Shogun Warriors and Robotech Get Downsized by Super7




Given pop culture's never-ending focus on nostalgia, it stands to reason that reissued merchandise from popular TV shows, movies and cartoons keep popping up in stores, catalogs, and other places where such items are sold. However, what is being released now doesn't always match what has come before, which is certainly the case of the toy company Super7 and its recent acquisition of toy licenses of Shogun Warriors and Robotech. Even though both of these titles are known for giant, fearsome robots, the figures that Super7 recently displayed at last weekend's International Toy Fair in New York are anything but intimidating. Read on ....

Super7 has done quite well for itself in the nostaliga-driven toy collection market. What started as Super7's attempt to finish Kenner's unreleased line of 3.75" action figures from the 1979 horror movie Alien has since blossomed into a steady stream of 3.75" action figures that are based on many popular titles from the '70s, '80s and '90s. The original Shogun Warriors line of Japanese "Super Robot" toys were popular during the later '70s, so it fits Super7's nostalgic approach to toy licensing. However, whereas the Shogun Warriors toys were largely known for their large sizes (the largest figures were 24" tall, which is big for a robot toy), die-cast metal parts and spring-loaded missles, the Super7 versions of these figures stick to the 3.75" size with no spring-loaded features or die-cast metal parts.

As you can see in the pictures below (which were provided courtesy of Cool Toy Review), these robot figures are quite underwhelming in comparison to the original versions. Curiously, Super7 previously released 24" Shogun Warriors figures, but those were based on Star Wars characters.
















If that isn't odd enough, Super7's approach to Robotech is even stranger. Instead of releasing figures that are based on the human and alien characters from that '80s anime series, Super7 has opted to release 3.75" figures that are based on the series' robot mecha. In the series, the Robotech mecha transform into different modes depending upon the situation; in contrast, these figures don't transform at all.










Unless there are nostalgic toy collectors out there who have been itching to have Shogun Warriors and Robotech robot toys in the same scale with no extra features are part of their collection, I'm not sure which target audience Super7 was thinking of when there figures were designed. Nostalgia may be great for some, but what's the point when all that's being offered are cheap, no-frills knock-offs of the originals?




Comments

  1. BrianFebruary 23, 2017 at 4:22 PM

    Well,I guess it's true that Shogun Warriors appeal lied in their action features and their size,so many will feel nonplussed by this new iteration.Personally,I have been having a blast with the Super 7/Funko/BiffBangPow revolution of Kenner style 3 3/4 inch figures and combining them with vintage figures and playsets making mash ups that otherwise wouldn't exist.It's a great opportunity to photograph almost endless possibilities.So I say bring it!Shogun Warriors meets Kiss,Rogue one meets the crew of the Nostromo,Firefly meets Battlestar Galactica...you get the idea.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. TimFebruary 24, 2017 at 5:39 AM

      Yeah, I suppose ... the possibility of action figure mash-ups are cool and I loved how Super7 has brought back 3 3/4 figures of classic Universal Monsters. Still, I guess I'm a purist when it comes to my Japanese giant robot toys. :)

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