May 1999 | Ramble Index | March 1999

4/26/99: Chat Night! I'm psyched! Thanks to another collector, I'm the proud owner of a Jumbo Getta Poseidon! Check the Gallery of Love for a new entry [finally!] And don't forget: Cafe Chogokin Chat tonight at 10PM EDT!

Info Minister Matt Alt sez "DANG!" "DANG! Let the record state that I've never really been a huge fan of the Marmit 'Fierce Legend of Super Robots' series. I was underwhelmed by the first wave of releases (and in particular by the completely blah sculpts of Mazinger and Great Mazinger). "That being said, it's obvious that Marmit's kicked the series into high gear. Their two newest pieces, Gaiking and Dangard Ace, are among the best portrayals of these two characters I've ever seen. They're noticeably bulked-up in comparison to the first wave of releases - Dangard stands a full head taller than the Mazinger Z piece, with at least three times the volume - and the sculpting is dead-on. These things finally FEEL like super robots. In fact, I can't keep my hands off them. They demand to be picked up, played with, caressed. And the new larger size mans they don't look as out-of-place in a Jumbo collection, either. "Weak points? Well, Marmit's quality control seems to be slipping, for one thing. My Gaiking had a huge paint-smear on one horn that necessitated returning it, and the Dangard came with the upper arm units installed in reverse (an easily remedied problem, fortunately: those suckers pop right out with the help of a hair dryer.) Upon closer inspection, it was revealed that whoever sculpted the prototype mislabeled the left-right markings on the insides of the arms. Bad boy!" "In other news, Bandai has announced the release of a second power-up weapons set for their smash-hit 1:60 Perfect Grade Gundam model. Weapons include a pair of 'Hyper Bazooka,' a 'Beam Javelin,' and my personal favorite, the 'Gundam Hammer.' 3,000 yen, available later this month. "Finally, Kong Tong Town has announced a May release date for the first two Jumbo Machine accessories, which will be Rocket Punch Fists and Mazinger Z's Jet Scrander. They will be sold seperately and only via Kong Tong Town. " -- Matt

Mechaman Roger Harkavy on the Toybiz Rockman "Bandai took Rockman and gave the character all the stuff that made Iron Man appeal to me. Toy Biz took Rockman and produced what is essentially a chromed Smurf. "A stunted Scramble Dash wing, a headband that never stays on (see scan), a bad case of rickets, and what has to be the most impotent missile launcher in toy history isn't doing much to change that perception. "The Bandai Rockman toys that Alen sent me are getting more love by the minute..." -- Roger

4/22/99: Spring Action!

"Who said robots are for kids?" I've done a great disservice by not mentioning cool collector/nice guy C.W. Louis' awesome new web site Spring Action. This collision of superb design, awesome toys and stunning models sets a new standard in the community. A quality must click!

(Meanwhile, if you haven't noticed yet, I've dropped a mess of new links into the Linkorama as well...)

Info Minister Matt Alt and Secret Press Agent Hiroko on the guys we love: Uni-Five! "Everyone's favorite Bandai spin-off company, Uni-Five, just officially announced that the Great Mazinger Jumbo Machine will be out on the morning of Tuesday, April 27. Kong Tong Town, as expected, has been named the exclusive distributor. "As reported previously, the Great Mazinger will include the Scramble Dash wings and retail for 18,000 yen ($165). Ouch! "Click on the thumbnail to see their official release pic bigger! And here's the translation of the copy: "Continuing from the incredibly popular Mazinger Z, Uni Five announces the release of Great Mazinger -- and wow, it even comes with the Scramble Dash!! It's an irresistable value for toy maniacs!! Make sure to reserve yours, because it's a Kong Tong Town limited exclusive!! Please contact Kong Tong Town in Matsudo for more details -- this powered-up Great Mazinger is a must-have!" -- Uni Five "Uni-Five will be releasing roughly one JM a month for the next few months. Garada K7 is next for May; Gaiking (the original Popy style, not the half-assed Mattel version) looks like it'll be out in June. These are all projected release dates and subject to change, but U5 has been remarkably on-time up to now. "Meanwhile, Uni-Five has also announced that they are planning to make a new Shin-Go-Kin Grip series! In keeping with the Grip tradition of making small, affordable, 'collector-size' pieces, Uni-Five will release three 9-cm tall diecasts: Yatta Wan, Yatta Ankou, and Yatta Panda. They'll hit the streets in July at a retail price of 2,200 yen each (about $20). "U5 has also announced details about their DX Yatta Wan toy, due out at the end of the summer: it will also have a light up and sound gimmick built in. " -- Matt & Hiroko

4/18/99: Platinum Age Ramble!

