[Alen Yen's ToyboxDX]


    10.03.01-- 10.15.01
RUMBLE INDEX

10.15.01:Plastic Model Maddness!

Check out these spectacular photos from the "2001 All-Japan Plastic Model and R/C Show". Held from Thursday to Sunday of last week. There are photos of everything from FAZZ FIX,Jumbo Grade Gundams, RC Zakus and the new PG MK.II. There are also some interesting shots of S.F.3.D/M.A.K Gashapon type figures, and 'DX' MSIAs (Ha!)

Big happy warm nuggets of love go out to Adrian Mendoza for pointing this out to me and to the unknown publisher of these photos.

--Matt & Tim
10.15.01:FAZZ FIX!!

Check out Bandai's catalog shot of the upcoming Gundam FIX series Full Armor ZZ Gundam . Chunky, yet funky. 3,680 yen, hitting shelves end of November! You can see a prototype picture of the toy at Hobby Link Japan.
--Matt & Tim
10.15.01:Getter, compressed

Gotta Getta Takara Choro-Q! Getta I, II, and III, that is. Less than $10 each at any damn toy store on the Japanese archipelago. (The really amusing thing is how normal Getta III looks in this format.)

--Matt
10.15.01:Zaku Zaniness!

You loved the "Mass Production Type" Zaku Hybrid Model, that 1:12 scale behemoth of love. That another version would be released in Char's colors seemed almost a given, and lo and behold, here it is. Coming out this December at the low, low price of 198,000 yen, you just know you're not a REAL collector unless you get 'em all.

What's even more interesting, however, is that Bandai sez this is merely the BEGINNING: they're planning to release a THIRD 1:12 Hybrid Model sometime next year. Will it be yet another Zaku variant? Or something totally different? Unknown. But it's hard to believe Bandai sees a profit in this insanely oversized line of robots. More power to 'em.
--Matt
10.14.01:Arcadia:To weather or not to weather?

If you are having trouble making up your mind as to which version of the Miracle House Arcadia to buy, fret no more! Robozone has been kind enough to provide you with a beautiful expose` on the new, juicy Galaxy Express 999 diecast goody! Get the full scoop here!

--Tim
10.13.01:Prelude to a beauty: Getter 1

It's not like we have a shortage of Getter 1 renditions to choose from. Just when you think we have finally reached a saturation in the marketplace, along comes yet another rendition of Getter 1 or Mazinger.

Shortly following the announcement of the Getter Team SOC, a lovely piece of super robot toy crack hit the marketplace from the fine folks at Marmit. Getter sports numerous points of articulation, but really has no other gimmicks to speak of. He comes constructed like a Gokin, but alas, Gokin he is not. He is crafted from ABS plastic, really, really light weight ABS plastic with a few PVC parts, the hands, head and Getter Machine.

The worst feature is the filmy, cheesy plastic cape. Overall, he is pretty cool, one step above a Super Robot in Action figure about in line with the Medicom MAF line. He poses well, has a decent sculpt and can be had relatively cheaply. I got mine from a notorious auction site for $30 shipped. The original Japanese retail on this bad dude is 3800 yen.

--Tim
10.13.01:The new SOBs in town

Thanks to Sean's sly and crafty ways we now have a sneek peek of the next wave of little vinyl Soul of Bullmark goodies. I don't know about you, but I am gonna have to get these just for the Baltan!

--Tim and sean
10.13.01:Gatcha-crack!

One of my earliest and fondest memories of Japanese animation was Battle of the Planets, a.k.a. Gatchaman. I would rush home from the school bus, and right after the Bananna Splits, it was time for Mark, Jason, Tiny, Keyop, and Princess.

It seems that we are in the middle of a Gatchaman resurgence. Alex Ross and Top Cow Comics have announced that they have aquired the comic book rights to BotP, and will be producing a retro comic series. The first BotP DVD's hit the states on Oct 23. Diamond Comics announces a diecast Godphoenix and a new figure line. At last it is their time to shine. And the fans are in ecstasy!

Like you, I am eagerly awaiting the Unifive diecast godphoenix. I've seen these Gatchaman sets all over ebay and I decided I couldn't wait for the godphoenix to come out and I needed a Gatchaman fix NOW!

Well Thanks to the nice folks at XWorldImports I got hooked up with this 5 piece figure set from Unifive. It comes in the usual twist tie packaging with a nice backdrop. The figures them selves are basically gashapon level quality. ONE point of articulation: the head.

The figures stand about 3 inches tall. Ken (Mark), Joe (Jason), Ryu (Tiny), Jun (Princess) and Jinpei (Keyop) are represented. Sadly there is no sign of 7-zark-7 or 1-rover-1. The paint Job is ok, and the faces get pretty obscured by the masks. One nice feature about these is the display stand. there are 5 pieces, and when put together, the form that familiar "G". One thing could have been improved though, the stands don't lock together.

All in all, well worth the $20 bucks.

--JoshB
10.13.01:ULTRA MAGNET - Transform!

