Below are two of my four bookcases (you only see four shelves on each bookcase, out of six each). These are Kaiju/Japanese Cinema-related (not shown are my Anime/Manga bookcases, and the books and magazines stored in boxes (such as TV Land, etc.), and my collection of American magazines, such as Famous Monsters, etc.) — I have been collecting since the 1970s. Below is my desktop — overloaded with Tokusatsu/Kaiju reference books — and some choice vintage hardcovers on display:
Amazing collections guys. Just got these in for Christmas: Masked Rider collection book 2000 Treasure Appraisal Catalog - Yuji Nishimura book 1998 Roman Album Hyper Mook 2 - Soul Of Chogokin book 1998
I have it, its a really well done little book. Definitely recommend picking it up if you have even the slightest interest in robot toys.
A classic.Ive read it so many times the cover has fallen off.The best toy photography Ive ever seen. http://www.timbrisko.com/super1/
I wonder if anyone knows which of the books on the list would have the best pictures of the Marmit Parababies line. I know that there are pics available on the Marmit site and on ClubTokyo, but I'm interested in finding a good book. Thanks!
the cover falling off is fairly common from what i have heard. i got one cheapo from amazon and the cover plopped off as soon as I opened the book
This is posted elsewhere but belongs here… Medicom Toy Manual Volume 2 15th Anniversary 1996 - 2011 Hobby Japan 386 pages Full colour ISBN978-4-7986-0257-8 C0076 Bigger photos here http://www.flickr.com/photos/fun9us/sets/72157627321432505/
A few more to follow - not vinyl but should be welcome here... Secret File: Barom 1, Kikaida and Henshin Ninja Arashi Publisher: Million Publishing Released: 2003 A5 / 196 pages Colour / Black and white ISBN4-8130-0095-9 C0076 Bigger photos here http://www.flickr.com/photos/fun9us/sets/72157627457385022/
Fantastic TV Collection No. 1 - Science Ninja Team Gatchaman Publisher: Asahi Sonorama Released: 25 December 1977 A4 / 64 pages Colour / Black and white Bigger photos here http://www.flickr.com/photos/fun9us/sets/72157627457408470/
Fantastic TV Collection No. 3 - Science Ninja Team Gatchaman part 2 Publisher: Asahi Sonorama Released: 1 August 1978 A4 / 64 pages Colour / Black and white Bigger photos here http://www.flickr.com/photos/fun9us/sets/72157627457398880/
Fantastic Collection 48 - Inazuman F Video Mook Publisher: Asahi Sonorama 44 pages Colour / Black and white Bigger photos here http://www.flickr.com/photos/fun9us/sets/72157627333120281//
Wow, time for me to do some [picture] reading. You guys have some amazing collections. I am truly in awe of the staggering libraries shown. I would love to pick up just a couple of these. I especially love that Barom-1/Kikaida/N. Arashi magazine, I will definitely have to hunt it down. Has anyone ever amassed something like these books in English? I am thinking I would love to work on something like the Big Book of Monsters, even if it were just a translation of Saito-san's.