Holy Negatives, Rockman! I'm hearing just enough on the BBS about the "state of collecting" and "the collecting market" that I'm a bit piqued. Did anyone really get into this big-footed, rocket-punching scramble-dashing obsession only to be dragged down by a bunch of soapboxing about the "market?" Jeez!

If you want to debate economics for fun, check the Wall Street Journal. Those guys write great Ramble! (And if you're interested in rules and etiquette, we'll launch Alen Yen's BallroomDancingDX.com!) Personally, I'm in it for people, the zinc, and the maddening eye-bleeding lust that electrifies my spine every time I think about Bonner's Getta Jumbos.

Check it out: we're full-blown into a Platinum Age of new and renewed Japanese toys. Between Soul of Chogokins, Jumbo Machines, Talkers, Geegs, Micromen, new Valks and Mobile suits, there's something affordable on the shelves -- or on the horizon -- that everyone's excited about. A perfect example is the jaw-dropping and freshly updated return of Bandai Robocon GA-14R (kindly sent to me by Felix at Fantasia Toys.) If this sexy -- and only recently affordable -- bombshell from the 70's isn't a symbol of an elysian period in collecting, I dunno what is!

Remember 1996? I do, cause that's when I started collecting. That year, there was absolutely squat to look forward to. Now I've got to triage my lust for Marmits in favor of a huge honkin Combattler. Cry me a river! This resurgence in products that address innovation, quality, and most importantly robot spirit is a direct result of your love, energy, and dollars -- whatever shore you're on. So don't let anyone temper your enthusiasm for what you do!

World-renown artist/collector Coop checks in on the Time Bokan Meka Whatsis! (Pics kind courtesy of Day-Old Antiques) "Coop here. Alen asked me to say a coupla words about the now-not-so-new Uni Five Time Bokan Meka whatever it's called. Here's my verdict: IT ROCKS!!! "Part of my enthusiasm stems from the fact that I was totally surprised by this toy. I have almost no familiarity with the cartoon from whence it came, having only ever seen it once, dubbed into SPANISH on a kids show. But I recognized the toy and figured, 'hey, it ain't that expensive, I'll pick it up!' (From Bullmark.com by the way! PLUG!) "This little beauty shows up on my doorstep a few days later, and WOW! I was immediately won over by the classic blue-red-yellow color combo (ever notice how these common colors show up in all the classic Popy Chogokin?) But what really blew my doors off was all the cool features included within its blue metalflake exoskeleton. Two little ships, one in the belly, and one under the opening wings. The ladybug-ship under the wing even connects with a magnet (one of my fave gimmicks!) Under the wings is a cool chrome-plated jet-engine arrangement, and the front horn-thing tilts up and down! Did I mention the impressive weight? You're getting your money's worth here, chogokin-wise. I can't even bear to put it in the display case, so I left it out on the coffee table to absentmindedly caress, the way Dr. Evil would stroke Mr. Bigglesworth. "So, after a coupla days of this frankly pathetic behavior, I notice that there appears to be some slots on either side of the beastie, just above the wheels. I start fiddling with it and, THWACK! Little wings pop out on either side! (Guess I shoulda read the instructions!) Now this is COOL. I was already lovin' this toy, and it gives up the goods yet again! "So, in closing, if you haven't picked up one of these babies, DO SO! (This means you too, Alen.) Then, if you haven't spent all your money, go to my website, www.coopstuff.com and buy something! There ain't any Japanese Robots, just lotsa cute girls (which are almost as good!)" -- Later, COOP

