Godaikin
Encyclopedia
Godaikin or GoDaiKin was a line of Super Robot
toy
s released by Bandai America
from 1982 to 1985, composed of figures from Popy
series such as Chogokin
and Popinika.
had previously tried to market Popy
figures as Shogun Warriors
in the late 1970s, before the line was cancelled, partially due to safety concerns. In 1982 Bandai decided to try themselves, and came up with the Godaikin range. The name is a combination of the Japanese words for "alloy" (gokin) and "big" (dai), and is presented as "GoDaiKin" on the packaging (however, within collectors' sources, the title case version is more commonly used).
Popy selected ten of their most popular Deluxe (or DX) Chogokin figures for release in North America for 1982. These typically varied between 10 and 12 inches in height in robot mode, and came in large boxes with carrying handles on the sides. Bandai America had no American facilities for manufacturing the figures, instead shipping the toys from Japan
in styrofoam
to their New Jersey
US Headquarters where they were placed inside the new boxes. The toyline's tagline
was "An innovative series of super robots". Unlike most toys of the time, the figures did not have their wide selection of spring-loaded weapons left intact for the Western releases, which had only mild variations from the Japanese releases. Bandai's decision to aim the toys at an older audience may have been a factor in allowing them to circumvent safety laws.
The large size of the toys, the expense of their construction and the freight costs of shipping them over to America led to the toys being prohibitively expensive for many children (some having a retail price of around US $80), and sales were poor. For the second series of Godaikin figures, Bandai introduced a smaller range of figures alongside the next batch of Deluxes. The Standard Godaikin were all around 6 inches tall, and some were smaller versions of Deluxe figures released the same year. Some of these were actually DX Chogokin due to their features, but were bracketed as standard figures in America due to their size. Bandai also released some toys from the Big Scale Ships range to tie in with the figures.
However, in the face of competition from cheaper lines such as Transformers
and Gobots
, Godaikin still failed to take off. Unlike these series, Godaikin had no tie-in media to promote it, as the robots were drawn from a wide number of diverse anime
and tokusatsu
series. Some of these had been shown in America previously in different forms, but none were actively tied into the Godaikin brand.
The line would continue with infrequent releases for another couple of years, largely repackaging overstock from Japan, where the Super Robot market was suffering something of a decline. Godaikin figures regularly ended up reduced in an attempt to sell, and large numbers of unsold units were shipped on to Europe and Australia, where they were repackaged once more and sold as part of Bandai's Robo Machine
and Machine Men
ranges respectively.
While a commercial failure, the line introduced many collectors to high quality Japanese toys, and now good condition examples fetch large amounts on the second-hand market.
Golion would later find much greater fame as the star of the cartoon series Voltron
. Combattra was the only toy previously released in North America, as part of Shogun Warriors
.
Super Robot
is a term used in manga and anime to describe a giant robot or mecha, with an arsenal of fantastic super-powered weapons, extreme resistance to damage unless the plot calls for it, sometimes transformable or combined from two or more robots and/or vehicles usually piloted by young, daring heroes,...
toy
Toy
A toy is any object that can be used for play. Toys are associated commonly with children and pets. Playing with toys is often thought to be an enjoyable means of training the young for life in human society. Different materials are used to make toys enjoyable and cuddly to both young and old...
s released by Bandai America
Bandai
is a Japanese toy making and video game company, as well as the producer of a large number of plastic model kits. It is the world's third-largest producer of toys . Some ex-Bandai group companies produce anime and tokusatsu programs...
from 1982 to 1985, composed of figures from Popy
Popy
Popy Popy Popy (ポピー）was a Japanese toy manufacturer of the 1970s and early 1980s. The company was owned by Bandai. It was founded in 1971, and merged back into the parent company in 1983...
series such as Chogokin
Chogokin
is Japanese for "Super Alloy" and is a fictitious material which first appeared in Go Nagai's Mazinger Z manga and anime. It was later adopted by Popy in 1972 as the name of a new line of die-cast metal robot and character toys sold in Japan...
and Popinika.
