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TAKARA, POPY, TSUKUDA, YAMAKATSU etc,
TAKARA, POPY, TSUKUDA, YAMAKATSU etc,
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Japanese Star Wars Vintage
- Thread starter Toru_Komuro
- Start date
My 3 variations of the Takara Walking R2
L-R
1. No markings front and back
2. Front "GMFGI 1978" Back "Japan"
3. Front "GMFGI 1978" Back "Takara" and "Japan"
Toru, are there any other variations that i'm missing??
Uncle Gundy
L-R
1. No markings front and back
2. Front "GMFGI 1978" Back "Japan"
3. Front "GMFGI 1978" Back "Takara" and "Japan"
Toru, are there any other variations that i'm missing??
Uncle Gundy
Back in 1978, 1st shipment hit the shop shelves, We got 9 different figures.
The card with Takara sticker, NO Jawa or DSC and NO Tusken yet.
The card itself was Kenner 12 back-A came with Takara A sticker
which dose have english explanation of the figures.
*This picture from Yahoo auction.
The second shipment was 12 back-B with Takara Sticker B,
“ST” circle ( safety toys) mark with japanese description of the characters.
After 1st shipment was hit to the market, Takara decided to renew the 3 figures.
I could not find any reason why they did it. I guess same reason as the small head Han Solo or plastic cape Jawa.
Takara executive didn’t like the figures which kenner was mede them in china,
Or they may had different idea for those small figures.
They try to put some kind of mechanical gimmick because they knew we love those kind of stuff.
Those figures are Vader, Stroom and 3PO.
They made from new mold and create totally new figures which different shape, side and screw on the back of the figures.
Even Stromtroopers’s blaster is different. I really like those.
The Card for those 3 figures dose not have COO and it’s funny, behind the Vader figure,
the card has blank white not orange like US card. I am sure they made misprinted.
Some fans said Black and White is more Darker? like Japanese Samurai?
That is why? I don’t think so.
The Card come with Takara sticker B, but different assortment numbers.
And Tasken was bearly made it at last minutes of assortment,
So I have not see any Tasken with Takara sticker A with TM english version.
I guess, Popularity choice, Jawa and DSC was never made to the market.
I try find who made those decision.
I mailed couple of time to TAKARA, they said “People involve those era were all gone we do not have any information about Star wars”
Still mystery. I will found some day.
The card with Takara sticker, NO Jawa or DSC and NO Tusken yet.
The card itself was Kenner 12 back-A came with Takara A sticker
which dose have english explanation of the figures.
*This picture from Yahoo auction.
The second shipment was 12 back-B with Takara Sticker B,
“ST” circle ( safety toys) mark with japanese description of the characters.
After 1st shipment was hit to the market, Takara decided to renew the 3 figures.
I could not find any reason why they did it. I guess same reason as the small head Han Solo or plastic cape Jawa.
Takara executive didn’t like the figures which kenner was mede them in china,
Or they may had different idea for those small figures.
They try to put some kind of mechanical gimmick because they knew we love those kind of stuff.
Those figures are Vader, Stroom and 3PO.
They made from new mold and create totally new figures which different shape, side and screw on the back of the figures.
Even Stromtroopers’s blaster is different. I really like those.
The Card for those 3 figures dose not have COO and it’s funny, behind the Vader figure,
the card has blank white not orange like US card. I am sure they made misprinted.
Some fans said Black and White is more Darker? like Japanese Samurai?
That is why? I don’t think so.
The Card come with Takara sticker B, but different assortment numbers.
And Tasken was bearly made it at last minutes of assortment,
So I have not see any Tasken with Takara sticker A with TM english version.
I guess, Popularity choice, Jawa and DSC was never made to the market.
I try find who made those decision.
I mailed couple of time to TAKARA, they said “People involve those era were all gone we do not have any information about Star wars”
Still mystery. I will found some day.
According to Mr. Uncle_Gundy’s pictures, there are 3 major variations on this walking R2-D2.
As you can see the picture of top at the left, R2 dose not have any COO or date.
This one is early production, This figure come with slightly overside head.
Most earliest figures before they did mass production, they did not use proper metallize system,
some of the heads were dull not shinny like those. I believe those are not cause by ages.
Very hard to see from pictures, they changed or create new molding.
Size of coin slots, center vent and power cupeling are changed.
Back of the figure there is a blue Star Wars sticker,
This one dose have “TM” the other one dose not.
I am sure there is more, I will keep updating.
