![[Alen Yen's ToyboxDX]](/images/smlogo.gif)
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 8.8.01-- 9.4.01 |
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RUMBLE INDEX |
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9.4.01:
Grassroots GojiVive le Garage Gangu Americain! Wayne W. Ho, major-domo of Wondermint Studios sends us news of his swanky pet project: a limited edition set of Gojira tai Biollante "shampoo bottle" vinyls. Sculpted by Wayne himself, these kaiju are manufactured by new Japanese players, Toy Pirates, and fully licensed from mighty Toho.
375 sets were made for sale at Wonder Hobby Festival on September 2nd-- 150 of color set A, 150 of color set B, and 75 special glow-in-the-dark sets.
Here's a veritable smörgåsbord of images, courtesy of Mr. Ho:
Original Sculpts | Baking the Sculpts| First Test Shots
Proud Papa
-- TBDX Rumble Crew
9.4.01:
Hark! 'Tis the next SOC...Are you ready?! Are you all-a-tingly?! Frothing at the mouth?! Palms all sweaty?! Incontinent?
Well...
Here...
We...
Go...
The next Soul of Chogokin will be...
(Can...
You...
Stand...
It?)...
MAZINGER Z!!! Wheee!!! Well, it's the manga / Mazinkaizer OAV version, in case you're wondering.
Remember: Bandai hates you.
-- Darren & Yappy
9.3.01:
Kaette Kita Kadou Senshi!Well, it seems that rumors of the cancellation of Bandai's Chogokin Kadou Senshi line might've been a tad exaggerated. Work continues on the transforming Kadou Senshi Zeta Gundam... albeit slowly.
Now with release date tentatively set for 2002, the 1:144 scale Zeta has undergone some heavy redesign during the last few months. Gone are the TV-exact proportions-- the toy now features a bulkier, more modern profile to facilitate a more accurate Wave Rider mode. A welcome surprise is the addition of the over-compensating Hyper Mega Launcher. Let the hype continue...
-- Yappy
9.3.01:
Saotome Plastic Laboratories presents...More Go Nagai creations rendered in full-polymer glory:
To atone for their original statue of a toy, Yujin announces a brand-spanking-new Mazinkaizer, next in their series of Master Action figures. Fully poseable this time around, Mazinkaizer will come with a separate Kaizer Pilder and two "Shoulder Slicer" swords. ¥4980. Due this month.
Update 9.4.01: Mr. Facets says: The release date hasn't actually been determined yet. Yappy is a big doo-doo head.
Marmit's Dynamic Action Figure Getta Dragun is due in November. It features 21 points of articulation and Mach Wing and Double Tomahawk accesories. ¥4800.
-- Yappy
9.2.01:
Black -- Not RecolorIt's so big. MSiA Psycho Gundam. And it transforms into a ... meaningless blob! Never mind that, look how SUPER HUGE it is! Only ¥6,800 in November.
While we're on the subject of Gundam noir, here's a custom / special / limited / Dengeki-version Titans Gundam based on the new "Second Version" RX-78.
-- Darren
9.2.01:
Red RillaYay. My favorite subject: recolors. Ok, so the "special" GaoKong is merely a red version of GaoGorilla. At least you get a fairly cool head for GaoKnight, is that any consolation? No? Okay ...
Here's a picture of ... yes, it had to happen ... GaoKing Black Version. I assumed the general availability release of GaoGod would count as our GaoKing special recolor. Sigh. Never assume.
-- Darren
9.2.01:
Heavy BirdyThe firebird shell for Unifive's happy-happy Phoenix will be quite large. But the Phoenix itself will be quite heavy. Lookit all that shiney metal. Whee.
-- Darren
9.1.01: Once again...Oh joy. It's Kubrick time again. And again. Yay. Hurrah. Without further delay:
"Apes Rule the Planet" Set B - Due December. ¥2480.
Disney Characters Collection Series 2 - Due January. ¥480 apop.
-- Yappy
9.1.01: Psychotic FrameWe, the Big Ego Lame People of TBDX, don't usually report on model kit news, but heck, Bandai's Perfect Grade releases are pretty much big ol' cuddly toys. This isn't the freshest news, but the next member of the flag-ship line will be Gundam Mark II. How could Bandai top the transformation of Zeta? Or the multimedia construction of the Wing Custom? Well, check out the epilepsy inducing line-art for the 1:60 scale recreation of Mark II's trademark "Moveable Frame" technology. Wow. Every minutae down to the spherical cockpit block. PG Mark II arrives in November and will cost ¥15000 (and all your free time).
-- Yappy
8.31.01: Real-Robot Vinyl RevivalLooks like the humongous-grade four-foot-tall Zaku model wasn't the only Zaku in attendance at last week's C3PRE hobby show in Tokyo. Check these bad boys out: "standard sized" vinyls of Char's Zaku and a green Zaku, limited to 100 pieces each, and sold as con exclusives. Made by a tiny garage company called "Denjin." Good luck finding 'em now...
