Vintage Popy Chogokin release variations

[zambot3]

Wanted to start a thread if haven’t already about variations for Popy or Shogun Warriors chogokin releases.  There is a ton of stuff on the web on Machinder and Diaclone / Transformers.  Shogunwarriors.org has a pretty good one about the five inch Shogun Warriors.  Haven’t seen anything in then 2 in 1s or the vehicles except those safety star rockets.  I collect a bunch of different stuff but original Chogokin has always been my first love ever since I was 2 years old my father buying my older brother the early releases which were handed down to me usually looking like the toys went through many battles. 

Here aee are a couple I’ve noticed in the past month or so of collecting. 

Combattler ST - GA-54

This piece remains special to me as it was one of the first I remember seeing in a store.  My father offered to buy this for my older brother but he turned it down because he felt the money could be put to better use.  Me being the anxious 3 year old was disappointed and that’s why I remember. 

Two things I’ve noticed.  Excuse me if I don’t know the correct names for what each part is called. 

The clear plastic used for windows or circle on his stomach - seen either yellow and orange clear plastic.  Always either one or the other for the whole figure. 

The side arm football shaped circles for left and right. Seen versions with made with red plastic that separately made to attach and also seen directly molded diecast (part of arm) painted red.  


Bazoler PA-84 and Shogun Warriors Action Vehicle 

I believe there was some discussion about this awhile ago on another website but definitely both are different pieces. The Shogun version has a more orange yellow color for all the plastic. The Popy is a bright yellow. I know this isn’t due to age because the rockets from the Popy version, (horn, drill, etc) do not fit in the Shogun version proving something was done differently in the manufacturing process.  Not sure if the Shogun Warriors version eventually released the Popy version as I have not seen enough of the Shogun version but there definitely is a distinct variation in color on the Shogun I’ve seen compared to the Popy version.  Holding each side by side.  So there, mystery solved. 

That’s it for now. Thanks all for reading. 

[Mr. Ginrai]

There are actually a few differences that I am aware of in different sizes.

1. On some DX Chogokin, the Popy Box releases have slightly different tampos/stickers than their Godaikin box version releases. Voltes V DX is one of these, I believe. A few members and I were talking about it a few years ago and I can't remember at the moment.

2. Popy Nessar (Plesiosaur ship from Gaiking) there is an early light blue version (head and feet) and the later dark blue plastic version, which is the same as the Shogun Warriors version.

3. Popy Daiku Maryu ST size Dragon came with white horns or yellow and then the shogun version only came with yellow.

4. There are several variations of Popy GA-37 Grendizer depending on which Popy release you at talking about, as well as European releases under the shogun warriors brand but these are all really well documented from toy variants to box variants etc and if you want to get technical there are even Korean ones.

5. Popy Gordian DX had two releases, one with red Clint first, then yellow Clint, then the Godaikin Gardian release came with the yellow Clint from V2.

6. Voltes V DX - Popy box versions always came with black missiles trays as far as I am aware, but Godaikin box versions came with black ones and also white ones later on (I have one of each godaikin version MIB).

8. Popy and Godaikin Golion toys came with all chrome elbow joints/all chrome tails, half chrome elbow joints/grey tails, or all grey elbow joints and tails, as well as sharp teeth or round capped safety teeth depending on which mold/item quantity was available from the production line at a given time as production bounced back and forth from Japan to Taiwan and back (sometimes these were running changes in general, things also changed when production increased for matchbox when they licensed voltron but also was affected by the Taiwan made matchbox voltron that was recalled etc. I am purposely leaving out the Taiwan lionbot variants and there are also some very very early Popy box golion sticker variants that I don't want to get into here.

9. Godaikin Laserion only got released as Laserion DX. The original Popy came in DX version and also giftset version with the power armor.

10. 3" Mini Shogun Warriors are made in Japan, 3" Mini-Godaikins are generally made in Taiwan and have added chrome foil stickers.

11. Popy Varitank and Vertilift both came with more accessories than the Shogun Warriors version.

12. Popy reideen first release had white painted upper legs, all later Popy and Shogun releases had unpainted metal.

13. Popy Gaiking had 4 variants (body parts or color etc.) , Shogun Warriors release only had 4th version Popy.

14. Dangard Ace came with black chest or chrome chest.

14. Popy Poseidon came with movable missile launchers and legs and later fixed ones in the shogun line.

15. I won't break them down further but a lot of the shogun two in one figures have missile variants or figure variants like how much they move, paint variants etc. It depends on Popy or shogun 1st or second release etc.

Non-Popy:
Clover Tryder G7 Bird Attack (mid-size/ST) came with translucent orange wings, or translucent orange wings with a metallic flake in them.

There are a lot more but that's what I have at the moment. If you need this to be absolutely Popy specific I can clean it up later with an edit.

[shogunkid]

Hi, www.robotvintage.com usually shows alot of the different variants with photos.... use google translate if you don't speak Italian but I find it to be a nice resource...

I learned something this past weekend when scanning yahoo.jp... There is an early variant of Combattra DX where the Feet (The Battle Kulaft ) have BLUE tabs on the top instead of WHITE. I know, big deal, but apparently in Japan it is because they went for around $800 for just those feet.