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Post by admin1 aka Ed on Nov 25, 2014 7:36:20 GMT -5
Hi Gang,
I've heard a few things, but was wondering if time has proven out some theories on Golion. Time may untangle the stories.
Questions:
1) Do you agree that Golion was issued in the first years 1982/83 only?
2) Do you agree it was pulled from shelves at some point due to lead paint problems.
3) Do you know that Matchbox purchased the Voltron license. Do you feel there was a cease and desist order or an agreement to not produce overlapping toys?
4) Have you seen chrome arm joint Godaikin Golions?
5) Do you feel any Golions were domestic Japanese toys from the current line-up? -Sharp teeth, chrome, etc.
Ed
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Post by Mr. Ginrai on Nov 25, 2014 10:52:23 GMT -5
A lot of this is just my thoughts, with some facts thrown in. Here you go:
1) Not sure, but it seems like it. I am too young to have seen this on the shelves in person, but I think that Golion was popular enough to have current stock/production or overstock/overproduction still being sold up until 1984 or 1985. It was a popular character and I'm sure along with the "KO" Lionbot it was still a high demand item through 1984-85. I think we don't see many Godaikin golions today because so many of them got sold new and played with, not surviving in great shape or at all.
2) Yes! Definitely was. When trying to buy a deadstock Matchbox Gladiator Voltron (US Albegas) box, foam and instructions only, I inquired as to why the seller did not have the toy. The seller told me that he was a very large distributor for matchbox Diecast cars back in the day and carried voltron and other MB product for his wholesale buyers as well. He actually contended that Matchbox had him recall ALL voltrons, not just the lions, so he saved a few boxes and sent back the toys. I told him that the lions definitely got recalled, and said maybe at first they recalled all versions, but that was just my opinion.
3) I think that Matchbox purchased the voltron license from WEP and then contracted a license/production agreement with Bandai to produce the toys. I don't think a C&D was necessary because Bandai was still the one making the toys, so they were making sales anyway. They didn't need to "sell" golions in the US because they had gotten contracted to make "Voltrons" that matchbox would buy from them.
4) Not in the 1980s, but in the secondary market I have seen a few chrome elbow godaikin golions that were supposedly late stock Popy overrun available for sale.
5) This is only my opinion, but I feel that pretty much any Godaikin golion is a straight up popy. The matchbox versions (both Taiwan and Japan) are later production, but I still consider the matchbox japan bodies to be popy related, because the godaikin golion export versions (with the red and white price stickers) were still being made at that time.
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Post by admin1 aka Ed on Nov 26, 2014 21:07:17 GMT -5
Thanks MG. I'll have to keep an eye out for chrome arm Godaikins....
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Post by crpdiablos on Nov 26, 2014 22:21:10 GMT -5
1) Do you agree that Golion was issued in the first years 1982/83 only?
2) Do you agree it was pulled from shelves at some point due to lead paint problems.
3) Do you know that Matchbox purchased the Voltron license. Do you feel there was a cease and desist order or an agreement to not produce overlapping toys?
4) Have you seen chrome arm joint Godaikin Golions?
5) Do you feel any Golions were domestic Japanese toys from the current line-up? -Sharp teeth, chrome, etc
My Answers:
1) I have a Golion Marked 1984 that was made alongside the Matchbox there is a thread about it.I have never seen this 1984 sticker it says bandai G 1984 I believe. The lions are dull teeth a vary dull chrome nd in comparison is the matchbox in a godain packaging with the weapons
2)Yes
3)Yes and about the agreement Im not sure due to my answer in number 1
4)I owned a set with half chrome and half grey joints I have even owned a set that had one with ahlf chrome and the other grey
5)yes, i even have a matchbox that had all the firing pins and another with dull silver painted over the actual chrome on the red and green. I have a few red and green lions that have grey painted on top of the chrome. My childhood Matchbox had the firing pins and I never knew why until I started collecting 20 years later
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Post by xtrlowz75 on Nov 30, 2014 1:05:12 GMT -5
I have a Godaikin chrome joint and tails on Red/Green lions Golion. I too believe these are left over Popy Golions. Not that we can prove it, but I bet most of these were purchased early on when the Golions first came out. My buddy Chuck also has 1 loose Golion with what appears to be painted over chrome, and a super early Lionbot that has chrome joints and GB-36 decals. Like the info I got from Bandai 2 years ago, the Golions under Popy and the early Godaikins were built in Japan during 1982/83. In late 1983 per Bandai Japan's staffer's report, all of the "super chogokins" and the incoming Matchbox Voltrons (Lion and Dairugger) were built in Taiwan at the later to be named named Diecast Metal toy factory. To me it makes sense to see so many variants in the Golions/Voltrons/Lionbots. I think the factory in Japan at shut down shipped over what it had left to the Taiwan plant, and the Taiwan plant used up the supply first to put together Golions, Voltrons and Lionbots. Once the original supply was exhausted, they turned out a more standardized product up until Bandai pulled their licensing or direct support. Of course as we all know, this did not stop Diecast Metal from turning out robots clear into the late 1990s, that can still be purchased in near bulk amounts from Taiwan eBay sellers today.
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Post by crpdiablos on Dec 7, 2014 5:44:39 GMT -5
That's right I do have a set of red and green lionbots lions with chrome joints and tails. A few months back I bought a few Popy Golions and the one I paid a grip for due to the boxes condition surprised me. I thought the auction went so high due to the box but it turns out to have an upside down star.I didn't notice it in the auction as it wasn't something id look for but maybe it was in the description that wouldn't make sens to me with the way google translate hmm translates
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Post by xtrlowz75 on Dec 11, 2014 15:19:33 GMT -5
On the upside down star belt Lionbot. You know the belt piece was just put on wrong. If you've ever taken a black lion apart, one can see it is super easy to pop out the belt and make the star correct or upside down. Only the star point differs depending on direction. The overall belt piece is retangular in shape and it will connect to the belt area right side or upside down. So don't pay more for a set with an upside down star, as any savy tool guy can make any vintage Golion/Voltron/Lionbot have an upside down star belt.
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Post by crpdiablos on Dec 13, 2014 0:41:55 GMT -5
Ive seen that when restoring these. I believe the only lionbots that ha dthat from the factory were the plastic version I had just never seen it on a popy. I definitely had some weird buys in october
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