HEAVY METAL

Next on my list of has-been space toys are the Tomy Z-Knights. An offshoot of the Zoids line, the Z-Knights existed in Japan as a popular line of model robots, large 12" battery powered models and smaller 7" clockwork ones.  They saw limited release in Europe with blindingly derivative names such as Hacker, CPU, Hardware and Shutdown, whereas the japanese versions sported much more evocative names such a Aegir, Skullviper, Marine Kaizer and Gilga.

I managed to find a japanese model, which had not reached the U.K in the form of Aegir, a Submarine Attack model in a lovely turquoise finish.  All the models walk, are poseable and can brandish weapons such as cannons, shields and huge bladed implements. Like Zoids they also house tiny silver figures, which look like miniature X-Wing pilots and also resemble seated Golden Astronauts.

They are straightforward to make and need no painting, being self coloured.

The japanese versions are much more authentically packaged in the mould of Gundam MS, with technical stats and weapon information, whereas the European packaging was much simpler and dumbed down.

A contemporary  Zoids leaflet shows the line from around the same period, with a riot of mechanical dinosaurs, insects and fish.

 

A further extension of the Zoid line was a larger scaled series of toys called Zevle - these were about the same size as Zoids, but carried a small action figure about 2.5" tall.

Once more, they were meticulously detailed and the battery powered motors allowed them to crawl on multiple limbs, while flexing menacing claws and thrashing the tail.