Building robots - Gunpla

Brave Battle Warriors - 021, BANDAI, Japan, 2010

Holidays are there - and this means I have some time to assemble a number of these. GUNPLA means "Gundam Plastic Modelling". The fun here is that these models do not require any glue or paint. And throught the use of "polycaps" (= flexible joints / articulations), they can transform and are fully posable/ playabe at the end of the built. Lots of research and engineering went into these.

Workbench

Instructions ? In japanese...

Tools of the builder !

Check this site also for other incredible models: http://www.gaijin-gunpla.com/

Titanic in space !

That cannon should not be there !

I'm the king of the world !

At least you know they are steam-powered !
chimneys, people... chimneys !

Robot Boat,?, Argentina, 1960's?

Row, row, row your boat,
Gently down the stream.
Merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily,
Life is but a dream. 

What were the toy-designers thinking ?
...and what were they smoking ?

Vader in brickland...

My brothers and sister know I am a geek and even though we don't see each other as often as I wished - they send me pics that feed my passion. These here below were taken in Billund (Danemark) at the original LEGOLAND. Thanks Benjamin !

Golden lion bot (or something like that)

Robot (?), ?, China, 1990's

... in other words I have no clue. If you now this robot please give me info. (before I start printing his face on milk cartons... lol)

It's summertime !

Sand bucket, Berchet,
France 1978-79 

The "Atlantis/Arcadia"

So ? Let's go to the beach - space pirate style ! Now all we need to do is decide which beach to go to...
En avant toutes !

Evel Knievel rocket car

Stuntman - a real obscure job only linked to the movie industry... That is, until this guy came around. He made a show out of it... and what a show ! In the 70ies, thousands of kids all over America watched this daredevil's stunts on TV. The fearless American Icon of a generation...

Evel Knievel Sky Cycle, Ideal, Hong Kong, 1976

Eat more peas !

Looks like a green man from Mars ? Nope - this is not your ordinary alien... Just a nice try to have kids eat more veggies !

Sprout, Green Giant Co. USA
1970's

Weird...

Eye man (?),  ?, presumably China

What you give to your kids to play may or may not interfere with what they become in their adult life. This is the action figurine for the would be ophtalmologist. All included with the blood vessels.

Basivally a ping pong ball with limbs... Who on earth would invent such a thing ?

4-legged bot that crawls like a spider

Mr. Monster Robot, Amico, Hong Kong, 1970's

Another bizarre robot from the 70ies. The legs go up and down, so this toy moves like a giant bug. Hey, robot, why do you have 4 eyes ? ... It is to better watch you, my child ! (no, wait... that's the wolf's story !)

Italian Bootleg

It comes in a nice window box...

... all green, with a single (!) cannon - tube

Galassia LS3, Polistil, Italy, 1979

Again, a flagrant case of "let's not pay any royalties" is this toy here... Launched by Italian toy-company Polistil - it is obviously a copy of the Captain Harlock Takatoku toy shown in my older post...
http://geoffstoys.blogspot.pt/2011/10/arcadia-is-back-part-2.html

Mister Euphor

Grandizer needed a pilot and that's him. I am showing one of the modern versions to you because my "vintage" puppet, like all other CEJI figurines, is on the "to restore" list. Stll trying to find decent repro hands and joints. If you can help please give me a call. (same for "Alcor")

Duke Fleed, High Dream Corp.,
China, 2000's

"Actarus" is his French name...

Leji Matsumoto

Because laughing with oneself is a characteristic that is essential to any great artist - having a figurine made up to your "cartoonish" self is not that bad either.

The father of Galaxy Express, Captain Harlock and Yamato/Starblazer's, to name but a few, has that honour...

Leji Matsumoto figurine, K.K. Comics,
 the toy...

...and the master!

Spock vs Klingons - UK style !

Dinky toys had always tons of play-value in them, and the British designers knew exactly what the kids wanted : spring-loaded features to send missiles (in this case - disks) at the touch of a button. The other main feature of the Enterprise is the hangar bay, which nests a little shuttle and serves as "landing gear" when open.

Ready to save solar systems !

Star Trek Enterprise, Dinky Toys,
England, 1978

Little orange shuttle nested inside
the belly...

Why can't I have this number
on my car's plate ?

going to war ?

Star Trek Klingon ship, Dinky Toys,
England, 1978

NCC-1701

The real one had photon torpedoes. This version has H2O as offensive/defensive system. Pretty though to blow entire planets with that - but really all the firepower needed to annoy your neighbour's cat! Set on stun!

USS Enterprise watergun, Azrak-Hamway, Hong Kong
1976

Did they made a Klingon ship also ?

Please Recycle !

Don't litter your galaxy - and after a lightsaber fight, please remember to clean up mess, limbs and all else left behind before you go-go... otherwise these guys will need to do the job.

Ugnaught, Kenner, Hong Kong, 1980

Jawa, Kenner, Hong Kong 1977