.

Either way, it’s an awsome, funky ass, die cast toy worth owning. Yahoo Japan this badboy.

One last thing.. ROGER!! UPLOAD THIS SHOW!