Review "SOUL OF CHOGOKIN GX-33R Leopardon & Marveler Summon Set"

Spider-Man" Spider-Man, which appeared in the Toei TV series (1978-79), has been followed by S.H.Figuarts, as well as apparel, toy confections, and capsule toys, and for Toei TV series fans, these days are like a miracle. The release of SOUL OF CHOGOKIN, which was released in 2006 to the delight of fans, has been re-released as the "SOUL OF CHOGOKIN GX-33R Leopardon & Marveler Summoning Set!
Last time it was a set with Spider-Man soft vinyl doll, but this time! Spider bracelet and set!

This item is worn on the left wrist by the main character, Takuya Yamashiro. Wear the spider protector (suit) stored in this bracelet and transform into Spider-Man.

And when he becomes Spider-Man, he shoots spider threads, which were called spider strings and spider nets in the program, from the bracelet.

In addition, it was also used as a guidance item to call the beloved Spider Machine GP-7 and the space carrier Marveler.

Such a spider bracelet, but at the time the program was aired, it was not commercialized on a human scale... In other words, this is the first commercialization to commemorate! The elaborate finish that can be mistaken for the prop used in the shoot is a must-have item not only for toy fans but also for cosplayers who want to be Spider-Man!
It's not just the realistic design that's great. This bracelet is packed with a number of exciting ver. A.N.I.M.E. that will capture the hearts of Spider-Man-Man fans.
First of all, when you press the red button that shoots spider silk in the play, the burning theme song "Kakero! Spider-Man" composed by Chumei Watanabe and written by Saburo Yatsude will play! Furthermore, if you press the red button, the eye catch that was played before and after the commercial in the program will also be played.

Not only that!
When you open the lid, you will hear a clicking sound and then press the yellow main switch on the panel to blink the marveler guidance device (green lamp). Then, while blinking the Marveler guidance device and the pilot lamp next to it, the brave BGM composed by Michiaki Watanabe, which was played in the Marveler start-Leopardon transformation scene in the play, will be played!

What's more, when you press the yellow main switch, you can hear the voice of Takuya Yamashiro shouting "Marveler!" into the bracelet when he summons Marveler! It's no ver. A.N.I.M.E. to say that it's a miracle that this bracelet has even been commercialized! If you're a fan, or even if you're not, wearing this bracelet is sure to make you feel good!

From here, I would like to introduce the charm of the body of SOUL OF CHOGOKIN Leopardon!
But before that, let me explain how the “Spider-Man” Toei TV series was born!
It's an important thing related to the secret of the birth of Leopardon!

According to "Making of Toei Hero 2" (Kodansha X Bunko), in the late 1970s, a contract was signed between Toei and MARVEL Comics to "freely use each company's characters for three years." And Toei plans to produce a special effects TV program in which MARVEL heroes play an active role. It is said that Spider-Man was chosen as the first issue. However, there were twists and turns to become the “Spider-Man” Toei TV series that we know.

When Toei first planned a Spider-Man program, the title was "Superman Takeru & Spider-Man". In the story, invaders from outer space called "Panicker" turned their attacks on Japan, so Peter Parker, who came from the United States to follow them, teamed up with Yamato Takeru, who traveled back in time from ancient Japan to the present day, to fight. thing. At this point, Spider-Man remains the original character, and no giant robots will appear. Why did giant robots come to appear from there?

The circumstances surrounding that are described in detail in "From Kamen Rider to Garo: Ryonori Watanabe, the man who built the character business in Japan" (CHOGOKIN-Katsushi Murakami-" (ASCII Shinsho). increase.

At the time, Ryonori Watanabe was head of the Toei Television Department and was the driving force behind the contract between MARVEL and MARVEL. However, Mr. Watanabe had concerns about producing a Spider-Man program. It was merchandising.

"The original spider man can only make vinyl stuffed animals. After all, we have to introduce a robot to make it a product."
Mr. Watanabe thought so and asked Mr. Katsuji Murakami, a designer at Popy, a toy manufacturer at the time, if he could provide Popy with a program for his next product, Spider-Man. Incidentally, Mr. Murakami at that time was not only the developer of "CHOGOKIN MAZINGER Z", the first product of the CHOGOKIN series, which can be said to be the root of SOUL OF CHOGOKIN, but also a top runner in the industry involved in designing Japan's world-class giant robots, including "Brave REIDEEN" (1975-76) and "COM-BATTLER V" (1976-77).
Mr. Murakami, who was consulted by Mr. Watanabe, also agreed that he wanted to put out a robot. Thus, the giant robot appearance plan has started!

Mr. Murakami decided to design a giant robot that Spider-Man controls! The giant robot that Spider-Man controls is not just a robot, but a groundbreaking idea that transforms from a space carrier and becomes a robot.

And the title of the program was also changed to "Spider-Man 's Robot Battle". At this stage, the idea of Yamato Takeru appearing in the previous project disappeared, and Spider-Man was also set to transform into a Japanese young man, Takuya Yamashiro. By the way, Leopardon's name at this point is Gallia SQ. After that, through the title proposal "Spider-Man ROBO", finally the "Spider-Man" Toei TV series was born, where you can enjoy the unique Japanese development of Spider-Man-Man using super powers and machines inherited from aliens.

