#1055 GO-BOTS - HANS-CUFF (MR-13) and SLICKS (MR-32) (1983 and 1984)

The first model today is a police car called Hans-Cuff or Police-Robo (MR-13). It belongs to the first series from 1983. It represents a Toyota Crown S110, which I tend to guess that it was used as a police car in Japan in the 80s. The car looks great, and the robot transformation is simple and nice. It has the same construction as many transforming robots that turn into cars.

As a general rule, I think that Go-Bots took special care on the alternate-forms of the robots, which are much nice than the alternate forms of Takara/Hasbro´s Transformers (personal opinion here).

The Formula 1 represents a Renault F1 from the early 80s and its called Slicks, although it is also known as F1-Robo or Renault Man (MR-32). It was part of the second series from 1984. As you probably know, the term slicks refer to the tires used in the speed racing championships, especially those used for good weather conditions which had no thread pattern at all (they are completely flat for a better grip). 

 

The Go-Bot behind it is rather complex, and difficult to transform. Due to its many parts, it is difficult to let it stand in a particular position, as, with the use, some connections or articulations are a bit loose. Still, as shown in the pictures, it looks truly great also in robot form.

Both robots were designed and commercialized by Tonka in 1983 in US, Canada and Japan and one year later by Bandai in other parts of the world, maybe with some colour changes or variations. The original Slicks was partly black, while this European Machine Robo version is completely yellow.

FACTS and FIGURES:

• Name: HANS-CUFF (MR-13) and SLICKS (MR-32)
• Toy Line: Go-Bots
• Year: 1983 and 1984
• Company: Bandai (Japan)
• Size of the figures: Approx. 7-9 cm length

#1051 YONEZAWA / DIAPET - HATO BUS (NO.D-159) (1967)

Sometimes you find something exceptional in a flea market. Here is a Japanese made die-cast Hato Bus from 1967. I'd like to know  what is the story behind this bus and how did it arrive in Austria. It probably belonged to somebody born in the late 50s or early 60s until it ended in a box full of die-cast cars and vehicles. It has been already several years in my collection.

I have tried to find some information about it on the Internet, but it is difficult. There are a few for sale, but the text does not reflect any importantt facts or data. It was also available in white and blue. Due to the red logo shown on each side, I thought, this might be a JAL Japan Airlines Bus, but it is not. The text on the sides says HATO BUSU. I don't know what does this mean or which company or city represents.

My bus toy is slightly damaged on the rear part, as if someone had stepped on it and sank its roof. As a result, the windows do not fit very well anymore. I could easily repair it, but I am afraid I could do more harm than good. So I didn´t try yet.  The body of the bus is attached to the base by means of a screw, so it would also be easy to open it, and mount it again. I guess it is not very valuable in this condition, but it is something rare, exotic and curious to have.

Yonezawa STS was one of the most important toy manufacturers of the tin era, and produced many robots and space-themed toys. Their offer also included vehicles in larger scales  (1:18 to 1:24) and die-cast miniatures, although these were mostly marketed under the Diapet brand. The die-cast models represented often the same models, only in a smaller scale, 1:40 or similar). 

The company was founded in the 50s and was involved since its early days in the production of mechanical and battery operated tin toys. During the late 60s or early 70s, they also produced vynil toys (a kaiju helmet) and, in the 80s, they also were involved in radio-controlled toys. In 1991, the company was absorved by Sega to become Sega-Yonezawa, although this brand was dropped in April 1998. 

The logo of the company is a letter “Y” inside a cherry blossom (five-petal flower, known as sakura), which is a motif used by many comtemporary toy manufacturers. 

FACTS AND FIGURES: 

• Name: HATO BUS (D-159)
• Alternate Names: はとバス ヨネザワ ダイヤペット
• Scale: 1:90
• Year: 1967
• Company: Yonezawa / Diapet (Japan)
• Size: approx. 15 cm

#1032 TRANSFORMERS – POWERMASTER DREADWIND with HI-TEST (1988)

It took me around 15 years to complete this toy. I found the plane/figure first so many years ago, then the two guns around 5 years ago, and finally, last year, I got the Powermaster figure in a lot where it was not depicted! It was a “gift” from the seller. I had actually bought other Transformers stuff, but not this part.

