[Alen Yen's ToyboxDX]


    1.1.01-- 1.14.01
RUMBLE INDEX

1.14.01: Toys = No Life

That's right! The latest issue of Gangu Jinsei (Toys Life) is out. I picked up my copy at the Sogo department store's book shop. The new Gangu Jinsei is a bonus double issue including vols. 3 and 4. It contains articles on early Godzilla toys such as Bullmark vinyls and toys, Marusan kits, Bandai vinyls and toys, and even some Popy toys including the highly sought after Popy Jumbo Godzillasaurus. It also has an article on Popy catalogs as well as a bunch of news on new toys. All this for only 1600 yen!
-- rbc3
1.12.01: We'll Remember All the Little People...

Ye olde ToyBoxDX hits the mainstream with an article in the Boston Digital Mass news. Gaze in awe as TBDX kingpin, Alen Yen, dispenses pearls of chogo-wisdom to the unwashed masses!
-- TBDX Rumble Crew
1.11.01: Psycho?

One for the rumor mill: The Newtype Asylum reports that a MSiA Psycho Gundam is in the works for 2001. To keep in scale, the toy would have to be a whopping nine and a half inches tall.
-- Yappy
1.10.01: Black Beauty

Rich Clark sends us a portrait of his pimp-style UniFive Gucci Daikyojin. This limited edition was only available at the Tokyo Toy Show in November. Where's the Prada variant?
-- Yappy
1.8.01: GUN-dam!

On my first ever toy buying adventure to none other than the Japanese toy mecha of the world, Tokyo, I discovered Clover made a human sized Gundam Beam Rifle. I've seen photos of an Orguss Orgroid Gunpod, but never THIS... MORE!
-- rbc3
1.7.01: Mikazuki Vinyl

Japanese toy enthusiast D.Kei treats us to a glimpse of the latest vinyl from the independant sentai Mikazuki. He comments that the paint and detail are wonderful, approaching the level of Bandai's HG series.
-- Darren
1.7.01: Armored to the Core

The latest source of toy fodder has been video games, and Kotobukiya's Emerald ECM-XR00 is a fine example of the modern trend. The Emerald is adapted from Armored Core 2, a fabulous Sony PS2 game, and the latest evolution of the MechWarrior "you assemble it" genre of fighting robots games. Labeled a "High-End Action Figure", the mech is the first in a line of three poseable toys. The trio will be distributed soon within the United States through your favorite Diamond dealer, although the names of the robots may be changed... MORE!
-- Darren
1.5.01: SD: Strike a Pose

Poseable SD Gundam figures! Well, as poseable as five centimeter tall SD's can get. Gundam, Zeta Gundam, Hyaku-Shiki, Zaku, and Char's Zaku are due in April. They come with rifles, beam sabres, and heat hawks as appropriate. All feature clear parts in the camera eyes and mono eyes! Fancy! Destined to turn the toy world on its ear! Alert Ted Koppel!
-- Darren
1.5.01: Bagookooaduluska!

In a stunning move set to shock the industry, Tinkertoys announces its first kaiju, Bagookooaduluska!. Even more amazing is the fact that it's a JUMBO! Order a hundred today! Fun for the whole family!

Special thanks to Japester for the scoop.
-- Yappy

-- Dappy & Yarren
1.4.01: Yuujin in the Pipe

Lots of Yuujin carded PVC figures coming in the near future.

First, the small potatoes: Assorted Eldoran figures featuring Raijin-Oh coming up at the end of the month, 5,000 yen for the set. Six inch tall, pre-posed Gatchaman figures due at the end of February. Brave Collection Part Four, featuring J-Decker and Goldoran also showing up in February, 5,000 yen for the set. Gaogaigar Final Part Four, featuring Gaogaigar arrive in March, 5,000 yen for the set.

More interestingly, the new SR SP Shin Getta Robo ships at the end of March. He's a semi-poseable 20cm tall, similar to the previous SR SP Geag and MajinKaiser figures. 4,980 yen.
-- Darren
1.3.01: The Horror... The Horror...

