I thought I'd start up a thread focusing on bootleg toys still in the package. This is a really fun area to collect, since you can see which figures went in which line, what random poly figures were originally packaged with which others, etc. And of course there are the cool headers.

I'll start it off with a recent pickup that I'm really happy with. This Mazinger Z is about 8" tall:



The figure is part of the large "Kaiju Series" bootleg line, so named to capitalize on Bullmark's popular line of the same name.

Wow awesome! It must be the same company that made this Reideen, maybe? Arms & lower half look the same...

(Sorry this one's not in package, but I'm excited to clear some the mysterious fog around this figure!)

Could be! That's an awesome Reideen and fantastic eagle eye work - well spotted!

I'm totally cool with non-packaged stuff when it connects the dots. That's one reason I started the thread - to put together a picture of how different bootleg figures were released and, as you say, clear up some of the mysteries.

Great idea for a thread Andy - To add to the crazy mix of bootleg/repackaged/random mom and pop toys I have a poly spectreman with the same header...

Andy this will be a very interesting thread, by the way I like a lot that Mazinga with evil face.
This is an old pic but I think can fit here.
Two Lion Maru bootleg with different header card.

Great stuff guys. Im all for anything that brings new posts to the vintage section, been pretty dead lately. Here are some old shots of toys that have since been unbagged



[

Hah hah well at least they're being photographed first. [/silverlining]

Lots of great figures populating the thread so far. Good old Lion Maru got the bootleg treatment almost as much as Mirrorman.

That Spectreman is sweet. One thing I find funny about the header (and I've seen it done from time to time) is the way its entitled 透明怪獣シリーズ (Transparent Kaiju Series) whereas on the Mazinger, they just blotted out "Transparent" - a super cheap, bootleggy solution. Now, why the Spectreman is a "transparent" toy is anyone's guess.

^ That's funny. Even the "blot out" job is really poorly done and bootleggy, if their goal was just to stick a solid red rectangle over it.

Great pics everyone ...Poly Mirrorman


standard size Diamond eyes

standard size KR Amazon with a getter 2 !

Maybe they meant "Unpainted" (like in tranparent paint ) ?

^Of course - invisible paint! ^_^

My guess is the transparent thing is a riff on Henshin Cyborg, and maybe partly on the Popy Cyborg line. Or maybe they just wanted to say that Spectreman is a straight-up brah - filial, brahtherly. transparent...

Anyhoo, here's a quartet of Inazuman boots. They're the same mold, but a variety of headers is used, which is interesting. It's also one of the widest varieties of paint apps I've seen for a vintage bootleg figure.

BTW that's a super-cool closeup on Diamond Eye's eyes. Shows the detail so nicely.

Side note and funny language tidbit. In Japanese, Diamond Eye is pronounced "Daiyamondo Ai." If you pronounce it as it appears in English - "Daimondai" - that may confuse people. The reason is "daimondai" means "big problem."

So if you want to get your tokusatsu toy and not a WTH?? look, you need to pay attention to that bit. (Lesson learned from garnering plenty of confused reactions over the years. ^_^ )

^^ Nice Inazuman lineup Andy!
Here's one more to add to the party:

Kamen Rider

^ What weird choices for the header on a rider toy. Guilala, really? Love the Inazuman lineup Andy.

Here are a couple more ive probably posted before

^ Even if you did, this thread is all the more reason to share them again. I know I won't ever get tired of seeing those guys.

@ Andy - thanks for all that (and of course for starting this great discussion). That is a really nice set of Inazumen you have collected. As you pointed out, the variety is stunning. And I haven't seen all those paint variants before either, I think maybe only the first and third ones. That little tidbit about 'Diamond Eye' is the perfect bit of knowledge I like to pick up, things that are so subtle but also so important, and which - unfortunately perhaps - you only learn firsthand through embarrassing situations. I think anyone who has made trips to Japan has experienced these a few times, and, in all likelihood, are even oblivious to many more gaffs and faux pas' without even knowing it. I definitely appreciate that clarification.

This bootleg Zone Fighter just pop up for sale today for 12,000 yen. I am almost tempted to buy it.

I love that Zonefighter, there are 2 slightly different sculpts of him but the colours on that one are lovely

The Inazumen are 2 slightly different sculpts. This is great! now we delve into the boot of a boot depths. The yellow and light blue w gold spray Inazuman has a different belt,scarf (most notable on his back),elbow patches, eyes and forhead. And some very small difference in the boots to the 2 more colourful ones ..


I have the yellow one with a green spray and different header again..

Lots of great additions!

The Zone is a relatively tough one to find. They pop up from time to time, but not too often.

I wonder if the slightly different Inazuman is, as suggested, a boot of a boot, or maybe degraded molds or something like that. Would love to hear how one led to the other, but that story is likely lost in the annals of time.

The yellow with green spray makes a fifth variant - they're piling up! That and the header variant compounds the K.O.V.E. (KO Variability Equation) even further!

Another funny point is how サンダー - Z (Thunder-Z) Mazinger has an ST mark on it, adding an air of legitimacy.

Such great items!

Kamen Rider Stronger

The thread of the season! Thanks for all the vicarious kicks.

I wish I could play too, but all I have to offer at this time is what amounts to a +1.

That is a great Stronger Andy, haven't seen him before and you don't see too many bootlegs generally of the other KR characters. A cool find. And I especially love the artwork on the header too, so much nice additions there, that someone obviously put a lot of work into, for using on generic toys. Thanks for sharing the close up pic.

Yeah, Stronger's a fun one, since they came up with some cool, funky color combos - maybe feeling some mid-70s beard rock psychedelic love, I dunno.

Here are both versions of the 6" Arashi side by side. As I may have said before, it's my favorite Arashi bootleg since it's based more on Ishinomori's drawings than the TV show design - which is on the header.

It is a fantastic version of the character Andy. I can certainly appreciate very much why you love him. I really dig the Ishinomori stylings of the hero, and of course especially in that creamy transparent vinyl he really comes to life. Two very excellent toys.

Andy how is the non translucent version vinyl wise? I own the clear version and it's like a rubber duckie squishy toy, very very soft vinyl. Is the non clear squishy as well? Definitely agree it's my favorite sculpt of Ninja Arashi. Actually barring the standard and popy sized villains (oh and Giant Majin Sai!), most Ninja Arashi bootlegs are better than the licensed versions IMO.