This model is one of my favorite transformers in my collection (I do not have too many), not just for the difficulty of completing it, but also because both the plane and the robot look great, it is easy to transform and has nice accessories. The colours are also interesting, with grey and light blue for a plane plus deception-purple. 

The Powermaster Hi-Test is also a nice cute little robot that transforms into a simulated motor that fits into the upper part of the plane, and, due to its size, is very difficult to find. It has a chromed part on the back, and it is only roughly articulated. Its arms move and its legs fold up to fit in the slot.

Dreadwind couples with Darkwing (a very similar jet, but made in darker shades of grey) to form Dreadwing. Also their weapons combine.

DREADWIND

    Faction: Decepticons
    Subgroup: Powermasters
    Function: Air Defense
    Motto: "Fear is a friend whose presence is felt long after he's left."
    Bio: As ominous as a storm cloud and as chilling as a winter breeze. Grim and gloomy -- always acts as if his best friend just became permanently inoperative. Binary-bonded to the Nebulan, Hi-Test, a thrill-seeking, over-achieving perfectionist, constantly striving to keep Dreadwind's morose mind on his evil work. Equipped with two thermal melters and two air-to-air missiles. Combines with Darkwing to form Dreadwing.

    Tech Specs for Dreadwind

        Strength: 6
        Intelligence: 8
        Speed: 7
        Endurance: 8
        Rank: 6
        Courage: 7
        Firepower: 7
        Skill: 8

FACTS and FIGURES:

    Name: POWERMASTERS DREADWIND with HI-TEST
    Toy Line: Transformers (G1)
    Year: 1988
    Company: Hasbro (U.S.A.)
    Size of the toy: Around 20 cm in Jet mode

#1024 TOMICA – TV TRUCK (Nr. 75 or Nr. 29-75) (1974)

I haven´t shown any die-cast made by this brand since a long time. (Almost) All cars I had in my collection have been shown already in this blog, but this one was my last acquisition. I bought it in my city and collected it directly from the seller. It was not very expensive, and since it is my first and only carded or boxed vintage Tomica, I decided to buy it.

I love it, it is a nice TV van, based on an Isuzu van. The cast shows several doors and compartments on both sides of the vehicle and a practicable rear door, but there are no other details (such as antennas) that would help identify the car more properly, except for the stickers on the sides of the vehicle, which, by the way, can be red “NHK COLOR TV” or blue “TV TRUCK”. (NHK is the Japanese national broadcasting company)

My toy was released in the Pocket Cars series, which, as you know, it was intended for foreign markets (these are all marked “TV TRUCK”. They are not so sought-for as the Japanese releases (“NHK COLOR TV”) in the standard black box, and there is a earlier variant with another type of wheels. In particular, this one is partially written in German, and includes a backcatalogue with several Tomica references of the same series.

There are several  alternative decorations in the same colours, but with alternative tampographies on the sides: “Minicar Shop Open” in green, “East Land” in red, or even both at the same time (I have spotted one model carrying both tampographies).

In 1979 the same cast was also used in reference nr. 8, Isuzu Blood Bank Car, in white and green. Many years later, it was reissued in white and blue, but with a darker shade of blue.

FACTS AND FIGURES:

• Name: TV TRUCK (Nr. 75)
• Scale: 1:122
• Year: 1974
• Company: Tomica (Japan)
• Size: 6 cms

#1005 BLUE BOX – PENNY RACERS and TRAFALGAR – COIN CHARGERS (Around 1989 and 1982, respectively)

The Penny Racers (or, in Japanese, Choro-Q) are best known under the Takara brand, which is also the company that introduced them in 1978. They were based on a previous toyline called Mame Dash which was discontinued in 1980.

