Another pink robot ? Nope ! It's a ZAKU !

Gundams had their evil nemesis also.

These oponents would prove very hard to vanquish... and would become as recognizable as the Gundam robots themselves.

Gundam Chogokin GD-20 MS-06S Zaku
(Char Custom), Bandai, China, 1999 

Where's the Honey Baby ?

For the sake of nostalgy (and to prove that I don't only collect robots and spaceships) a little flashback to our wonder years.

Willy (left) and Maya (right), Brintois, Portugal,
1970's

I think this cartoon has aired in about every single country I lived in. So it should touch the memories of thousands of you. The Adventures of Maya the Bee (German: Die Biene Maja) first started as a book, written by Waldemar Bonsels (German) and published in 1912. Here the Fench intro-song.

I copy you, you copy me...

Plastic Space gun, ?, Macau,
1960's (in background Space Outlaw gun)

Plastic Space gun, ?, Macau,
1960's

When a design is that good - it has to be used again, doesn't it ? Not a 100% copy (longer scope, vertical bars instead of horizontal ones on top of barrel) but a very close match. Even the rocket and the stars on the grip are identical...

Sagittarius robot, Son Ai Toy, Taiwan,

1980's

Sagittarius robot (detail),  Son Ai Toy, 
Taiwan, 1980's

Some plastic robots are really weird looking. This is one of them. Viking stickers - cool helmet. I don't know if it had a rider or not. Maybe a shield and a sword in both hands...

Like father... like son

Donald Campbell's Bluebird, Everife toys, Hong Kong,
1970's

Whe would they paint this car orange ? The original was blue - blue like Bluebird... Also not there is the plane-like back fin that was used for the speed record of 1963-64.

Sir Malcolm Campbell's Bluebird...

Wooden wheels and paintloss,
but what a toy !

Bluebird, A.R., France,
1935-36 (?)

In the craziness between the two wars, people were pushing the envelope of just how fast they could go, both in the air, on land or on the water... Sir Campbell was one of those "lunatics", beating speed record after speed record. How did he do it ? Improving on his vehicles - and using bigger and better engines all the time. The first Bluebird car was raced using a Napier-Lion engine, but this model (rebuilt car in 1931) had a powerful Rolls-Royce R V12 engine with supercharger. On 3 September 1935 the speed of 300 mph was achieved (about 480 km/h) on the Bonneville Salt Flats of Utah.

Tragically, it is about at around the same speed that his son, Donald Campbell, would die in 1967 - but this time on water... See http://www.sirmalcolmcampbell.com/sirrecord.html for the list of all speed records of the time.

All that shines is not gold...

In the days before CGI (Computer generated images) a real actor had to go in a suit and do whatever was needed to cast his/her role. This post is dedicated to one of these "men behind the mask", Anthony Daniels.

Without them, no original Star Wars would have ever existed...

C3PO (12"), General Mills, Hong Kong,
1978

Fritz Lang's Maria, Metropolis
She was inspirational for the overall design of C3PO

Weirdos from outer space

Keychain - ? - Hong Kong,
1970's

Rubber flubber on spacebike with suction thingy, ?, Hong Kong,
1970's

Sometimes toys are so weird they just get appealing... This is the case for these 2 little gems. Spacemen ? maybe... Aliens? more probably so. No idea who made them - but they certainly let their imagination go whack ! (or maybe smoking some mushroom from a foreign planet....hmmm)

Alien charm, ?, Hong Kong, 1970's

First TOYfair in Lisbon

The first Toy fair in Lisbon happened last weekend. While the space and the expositors are not the ones found in Paris or Brussels, it was nevertheless a good start - with lots of public coming in (entrance was free) and some nice toys on display.

Also to note was a good job from the 501st Star Wars legion - Portugal, who were responsible for promoting the whole event on the streets surrounding hotel Roma.

Warning ! Rocket transporter ...

Rocket whistle, SPEC TOY products,
USA, 1950's

Truck, Reliable, Canada, 1950's

These 2 toys were never sold together... but they sure look nice as a set.

Blasters or rainbow ?

Rayguns, ?, China,
1990's

If you need to fight crime in the galaxy, why not add a little color to your daily routine ? To be joyfull, at least...

The Arcadia is back (part 2) !

Arcadia (DX), Takatoku, Japan,
1970's

... and this is big brother. Not as slim as the ship below, it has a very nice feature: you can insert batteries in the base and the whole ship lights up (nose, canons, reactors). The electrical connection is made through a pin that goes into the belly of Harlock's vessel.

The Arcadia is back (part 1) !

Takara made 2 models of this ship, and Takatoku 2... this is the smaller one and the one more to size and to color of the original TV series. It has the very cool spring loaded knife feature in the nose. If I was a space pirate one day in need of a ship, that would be it.

Arcadia, Takatoku, Japan,
1970's

R2, did you eat the plans of the Death Star Again ?

R2D2 Candy Container, HASBRO, China,
2000's

... Then go and wash your teeth before going to bed, will you ? Robots can be fun to collect - but don't forget to eat all what's inside before putting them on display !

Keep Fit ! Exercize with Robocon !

... and down

Robocon, Bootleg ?,
Japan, 1970's

... and up !

When you feel you are blown - this is a little exercize. Better than weight watchers ! And very good for these abdominals !

Pez Heads from Gotham

Riddler, Joker, Batman and Two-face, PEZ, China (?)
2010's

Miauooowwww !

Hmmm. You scratch my back and I scratch yours, Mrs Selina Kyle ! As mischieveous as ever - but really cool looking for a bad guy - or is she ?

Catwoman (bank), WB stores, China,
1999

Selina Kyle with a smile....

Victory Gundam "Ver.Ka"

Mobile E.Suit LM312V04/06 Victory Gundam "Ver.Ka.", M/G kit,  Bandai,
Japan, 2009

This is the first M/G (master Grade) kit I built of the Gundam series. Pretty nice and I enjoyed putting it together. Did not go through with all the stickers though - I reckon I will need another 8 hours to get them all where they belong...

Clicker rifle.

Space clicker riftle - ? - England ? - 1960's (?)

This is one of the other "no markings" "no idea" toys I have. The helmet of the astronaut seems a lot like the Dan Dare designs (with extra grill-mesh on hte visor - meteroid protection ?). Nice litho, simple design "clicker toy".

Huki Stratoliner

(left) Huki Stratoliner (reproduction) Windup - Retrotoys Tinmen- India - 2010's
(right) Plastic Stratoliner - (?) - maybe Portugal or Germany - 1970's (?)

Sometimes toys appear from nowhere, and it gets really difficult to tell who made them, and when they were made. This is the case for this plastic version of the HUKI stratoliner toy. Another one of my FDL - finds here in Lisbon. (Feira da Ladra) The original HUKI toy is well known to collectors - on the left the reproduction of that toy. The plastic version is a close copy - except with very cool looking rivets. No markings. Anyone has x-tra info ? please contact me.