We had a conversation about this a while back here:
http://www.skullbrain.org/bb/viewtopic.php?t=9465
The Reader's Digest version is this:
- There was a book called Sekaino Kaiju that had the original Zagora design in it.
- A company called Daikyo made unauthorized (allegedly) Zagora toys.
- Years later, Gargamel made their own unauthorizec (allegedly) toy and called it Zagoran.
- More recently, Hukkokudo, a subsidiary of Marmit, found the original Daikyo Zagora molds and reissued the toy.
Hedoran, Smogon, Mightin, Tetran, and Berlagon have all followed a similar path.
Some collectors are indifferent to the unauthorized aspects and the idea that some parties have capitalized on the works of others, some aren't.