Mechaman Roger Harkavy checks in with a Rockman Reramble! "Two orphans showed up on my doorstep this week: Alen's Rockman Double Impact figures, complete with four sets of armor. Not one to turn down new toys, I brought them inside and checked them out. "The Rockman X3 toys give you a basic "skeleton" and armor to snap onto them. At first glance, the two suits that Alen chose to build aren't all that hot. Many parts were loose, and Bandai left a lot of the detail to stickers. Take a big sticker, try applying it to a large curved surface, and you usually end up with crappy results. Would it have killed them to expend two drops of paint on this? I was starting to understand his frustration. "Being a fan of more "basic" designs, I assembled the chrome and translucent Ironbuster sets. Rebel that I am, I went against the recommendations of the instructions and put the translucent armor on the skeleton figure with the chrome parts and to create a more interesting effect. Both figures look pretty neat, and I think the construction (including polycaps) is cool, but I find myself expecting more. I know that Japanese kids have more of a 'do-it-yourself' attitude, but Bandai's trend of dumping more work on toy buyers (starting way back in the early 90s with the 1/60 Patlabor toys and the 1/60 Gundam F-91) is a bit annoying. The time it would take to assemble all four armor sets is roughly the time it took to put together my Gasaraki Raiden model kit [at right.] "My recommendation? If you look at these as model kits, they're excellent. If you consider them toys, they're lacking. If you don't mind spending time building them up, dust off your wire clippers and pick up one of these. They'll be neat to display on my shelf, but I wouldn't buy any more of these. Actually, the more I fiddle with these, I'm glad I only traded a drawer full of unused chopsticks for them!" -- Roger

Info Minister Alt-san is Da Man!: "Speaking of Uni-Five, their next entry in the 'Shin-Go-Kin' series is a remake of the famed Takatoku Toy 'Yatta Wan' (a.k.a. 'Yatter One.') First up will be a smaller 4,500 yen two-character set in July, to be followed by a larger 9,500 yen piece in August. For those not in the know, Yatter Wan was the main mecha from 'Yattaman,' one of the numerous sequels to the mid-70's timetravel freak-out 'Time Bokan.' "Incidentally here's a Little Japanese Lesson from yours truly: "All of the Time Bokan sequels feature cute puns on the suffix 'man' that don't come across very well in English. Yatta-Man roughly translates into 'You-did-it-man' in English, while 'Wan' can be a cute synonym for a dog (thus giving you 'You-did-it-doggie' as the translation for the 'Yatta Wan' mecha.) "Yatta-Man's sequel was a show called Zendaman, which is derived from the Japanese word 'zendama,' or 'Good Guy/Hero.' 'Otasukeman,' the next show, roughly means 'Helper-Man,' and the sequel to THAT is a mouthful of a name, 'Yattodetaman,' which means 'You-finally-made-it-man.' Whew. And that's not even the lot of 'em: there's also 'Ippatsuman' ('Go-for-it-Man' or 'Do-it-in-one-shot-man,') and 'Itadakiman' ('I-got-it-man.') Although these shows aren't particularly well known in the west, they were wildly popular in Japan. So popular, in fact, that fifteen years later Top Secret TBDX Press Agent Hiroko can still sing the theme song to Time Bokan -- and she's not even a fan! Don't underestimate the power of the Man!" -- Matt

4/15/99: Eye of Oedo Strikes! Famed Henshin! Online publisher August Ragone STRIKES with another Eye of Oedo Super Robot Pantheon Report! Here's a quick excerpt. Or better yet, jump to the Info Library to read his full report!

Jumbo Machines Set to March Forward! " According to Figure King #20, UniFive has decided to proceed ahead with not only a second addition to the 'Jumbo Machine' line... but they are also planning at least a dozen other entries in the series, including a sub-series called 'Kyofu-no Akuma Gundan' (The Terrifying Devil Army)!... "GREAT MAZINGER is set for a May release date! The Jumbo Machine Great Mazinger is not going for a duplication of Popy's JM version -- although the head looks substantially the same as the original, many of the pieces are being refined and detailed. The Breast Burn/Great Boomerang plate is being sculpted to be a thinner and more angular piece, same can be said of the Brain Condor -- which is closer to the tv design, larger and considerably sleeker..." -- August Jump to the Super Robor Pantheon Report in the Info Library for the full report!...

4/14/99: Getta Half-Eye!

Check it out: Studio Half-Eye's "Full Transformation" Getta Robo piece will be out in June. After having rewound the first four episodes of Shin Getter Robo, like, a zillion times, I'm now a 100% believer in the new Half-Eye transformation.

While the original 70's design have undergone an obvious and forced modification, I think the stylistic spirit of the robots has been maintained if not improved. The Getta 3 in particular makes my brain hurt [in a wholesome "I learned somethin'" kind of way!]

As Information Minister Matt Alt says, "with a price of 46,000 yen and a limited run of only 1000 pieces, it's probably only going to appeal to die-hards. But who cares? It's SO COOL! JUST LOOK AT THIS THING!"

[Click on the promo shot to make it Getta bigger!]

