New acquisition - Japanese Transformers D-50: Motormaster and his Stunticons

Not many acquisitions lately (although I did get the MakeToys Green Giant). Walked around the shops yesterday because E was busy and saw this set.

Discussed it with my buddies on the other side of the world using What'sApp and in the end decided to get it - Menasor was my favourite childhood combiner after all.

Here is a preliminary picture, more to come later.

All pieces are MIB, strong C9 condition, complete and unused (sticker sheets unapplied).

~ HD

G1 Japanese mailaway exclusive Masterforce C-200: Lander MIB unused

I had no idea this piece existed.

Yes, I did know that Pretender Landmine was released in the USA in 1988, but I did not know that there was a Japanese boxed version, C-200: Lander, that was correspondingly released in Japan as part of the Chojin Masterforce series in 1988.

For the longest time, it was common perception among my collector friends and I that the Masterforce Cybertrons “began” with Metalhawk, since he was numbered C-201, which corresponds with the Destrons’ “first” Masterforce toy, D-201: Blood.

Then, in the last year or so, when I was ‘nearing’ completion of my Japanese G1 toys and was ‘diversifying’ into other TF paraphernalia, I discovered several pieces of vintage Masterforce marketing material that showed Landmine. He was not shown with the other Pretender figures but as part of what appeared to be a ‘special offer’ figure. At around the same time, I heard whispers from other collectors that ‘just when they thought they are done with Jap G1, they discovered that there is still the mailaway C-200: Lander to acquire!’.

C-200, it's true, it exists.

Comparison of MyClone Sideswipe and Red Alert

A couple of days ago, I wrote about the chase and pretty rare MyClone figure Red Alert. Today, I thought I'd have some comparison shots with him and his 'original' mold brother, Sideswipe, the MyClone version that is.

Here they are side by side. They are predominantly the same figure (actually most MyClones are since they share certain basic parts), that are repainted. Interestingly, they have their launchers on different sides, like they were shown on the G1 Marvel design sheets. I don't really consider that a variation through, because their arms can be popped out and just placed on different sides. But its nice to see Takara actually make the effort.

Takara MyClone Wave 3 Red Alert (chase)

During my collecting journey, I’ve collected many different kinds of Transformers PVC or “rubber” figures. For example, Decoys, Takara Super Collection Figures (“SCF”), Takara Mega Super Collection Figures (“Mega SCF”) and Hasbro’s Heroes of Cybertron, just to name a few.

However, I’ve never really collected the Takara MyClone series, which are ‘super deformed’ mini-figures representing various key G1 Transformers characters. 3 Waves of 6 figures each were released. Like the SCF line also being released around that period, each Wave has 2 ‘chase’ figures that were short-packed and blind-packed into each assortment. Again, like the SCF chase figures, these MyClone chase figures are pretty hard to come by, some more than others.

A couple of years back, when I was still based in Australia, a fellow collector asked me to help him look out for MyClone Red Alert, a chase figure from Wave 3 of the series. Back then, I thought, ‘how hard could it be? I’d come across this item on my travels, surely!’.

How wrong I was.

In the last 2-3 years of toy hunting, the only 2 MyClone chases that I’ve never, ever, seen before are Dirge and Red Alert (both from Wave 3). I don’t know what the deal was, but I had never imagined that a chase could be that hard to find. These are apparently so rare that even resources such as TFW or Shmax only either has a stock photo of Red Alert or none at all.

Enter Osaka in June / July this year. Arrived there. Went to a shop. Bam. There was a MyClone Red Alert standing right there among a bunch of regular MyClone figures. Jaw dropped. Bought it.

Here it is.

Takara Japanese exclusive Menasor and Defensor decoys MISP

Bought this during my recent trip to Osaka and Tokyo. 

I saw them on the first day, hesitated, but then bought them on the last day. Since these 2 decoys were of 2 of my favourite combiners, Defensor and Menasor, I decided to go for them in the end. Even got a 1000yen discount off the store owner.