-- Matt
08.31.01:
Hobby Heart-Throbby!No, your eyes aren't deceiving you -- that's me on page 52 of the October 2001 issue of Hobby Japan, and I'm still recovering. My own name and mug in the magazine I read obsessively throughout my childhood... Aw, who'm I kidding? My adulthood, too. (I've found myself carrying the issue from room to room with me, like Linus and his security blanket.)... MORE!
-- Matt
8.30.01:
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, RUMBLE!!!Whee.
-- Horn Tootin' Bastards
8.30.01:
Fiery CountdownUnifive's Choshingokin God Phoenix is a scant couple of months away, but the magnanimous Mr. Facets keeps the hype machine rolling by offering these shots of the near-complete beast:
Cuddly G-2 | Wuddly G-3
And folks, there's no need to overreact to Banpresto's "take-over" of Unifive. Everyone's favorite lil' contemporary gokin company has ALWAYS been part of the Banpresto Group... we're talking internal shuffling here...
-- TBDX Rumble Crew
8.28.01:
Finish the Game!I hate Kubricks. Hate 'em. They're cheap and plasticy and... Don't even get me started.
Yet I'll be first in line come January for Medicom's latest series of Kubricks: TRON Kubricks, to be more precise. Looks like that damned Disney license of theirs was good for something after all!
I don't really care about the figures or the Light-Cycles. But lord almighty, I've been waiting close to twenty years now for a toy of the Light-Tank and Recognizer. Oh, Syd Mead, how I loved thee in the bright and carefree days before Turn-A Gundam...
Check it: the Tron Kubricks will hit shelves in four seperate sets, A through D, each priced at a whopping 3,800 yen ($35). Uncle Walt's blessing don't come cheap, and Kubrick passes the burden down to you. But c'mon, where else are you going to get a toy of the MCP?
End of line.
-- Matt
8.28.01:
GamerAmericaThe US-exclusive Gamera figures previously announced by Marusan-USA are now for sale. The figures are large (Standing Gamera '95 is 8" tall, Flying Gamera '96 has a 12" wingspan), limited (to 200 pieces each), and very reasonably priced ($45 each). Check it out here.
-- Roger
8.22.01:
Jinsei DXGangu Jinsei, that beloved yet hard-to-find series of "mooks" about various vintage toy-lines, is at it again. Due on September 30th is the newest addition to the Gangu Jinsei family: Gangu Jinsei Deluxe- The Bullmark Chronicles. Unlike many other Bullmark-related books and articles that have hit shelves, this particular tome will highlight not only the vinyls but the diecasts as well.
Unfortunately, the book is set to have a limited print run (only 3,000 issues) and a relatively high price of 3,500 yen ($30). Look for it through your favorite toy-importer. Should be interesting to compare the diecast section to ToyboxDX's very own Chronicle, the Raging Bullmark Datafile.
-- Matt
8.21.01:
33Go!!!The industrious Keith Feinstein sends us an update on his domestic Jumbo Machinder project (first rumbled about on 5.21.01):
Well, the comic book is done, getting previewed and going thru a final edit. The final character design for the toy is done and off the the mold delimiters (as I am calling these strange monk-like creatures). We're just deciding on the feature set and how, precisely, we are going to accomplish the "stuff that must shoot off of/out of it".
Anyway, here is a sneak peak at the main robot character, the titular Un-Named Giant Fighting Robot: 33G and one of his named contemporaries. I'll keep everyone updated as to when and how the comic can be purchased.
-- TBDX Rumble Crew
8.19.01:
Uni-Go-RangerMatt Alt says the next Unifive Cho Shin Gokin will be Goranger's Varidoreen.
The picture is the medium-model used in the TV show, not the actual toy.
-- TBDX Rumble Crew
8.19.01:
Brave BuzzRumor: The next Brave Series toys to be re-issued by Takara might be Great Might Gaine, Might Gunner, Fire J-Decker, and Gun Max.
Now, underline the word "rumor" three times in your head. Click here if you do not know what "rumor" means.
-- Darren
8.18.01:
Soul of Bullmark, Round 2!The first wave of the Soul of Bullmark gashapons hasn't even been officially released, and plans are already underway for a second series. Jim Cirronella of Club Daikaiju spills the beans:
The second series of HG mini Marusan/Bullmark vinyls is already in the works. The figures will be Baltan, Antler, Redking, Goro and Pagos (all are Ultraman/Ultra Q kaiju).Remember, you heard it here first. Well, okay... I heard it on the GodzillaC list first and then sent it in to the Rumble. ;p
Meanwhile, Matt Alt reports from the streets of Japan, and says that there is just one gashapon machine in all of Tokyo currently selling the little SOBs. A nationwide release is expected at the end of the month.