Speaking of Alt, here's some tasty morsels culled from his daily News Dive: "According to the major Japanese hobby and toy dealer Noda-Ya, Bandai has announced a reissue of the Daitetsujin 17 chogokin! [Click here to jump to their site.] "The price is expected to be 12,800 yen with a release date set for July. It is unknown if this is a recast, old stock or reissue. We will post more info as it comes..." "Continuing their proud tradition of taking everything that shows even the slightest bit of popularity and running it into the ground, Bandai announced a June release for the limited-edition black version of the SOC Great Mazinger. 8,800 yen. Hoard 'em and watch your investment grow!" "Finally, the next figure in the Medicom Miracle Action Figure Series will be Tetsujin 28's tall, dark, and portly adversary BLACK OX. "In keeping with recent trends, a black-and-gold crystal clear gold DX closed-finger black and white version is undoubtedly in the works as well! [Kidding, kidding]" -- Matt

MWalsh sends in some info on the new Shono Book: "I have a great friend who lives in Japan and is responsible for some of the most beautiful pieces in my collection. His name is Masato Shono, and he is an invaluable toy resource as well as a wonderful person. "Anyway, his company, Shono Planning, has just released a new book that focuses on the world of Go Nagai collectibles. I have included some jpgs to give you a flavor of what's inside. "They are also offering (2) 8-inch, retro-style dolls, Mazinger and Minerva-X, each limited to 300 pieces as a mail away deal in conjunction with the book... "I would love to see Masato's company become the next Bandai!!!!" -- MWalsh

Meanwhile Mechaman Roger Harkavy sez: "Heads up, variation hunters! I got a quick glance at the reissue 1/1300 Yamatos imported by Toycom. Quite a bit of the Japanese text on the packaging has been translated into English, including Leiji Matsumoto's little blurb on the top. It also looks like these completely lack the Bandai hologram, which has been replaced by a circular foil sticker. Inside it looks like the same old toy, though." -- Roger

Finally, Matt translates some dialogue from the all-japanese Kong Tong Town BBS at www.kongtong.com: RE: Victory Robo Chogokin: "How is this piece considered a Chogokin? The previous GD series toys used diecast at least partially and that was OK, maybe making one part of a DX piece diecast (like Bulltaurus.) I guess Gingaio's price-point was too high, and they decided to lower the amount of metal used." RE: Victory Robo Chogokin: "It might be OK by Bandai, but it's not OK with me. I suppose this could be called a 'well, the screws are diecast, so it's a chogokin' kind of approach (hollow laugh). RE: Victory Robo Chogokin: "As for myself, I really want to see a Bullmark 'Zincron' style 'Soul of Metal' kind of piece (laugh). Personally, I think there's no need to run the Chogokin name into the ground like Bandai is doing." "Interesting to see the discontent on BOTH sides of the pacific. :)" -- Matt

4/7/99: Finally: New Valkyries!

Thanks to Terence G. Romer, I got wind of the following development:

The late 1999 release will include the following:

• VF-11 Thunderbolt
• YF-19 Alpha
• YF-21 Omega

His answer was "a significant portion will be diecast due to the articulation necessary for the transformations." A 100% correct answer!

Next question: 2) will it come in a lame US-style blister pack? The answer: "No. The box will be well designed and will not be a blister pack." Again, correct!

Finally, the clincher is that they're working directly with Shoji Kawamori, mecha designer of the original Valkyries, to insure the quality and integrity of the toys!

While exact numbers and street price of the run are undetermined, the proposed plan is for 10,000 units of each to be manufactured in China and Japan, and to be distributed, marketed and sold directly to the the U.S.! So if you think your hard-earned toybucks haven't made a difference, then think again.

Viva Macross!

Here's Matt Alt with a dazzling toy report! "Have you been checking out Takara's updated designs for the Neo Henshin Cyborg line? They just keep getting more and more insane. Whether you're a fan or not, you owe it to yourself to go and check out Takara's Henshin Cyborg Laboratory at http://www.takaratoys.co.jp/CYBORG/top.htm "These three bad boys, the 'Walder Kaijin,' are just the tip of the iceberg. Although it got off to a slow start, the Neo Henshin Cyborg line is rapidly developing into the most imaginative series to come out of Japan in recent memory." "And speaking of Takara, their reissue of the ball-fisted and utterly cool A-301 Acroyear series will be out in May. The three Acroyears (Silver Star, Red Star, and Blue Star) will be sold in a set for the astoundingly low price of 2,940 yen (about $25). (For those of you who REALLY can't count, that comes out to LESS THAN TEN BUCKS A POP. Pinch me! Now!) "Finally, Bandai has announced a June release date for the much-anticipated RX-78 Gundam Chogokin. At 1:144 scale, it's like a diecast version of a "high complete model." The price has been newly reduced as well: the retail will be a mere 4,500 yen ($40.) Those who were turned off by the Banpresto GA-100 'Popy-style' Gundam diecast should find everything they're looking for here (too bad the core fighter doesn't separate, though.) Big thanks to Tim Brisko for the heads up!" -- Matt