Looks like Medicom's recent Disney license aquisition is in full effect. A new series of Disney Kubricks will debut with a set that includes Pinocchio, "Santa" Jack from The Nightmare Before Christmas, and the Genie from Aladdin.
-- Yappy
1.3.01: New Old-School Kid on the Block

Any New York City gokin collector (at least the occasional one willing to sacrifice his or her anonimity) will tell you that the once bountiful wellspring of vintage toys has long dried up. The once-mighty Forbidden Planet has been reduced to selling marked-up Power Rangers... Children of Paradise, once filled floor to ceiling with pricy vintage goodies, has been replaced with a shoe store... Love Saves the Day is now only good for KISS merchandise... MORE!
-- Yappy
1.3.01: SOP... Saturated

We couldn't run BPX-01 Soul of Popinica Yamato color prototype photos from other publications, but we can show Bandai's own promotional pictures. Enjoy!:
-- Yappy
1.3.01: Saint Say-It-Again

Fans of the Saint Seiya series, a show featuring superhero wrestlers with a zodiac theme, will be thrilled to hear that Bandai is re-issuing all twelve of the old gold-chrome versions of the figures from the 1987 series. Featuring removable die-cast armor and articulated bodies, the figures stand at roughly 5 inches in height. Availible only through Bandai's 'net-order site Lalabit, the full set of 12 retails for 30,000 yen and will begin shipping in March. Bandai is limiting sales to one set per customer.
-- Matt
1.3.01: Presto ... Z!

A typical early evening browsing the shelves of Mandarake. Haven't scored anything really big from the gokin showcase here in a while; they've had SOCs, Takara Jeeg, and several big boxed sentai toys for a few months now. Smatterings of vintage are to be found every so often, most notably a Popy Varitank MIB and lately, a Dangard A ST loose. Most of my purchases here have been of a gashapon-ish nature, actually. But tonight is different... MORE!
-- Analyst
1.2.01: Robot, man!

As you may already be aware, Takara Toys is moving forward with their plan to re-issue one of the all-time classics of the Japanese toy kingdom, the late, great, original Robotman (otherwise known as "Biotron" to you Micronaut fans out there.)

In this day and age, straight re-issues are hardly cause for turning heads. But the revival of this particular piece is interesting for one reason: Takara's starting over from scratch. Although details are sketchy, it's obvious from recent articles in Dengeki Hobby magazine that Takara is NOT re-using old molds to pop out new Robotmen; they're making new molds that perfectly replicate the old ones from scratch.

Whether this means these toys are actual "re-issues" or not is up for grabs. What's for certain is that I remember playing with this bad boy on the steps to my grandparents' living room when I was about five, and I'm looking forward to getting a new one for the same price my parents paid in 1979 ("adjusted for inflation," of course. :)

Price and release date TBA.
-- Matt
1.1.01: I Wuz Robbed!!!

Sure, there was little chance I was going to win the popular vote... but the editor's choice awards? Here's the scoop, folks... Chogo-mafiosos Yen, Alt, and Harkavy didn't even spend one second caressing my sweet, ebony finish, fondling my shiny chrome, ratcheting my rock-solid joints! That's right! None of the terrible trio even saw me IN PERSON! If you need to refresh your memory on my splendor, click here!

Sure, they profess to be old-school-gokin lovers, but Yen and Alt somehow managed to "conveniently overlook" me-- me, the embodiment of old school funkiness! Damn! Let me tell ya, they were too busy reaping their hush money from that evil distribution monopoly currently fronting as a legitimate toy company, Yamato/Toycom/"whatever they're gonna call themselves next week"! And in the past, Harkavy would've drooled over my H.C.M.-ish level of detail, but we all know the person currently passing himself off as "The Rodge" is really an android replacement created by the Danish Vinyl Processing Consortium! It's all true! I read it on the internet!
-- Daikyojin
1.1.01: Victor Rejoices

Live footage of the celebration at the Space Research Institute. About five minutes ago, Grendizer returned aboard Spazer Force 1 and declined comment as he headed into the building. Stay tuned here for the latest on tonight's story.
-- TBDX Rumble Crew
1.1.01: RESULTS!

Reader's Choice Toy of the Year at last REVEALED! Read the results, the ratios, the reasons, and ponder the aftermath. And don't forget to drop by Cafe Chogokin tonight if ya wanna chat about it.

Not satisfied with the popular vote? Don't fret! Side with the Editor's Choice! Consider Messrs. Alen Yen, Matt Alt, and Roger Harkavy's enlightened opinion on the subject. Yes, ladies and gents, on this celebrated New Year occasion, the Endless Ramble, Eau de Alt, and Mechaman are updated once more!
-- TBDX Rumble Crew
1.1.01: Touch of Gray

Another orbit around the giant hydrogen ball, another notch on the Gregorian timeline, another wrinkle and gray hair... While the world waits for the mighty Discovery to finally reach orbit around Jupiter, it's also a good time to look back into the chogo-past. Here's a list of anniversaries we'll be celebrating in good ol' 2001... MORE!
-- Darren & Yappy


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