They are miniature pull-back cars with superdeformed dimensions (Choro is an abbreviation to the Japanese word for “cute”), in whose rear part there is a slot in which you can insert, if you wish, a small coin (f.e. a penny) and the car will drive on two wheels, making nice acrobacies on its way. There were a lot of tracks to go with and the variety was enourmous, as they encountered great success both in Japan and outside Japan. The license has even make it up to a dozen videogames and some Transformers sub-lines are also Penny Racers, not to forget the licenses awarded to Blue Box, Funrise, Tonka and others. Even it may seem strange, the original Japanese line was aimed to adult collectors, whereas Tonka version (called the Turbo Tricksters) is intended for children. There were all kinds of vehicles made, and they are still being sold in many countries, so it is a line that is still alive and producing many different models per year. 

 

The blue and yellow buggy is my only Penny Racer, I bought is for one euro in a fle market around 4 years ago. It is a nice model with a decoration and colour combination that was usual in the 90s. You can read more about Blue Box Toys here.

Another model which fits into this category of toys, but it is actually a knock-off is this Coin Chargers by the Hong-Kongese company Trafalgar. This one is clearly older (probably from the early 80s) and represents a fire truck. It was a gift from Steven and it is still carded, which is always nice to see. The instructions are in simple English and include some errors. The backcard shows other 5 models, but you can observe that the Coin Chargers were probably sold for very little money, as the quality of the package is rather low, although at the time, most products of its kind had (more or less) this quality.

UPDATE (May/2023): I got this model from my friend Steven, and it is matching exactly the first model shown in this entry. It is also made by Blue Box.

FACTS AND FIGURES

• Name: BUGGY and FIRE TRUCK 
• Scale: Approx. 1:90
• Year: Around 1989 and around 1982, respectively
• Company: Blue Box (Hong-Kong) and Trafalgar Toys (Hong-Kong) based on a license or copied from Takara's Choro-Q
  
• Size: approx. 4 cm

#973 SHOGUN WARRIORS – 3 INCHES/COLLECTOR’S SERIES GREAT MAZINGA, POSEIDON and COMBATTRA (1979)

 
Mattel imported and sold under his name several series of robots made in Japan by the end of the 70s. They represent famous robots from popular anime series of the time.

The figures shown here are the smallest produced (Collector’s series), and have around 3 inches of height. There were other 5 inches (Die-Cast Metal), 6 inches (Two-in-One) and up to 24 inches (Jumbo). All but these have spring loaded missile (or fist) launchers, and therefore included small accessories that are easily lost.

This series I present today were sold in individual cardboard boxes with window and inlay.

Great Mazinga

The characters were basically the same for all series (with some variations). There were also vehicles. For the collector’s series, the characters included were:

• Great Mazinga
• Poseidon
• Combattra
• Dragun
• Grandizer
• Gaiking

A second release would add:

• Dangard
• Leopaldon
• Voltes V
• 17

Poseidon

The collectors series were later sold in a different kind of package “Mini GoDaikins”, and they are identical except for a Taiwan instead of Japan marking on the back and metallic stickers. Some are very rare, while others are much more common. As always, only complete und unbroken toys are really valuable, and some of the references in this toyline are really fragile. See the little antennas of Combattra, or Mazinga head’s spikes, they are often missing! Also stickers are important. The Poseidon in the pictures is missing its head sticker, that it why it looks so strange.

The Shogun Warriors toylines with firing missiles were discontinued in 1980 due to safety regulations, but this line continued for a few years more. Because of this, and also because they were cheaper than the others, there are much easier to find nowadays. They were very popular in Central Europe.

Combattra

I’d definitely like to get all 10!

ReAction recently released a series of articulated figures inspired in this old Mattel collection.

FACTS AND FIGURES:

• Name: GREAT MAZINGA, POSEIDON and COMBATTRA [COLLECTOR’S SERIES] (3 INCHES)
• Toy Line: SHOGUN WARRIORS
• Year: 1979
• Company: Mattel (U.S.A./Japan)
• Size of the figures: Around 7 cm (3-3.5 inches)

#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