David E. Guerra sent in this awesome warning label from his Kaiyodo Scopedog. Check it out [but be careful!] ATTENTION: Be sure to read it to the protector. Be careful that a child mistakes a little part and it isn't swallowed, there is danger such as suffocating. Be fully careful of the sharp place. Never launch the thing which a thing (fire thing) to splash is attached to toward the person and the animal, there is danger which gets hurt, and, be sure to take off aftre thing when it doesn't play. It isn't to do violent play to knock it and to swing it. There is danger that a finger is cut at the time of unsealing in the transparency package, open it carefully.

Speaking of Tokyo Toy Show, August Ragone, famed Eye of Oedo, warns: "Be on the Lookout for Show Exclusives!" "Let's Combine! A special edition of Soul of Chogokin GX-03 Super Magnetic Robot Combattler V was issued at last month's Tokyo Omocha Show (March 20 & 21 at Tokyo Big Site)! Showgoers could buy the unpainted baby, with bare die-cast skin and minimal color-molded plastic parts, as well as all the accessories, for the meger sum of 12800 yen each. Also on display at the show was the reissue Robocon Chogokin... watch out for the cockroaches!" "Inazuman FLASH! From March 20th through the 28th, Fuji TV sponsored the 'Shotaro Ishimori Display' in Daiba at the Fuji TV-Nippon Broadcasting Building. Among the myriad art works and other wonderful creations from the pen of the late manga-ka Ishimori Sensei -- there was a full display of toys which were the result of his Anime and Tokusatsu creations. Attendees could purchase a reissue of the 1973 Popnica die-cast of the Raijin-go , the fanged flying car from the Toei hero series INAZUMAN! [Shogun Jet Car for the gringos -- A.Y.] "This Raijin-go comes unpainted, and without the miniature Inazuman figure -- but, with only 1999 issued, and at a pricetag of 5000-yen, who could go wrong? "Can there be more reissues behind? Keep watching the Ramble!" -- August

Finally, Adrian kindly sent in some pics of these CRAZY Grandizers: "I don't have any detailed information on this. It was made by an Italian company, I wrote down the name, but misplaced it of course... "The pictures of Grandizer are from the Seattle Center's Fun Forest, a small amusement ride section at the base of the Space Needle in Seattle, Washington. I desperately tried to convince the operator that I needed to ride with my child (for her safety of course) but since she was too young anyway he wasn't hearing it..." -- Adrian

4/2/99: April Fools/Happy B-Day DX!

Omigod: I blinked, and time passed! Robots multiplied like hot bunnies, and the website's bloated like my charge card!

One year ago, on March 29 1998, ToyboxDX went live. For the entire first month we had, like, six whole messages on the BBS, and man, I was excited! And do you remember the first Cafe Chogokin Chat? What a trip! I think half of us couldn't even get in, and the other half were like "yo, is this working???" (At left, a chunk of pre-Toybox history: my New Year's "Karga-card" from 1997...)

Anyway, it's great to look back and think about all the cool stuff that's gone down. But enough of this misty crap; here's some new stuff:

Matt Alt checks in on stuff: "In the wake of the success of their Gunbuster, Shin Getta One, Getta Two, and Scopedog Victory Action Figures, Xebec Toy has announced the release of even MORE Votoms characters to round out their line. "More specifically, they announced that Scopedog Parachute Zac, Scopedog with Round Mover, and Scopedog Turbo Custom would all be released this spring. Someone call an ambulance and revive Harkavy, please." "Meanwhile, Takara's just come out with Henshin Cyborg 99. Note the fact that it's limb-sockets come equipped with Magnemo 11 magnet points. Arms and legs are detachable, and there's an extra set of Magnemo mounting points on the back. "Click on the thumb to jump to the Takara site..." "Finally: 16 years ago, in a last-ditch attempt to try and restore parity to the US-Japan Jumbo Toy Trade Deficit, budding economic wizard Matt Alt, age 9, created the world's first American Machinder out of cardboard, tinfoil, and dryer-hose. The visionary young Alt noted 'By making the big switch to paper and sheet-metal, we can farm out production to third-world prison labor AND increase size at the same time...' "Did I mention I won first place in the science fair?" -- Matt

