Brave Series Guardion

Takara struck a cooperative deal with the animation studio Sunrise (known for its mecha series, most notably Gundam) to develop a new franchise and set of toy lines. The franchise, in fact, would play a key role in the reintroduction of the Super Robot genre to the Japanese mainstream in the 1990s. Before Brave Gaogaigar, there was many other brave series robots.

From the vintage animation series "Brave of the Sun Fighbird." Here's one of the combiners from the series. Bad news, I don't have a complete set, Im still in search of Guard Wing so currently I can't merge to form Super Guardion.

The basic components to form Guardion:

All three of these cars transform into individual robots and also merge and form Guardion

Guard Star: Police car

Guard Fire: Fire engine

 Guard Rescue : Ambulance

The robot modes are pretty basic with minimal articulation much like most vintage robots.

 Guardion stands roughly 12 inches tall when combined, what I disliked, is Guardion lacks guns or weapons or worse still, maybe mine is lacking the guns or weapons.

Guardion is made up the 3 robots, the headsculpt is much like Optimus Prime with a twist.

I hope Guardwing flys my way, wish me luck.....plenty of luck.....please god...please god....

Toys WANTED: Popy Jumbo Machinder Combattler V

Always wanted a set of these over-sized plastic robots to line up in the kitchen, being very high priced and highly sought after, it's gonna awhile for me to find them all.. This is post is for my viewing pleasure.....I don't even have 1 Jumbo.....how I wish....Santa.....
Pictured is POPYs Jumbo Machinder Combattler V.

Translation from catalog: Super Magnetic Robo Combattler, fighting against the invasion of Earth by the Armored Tank Corps led by the Great General Garuda. Combattler V, the super robot of justice created by the combination of five battle machines. Now, let's play with the cool action-packed Jumbo Machinder Combattler V!

(Little caption by kid) "You can store your Popinika in his back!" "Attach the caterpillar treads from his back to the stomach, and change into the Battle-Tank!"

After Popy's success with the Jumbo Machinder series, several other Japanese companies, including Takatoku, Nakajima, and Clover began producing large-size plastic robot toys as well. Several of the Jumbo Machinders were retooled for sale in the USA in the late 1970s as Shogun Warriors.

Hasbro G1 commerative Decepticon Pirancon

Finally, a sale that was worth the wait, actually, I didn't know there was a sale, what a surprise, 20% off retail price, so it's $79.90 SGD less twenty.... thats sweet but I wasn't planning to get anything not when you're going on a date.....yeah, not too fret, there's always plan B.

Plan B was to pay for the toy, leave it at the bag counter and collect it the next day....viola!! problem solved

Ok, on to the toy, now right here, we have a Hasbro G1 commemorative Decepticon Piranacon set a reissue of the 1988 Generation 1 release. The box is a clear window design with dreamwave art on one side (I do dig the art alot) and the whole seacon team on the other.

Unlike the previous posts, usually showing the individual robots first than the combined form, for this post, it's gonna be vice versa, since Piranacon is packed in his gestault form in the packaging.

Piranacon is made up of 6 smaller robots, 5 to form the combined robot mode and the extra 1 more robot can be transformed into a gun. Pictured below, all Seacons in gun mode.

All seacons can transform into gun mode and fully interchangeable with each other. Due to that fact, many had rumored that Piranacon is a Combiner cum target master due to the fact that the gun transforms.

First up is Snaptrap, the leader and biggest Seacon, forms the main body of Piranacon. Snaptrap transforms into a ferocious turtle with cannons on it's shell. With only arm and elbow articulations, relatively common in all generation 1 figures.

Next up, one of faves, Overbite aka Jawbreaker which transforms into a mutant shark, which in fact looks damn cool to me.

Overbite in Gun mode

Seawing transform into a giant mutant manta ray.

Seawing in Gun mode.

Skalor transforms to a mutant fish-like monster.

Skalor in Gun mode.

Nautilator transforms into a insect like mutant crab.

Nautilator in Gun mode.

Lastly, Tentakil transforms into a squid-like monster.

Tentikil in gun mode.

This is a nice set, one flaw is that some of the pegs of the guns are to small hence are too loose and easily fall off. Not much major changes compared to the original except some colour differences and stickers. To me, I kinda feel that the plastic is inferior to the original release, maybe it's just me.

HG Bandai gachapon Chodenji Robo Combattler V

What's better than 1 gachapon, yup, you guessed it, 5 gachapons (wait is it gashapon? oh well), in other words, getting a complete set of this Combattler V Gachapon set. This set also includes a clear black set. Just in case, you guys, don't know what Im talking about, gachapon's are toy dispensing machines which  randomly dispenses toys, so you won't know what you're getting till you buy em. Yup, it's all about luck, my man....

From the classic vintage robot animation created by Sunrise.
Combattler V is made out of 5 vehicles.

Battle Jet becomes the head of Combattler V and is smallest vehicle.

Battle Crasher forms the chest and arms. Wings and landing gears are removed when in robot mode.

Battle Tank becomes the torso. The antenna move up and down. The claws are very hard to get in and out and most of the time.

Battle Marine forms the legs of Combattler V.

Battle Craft forms the feet with pegs to push out the drills.













All the vehicles combine to form combined vehicle mode or also known as Grand Dasher mode. The arms are supposed to be turned upwards being the lazy guy that I am, I just left it straight.

The accesories that came with this set shown below.

And of cos, the combined robot mode. Combattler V has basic articulation but fails to make any dynamic poses. In robot mode, Combattler V stands roughly 6 inches tall and still looks good in any chogokin collection.

Picture together with Combattler V, the clear black version.

Overall, I do love the set, the only thing I don't like are the extra parts that has to be taken out due to transformation. Storage is kinda a hassle and some parts are really small and easily lost.

The other bad news is the clear black version has really brittle plastic which tends to break easily after 2 or 3 transformations, I super glued mine back into robot-form and left it as it is ever since.