Hi Matt, I'm a fan of Voltes V and I'd like to request a translation of what the hell it says about it in the Green Arrow Graffitti book (p21). - Heinel

The Green Arrow Graffiti Encyclopedia of Chogokin and Popinika, written by Koji Igarashi, takes a standardized approach to cataloging the Japanese character diecast phenomenon. The title of the show is listed at top-left, a one-paragraph summary of the plot is given, and then it's on to the toys. In the case of Voltes V, the text reads:

"VOLTES V" "This series inherited its basic concept from Combattler V. It interwove this with the dramatic element of the battle between Earth and the Boazan aliens. [1977 - 1978]" The second paragraph, halfway down the page on the right, reads: "The Volt Machines have the same basic combination system as Combattler V. However, the gimmicks and proportions of the Volt Machines have been perfected to a higher degree. The five Volt Machines can be stored in the separately-sold DX Big Falcon base. Also, only the first-version release of the Volt Bomber featured yellow elbow joints. [Sold in '77]" The very tiny caption for the boxes of the Volt Machines (bottom right of page) reads: "The boxes of the individual sold toys were green for the first release and blue for the second release."

I love this guy! As crazy as most American collectors are, most don't go out of their way to obtain specimens of EVERY release of a toy. Igarashi's obsessiveness is our gain.

-Matt

11.08.98:

No problem, Ted! Here's the scoop:

The first paragraph is a straightforward run-down of Bandai/Banpresto's giveaway-campaign (known as the "Super Robot Megaton Campaign"). As was reported in Alen Yen's ramble a few weeks ago, you buy three new "Super Robot Wars" games for the Sony Playstation, clip 'n send the coupons inside, and wait to receive your free re-issue GA-01 Mazinger Z.

What's really interesting about this, however, are the captions for the two photographs. On the right, there's a shot of an original GA-01 Popy Mazinger Z box; the caption reads in part "...it's going to be an EXACT RE-ISSUE even down to the packaging!" (emphasis added.) This would seem to confirm the rumors that are flying around regarding this toy being a re-issue versus a re-cast.

For those confused by this subtle distinction (i.e., those of you who have a life), a "re-issue" would an exact duplicate of the original toy and produced in the same molds as the original. A "re-cast," on the other hand, would be BASED on the original toy but produced from new tools-and-dies. The recent Takara Jeeg re-release was in the latter category: as the original molds had perished, Takara had to re-engineer new ones by scanning one of the original toys. Thus the subtle variations between the original and re-release. Excitement city, huh?

At any rate, this "exact re-issue" comment would seem to settle it: it's a re-issue. But wait! The asterisk at page-bottom states that there may be differences between the picture and the actual toy. Although this is standard legal boilerplate, the fact is that this may not be an "exact" re-issue after all. Judging by the picture, however, it sure looks as if it might be close...

Send in those questions, people!

10.22.98:

Glad you asked, my good man. Me? I'm a semi-gainfully-employed technical translator in my mid-twenties. After contracting a toy-collecting fever, I was compelled to dedicate the rest of my life to the study of the country who'd devoured my spare cash ever since I was a child. I'm also a saucy young lad with a taste for the finer things. Finer diecast things, that is. Ah, yes. (Deep inhale) I love the smell of Seventies Japanese toy-engineering in the morning: it smells like...poverty.

But enough about me and my anemic bank account; let's get to the matter at hand: Popinika. It's quite a cute little play on words, really. Miniature diecast cars (e.g., "Hot Wheels") are referred to as "minika" in Japanese. "Mini-ka." Mini kar, get it? (Oh, the Japanese do love their contractions.) At any rate, the word on the street is that Popy (which is rendered "popi" in the Japanese) simply grafted their own name onto the well-established "minika" to create "popinika."

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