A dubious April Report! courtesy of Messrs. Harkavy & Raley ! Alen L. Bronkowitz presents: SUPER ECONOMIST TEAM CUBERANGER! (Kakagu Keizei Tai Cuberanger") The first Sentai team with a business sense bursts onto the scene in an exciting new series: Mike (Beige Ranger) - President of mega-conglomerate Tako Industries, Inc. He's always ready to lead the team against revenue-draining menaces with his superior gold skills and great hair! Weapons: Triple Paper Perforator (click to see in action), Special Fighting Move: Whirlwind Downsizing Cut. Vehicle: Armored BMW. Lisa (Fuscia Ranger) - As her alter-ego serving as an "administrative assistant", she doesn't have any real power at this company, OR DOES SHE? Weapons: Super Paper Cutter, Koosh Bombs. Special Fighting Move: Mega Organizational Flying Kick. Vehicle: Armored Geo Tracker. Tom (Cyan Ranger) - Slovenly engineer by day, martial arts ass-kicker by night! Weapons: Razor Protractor, Armored Pocket Protector. Special Fighting Move: Super Imaginative Brain Lock. Vehicle: Not-So-Armored VW Old Beetle. When the forces of evil conspire to steal office supplies, jam the photocopier, or drain the coffee pots without making more (Don't you hate that?), this team launches for battle! Lisa and Tom spring from their cubicles, and Mike rockets out of his plush, air-conditioned office, wielding the Triple Paper Perforator. He holds the sacred weapon aloft, and they give their rallying cry: "THREE HOLE PUNCH!!!" (Roger notes: Do you GET IT? It's a play on words, because not only do they have theri three hole punch weapon that the leader uses, but they're also a team of THREE that's WHOLE when they unite, and they PUNCH out a lot of monsters! Okay, I'll shut up now.) Then when the going gets really rough and the giant monsters make an appearance (which they always do in the last five minutes of each episode), their super robot vehicle MANAGERION launches from its secret location somewhere in the personnel department. And when that happens, you know some bad guy butt is about to get stomped! Heroic! Deadly! Synergistic! Together they are... SUPER ECONOMIST TEAM CUBERANGER!

Another April Report from ToyboxDX HQ! [Boise/Tokyo]: Bandai Japan stuns japanese-toy collecting public by announcing strategic alliance with Playskool of America in the latest rerelease of the international classic "Mrs. Potatohead!" The new line, dubbed "Soul of Potato" launches this April (just in time for the 36th Anniversary celebration) with SOP Mrs. PotatoHead DX (POT-01). This latest incarnation of the portly spouse walks the line with a dazzling array of engineering features and accessories, including: bigger feet rocket punch extra hats and lips The familiar "butt-door/storage bay" feature will be preserved, as will the traditional lineup of lips, purse, glasses, tongues, flowers and earrings. As the colorful "vintage-style" box notes, collectors "need open-ended creative toys that allow them to express themselves freely. Unstructured creative play is an ideal means for [collectors] to make wonderful discoveries and build self-image through what they create..." A limited anniversary "Widow-Black" version with "open-hands" is rumoured to be in production, and reportedly will be limited to 500 pieces. These will be available on walk-in-basis only at Playskool's Potato Palace. Street price to be confirmed." [Matt Alt notes: "Despite a torrent of fan mail support clamoring for an immediate release of a DX Mister Potatohead, both Bandai and Playskool are refusing to comment. More info as we get it...!"] Someone call an ambulance and revive Harkavy, please.

Finally, speaking of April Fool's: If you wanted to put the sword and shield into the hands of that Poem Sun Vulcan you bought in the early eighties, the JOKE'S ON YOU!

The gall of this "design" absolutely astounds me: Poem packed this baby with shooting fists and accessories. But check it out: no holes in the hands! I guess they may have been encouraging Japanese kids to engage in "imaginative play." Personally, I imagine that the kids were pretty pissed, and there's a reason why Poem shouldn't be out there no more...!

May 1999 | Ramble Index | March 1999