-- Roger
8.17.01:
Bye, Bye UnifiveHow'd you like to get back from summer holiday to find out about this? Mr. Facets reports:
Announcement From Unifive: We have pleasure in informing you of the merger of our company with Banpresto Co., Ltd. which will come into effect on September 1. The new company will be known as Banpresto Co., Ltd. Unifive Dept.
-- TBDX Rumble Crew
8.15.01:
My Little FuchiHey, it's Bon Odori time in Japan. News will be light. But we do have news of one little item ...
A diecast Fuchikoma! It's cute but it's small ... only two inches by one inch. It was made for the San Diego ComicCon, but extras are floating around. Contact your Toycom dealer if you want one.
-- Yappy & Darren
8.11.01:
Sonuva Bullmark!Man, I love these S.O.Bs. I just can't help myself.
The record, such as it is, is pretty clear on one fact: I'm no particular fan of Gashapon, those cheap-ass capsule toys sold through vending machines all over Japan... MORE!
-- Matt
8.11.01:
Mainstream, Baby!Look what showed up at Toys R Us.co.jp today! The VF-X2 VF-19A recolor from Yamato is on the streets and in stores.
If you're in love with the idea of Yamato's YF-19, but were scared away by all the reports of bugs, here's your chance to grab a toy that's had plenty of debug time. If anything, Yamato has shown that they are committed to improving their products.
-- Darren
8.11.01:
GUNgu JinseiA nice, clear picture of the upcoming FIX G-Armor item. The hype promises six different unlikely G-mecha may be formed with the set -- you know them well. Shields and beam rifle are the only advertised accessories.
A side note: the treads on the US-release MSiA G-Armor are some of the best rolling rubber treads I've ever seen on any toy. It will actually roll on its own inertia. I expect the FIX' treads to be just as sweet.
The "Second Version" MSiA RX-78 is upon us. In addition to the detail Yappy Rumbled about in July, Bandai promises the new figure can achieve every pose Gundam assumed in the original anime, and has a backpack that can be removed to expose "inner detail".
A big picture of MSiA Dendrobium -- it's 2 feet long and 10 inches tall, and comes with a fully poseable MSiA GP-03. Gimmicks include opening storage hatches and a moveable manipulator arm.
-- Darren
8.10.01:
Facet's Fiery FactsMr. Facets outlines the dirty details of the Phoenix' PVC fiery shell ...
The Unifive Godphoenix will be packaged in a window box. The fiery phoenix vinyl thingie will be packaged "tentatively" in a bag with a header card. First production run Godphoenixes will have the vinyl thingie included for free. They have not determined how they will bind the box and bag together. Later, they may sell the vinyl thingie separately, but please let me stress that all of this info really is tentative.
The vinyl thingie itself is huge- probably 16" long. The neck is posable (1 pt articulation), and the ship itself is closed entirely in the firebird. There is a vinyl "hatch" [a square of vinyl that you slap in place] to shut the bottom of the bird after you put the diecast inside.
-- TBDX Rumble Crew
8.10.01:
Koto KatokiHere's a bit of an oddity: at C3PRE, fully poseable "action" resin kits of Hajime Katoki's retroactively redesigned Wing Gundam and Sandrock will go on sale. ¥13000 and limited to 100 kits each. What's so strange about that? And why the hell are we bringing you news about model kits?
Because these Gundams are by KOTOBUKIYA. Not Bandai. Not B-Club. Not any of Bandai's subsidiaries. Somehow, David's skirted off with Goliath's most guarded license. Will we see finished toys based on these kits (as Kotobukiya has a history of toyetifying their models)? We can only hope...
-- Yappy und Darren und Volk
8.10.01:
Zakufest!The C3PRE "Character Culture Event" on the 26th will preview and sell all manner of Gundam sin at the Tokyo Big Site building.
Limited MSiA Gato's Gelgoog will sell for ¥1700. Mobile Secret Voice attaches to your cell phone and changes your ringing sounds to one of 50 different phrases in Amuro's voice -- ¥2980. Also to be displayed is a preview of the infamous R/C Bipedal Walking Zaku which will sell for ¥98,000.
Forget the R/C -- checkout the HY2M ("HYper HYbrid Model") Zaku, standing at 4.8 feet tall! The blow-molded polystyrene wonder will sell in limited quantities for ¥198,000 at the show, and will be available in larger quantities through hobby shops in December.
The 66 pound ultra jumbo Zaku comes as a half-completed kit that's supposed to be as easy to assemble as IKEA furniture with supplied nuts and bolts. Bandai's engineers have solved apparantly tough problems dealing with the figure's weight, coloring, and aesthetic, and now feel the item can be fully enjoyed by adults.