On a whim I actually decided to put batteries into my RiD Ultra Magnus. No secret that I really love some Takara stuff, a lot of the TF2000 and Web Diver/Wave Rider/ Rave Wider deluxe robots have had that special something that "speaks" to me, but I never felt the need to have them actually speak to me. So, anyway, I press the little button on the backpack and out comes his voice, boldly commanding "ULTRA MAGNET - Transform!". What's the deal with that?

--Keith


-Tim wants to know if a Rave Wider is a party where a bunch of overweight teens sit around abusing designer drugs.
10.12.01:Mass Production de Go Go!

Toys R Us Japan is up and ready to sell the Mass production VF-1A from the DYRL movie. This is the one colored in lovely shade of brown reminiscent of something we'd rather not bring up here. The much anticipated toy will be up for sale through their website on November 1st.

--Terry Horikiri
10.12.01:Rumble Re-Rack

Ladies and Gentlemen, Children of all ages, and Roger:

Allow us to apologize for being such slackers about updating the Rumble. Spent from our efforts giving birth to the Popy Datafile, we needed a few moments to recuperate and pull ourselves back together.

And pull ourselves back together we have: allow us to introduce the newest and quite possibly most Texan of the Two Live ToyboxDX Crew: Tim Brisko!

C'mon, let's give him a big hand! Tim's going to be acting as, er, "Rumblemaster" for the forseeable future, so keep those Rumbles coming in to the account, and feel free to pepper him with questions about My Little Pony. It's his specialty.

--Matt & the TBDX Gangstaz
10.12.01:The venerable King Kong

Thanks to many Yahoo! Japan searches (thanks Yapp for the URLs!), numerous emails and one financial exchange later, I hold in my hands the goofiest, most wonderful labor of gokin love. Yes my friends, I speak of the Ark King Kong.

To hold him is a delight. To pose him pure bliss. To gently caress his back while moving a limb.....pure terror! Little yellow missle to the eye! Not to mention the Nipple Blades of Doom. I have come close blinding myself with his projectiles several times in my few short days of ownership. These Ark toys have the most powerful springs of any gokin I own!

I can't go on enough about the quality of this toy. Easily 70-80% metal and extremely articulated. He sports projectiles and the nipple knife gimmick. He launches plastic and paper planes. from his navel and comes with a little ball and chain to keep him anchored while you're at work. He comes completely apart, re-assembles not only with his own parts, but also with parts of any other Ark toy as well. His quality is only matched by his sheer lunacy.

Big props to Masato Shono for helping me aquire this fine piece at a really fair price.

--Tim
10.12.01:Kargosaur Filled Dreams

I blame Harkavy. I really do. It may sound strange to blame a Mechaman for my Gaiking obsession, but I do pin it on the likes of him. He just had to go on and on about those damn little Gaiking beasties that came with the GX-05 Soul of Daikumaryu. When I got my GX-05 I was instantly in love with the little HG Gasphapon beasts. It started there. Then love grew for the SOC Daiku and weeking until I had to have MORE, MORE I SAY!

I knew there was no end in sight, I had to pull out the stops and go old skewl vintage to satisfy my desires. I had the FLOSR Gaiking and loved him, but I was not aware of the unholy door I was about to open into Gaiking collector hell. I rapidly scoured the earth for the three Popinica beasts, Bazoler, Nessar and Syler. I procured a GA-51 ala Shogun Gaiking......but there was still something missing....

K A R G O S A U R ! ! !

Now the family is a bit more complete. Thanks to the wonderful generosity of a fellow collector we all know and love, I now possess my very own piece of miniature diecast Daikumaryu love.....and in minty fresh condition to boot. As it seems to have become a tradition around here he also came wonderfully packaged with an extra little bit of love, a Popy Vinyl Skyler.

As far as the piece is concerned, think of the GX-05 like a finely tuned Speilberg film with the special effects by ILM. The Kargy is like the well crafted book the movie was based on with all of its richness derived from the imagination of its audience. Truly a magnificent piece, with an honored space in my collection and in my heart.

--Tim
10.3.01:POPY POWER!

Whether you're a collector of the newest of the new or a die-hard fan of vintage obscurity, chances are you got your start in this hobby via Popy's "Chogokin" series of diecast robots and "Popinika" series of vehicles. Even today, their presence surrounds us in vintage shops, on online auctions, fan websites, and collector shelves. Yet a handy Datafile for them has been long in coming. You asked for it. Politely, even. When that didn't work, you begged, wheedled, whined. Cajoled. Yet your digital caresses went unrequited.

Until now.

Thanks to Matt's translations and pithy prose, photos culled from the collections of a variety of co-conspirators, and a mind-numbing amount of spectacular design work by web maestro Marc "Derux" Raley, we've managed to make a Datafile of Popy's Chogokin and Popinika a reality. Bandai's stuff is in there, too. And a few extra goodies to boot. Poke around, and let us know what you think. And if you happen to have images that we don't, PLEASE feel free to submit 'em directly to monsignor Marc himself.

And now, without further ado, allow ToyboxDX to introduce the obsessive, yet playfully decadent, CHOGOKIN DATAFILE. Bon appetit!

--Matt, Marc, 'n the whole damn TBDX Crew


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