#140 KAÏDO – KAPAWACH, DAÏMAN and ORX (1990)

These Kaïdo figures are one of my favourite G.I.Joe (ARAH) bootlegs. These casts have been used during many years for different toy-lines, but since Kaïdo were the first I knew, I usually refer to them with that name.
 

This series was formed by ten figures and at least one vehicle. The figures, their function (if known) and affiliation were:

Kaïdo:

• Charkaff – Chief officer
• Kanats – Mine sweeper
• Slanders – Submarine combat squad chief
• Daïman – Pilot
• Zorgev – Commando Major
• Kapawack – Anti-drugs agent

New Order:

• Orx – Emperor of the New Order
• Zargone
• Alpacko – Coordinator of the New Order Organisation
• Molloch – Explosives Specialist
• Tetrark – Weapons Specialist
• Tarkhan - Special Agent

I remember that I bough Kapawack (the only figure I had during many years) during the holidays in a little village. The seller was a man who had these figures over a piece of cloth on the ground. These figures were available as well in the biggest and most famous department store in Spain: El Corte Inglés, but not in traditional toy shops or other toystores. I guess very few of them were ever made, because they are rare to find. These three are the only I have complete with box. I own the rest without backpack, weapons or box except Kanats.

There is not much I can say about the figures: they have a t-crotch, so the practicability of the figures is quite reduced compared to Hasbro’s G.I.Joe. The heads are great sculps, but the bodies could be improved, not only because they only made 4 different bodies for 12 figures, but also because they could be more detailed.

A very interesting point was the package in which they were sold. It had exactly the size of a VHS tape, and could be opened and close as many times as desired, since it was made of transparent plastic. I like this system much better than the classic card with a bubble attached to it.

The second positive point that these figures have, is a very detailed “missions passport”, more detailed than the filecards made by Hasbro (but less elaborated, a little “naïve” could we say). It included a description of the character, plus a map of the world and a piece of “top secret” information. See the complete booklet in the pictures below (unfortunately in spanish, and not translated yet)

As you have probably guessed from the first pictures, Kaïdo figures came with a talking backpack with two buttons: the first one was a spoken command, the second one, an action noise. This same idea was implemented by Hasbro in its “Talking Commanders” in 1990, at the same time than Bikin. These figures were released in Belgium and the Netherlands, so the voice commands were recorded in at least two languages: Spanish and Dutch, and, of course, sold in packages with the appropriate language.

Maybe you know them (or very similar figures) as:

• Adventure Man (by AM)
• M.P.A.C.T (E.M.P.A.C.T. in Spanish) (by Toyman)
• American Defense (unknown toymaker)
• Mega Cop (by Charter King)
• ...

All of them are repaints and recombinations of Kaïdo figures, with different heads, or even the same Kaïdo figures without any changes. All of them include the talking backpack (except the Mega Cops), and a few accessories.

And talking about accessories, it is interesting to mention, that almost all accessories included with Kaïdo figures are copied from Hasbros’ G.I.Joe or even from Lanard’s Corps. For example, Kapawack has the rifle which was originally available with Crazylegs (87) (without the stock), and the pistol available with Psyche-out (87). If you’re familiar with Hasbro’s G.I.Joe you’ll easily recognise some other accessories, like Viper’s (86), Lamprey’s (85) or Gung-ho’s (83) rifles, just to mention a few. Some figures also include the UZI, the long rifle or the short rifle that came with many Lanard figures. I have many of these accessories so I can compare then with the “original” ones, and I can say these are made of a lower quality, harder plastic, although they’re practically unidentifiable if you do not have both in your hands. As far as I am concerned, all the weapons packed with Kaïdo figures were made of black plastic.

From the three figures I present here, I can only offer loose pictures of Kapawack; the other two boxes are still sealed.

KAPAWACK:

A Peruvian soldier, expert in jungle and mountain warfare, has the mission to fight drug trafficking in South America and the Caribbean Sea. His family was killed but his brother Alpacko survived and was recruited by the evil New Empire.

DAÏMAN:

Daïman was a poor boy from Taipei, but his will is strong and finished his degree in computer science. He is also a black belt in karate, and motorcycle’s driver. He has an accident in one of his races, but he was determined to live. Afterwards joined the Kaïdo team and trained to be a jet pilot.

ORX:

Orx was a military tactician, space and rocketships’ pilot and a scientist. In his private base for launching communication satellites, he also suffers an accident, and survives, although his body has been severely burnt and damaged. Since that moment, his character changed and he starts wearing a pilot helmet. His plans now are to control the world.

 
FACTS AND FIGURES:

• Name: KAPAWACH, DAÏMAN and ORX (Ref.KS003, KS004 and KS010)
• Toy Line: Kaïdo
• Year: 1990
• Company: Bikin (Belgium)
• Size of the figures: 11 cm. or 3,75’’