Takatoku Toys A to Z Gokin
text: Matt Alt, graphics: Robert Duban
November 1999
updated: 03.12.05
Images provided by: Jay Brotter, Coop, Corey Edwards, H-Man, Inframan,
Kimono My House, Mauricio,
Monk, Robotype, Warren Schwartz, Masato Shono,
Erik Sjoen, Todd Stadtman,
Yappy, and special thanks to Yutaka Ishida & Kaikodo!
![[Gokai Dragon vs. VF-1J Valkyrie!]](images/supervsmech.gif)
Welcome to the world of
Takatoku Toys. Although Takatoku's high-tech
transforming "realistic" robot toys, such as the world famous
Macross Valkyries, seem
to get most of the attention of the toy-collecting community, TT got their start competing
head-to-head with
Popy
for the diecast hero-character toy market.
Although these chunky, funky diecast pieces don't get the respect of their "real
mecha" bretheren, Takatoku's pre-1982 offerings feature a distinct "flavor" that somehow sets them apart from
other makers' toys. In fact, the meticulous engineering and design was a foreshadowing of the
heights to which Takatoku would eventually reach with their transforming
Macross and Orguss pieces. (See "
Takatoku II: Kanzen Henkei"). Unfortunately, their accounting
department wasn't nearly as advanced as their design division, and
Takatoku Toys went under in 1983.
![[Z Character Logo]](images/zcharacter.gif)
Takatoku used a variety of names to market their
diecast toys, but the most widely encountered
brand-name is "
Z-Character" diecast. They
also produced toys in a mind-numbing array of price ranges and
sizes, all the way from cheapie "train-station toys" up to
super-deluxe, tricked-out, mack-daddy DX offerings. Amusingly
enough, while Takatoku used the name "
mini-gokin" for some of
their smaller pieces, they had a charming habit of mixing and
matching scales and names without any sort of rhyme or reason.
This is why you'll often see toy collectors quivering with
glassy-eyed confusion when they find "standard-sized" Takatoku
pieces bearing the hallowed DX designation.
![[Takatoku logo]](images/TTlogo.gif)
Added March 2005: new
catalog & ad page
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Akumaizer
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Hurricane Polimar
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Otasukeman |
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Bankid |
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Ippastu
Kanta-kun |
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Time
Bokan |
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Baxinger |
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Ippatsuman |
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Ultraman
Leo |
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Bibyun |
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Itadakiman
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X-Bomber
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Bryger |
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Kokowa
Wakusei Zerobanchi |
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Yattaman |
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Captain
Harlock |
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Mach Go Go Go
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Yattodetaman |
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Condorman
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Machine Hiryu
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Zendaman |
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Cyborg 009 |
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Medaman |
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Zubat |
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Daikengo |
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Megaloman |
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original
characters |
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Gaislugger |
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Gattiger |
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Gokaizer |
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Goshogun |
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