History
MattelMattel
Mattel, Inc. is the world's largest toy company based on revenue. The products it produces include Fisher Price, Barbie dolls, Hot Wheels and Matchbox toys, Masters of the Universe, American Girl dolls, board games, and, in the early 1980s, video game consoles. The company's name is derived from...
had previously tried to market Popy
Popy
Popy Popy Popy (ポピー）was a Japanese toy manufacturer of the 1970s and early 1980s. The company was owned by Bandai. It was founded in 1971, and merged back into the parent company in 1983...
figures as Shogun Warriors
Shogun Warriors
The Shogun Warriors were the central characters of a line of toys licensed by Mattel Inc. during the late 1970s that consisted of a series of imported Japanese robots based on the then popular anime shows featuring giant robots...
in the late 1970s, before the line was cancelled, partially due to safety concerns. In 1982 Bandai decided to try themselves, and came up with the Godaikin range. The name is a combination of the Japanese words for "alloy" (gokin) and "big" (dai), and is presented as "GoDaiKin" on the packaging (however, within collectors' sources, the title case version is more commonly used).
Popy selected ten of their most popular Deluxe (or DX) Chogokin figures for release in North America for 1982. These typically varied between 10 and 12 inches in height in robot mode, and came in large boxes with carrying handles on the sides. Bandai America had no American facilities for manufacturing the figures, instead shipping the toys from Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
in styrofoam
Styrofoam
Styrofoam is a trademark of The Dow Chemical Company for closed-cell currently made for thermal insulation and craft applications. In 1941, researchers in Dow's Chemical Physics Lab found a way to make foamed polystyrene...
to their New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
US Headquarters where they were placed inside the new boxes. The toyline's tagline
Tagline
A tagline is a variant of a branding slogan typically used in marketing materials and advertising. The idea behind the concept is to create a memorable phrase that will sum up the tone and premise of a brand or product , or to reinforce the audience's memory of a product...
was "An innovative series of super robots". Unlike most toys of the time, the figures did not have their wide selection of spring-loaded weapons left intact for the Western releases, which had only mild variations from the Japanese releases. Bandai's decision to aim the toys at an older audience may have been a factor in allowing them to circumvent safety laws.
The large size of the toys, the expense of their construction and the freight costs of shipping them over to America led to the toys being prohibitively expensive for many children (some having a retail price of around US $80), and sales were poor. For the second series of Godaikin figures, Bandai introduced a smaller range of figures alongside the next batch of Deluxes. The Standard Godaikin were all around 6 inches tall, and some were smaller versions of Deluxe figures released the same year. Some of these were actually DX Chogokin due to their features, but were bracketed as standard figures in America due to their size. Bandai also released some toys from the Big Scale Ships range to tie in with the figures.
However, in the face of competition from cheaper lines such as Transformers
Transformers
A transformer is a device that transfers electrical energy from one circuit to another by magnetic coupling.Transformer may also refer to:* ASUS Eee Pad Transformer, an Android 3.2 Honeycomb tablet computer manufacturer by Asus...
and Gobots
Gobots
Gobots was a line of transforming robot toys produced by Tonka from 1983 to 1987, similar to Transformers. In 1991, the Gobots range was acquired from Tonka Inc. by Hasbro.-History:...
, Godaikin still failed to take off. Unlike these series, Godaikin had no tie-in media to promote it, as the robots were drawn from a wide number of diverse anime
Anime
is the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
and tokusatsu
Tokusatsu
is a Japanese term that applies to any live-action film or television drama that usually features superheroes and makes considerable use of special effects ....
series. Some of these had been shown in America previously in different forms, but none were actively tied into the Godaikin brand.
The line would continue with infrequent releases for another couple of years, largely repackaging overstock from Japan, where the Super Robot market was suffering something of a decline. Godaikin figures regularly ended up reduced in an attempt to sell, and large numbers of unsold units were shipped on to Europe and Australia, where they were repackaged once more and sold as part of Bandai's Robo Machine
Robo Machine
Robo Machine was a European transforming robot toyline released by Bandai from 1982 to 1988. The line was initially a European release of their Machine Robo line, before gradually becoming the counterpart to Tonka’s Gobots line...
and Machine Men
Machine Men
Machine Men was a Finnish heavy metal band, originally formed as an Iron Maiden cover band.-Band members:* Toni "Antony" Parviainen - Vocals* Turbo J-V - Guitar* Jani Noronen - Guitar* Eero Vehniäinen - Bass* Jarno Parantainen - Drums...
ranges respectively.
While a commercial failure, the line introduced many collectors to high quality Japanese toys, and now good condition examples fetch large amounts on the second-hand market.