Thank you Gundy!!
As you can see the picture of top at the left, R2 dose not have any COO or date.
This one is early production, This figure come with slightly overside head.
Most earliest figures before they did mass production, they did not use proper metallize system,
some of the heads were dull not shinny like those. I believe those are not cause by ages.
Very hard to see from pictures, they changed or create new molding.
Size of coin slots, center vent and power cupeling are changed.
Back of the figure there is a blue Star Wars sticker,
This one dose have “TM” the other one dose not.
I am sure there is more, I will keep updating.
Thank you Gundy!!
This is a Takara action figures display container from Mark's collection.
Very rare to have a spacer still inside of a box, getting hard to find this nice condition.
Unlike any US or international action figure display,
The boxes are Japanese sizes, not too big can easily to fit on the small Japanese sales counter,
but dose have enough eye cached movie pictures and cool lightning Star Wars logo.
I wish I would have pictures, actual item selling in the store back in 1978.
But I still remember when I bought Star Wars figures form this Takara display bin.
Thank you Mark.
Very rare to have a spacer still inside of a box, getting hard to find this nice condition.
Unlike any US or international action figure display,
The boxes are Japanese sizes, not too big can easily to fit on the small Japanese sales counter,
but dose have enough eye cached movie pictures and cool lightning Star Wars logo.
I wish I would have pictures, actual item selling in the store back in 1978.
But I still remember when I bought Star Wars figures form this Takara display bin.
Thank you Mark.
I really like these Takara figures and i love the Popy boxes, the only thing i don't like about them is there's no jawas:'(.As far as i know there was a trading card, a bottle cap and some small bright colored carnaval prize like rubber figures by takara. Does anybody know what other kind of vintage Japanese jawa items i should be looking for?
Dieter
Dieter
I was searching for the Japanese Jawa items, but not much to found.
This is a back of the Meiji Chocolate box and sticker.
Pictures are from this site.
STAR WARS COLLECTION FILE
Please look at Meiji section.
You mention that some Jawa trading card and there are different color of the Takara (maruka) Jawa eraser.
I'am sorry, I can not much help for this.
This is a back of the Meiji Chocolate box and sticker.
Pictures are from this site.
STAR WARS COLLECTION FILE
Please look at Meiji section.
You mention that some Jawa trading card and there are different color of the Takara (maruka) Jawa eraser.
I'am sorry, I can not much help for this.
Thanks for the search,that site you linked is simply amazing there's loads of interesting stuff on there.Your responce has been very helpfull, i have never seen these meji items before and i didn't know the takara maruka figures are erasers.
Collection slowly growing, have been posting in the Vintage section up until now.
Still looking for Ben, Chewie and Sandpeople Takaras, along with the C3P0 and Stormtrooper variations. If you know of any available, please let me know.
My unpunched Tsukuda back run, 11 and counting. Love a Yellow Bubble
Have yet to find a nice Lando Skiff or even see a Luke Jedi....
Still looking for Ben, Chewie and Sandpeople Takaras, along with the C3P0 and Stormtrooper variations. If you know of any available, please let me know.
My unpunched Tsukuda back run, 11 and counting. Love a Yellow Bubble
Have yet to find a nice Lando Skiff or even see a Luke Jedi....
Hello,
Definitely Takara-A stickers are hard to find.
I do not want to say rare, Takara-A cards were first action figures to hit the market,
so kids were just opened them and played with them. not many survived.
Then Takara produced more with Takara-B sticker and C.
I, myself try to complete Takara-A sticker 12 backs, but I gave up long ago.
Even R2, I only saw 10 or less with Takara-A sticker, most of the takara R2 were Takara-B sticker.
I saw just Leia, Storm and C-3PO were sold at eBay, that was all.
If you care about those variations and conflict with other collectors, of course you have to pay some extra.
But, seems like not much collectors knows or care about this.
Definitely Takara-A stickers are hard to find.
I do not want to say rare, Takara-A cards were first action figures to hit the market,
so kids were just opened them and played with them. not many survived.
Then Takara produced more with Takara-B sticker and C.
I, myself try to complete Takara-A sticker 12 backs, but I gave up long ago.
Even R2, I only saw 10 or less with Takara-A sticker, most of the takara R2 were Takara-B sticker.
I saw just Leia, Storm and C-3PO were sold at eBay, that was all.
If you care about those variations and conflict with other collectors, of course you have to pay some extra.
But, seems like not much collectors knows or care about this.