Speaking of Leopardon, the unique design that catches the eye is a wonderful face. SOUL OF CHOGOKIN GX-33R Leopardon perfectly reproduces the aggressive look. According to "CHOGOKIN Man -Katsushi Murakami-", this original design is based on the image of a spider's face. Furthermore, the design of the spider web on the legs and chest to give it a spider-like appearance is too nice!

Originally, if you were to design a giant robot controlled by Spider-Man, the main coloring would be the same blue and red as Spider-Man. Spider-Man 2005, MARVEL Comics collaborated with the American toy maker Toy Biz to create Mega Morphs, in which MARVEL Spider-Man battle giant robots. It was based on the design and color of the suit. But Leopardon designed by Mr. Murakami is different. The coloring of red, silver, yellow, and black gives off a unique and aggressive presence that is a bit different from Spider-Man, and the hearts of the viewers who were watching the program at that time were wonderfully cut.

SOUL OF CHOGOKIN Leopardon reproduces such coloring wonderfully. The harmony woven by the luster of the black part and the weathering applied to the silver part perfectly appeals the profound presence of the giant robot.

SOUL OF CHOGOKIN of Chogokin Leopardon has a special pedestal that can store all the accessories, so it's a perfect gem for the interior of your room! But once you buy it, you want to pick it up and play. And I want you to take the same pose as the program.

One of the points that impressed me with the SOUL OF CHOGOKIN of Chogokin Leopardon is the same place as Leopardon where the transformation mechanism from the space carrier Marveler to Leopardon appears in the program!
In that case, what I want to try as a fan is the complete transformation scene shot from the same camera angle as the program!
By the way, when you purchase this product and enjoy the transformation, it is recommended to play the BGM of the Marveler appearance scene built in the Spider bracelet, because the transformation mood will be even more exciting! Let's go!

Ma-Bella-! !!

Speaking of Marveler, the bridge designed with a lion motif had an impact. According to "CHOGOKIN Man -Katsushi Murakami-", this design came from Sfikuns. By the way, speaking of DALTANIOUS with a lion motif, Mr. Murakami also designed SOUL OF CHOGOKIN with a lion's face design on the chest, which is now on sale from BANDAI SPIRITS.

When Spider-Man pilots Marvelor & Leopardon, don't forget the Spider Machine GP-7. Spider-Man gets on the Marveler's bridge with this machine. SOUL OF CHOGOKIN comes with Spider-Man-Man figure of the same scale as the Spider Machine GP-7, which is Popinica (the minicar series developed by Poppy))!

Furthermore, the detailed construction that comes with the GP-7 spider machine of the same scale as the SOUL OF CHOGOKIN is irresistible.

This spider machine GP-7 can be mounted on the Leopardon bridge like a program!

Change, Leopardon!

When the bridge breaks, Leopardon's face looks like a program!

Leopardon's transformation scene was sometimes abbreviated compactly in some episodes. Therefore, it was rarely possible to see the state in the process of transformation as shown in the photograph. By the way, this state can be confirmed in the 3rd episode "Phantom Thief 001 vs Spider Man" and the 4th episode "Fearful Merman! Silver Thread Calling a Miracle". However, if you get the SOUL OF CHOGOKIN, you can enjoy this state to your heart's content!

You can also transform the arm part as shown in the program!

I couldn't easily see the state during this transformation ... It's important, so I'll write it again.
If you get the SOUL OF CHOGOKIN, you can fully enjoy this state!

The deformation of the legs is the same as the program!

Look at this condition when the deformation in the air is completed and landing. It looks just like the prop used in the transformation scene in the play!

The arm of SOUL OF CHOGOKIN Leopardon can be replaced with a deformable type and a movable type. There are two types of wrist parts, a prop version for transformation and a suit version! If you attach a movable arm and a suit version of the wrist parts, you can completely copy the pose that Leopardon showed in the program! That's why, from here on, I'd like to recreate the pose of Leopardon's unrivaled special move from the same camera angle as the show!

The firing pose of the arc turn that shoots the emblem of the forehead like a boomeran is also this street. By the way, in the program, the neck of Leopardon before the arc turn injection is slightly tilted to the right, isn't it? Since the head of SOUL OF CHOGOKIN Leopardon operates with a ball joint, such fine movements can be reproduced!

The Arc Turn is equipped with a firing ver. A.N.I.M.E.! What's more, the transforming arm can fire an arm rocket that was used in episode 31, "A Detective with No Tomorrow, a Child with No Tomorrow," to destroy the factory where the hallucinogen mash was being smuggled by the Iron Cross Gang was manufactured in one shot!

The strongest Weapon Sword Bicker's deciding pose, which killed the huge machine Bem with a single blow and appealed to Leopardon's unrivaledness, is also beautifully reproduced!

In addition, it also comes with a spider protector, a phantom item that was never used in the program, only with promotional steel! Even though it's a product that you can't get enough of, the instruction manual is even more impressive! Not only product explanations, but also commentary on the work of "Spider-Man", concept art of gadgets such as Leopardon that appeared in the play, valuable photos, toy catalogs released at the time of broadcasting, Shin Todo who played Katsushi Murakami and Takuya Yamashiro It's a deep booklet that covers the skin of an instruction manual that includes interviews with Mr. Ni and others!

Text: Ginty Kobayashi

*The images shown include prototypes that are under development. The actual products may differ slightly.
*The information in the article is current as of the time of publication. The information is subject to change without notice.
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