Series 1 (1982-1983)
| Number | Figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 77053 | Combattra | DX Combattler V from Chōdenji Robo Combattler V |
| 77020 | Daltanius | DX Daltanius from Future Robo Daltanius Daltanius was an anime series that aired from 1979 to 1980. There were 47 episodes. There are a lot of alternate spellings for the name, which includes "Dartanius", "D'Artagnas", "Daltanias" and "Dartanias". But the correct spelling should be "Daltanious" which was commonly used on the Japanese merchandise... |
| 77047 | Gardian | DX Gordian from Gordian Warrior Gordian Warrior was a popular anime series aired in 1979 to 1981 in Japan. There were 73 episodes aired at 30 minutes each. It is also referred to as Champion of Gordian or Gardian.-Original Story:... |
| 77124 | God Marz | DX Godmars from Six God Combination Godmars Six God Combination Godmars is a popular anime series that aired from 1981 to 1982 in Japan, Hong Kong, and Italy with 64 episodes. Other loosely translated names are "Hexademon Symbiote God Mars", "Six God Union God Mars", and "Six Gods United As One Being"; sometimes spelling the title mecha as Godmars-Original story:In... |
| 77045 | God Sigma | DX God Sigma from Space Emperor God Sigma Space Emperor God Sigma is an anime series aired from 1980 to 1981. There were 50 episodes. It is also referred to as "God Σ Empire of Space" and "Space Combination God Σ".-Story:... |
| 77126 | Goggle V | DX Goggle Robo from Dai Sentai Goggle V Dai Sentai Goggle V is a Japanese tokusatsu television series. It was the sixth installment in Toei Company's Super Sentai series of tokusatsu television dramas. It aired on TV Asahi from February 6, 1982 to January 21, 1983, with a total of 50 episodes... |
| 77070 | Golion | DX Golion from King of the Beasts Golion Golion is a Japanese super robot anime television series. The animation from GoLion was edited and trimmed to create the Lion version of the U.S. Voltron: Defender of the Universe series, with new names and dialogue, as well as several plot changes... |
| 77065 | Sun Vulcan | DX Sun Vulcan Robo from Taiyo Sentai Sun Vulcan |
| 77601 | Tetsujin 28 | SG Tetsujin 28 from Tetsujin 28-go Tetsujin 28-go is a 1956 manga written and illustrated by Mitsuteru Yokoyama, who also created Giant Robo. The series centred on the adventures of a young boy named Shotaro Kaneda, who controlled a giant robot named Tetsujin 28, built by his late father.... |
| 77052 | Voltes V | DX Voltes V from Chōdenji Machine Voltes V |
Golion would later find much greater fame as the star of the cartoon series Voltron
Voltron
Voltron is the titular super robot of an anime series that features a team of young pilots, known as the Voltron Force. The team’s individual vehicles join together to form the giant super robot, with which they defend the galaxy from evil...
. Combattra was the only toy previously released in North America, as part of Shogun Warriors
Shogun Warriors
The Shogun Warriors were the central characters of a line of toys licensed by Mattel Inc. during the late 1970s that consisted of a series of imported Japanese robots based on the then popular anime shows featuring giant robots...
.
Series 2 (1984)
| Number | Figure | Assortment | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 300013 | Bio Man | Standard | ST Bio Robo from Choudenshi Bioman Choudenshi Bioman is Toei Company's eighth installment in the Super Sentai series. It was aired on TV Asahi from February 4, 1984 to January 26, 1985, with a total of 51 episodes, as well as a movie. Its international English title as listed by Toei is simply Bioman.-Plot:... |
| 300021 | Bio Man | Deluxe | DX Bio Robo from Choudenshi Bioman Choudenshi Bioman is Toei Company's eighth installment in the Super Sentai series. It was aired on TV Asahi from February 4, 1984 to January 26, 1985, with a total of 51 episodes, as well as a movie. Its international English title as listed by Toei is simply Bioman.-Plot:... |
| 302091 | Bio Dragon | Vehicle | Big Scale Bio Dragon from Choudenshi Bioman Choudenshi Bioman is Toei Company's eighth installment in the Super Sentai series. It was aired on TV Asahi from February 4, 1984 to January 26, 1985, with a total of 51 episodes, as well as a movie. Its international English title as listed by Toei is simply Bioman.-Plot:... |
