Admittedly there will be no definitive top 10 of diecast robots, EVER. So with that out of the way we will work towards a top 10 based on polling, numerology, scientology, geekdom, and pure scientific gestulation and postulation. This should be fun.
Honorable Mention– Tetsujin 28. SG-01, believe it or not, uses a ton of steel! So ye old faithful Godakin Tetsujin SG-01 can’t make the list. It has chromed out innards and battle axes but doesn’t play by the rules!
http://www.robot-japan.com/item/sg-01.html
Honorable Mention– Takatoku Valkyrie.The first impressions of this toy have dulled as we have been inundated with Valkyrie renditions! Let us (or let me) not forget the Takatoku Valkyrie! Henki Gattai, or perfect transformation has never looked so good for so long.
http://www.robot-japan.com/item/valyrie-armored-gbp-1.html
Honorable Mention– Godanner. Godanner broke new ground with its extensive joint system and innovative design. The sculpt is pure beauty as is the paint scheme. All of the pluses, unfortunately, were offset with its size. For so much money (at the time) and so much promose it just seemed a bit too small. Frankly, the design may age well and get pushed up on this admittedly personal list.
http://www.robot-japan.com/item/max-factory-godannar.html
Honorable Mention– Mekanda Robo DX Technical Gashin. -Awesome toy, awesome box art, awesome heft. -Mobility, limited. Features, excellent, with the spinning arm blades and chest gatling gun. The Bullmark Brother chosen below just edged this classic out of the top 10 for play features.
http://www.robot-japan.com/item/mekanda-technical-gassin-set.html
Honorable Mention– GoLion aka Voltron. Voltron III or GoLion is solid, poseable, accessory laden. It didn’t hurt either that the United States received a well produced cartoon in the 1980’s to bolster the toy’s legend. Shooting Lion paws and gleaming Lion swords never looked so good.
http://www.robot-japan.com/item/trendmasters-giant-voltron.html
**Addendum. Two robots that are very much off the radar of most, deserve mention– Gakeen by Sanzen as well as Takemi Pegas.
#10 Takatoku Buildplan DX. Takatoku gave collectors a blue gold-standard for box presentation and diecast lust. Buildplan has inspiring art, glorious Z-Gokin, and a brilliantly colored pallet. Kids got gobs of extra missiles to be lost in the shag carpet and eye gouging swords. Rubber treads round out the tank, and chrome bling is present everywhere.
http://www.robot-japan.com/item/takatoku-buildplan.html
#9 Shogun Warriors Great Mazinga. The U.S. Never knew what hit them after the first rocket punches! Mattel was smart enough to import Great Mazinga with all those red swords, and missiles and a jet pack and imagination fodder. They started off the super robot trend. Don’t under estimate how much weight this small toy carried in a small and colorful package.
http://www.robot-japan.com/item/great-mazinger-ga-05-by-popy.html
#8 Clover Zanbot 3 DX. Japan gave us Samauris and swords and then the ultra tall Zanbot 3 DX combiner. At nearly 18″ tall this 1977 toy outdid the Voltes and Combattler designs by Popy toys. In fact its height wasn’t outdone until 1981 with Tetsujin. Heft, height, and accessories set this combiner ahead of the pack.
http://www.robot-japan.com/item/zambot-3-dx-by-clover.html
#7 Soul of Chogokin Ideon. Ideon, really? Well open up all your SOC toys, play with them, and then consider how much is going on for a fair price. The SOC Ideon has shot up on our bulletin board as a favorite due to electronics, accessories, transformation, size, and value. Time has proven it to be a favorite and a massive presence.
http://www.robot-japan.com/item/gx-36-ideon-soc.html
#6 Com-Bine Box Combattler by Popy. This was the first Deluxe combining toy to make it to the states (Shogun warriors Combattler), and it was also a giant leap forward for Japan’s toy world. It took the new idea of making toy parts combine together into a Super Robot.
http://www.robot-japan.com/item/combattra-dx-godaikin.html
#5 Hasbro and Takara Masterpiece Optimus Prime MP-01. Here we will give the iconic Optimus Prime the nod of excellence. Prime first came from the Diaclone line and Hasbro rebranded this concept in the 1980’s. Multiple toys deserve co-credit; but here we are giving the blue ribbon to the uber-crazy, anchor weight heavy 2003/04 rendion. MP-01 was a labor of love and it showed throughout all the details like sound chips, flip screens in the arm, rubber detailing, and extraordinary tooling(Transformers 20th Anniversary).
http://www.robot-japan.com/item/mp-01-optimus-prime.html
#4 Bullmark Daibaron DX. Magnets and diecast and misslies oh-my! Kids will never get as much missile firing sharp edged non-safety standard fun again. You can open up the toy and do all your robot role playing, then reshuffel the toy parts and make a new creation. It was a tinker toy-meet-diecast master (Bullmark Toys) bright spot in the diecast universe.
#3 Voltes V DX by Popy. Volt in Box was the first incarnation of this culture smashing robot. Kids all over the world knelt before the violet TV shows and amazing robot toy. Voltes V is recognized as being one of the best proportioned and well engineered diecast robots of its time. Next durability and smart (as well as durable) transformations highlight Voltes. Time has shown how iconic this diecast robot has become.
http://www.robot-japan.com/item/voltes-v-godaikin.html
#2 Getter Robo 1 Black Ryoma by Fewture. This is a rare, beautiful, massive, sought after, and beautifuly constructed master-piece. It represents everything that a new toy can do and do better than in the old days. It shows how fresh robot toys can be supremely detailed, glossy, near-perfect, and poseable.
http://www.robot-japan.com/item/getter-black-ryoma.html
#1 Mazinger Z GA-01. Mr Z is the guy that started it all and the Heart, if you will, before the Soul of Chogokin toys. Anime artist and designer Go-Nagai gave kids a “realistic” heavy robot toy that can fit in your pocket. The world never realized how much we needed diecasting in robot toys; GA-01 gave us the solid metal feel that we never knew we missed.
http://www.robot-japan.com/item/mazinger-z-ga-01.html
-Ed