Title: An Encyclopedia of Kaiju By: Kanou Ishizaka and Brian Flynn Publisher: Graphic-sha Publishing Co., Ltd. ISBN: 978-4-7661-2039-4 Published In: Japan Pages: 144 color Released: December 2009 Original Japanese Retail Price: 2,800 yen Additional Info: Copyright credited book title is "An Encyclopedia of Kaiju." But also written on the cover in Japanese states "New School Kaiju Soft Vinyl Large Picture Book. Written in both Japanese and English. Collection data on various contemporary Japanese kaiju toy makers. Gargamel, Super7, Toygraph, Real x Head, Sunguts Honpo, Blobpus, Max Toy, Elegab, Yamomark, and many more are feature in this wonderful color picture book. Picture of the dustjacket unfolded: Title: Kaijū Hiro Hōko Kantei Katarogu Written By: Yuji Nishimura Photos by: Kotaro Ina Printed In: Japan Book Size: Approx 8.25 x 11.5 inches Pages: 80 Released: 1996 Original Retail Price: 1,200 yen Additional Info: English translation of the title is "Monster Hero Treasury Appraisal Catalog." Written by Yuji Nishimura President of M1GO. This catalog is a general price guide on vintage toys and other misc items related to Japanese monsters and sci-fi toys from the 60's to 70's. All different type of toys made from vinyl, die-cast, to plastic. Featuring all sorts of characters such as Godzilla, Gamera, Booska, Ultraman, Ambassador Magma, Mirrorman, Henshin Ninja Arashi, Spectraman, Kamen Rider, and much more! Softcover catalog with 70% in full color pages. The other 30% in black and white are profiles, advertisement, and a look into the slush molding process to produce these vinyl toys from Japan. Some of the description contains the original retail price for that item and the year released. Should be noted that the years are written in Showa and not Gregorian. So for example from the book, "S 49 年" is Showa 49th year which is 1974. All of the information and pictures were later reprinted into the 1998 edition with a new cover and contained 28 new pages. Cover: Interiors:
Title: Gojira Toy Hakubutsukan Written by: Takashi Kuraji and Yuji Nishimura Publisher: Bandai Press Published: February 10, 1993 Printed In: Japan Book Type: Hardcover w/Dust Jacket Approx Size: 8.5 x 12 inches Pages: 112 Original Retail Price: 5,000 yen ISBN: 4-89189-202-1 Additional Info: Gojira Toy Hakubutsukan (translation Godzilla Toy Museum) was a highly sought after book in the 90's. Lots of beautiful pictures of vintage Marusan, vintage Bullmark, Bandai, Popy, Yamakatsu, and others. Cover: Interior Pages:
i still have some of those old Showcase and Club Daikaiju catalogs. It's funny to look back at them and remember how rare and difficult to obtain those toys were back then. New releases from M1 and Marmit seem to only trickle out back then - sometimes many months (or years) between releases - compared to the deluge today.
God there are some choice pieces of reading material here guys... My cover fell of my #1 Robot book as well, but if anyone is interested in it, there's a "bargain books" store by my house that has it for around 2 dollars a piece in perfect condition. I think there's like 7 copies there... I'll send some out for the cost of shipping if anyone is interested...
Title: Kaijū Hiro Hōko Kantei Katarogu Written By: Yuji Nishimura Photos by: Kotaro Ina Printed In: Japan Book Size: Approx 8.25 x 11.5 inches Pages: 80 Released: 1996 Original Retail Price: 1,200 yen Additional Info: English translation of the title is "Monster Hero Treasury Appraisal Catalog." Written by Yuji Nishimura President of M1GO. This catalog is a general price guide on vintage toys and other misc items related to Japanese monsters and sci-fi toys from the 60's to 70's. All different type of toys made from vinyl, die-cast, to plastic. Featuring all sorts of characters such as Godzilla, Gamera, Booska, Ultraman, Ambassador Magma, Mirrorman, Henshin Ninja Arashi, Spectraman, Kamen Rider, and much more! Softcover catalog with 70% in full color pages. The other 30% in black and white are profiles, advertisement, and a look into the slush molding process to produce these vinyl toys from Japan. Some of the description contains the original retail price for that item and the year released. Should be noted that the years are written in Showa and not Gregorian. So for example from the book, "S 49 年" is Showa 49th year which is 1974. All of the information and pictures were later reprinted into the 1998 edition with a new cover and contained 28 new pages. Cover: In the 2nd edition how much of the extra 28 pages are toys not featured in the 1st edition? Are all 28 pages full colour? Cheers.
The 28 new pages featured toys from the 60s and 70s that are not in the first edition. There is a section of robot tin toys added, some more Kamen Rider toys not in the first and others.
I can just imagine the difficulty in trying to order some of those figure from the Daikaiju catalogues back in the day. And to then be able to open up your package and see the the toy for the first time (not some tiny, grainy, B&W image), man, what a thrill that surprise must have been every time. There was definitely a hint of a gamble too then, in those mail-order days, as you really never knew what you were getting; we take for granted that we have access to so many images now.
