Toybox DX

by Robert Duban & Matt Alt
September 1999, revised November 2004

Contributions: Corey Edwards, Tim Brisko, Yutaka Ishida / Kaikodo, Kimono My House, CW Louis Law, Todd Stadtman, Alen Yen

Last Updated: 12.07.04

Popy, the titan of the 1970’s Japanese toy scene, marketed their die-cast character toys under the famed brand name “Chogokin" (“super alloy”). In what appears to have been a move to out-do "super," rival Nakajima Manufacturing Company unveiled a competing series of die-cast toys dubbed “Ultra Gokin.”

In comparison to Popy's dozens upon dozens of licenses, Nakajima boasted just a handful, only two of which were used to make diecast toys -- the animated series "Space Knight Tekkaman" (7/2/75 – 12/24/75) and "Groizer X" (7/1/76 – 3/31/77). And also unlike Popy, Nakajima relied on partnerships with other, even smaller companies to distribute many of its products. Several of Nakajima's mini-diecasts bear the text "Manufactured by Nakajima, Sold by Marushin," and Nakajima shared both the “Ultra Gokin” brand name and licenses with Aoshin.

In keeping with tradition of the time, Nakajima stamped a unique logo on many of their products: the "Turtle-Mark." As an aside, this turtle logo often appears alongside yet another logo, the "Bell Mark." The Bell Mark isn't actually a Nakajima brand; it's the logo for a Japan-wide campaign run by an organization, still in existence, that supports local school parent-teacher associations. (The marks are clipped from participating products, collected by the local PTAs, and sent in to the Bell Mark organization for exchange for school-supply coupons and the like.)

Nakajima only made a handful of diecast metal character toys, but some are classic examples of 1970's Japanese toy design. The Groizer X toys are particularly interesting: the "standard" Groizer Robo and Groizer X toys feature battery-operated flashing lights. The company rounded out the Ultra Gokin line with a series of UFO-themed diecasts (see "UFO or Die" for more information) and a number of toys based on real-life vehicles – trains, planes and fighter aircraft – as well as a series of metal insects.

However, on the current Japanese collecting scene, Nakajima is far better known for their vinyl toys, particularly their large-sized portrayals of characters from the smash-hit wrestling series "Tiger Mask." Nakajima also created talking dolls and the "Action Boy" system, a generic doll body with a unique head-nodding mechanism, that was used as the basis for a variety of toys, including those from Mach Baron, Gatchaman, Meteor Man Zone, Hurricane Polimar, Rainbowman, Tiger Mask, and their own groovy hero series, "Astro Mu Five." (For more information on the latter, read "Turtle Power.") Additionally, Nakajima made mini and standard sized vinyls, missile-firing vinyls, and several "Jumbo" scale polyethylene renditions of characters from Tekkaman.

Nakajima also produced a copious amount of non-character merchandise: stuffed animals, snow-cone machines, etc. We've listed Nakajima's "Ultra Gokin" toys below. The list of Japanese snow-cone machines you'll have to find elsewhere.



	Flying Saucer UFO Series



			UFO 1: Cigar-type Carrier additional images: box, box back



			UFO 2: Dome-type Saucer additional images: box, ufo mini book



			UFO 3: Adamski-type Saucer additional images: box back



			UFO: Space Base



	King of the Sky Groizer X Series



			Jo Kaisaka additional images: box



			Groizer Robo additional images: box, box side 1, box side 2



			Groizer X additional images: box, box back



	Groizer X Mini Size



			Groizer Robo additional images: box, box side



			Groizer X additional images: box, box back



			G-Jet



			G-Shark additional images: box, box back



	Space Knight Tekkaman Series



			Tekkaman additional images: box, box back, box side



		Pegas Robot additional images: box



		Bad Guy Robot Ganira additional images: box



		Blue Earth additional images: box



Tekkaman Mini Size



		Tekkaman



		Pegas Robot additional images: box, box back



		Blue Earth additional images: box



		Tekkaman Deluxe Set additional images: box, box back



Insect Series



		Semi (Cicada)



		Tonbo (Dragonfly)



		Kamakiri (Praying Mantis)



		Kabuto-mushi (Beetle)



		Kuwagata-mushi (Stag Beetle)



		Tento-mushi (Ladybug)



Light-up Special Express Series



		183 Series Special Express



		583 Series Special Express



		495 Series Special Express



		Shinkansen (Bullet-train)



1/95 scale Super Fighter Series



		McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom additional images: box



		Grumman F-14A Tomcat additional images: box, box back



		McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle additional images: box



		General Dynamics F-16 additional images: box, box sides



Dream Road Series



		Lamborghini Marzal

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