Continues from my Decoy madness awhile back! - Part 1, Part 2 and Part 3.

I'm not really sure of the history behind these 2 decoys, but then, I've never seen them before. They are also taller than the standard sized decoys.

Some photos.

Transformers G1 Japanese mailaway exclusive Gnaw MIB

The "sharkticon" has always something of a weird character and even weirder toy to me. Back in 1986, when I first saw it in Transformers: The Movie for the first time, I never felt that it was menacing or even necessarily evil - it's just this pink and purple and grey rotund robot, and there was a lot of them. They tear robots apart in packs, but die easily when confronted, for example by Kup and Hot Rod.

Their robot mode is even more of a joke and less powerful than the "shark" mode. So afraid were they of Grimlock and the Dinobots that they listened to them instead of their masters at the very first suggestion by Grimlock - "I say execute them!".

The sharticon toy, called "Gnaw", was a toy that I've never wanted as a kid. 

Seriously, what's the point of a shark that did not look like a shark and that is pink and has arms and legs?!? It is however, an integral part of the 1986 Movie cast and therefore, I think has been traditionally quite expensive to get MIB. Over the years, I've steadfastly refused to fork out any large amounts of money for it and so only have a loose Gnaw before I got the one the subject of this post.

I got this from my trip to Japan and bought it from Mandarake Nakano. It's not very expensive and instead of just being a USA boxed Gnaw, this has the added gloss of actually being a Japanese mailaway exclusive - Gnaw was not available at regular retail in Japan and was a mailaway exclusive offer for the Japanese back in the day.

I show E this toy (as I show her all my purchases and toys) and she looked it over, and over and looked puzzled. Then she laughed and said "this guy looks stupid!". Hahaha... I actually quite agree. 

Still, its a strangely intriguing piece that I'd like in my collection, at this point.

Here it is.

Huh? That's just a USA MIB Gnaw. Actually, yes, I think so. Well, except for the golden sticker on the bottom right hand corner which says "限定版", which translates literally as "Limited Edition". In this case, it is a mailaway.

Heroic's Hunt - Osaka / Tokyo toy hunt tally!

Here it is, Heroic's usual tally up after a toy hunt trip.

When I was there, I kept thinking, man, there's nothing here and I bought things here and there. This morning, when I was tallying up my acquisitions, I realised that I've actually bought a fair few things.

A small caveat - I've snuck a few pieces that arrived before my Japan trip which I didn't have time to update as acquisitions into the group shot, heh. Bite me.

From Osaka / Tokyo:

1. Gnaw MIB, Japanese mailaway edition
2. C-107: Crosshairs MIB, unused
3. D-90: Slugslinger MIB
4. Micromaster MT-04 MISB
5. SD-21: Bruticus Maximus MISB
6. Lucky Draw black Tracks MISB
7. Decoy Defensor (green) MISP
8. Decoy Menasor (orange) MISP
9. MyClone Sideswipe
10. MyClone Red Alert (chase figure)
11. Brave Police Shadowmaru MIB, unused (Sixshot redeco)
12. TV Artbook #14
13. TV Artbook #43
14. TV Artbook #55
15. TV Magazine with foldout Transformers poster
16. Transformers: Generations 2012
17. Transformers G1 PC game pocket guide book
18. Bleach original art of Ichimaru Gin (not pictured)
19. Bleach original art of Kuchiki Byakuya (not pictured)
20. Diaclone MIB unused piece (not pictured)

Not from Japan but included in photo:

1. G1 Scourge MIB, unused (painted top version)
2. C-84: Sprung MIB, unused
3. C-202: Phoenix MIB, unused
4. C-203: Diver MIB, unused
5. D-329: Leozack MIB
6. D-330: Gai Hawk MIB
7. D-331: Hellbat MIB
8. D-332: Jarugar MIB
9. D-333: Killbison MIB
10. D-334: Drillhorn MIB
11. Toyworld Hegamon MIB

Overall acquisitions