#944 GOBOTS – VAMP amd SCORP (MRD-101, MRD-103) (1984)

The Go-Bot line with vehicles, called Machine-Robo, had more than 50 references, including every type of vehicle. This one is the most famous line that everybody remembers, but the Go-Bots also had an alternative line of “monsters”, called Devil Invader Series, that had references with the letters MRD (RMD in Europe), instead of just MR (or RM), I guess, the “D” comes from Devil.

I have just two robots belonging to this series, one Batmobile-alike vehicle that trasnforms into a vampire robot, and a Robot-Scorpion. Both are very cool and imaginative, they do surprise much more than the vehicles line.

All MRD references seem to be evil characters, unlike the MR references, who belong to one of two factions: “Friendly Robots” or “Enemy Robots”, although this was not always like this… at the beginning, there was no reference to the filiation of the robots, if any at all, but in later catalogues, there are some that show the robots in two separate groups. Maybe this was a consequence of the animated series (1984-85) in which there were good a bad go-bots that fought against each other.

I just discovered a great website with all Go-Bot toys and I think it deserves being promoted so it stays the reference site on the Internet about this Popy/Bandai/Tonka toyline. Pelase visit: http://www.the-liberator.net/

It has been a long time since the last entry dedicated to these nice transforming robots, but I guess we won’t have to wait so much for the next one… I have some more robots awaiting in the line to be presented.

FACTS AND FIGURES:

• Name: VAMP amd SCORP (MRD-101, MRD-103)
• Alternate Names: CASMODON, ZARIOS (Machine Robo names/ Japan)
• Toy Line: Go-Bots (Series 2)
• Year: 1984
• Company: Popy/ Bandai (Japan) / Tonka (U.S.A.)
• Size of the figures: Around 8 cm

#845 TOYS FROM THE PAST - MUSEUM (VIII)

See more of these entries here: http://toysfromthepast.blogspot.com/search/label/TFTP

See you next month!

Important notice: The items on display are NOT for sale.

 

#274 GOBOTS – SPAY-C, REST-Q, ZERO and FLIP-TOP (Nrs. 14, 15, 39 and 40) (1983, 1984 and 1985)

In this entry I will present 4 more robots from my Gobots/ Machine Robo collection. The robots belong to the same series are these presented in entry #179, that’s the small “MR” series. There’s nothing in particular to comment about these, since they’re relatively common models.

SPAY-C (MR-14) and REST-Q (MR-15)

ZERO (MR-39) and FLIP-TOP (MR-40)

UPDATE (JUNE 2018) I bought the card for Spay-C, so I include it here for completion. It might be commented in future entries again. The front card shows a picture of the robot and its alternate mode (in the blister card, the toy came in its robot form). The backcard shows several models, mostly from the first produced (low reference numbers).

FACTS and FIGURES:

• Name: SPAY-C, REST-Q, ZERO and FLIP-TOP  (Nrs. 14, 15, 39 and 40)
• Alternate Names: SHUTTLE ROBO, AMBULANCE ROBO, ZERO ROBO and KAMAN ROBO (Machine Robo names/ Japan)
• Toy Line: Go-Bots
• Year: 1983, 1984, 1985 and 1985
• Company: Popy/ Bandai (Japan) / Tonka (U.S.A.)
• Size of the figures: Around 7 cm (between  2’’ and 3’’) in robot mode.

#171 GOBOTS – DIVE-DIVE, NIGHT RANGER and BAD BOY (Nrs. 33, 37 and 47) (1983 and 1984)

I discovered this line recently, as I bought a mixed lot of transformers in which some Gobots and some knock-offs were included. These three Gobots, however, do not come from that lot, but from an exchange with Romain. Thanks!

I have to say, that I was quite surprised with the quality of these toys, which I always considered to be low quality, Transformers knock-offs, since I knew TFs first, and comparisons are unavoidable.

 DIVE-DIVE (Nr. 33)

The Gobots are transforming robots, originally created by Popy of Japan in 1982, and originally named “Machine Robo”. “Gobots” is the name given by the American toymaker Tonka, as they imported the line to the U.S.A. First they used the "Machine Men" name (in Europe it would be "Machine Robo"), but it was later changed to "Gobots".  Hasbro had done almost the same thing with the “Transformers” line one year before, named originally “Diaclone” by its creator Takara, and first sold under the "Diaclone" brand.

In both lines, the robots have their own personality and characteristics, but Transformers have deeper backgrounds and bios than Gobots. The Gobots had two TV series produced by Hanna-Barbera in 1984 and 1986 (the second one dedicated to the “Rock Lords”, which is a different toy line, a spin-off of the Gobots).  

BAD BOY (Nr. 47)

In the first years, the Gobots sold very well in the U.S., but later, they were overtaken by Transformers, because Hasbro was a bigger company and had more money to spend in promoting its toy-line. Hasbro Toys were also far more sophisticated toys, with more complex transformations, included accessories, and so on.

It is important to mention that there were bigger Gobots, with more complex transformations. Hasbro’s Transformers in this size neither have spectacular transformations, so the critics above do not always apply. About durability, my impression is that the articulations in Gobots tend to come loose and are not so durable, although plastic and metallic parts have great quality.

Anyway, Gobots are great toy robots, and even though the transformation is not always very good, I find them especially charming. As they came without accessories, they are most of the times complete, so that’s one thing less to worry about.

 NIGHT RANGER (Nr. 37)

The three robots presented in this entry are three beautiful examples of this collection. Bad Boy doesn't have an specially beautiful robot-mode, but as a bomber is absolutely great. Night Ranger is very similar to a Transformers called Groove from 1986.

FACTS and FIGURES:

• Name: DIVE-DIVE, NIGHT RANGER and BAD BOY (Nr. 33, 37 and 47)
• Alternate Names: SUBMARINE ROBO, HARLEY ROBO and FAIRCHILD ROBO (Machine Robo names/ Japan)
• Toy Line: Go-Bots
• Year: 1983, 1983 and 1984
• Company: Popy/ Bandai (Japan) / Tonka (U.S.A.)
• Size of the figures: Around 7 cm (between  2’’ and 3’’) in robot mode.