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Literature Index: 8/27/01
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The All Soft Vinyl Figure Catalog 2000
This all-color 150+ page "mook" is a mini-vinyl fetishists' dream come true. All manner of vinyls are covered here: robot anime vinyls cataloged in date order, sentai hero vinyls, numerous incarnations of Godzilla and his pals, Tiger Mask villains, mascot characters, Mach Baron enemies, cute key-chain vinyls, mini Robocon characters...the list goes on. You won't find any tricked-out missile firing vinyls here or an extensive cataloging of every variation of any particular character, but the book does offer a very broad and thorough survey of soft vinyl character toys. Don't forget to check page 94 to learn about Irutan's sordid affairs at the 1975 Okinawa Oceanic Expo.
Seibido Shuppan |
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THE Chogokin
THE Chogokin is a great book. The reissue is currently available for between $40 and $75 US and includes updated information covering Power Rangers, Beetleborgs, and the new Soul of Chogokin Mazinger Z. Read the review... |
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Figure Empire
This is one of the most eclectic book on Japanese toys produced. While the photography is sub-par at best, 98 all-color pages jam-packed with a bizarre selection of die cast and vinyl toys, model kits, trading cards, dioramas, toy guns, "hero bikes" and vehicles more than make up for any artistic shortcomings. The text is equally dense, and goofy Engrish phrases used throughout adds to the fun ("Let's go vintage!!," "Funky Monkey Toys," "Let's Go! Funky Wrestlers!!" etc). Features include High Complete Models, Popynika vehicles, Tigermask, Kamen Rider and Robocon vinyls, Henshin Cyborg toys, newer Marusan vinyls, Red Baron trading cards, a guide to the Rainbowman series, Yamato toy ships, toy bases, and many others. Flipping through this work, the authors' feverish excitement for the subject matter seems almost palpable. A second volume followed in 1998.
Byakuya Shobo |
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Figure Empire 2
A sequel to the Figure Empire mook, this one is just as crammed full of shots of vintage toys, but somehow feels less vibrant than the first volume. Still, that depends of course as to what you’re into. Features “cloth” toys (Saint Seiya, Cyber Cop, Spiral Zone, etc.), Machine Robo, sentai robots, Takatoku “mech” toys, mini vinyls, trading cards, and more.
Byakuya Shobo |
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GO NAGAI: All His Works
A 30th Anniversary Celebration of Go Nagai. Available for under $40 US. Contains fantastic images of Manga art, anime stills, and toys. Also has great pictures of the Man in Action. See cover at 50%. See ISBN/UPC info. |
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Go Nagai's Premire Toys Catalogue
Read the review by Minster of Information Matt Alt... |
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Green Arrow Graffitti #13
An incredible archive of Popy Chogokin robots and vehicles. Includes box art and variant comparisons as well as serial numbers charts. The perfect size for toy travels. Read the review... |
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Hyper Hobby Vol. 04
Another periodical featuring Go Nagai. Available for under $15 US. See cover at 60% |
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Kazunori Saito Collection
Read Matt Alt's review... |
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Mazinger Z Goods 849
See cover See ISBN/UPC info/back cover |
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Robots - Tin Toy Dreams
Teruhisa Kitahara, renound tin toy collector and founder of the Tin Toy Museum, presents his astounding collection of robot tin toys in this book. Tin Toy Dreams is centered around non-character tin toys from the 50's and 60's, but the last ten pages feature tin renditions of Ultraman, Tetsujin-28, Tetsuwan Atom, 8-Man, and others. The publisher, Chronicle Books, went on to publish Super #1 Robot.
Chronicle Books |
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Roman Album Hyper Mook 2 Soul of Chogokin Thanks to Vincent Leung for sending in scans and publishing info on Hypermook 2. Read the review by Darren Pierce... |
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Roman Album Hyper Mook 6 The Victory Legend Read the review by Darren Pierce... |
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Sunrise Robots Complete File Volume 1 - Real Robots Version
If only there were more like this one. Like an equivalent of the great "Zen Kaiju Kaijin" for robot anime, this book features every one of Sunrise studio's "real" robot designs from 1980 to 1999. Not only are all the main "hero" robots featured, but each of the supporting robots and the villains are detailed as well. If you find yourself hotly debating the difference between Xabungle's "Government Type" versus the "Dugger Type" Walker Machines this is the book you need to reach for. The book is beautifully designed, and nearly all the robots are illustrated in full color and with multiple views showing their modes, variations, etc. The only omission is that of Sunrise's most well known property, Gundam. While the main Gundam robots are featured, the more minor designs are not. Presumably they would fill an entire book on their own. Although one can hope for the production of an encyclopedia-like tome showing every robot design from every Japanese show, this book, while limited to the works of one studio, is certainly a step in that direction. Volume 1 features the robot designs from the following shows: Ideon, Dougram, Xabungle, Aura Battler Dunbine, Vifam, Galient, Dragonar, L-Gaim, Giant Gorg, Votoms, SPT Layzner, Gasaraki, Ryvius, Brain Powered, Escaflowne, and (to a lesser extent) Gundam. Volume 2 features the Sunrise "super" robots. Ta-ke Shobo, 2000ISBN: 4-8124-0660-9 |
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The Super Heroes Chronicles (The History of Japanese Fantastic Televisions, Movies and Videos, 1957-1995) Another in the series of B-Media Books, this one covers all live-action shows from this period. Much like The Super Robots Chronicles, this thorough and detailed outing is a very handy reference. The book is all in Japanese, and unfortunately is mostly black & white with only a few color pages at the beginning. ISBN: 4-88475-874-9 |
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The Super Robots Chronicles (the History of Japanese Superrobots Animations 1963-1997) Read the review by Minster of Information Matt Alt... |
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Super Robots View Broadly Ver. 98
Read the review by Minster of Information Matt Alt... |
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Tokyo Robot News
Probably the most obsessive Super Robot periodical ever made. Are you geek enough for this level of insanity? Read the review by Darren & Yappy... |
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Treasure Apprasial Catalog
Yuji Nishimura book has, in serial number order, excellent images of Popy robots and figures (no vehicles) complete with boxes, accessories and inserts. Also has profiles of international dealers and stores. See cover at 75%. See ISBN/UPC info. |
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Zen Kaiju Kaijin
Read Matt Alt's review of the thie "Complete Guide to Tokusatsu Shows..."
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Zen Kaiju Kaijin vol 2
Volume 2 of the incredible and essential guide to every tokusatsu character. See Matt Alt's review. ISBN: 4-7669-1209-8
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