EDITORS NOTE

The following review is an excerpt from a work in progress. The larger project details the rather odd circumstances that led to the authors fascination with Japanese toys. The article is written from the perspective, and with the limited knowledge he had in 1978 when he was building the collection. Therefore, much of the information on the toys will be inaccurate, the toy stores listed non existent, and the prices ridiculously low.

Dangard Ace is from Popy, the Japanese toy company, and he represents another hundred foot tall, pilot operated robot from a Japanese animated serial. The figure is beautifully crafted from plastic and die-cast metal.

The toy is absolutely ingenious. After launching the robot's spring loaded fists, the forearms folds back into hidden compartments in the shoulders. Remove Dangard's helmet; push a button on his back, and the mechanical Samurai separates into two modules. More hidden compartments in the legs and chest open up to deploy landing gear. The feet swivel up to become missile launching tail fins. The modules now click together in a new configuration, and Dangard Ace becomes the space ship, Satelither.

I first saw the Dangard Ace at Toys International. It was sharing a display case with Star Wars figures and high-grade military miniatures. Nothing in any of the other toy lines comes close to the Dangard's quality, materials, or engineering. Like most of these Japanese imports, the Dangard Ace is full of small pieces, spring-loaded shooters, and fragile parts. It's really more appropriate for a display case than a toy box.

Given the current popularity of space-themed movies and toys, I predict that Dangard and his fellow Japanese imports will soon become a major fad. At $19.95 Dangard Ace is not cheap, but considering the ingenious quality of the figure, it is a good buy. You can find Dangard Ace and other Popy toys at Toys International, and Kunimatsuya*.

*The stores are no longer in business. Popy returned to its parent company, Bandai