I Gatcha !

G-3, Yendar Int.Co, Taiwan
2012

Phenix (G-5), Yendar Int.Co,
Taiwan 2012

G-2, Yendar Int.Co, Taiwan
2012

G-1, Yendar Int.Co, Taiwan
2012

G-4, Yendar Int.Co, Taiwan
2012

Can you tell who goes in which vehicle ? Come on ! It is not that hard !

the Burton Batmobile...

When Tim Burton took a shot at the Batman franchise, he needed to create a whole new car from scratch to be a dark nemesis against the baroque of the Gotham city he imagined. This is what it became... Bearing some "must have" from previous models, like the reactor, the wings, ... it had a much sober, more industrialized design.

Batmobile, Toybiz (?), China, 1989

Roof? what roof? Bats likes to go topless. No markings,
presumably China, 1989-1990

Happy-meal Batmobile for Batman Returns

With obviously the "Batmissile" mechanism, McDonald's
China, 1991

Super Deformed Barmobile, Hotwheels, Malaysia, 1990's

Batmobile, Hotwheels, Malaysia, 1990's

Batmobile, beach-toy, no markings

2 cockpits... for the price of one

Space ship, Marx (posibly copy by Tudor Rose or Kleeware ? no markings), USA or UK
1950's

Pure beauty... I don't know though why the plastic is speckled... some sort of space camouflage ? It has a certain "je ne sais quoi" of the Batplane...

I see the pistons moving !

Engine Robot, Horikawa, Japan, 1978 

Why would a robot be powered by an explosion engine ? Don't they have some other fuel in the future to get these guys going ? What will they invent next... Steam ?

The one that was hard to pass...

Tetsujin 28 Heavy Gokin, Marmit,
China, 1998

Chicago O'Hare. Before 9/11... check-in OK... buying a magazine or something before boarding the plane...
"Mister Geoffrey Peeters is needed at security, Mr. Geoffrey Peeters..."

There was the security with my suitcase full of toys. The big one - that I had dispatched at the counter minutes before.

"Sir, are you Geoffrey Peeters ?" yes... "What do you have in your suitcase ?" toys... "Toys (in disbelief) ?" yes, toys... "Can you open it please ? We saw a metal object on the x-ray that may look like a grenade..." a what ? "a grenade, sir"...

"What is this ?" it's Gigantor... "Gigantor ? Can you open the box and show me this item sir ?"

Took me 5 minutes to explain, but I was able to board and my suitcase went on the plane - with my all diecast, pot-belly Gigantor. (true story)

Today I guess I might get shot on sight for the crime of smuggling robots ! Be this a lesson to you all: if you travel by plane, leave your Gigantor home...

Yamato in the stars...

Some Japanese series made it to the States and not to Belgium... This is one of them.

Funny how the crown jewel of the Imperial fleet during WW2 transformed into a fully pledged spaceship... time goes on and repeats itself in Leji Matsumoto's world.

Space Battleship Yamato, Mimuko Co. Ltd., Japan, 1990's
(reedition of original POPY Toy from 1978)

The better halves...

I don't know about busts... Julius Cesar had some made, but history transformed his name in a salad dressing theme... I hope it won't happen with my favorite pirate...

Maetel, Aruze Corp., China, 2004

Harlock (from Cosmowarrior Zero),
Azure Corp., China, 2004

Emeraldas, Azure Corp., China, 2004

Holy Bubble Bath, Batman !

Bubbles, there comes the Joker ! Hello Catwoman, what do you use to get such a soft and nice smellin' (but deadly) touch ?

Bubble Bath, KID CARE, China
1999

Bubble Bath, Tsumura Int'l Inc.,
Thailand, 1991

Every would-be superhero needs to study the rules of basic hygiene... And no better way to do so with some Bat Bath Bubbles...

Another King of Speed ?

Record car, Midgetoy, USA, 1950's

Going to the Bonneville Salt Flats ? Or Daytona Beach ? Don't forget to use the right set of wheels !

A ship and a Queen...

Arcadia, Takara, Japan, 1970'ies

Since most stories cross themselves in an endless loop in Leji Matsumoto's world, it is no wonder that Harlock had his counterpart. Queen Emeraldas story is as tragic. She may be Maettel's sister, which would make her an imortal android also. But then, just like Harlock, she strives for liberty and the defense of those who cannot defend themselves...

Queen Emeraldas, Kaiyodo, Japan, 1999

El "Nono"

Spain has had its share of "cheaper" toys - made using existing tooling but produced in plastic instead of, let's say, plastic. VICMA used the molds of Popy toy and of French Chewing-gum figurine Nono to make this toy - which was complementary to its bendable line of the series.

Nono, Vicma, Spain, 1980's

OV terre....

This is the diecast rendering of "Alcor's" (Ok, ok... Koji for the rest of you) OV terre... (Don't ask to translate....). Like lots of POPY toys from that area, colors were not the ones of the show. But it had extra features, like extensible yellow arms that could be attached to the spring-loaded center/cockpit part.

UFO saucer PA60, Popy, Japan, 1976

Génération Galactik - "Coup de Coeur"

A great new book came out for all of you out there that are from the génération Goldorak - it's called "Génération Galactik" and by opening it you will just understand how kid's from the 70ies and 80ies in France (and Belgium, Switzerland...) were living their dreams with toys (and stickers, bowls, lamps, even bed-linen and pillowcases !) of their heroes.

Génération Galactic, une enfance dans les étoiles,
Vincent Dubost, Hors Collection, 2012- ISBN 978-2-258-00000-0

Merci Vincent ! Amitiés du Portugal !

It has it all ! Japanese Popy toys - French costumes and masks - stickers - and even the oh-so elusive "Goldorak" lamp !

Thanks for giving us back a piece of our childhood !

You can order this book directly with the publisher: www.horscollection.com or on Fnac, Amazon... Check also www.facebook.com/HorsCollection !

Grandizer went to the gym !

Or so it seems ! Doping problems ? Or just a toy designer that wanted to give him the HE-MAN look ?

UFO Robot Grendizer Revoltech, Kaiyodo,
China, 2010's

Rainbowy atomic head

This is another version of a character called Matango (see previous post). I just like the colorfull treatment it got (not a lot of pink monsters in my collection, so this one kind of stands out !)

Matango (Hawai version), M1Go,
Japan, 2010's

8 - bits

These are some Lego creations of video-game characters from the 80ies... Do you know their names ?