| 377033 | Daidenjin | Standard | DX Daidenjin from Denshi Sentai Denziman |
| Daitetsujin 17 | Standard | DX One-Seven from Daitetsujin 17 Daitetsujin 17 is a 1977 tokusatsu series created by Shotaro Ishinomori and produced by Toei. It revolves around a giant battle robot commanded by a young boy who fights the giant robots of an evil organization bent on world conquest... |
|
| Daimos | Deluxe | DX Daimos from Tōshō Daimos | |
| 372461 | Dyjupiter | Ship | Big Scale Dy Jupiter from Kagaku Sentai Dynaman Kagaku Sentai Dynaman is the seventh installment of Toei Company's Super Sentai series. It aired on TV Asahi from February 5, 1983, to January 28, 1984, with a total of 51 episodes... |
| 377165 | Dynaman | Standard | ST Dyna Robo from Kagaku Sentai Dynaman Kagaku Sentai Dynaman is the seventh installment of Toei Company's Super Sentai series. It aired on TV Asahi from February 5, 1983, to January 28, 1984, with a total of 51 episodes... |
| 300006 | Dynaman | Deluxe | DX Dyna Robo from Kagaku Sentai Dynaman Kagaku Sentai Dynaman is the seventh installment of Toei Company's Super Sentai series. It aired on TV Asahi from February 5, 1983, to January 28, 1984, with a total of 51 episodes... |
| Leopaldon | Standard | DX Leopaldon from Spider-Man Spider-Man (tokusatsu) is a Japanese live-action television series produced by Toei Company, loosely based on Marvel's Spider-Man character. The series lasted 41 episodes, which aired on the Wednesday 19:30 JST time slot of Tokyo Channel 12 from May 17, 1978, to March 14, 1979. A theatrical episode was also shown in the... |
Series 3 (1985-1986) (a.k.a. "Godaikin Forces")
| Number | Figure | Assortment | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 301001 | Abega | Vehicle | DX New Super Abega from Lightspeed ElectroGod Albegas Albegas was an anime series aired from 1983 to 1984 in Japan, Latin America, Spain and Italy. There were 45 episodes aired at 25 minutes each. Other loosely translated names are "Arbegas", "Arebegas", "Lightspeed ElectroGod Arbegas" and "Arbegas: El Rayo Custodio".-Original story:Three talented students of... |
| Daileon | Standard | ST Daileon from Kyojuu Tokusou Juspion Kyojuu Tokusou Juspion is a Japanese tokusatsu television series and part of the Metal Hero series. Produced by Toei Company, it was originally broadcast from 15 March, 1985 to 24 March, 1986, running for 46 episodes. The name "Juspion" is a portmanteau of "Justice" and "Champion". Juspion is the only Metal Hero series... |
|
| Daileon | Deluxe | DX Daileon from Kyojuu Tokusou Juspion Kyojuu Tokusou Juspion is a Japanese tokusatsu television series and part of the Metal Hero series. Produced by Toei Company, it was originally broadcast from 15 March, 1985 to 24 March, 1986, running for 46 episodes. The name "Juspion" is a portmanteau of "Justice" and "Champion". Juspion is the only Metal Hero series... |
|
| Dancougar | Standard | ST Dancougar from Dancougar - Super Beast Machine God | |
| Dancougar | Deluxe | DX Dancougar from Dancougar - Super Beast Machine God | |
| 301008 | Machine Dolphin | Vehicle | DX Machine Dolphin from Machine Man |
| 300023 | Laserion | Standard | ST Laserion from Video Warrior Laserion Video Warrior Laserion is a Japanese anime series aired in 1984 to 1985. It was the first Japanese anime series to feature the idea of virtual reality. It is also referred to as Rezarion, Laserion, Video Senshi Laserion... |
| 300025 | Laserion | Deluxe | DX Laserion from Video Warrior Laserion Video Warrior Laserion is a Japanese anime series aired in 1984 to 1985. It was the first Japanese anime series to feature the idea of virtual reality. It is also referred to as Rezarion, Laserion, Video Senshi Laserion... |
| 300024 | Vavilos | Standard | ST Vavilos from Uchuu Keiji Shaider Uchuu Keiji Shaider is the third part of the Metal Hero Series, the last of the Space Sheriff Trilogy. It aired on TV Asahi from March 2, 1984 to March 1, 1985. Its action footage was used for Season 2 of VR Troopers... |
| 300028 | Vavilos | Deluxe | DX Vavilos from Uchuu Keiji Shaider Uchuu Keiji Shaider is the third part of the Metal Hero Series, the last of the Space Sheriff Trilogy. It aired on TV Asahi from March 2, 1984 to March 1, 1985. Its action footage was used for Season 2 of VR Troopers... |