There's poseability in the shoulders, elbows (30-degree detents), fingers (individually jointed knuckles! Yay! 39 parts in each hand!), and head. Here's the parts breakdown:
- 150 Injection molded parts
- 55 Blow molded parts
- 1 Clear part
- 267 bolts, nuts, and washers
- Weapons: Heat Hawk and Zaku Machinegun
-- Some Combo of Y & D
8.10.01:
More CoreMore goodies from Mr. Facets... in the form of photos of ArtFX/ Kotobukiya's upcoming Emeroad (Emeraud, Emerode, Emerald, whatever) ECH-D4 figure, the third member of their Armored Core: Another Age line. Here's the official marketing-ese:
"Complete your Armored Core 2 Another Age collection with this deluxe set. The mecha itself has 22 points of articulation, and with the simple replacement of its lower half of the body, it can be converted to the tank type. Its arms can be removed too, making this figure collection an awesome weapon with cannons. All parts and accessories are interchangeable with all Armored Core 2 and Armored Core 2 Another Age figures, further increasing its playability!"
Humanoid Type 2 | Tank Type 2
Zaku-Tank, eat your heart out! And since you're all such good little boys and girls, ol' Uncle Facets will also show y'alls the tentative blister-card art for the rest of the AC: Another Age line. However, Facets assures us that the Emeroad-tank will come in a window box.
-- TBDX Rumble Crew
8.9.01:
JAKQoman!New Microman line? Nope, you're looking at Clover King and Spade Ace, two JAKQ ("Jakker") action figures made by Popy/Bandai in the late 70's. Only around three and a half inches tall, these guys rock (check out the pic with Spade Ace and Microman #10.)!! Like the Takara Microman line, these cool dudes also sport the same points of articulation. And yes, Popy did make various ships and cars which appeared on the show for these figures (wish I had 'em tho...). Since I bought mine loose, I can't confirm if they have any weapons, but I do know from old Popy catalog that they came in clear coffin-like tube chambers.
Additional useless info: Popy also released a Starzinger line like these JAKQ figures.
Update 8.11.01: Rob "Know-it-Almost" Duban notes that these toys are actually by Victora. Jump to the Victora Datafiles for more JAKQ goodness.
-- CW Louis
8.9.01:
Atomic ArrivalSurprise! Unifive's little licensed android boy, Tetsuwan Atom, is on the shelves two weeks early.
Help yourself to Cho Shin Gokin gimmicked goodness, including spring-loaded, flame-ejecting jet boots, pop-open chest hatches, light-up eyes, and stunning dioramas for only ¥7800.
-- Darren
8.8.01: Forgotten Henkei File #2
Thunder Jet + Twin Driller + God Tank
Gattai Denjin God Zenon
Gattai Chojin Thunder Gridman
NOTE: Displayed is the Playmates 'Superhuman Samurai Syber Squad' US release. Identical to the original Takara version, except that the "Servo/Gridman" figure lacks electronics.
-- Yappy
8.8.01:
Fiery PhoeBricks!Thanks to the magnanimity of Mr. Facets, we are treated to lovely close-ups of Yujin's upcoming Kubrick-esque Gatchaman figures. Enjoy!
- Ken Washio
(aka Mark/ Ace Goodheart/ Hunter Harris) - Joe Asakura
(aka Jason/ Dirk Daring/ Joe Thax) - Jun
(aka Princess/ Agatha Jun/ Kelly Jenar) - Jinpei
(aka Keyop/ Peewee/ Mickey Dougan) - Ryu Nakanishi
(aka Tiny/ Hootie/ Ollie Keeawanl) - Dr. Kozaburo Nambu
(aka Chief Anderson/ Dr. Brighthead/ Dr. Thaddeus Keane)
-- TBDX Rumble Crew
8.8.01:
JM Megatron Pt. 2Some of you have gotten a sneak at these some of you haven't. I added the ball and chain only seen in (Transformers "More Than Meets the Eye" pt.2) as well as the Photon Cannon shield only seen in (Transformers "More Than Meets the Eye" pt. 3".) The plexi glass used will have to be lighter and the shading will be changed a bit.
As far as the ball and chain goes, in production it will be cheaper and easier to use a real metal chain. The links might also be larger. I decided to spike up the ball more than on the episode to give it a little more of a threatining look. Now the problem: On the show this ball and chain was made of energy with a pinkish glow. This can be reproduced with a form of clear resin with a pink tint to it. I'm just wondering if it won't come off looking sorta sissy-ish. On the other hand the all black ball has a heavy metal kick butt look to it, which makes me want to do the ball in all black, but I still want to keep to the show theme.
As a side note: The Photon Cannon was made from the toy box art which is quite larger than the show's cannon, hey in sci-fi a bigger gun is always the way to go.
Please let me know which direction everyone thinks I should go with the ball and chain. You can just post it or email me.
-- Marvin
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