Japanese Miniature Project SWORD and the Zero-X

 Blog friend Terry H has kindly sent me these snaps he got from a Buyee auction. 

This is the Japanese miniature Zero-X premium by Glico candy. A beautiful little OX, much less detailed than the Morinaga miniature some of you may have, but I like it a lot.

Do you like it? 

Terry also spotted these.

A red Probe Force 1 and yellow Probe Force 3. The grey plane isn't Project SWORD.

Ive a few of these Japanese miniatures too. Gorgeous solid plastic and tiny.

I don't know the maker. Glico premiums tend to be snap-together. These are single solid pieces.

Anyone know?

Morinaga of Japan

This beautiful set of Morinaga premiums was on auction recently. It was dear, too dear for me, but it is a gorgeous and pristine group.

I've owned the little blue Zero-X for about 15 years now. It came in a small Morinaga candy carton. Mine's built up and I did enjoy photographing it at the time, probably the most detailed of all the Zero-X miniatures available.

As with most vintage bits of Andersonalia like this I first came across it in Dennis Nicholson's brilliant book on collecting Gerry Anderson toys back in 1996, in which the Morinagas feature and included small, albeit black and white, photos but photos of these treasures nonetheless.

Do you own any Morinagas readers? 

JAPANESE JEWELS: GLICO TOYS

 Japan's sweet Glico toys are in a class of their own!

Here's another online sample. Enjoy!

DR.WHO'S MECHANOID AND ZERO-X

Took this snap last summer.

Its the Morinaga snap-together Zero-X cruising over the much older Cherilea Mechanoid from Dr. Who. 

I wonder if anyone ever considered crossing Thunderbirds and Dr. Who storylines on TV or in comic strips the Sixties?

Anyway, both toys are very plasticy and great to handle.

Have you got either of these toys readers?

TWO TOY TITANS MEET: OX AND MECHANOID

Here's an image from last Summer in the garden. I am hankering for sunshine!

On the table are a plastic Mechanoid and snap-together Zero-X.

Vintage plastic icons all.

Have you got different toys you can put together and send me a piccy of?

Beautiful Painted Morinaga Zero-X Toy

Continuing my occasional theme about mini Japanese Zero-X's, here's a lovely image of a Morinaga snap-together OX that's been beautifully painted. 

Remember, this model is only one or two inches long. Note the cup handle!

What do you think?

This image appeared in Model Graphix magazine 1992 and it was kindly sent by collector Bill Earle.

By way of comparison here's my own unpainted Morinaga OX minus its transfers [still on the sheet].

The Glico Multi-Coloured Zero-X Toy

Here's another miniature Japanese Zero-X.

Spotted online by fellow Anderson fan Terry H, this multi-coloured OX is less common than the Morinaga version.

Its also far less accurate in its design.

It forms part of a small fleet of plastic miniature Thunderbirds toys and flat figures, which also includes the orange Radar Car above, a sort of  stretch Thunderbirds SpaceX Tractor T5 with an antenna.

They were made by Japanese candy giant Glico.

Interestingly in Dennis Nicholson's guide to Anderson memorabilia [the bible] a similar flat figure is shown next to a small plastic Wombat Air Force Jet and described as Guriko gifts as shown below.

I now think that Guriko is the same as Glico in the way that Gojira is Godzilla.

Am I right?

Or are Guriko and Glico different companies?

Have you any Japanese Thunderbirds candy toys?

Morinaga Zero-X in the Locomotive Shed

I love browsing through Yahoo Japan at all the amazing Japanese Omake or small gifts.

Here's a recent basket of delights I saw including a Morinaga Zero-X snap-on kit in the middle, some small Thunderbirds models which I assume are Yujin and a whole shunt yard of fabulous plastic trains and locos.

What do you think readers? A fine bundle?

MINIATURE ZERO-X TOY FROM 1980: NEW TO THE BLOG

I was leafing through an old Japanese Andersonalia book today. It describes toys which came out there year by year,.

This page concerning new toys during 1980 caught my eye.

There's a wholly new miniature Zero-X toy I've never seen before. I've circled it in red.

I do not know the make but it's surrounded by plastic Thunderbirds toys in similar header carded bags.

This miniature predates the mini model by Morinaga by 12 years.

Does anyone know anymore about this 1980 Zero-X?

PROJECT SWORD MINI FLEET ON MANOUVRES

Been taking some snaps for Mr. Vreede so I thought I'd use the same background for a few pics of my mini SWORD fleet. The Zero X is the Morinaga snap-together premium and the rest are of unknown Japanese manufacture.

FUELLED AGAIN: A MOONBASE CENTRAL ZERO-X VIDEO

Here's my latest Moonbase Central Production, a short film showing the essential refuelling of a Zero X. The refueller is a Scramble Bug. The fuel is Iron Bru made from girders! Enjoy!

THE MORINAGA ZERO-X: SNAP HAPPY!

I'm a duff modeller. All fingers and thumbs and zero skill. So it was a godsend when I picked up this snap-together mini-kit by Morinaga from the early 1990's. Morinaga make boxes of candy and chocolate. which contain gifts and premiums. This wonderful little plastic Zero-X was part of their Thunderbirds range. I've been after one for four years, after first discovering it on the Japanese Thunderbirds Museum website [blogged in 2009]. I could have found out about it 13 years before but that's a story for another day!

I've taken pictures of the 'modelling' process, which is simple even by my standards! More a kinder toy than a kit, it is nevertheless a thing of beauty! The only part I've left off are the transfers as I prefer it without.

My two 'action photographs' of the OX show it taking off above a small SPV from the 1990's Captain Scarlet Adventure board game and second, a miniature Moonbus I made myself.

What do you think?

 

 

Pics of your miniatures welcomed!

Candy X: The Morinaga OX

At long last I have managed to add this beautifully tiny Zero-X plastic model by Morinaga candy of Japan to my collection of SWORD miniatures. Packaged in a neat square box it comes in various parts and snaps together easilly. The grey heatshield and engines, together with a sheet of neat transfers, complete the model. Who needs the candy when you get toys like this!

MORINAGA CANDY DEFORMED ZERO-X TOY - NEW TO THE BLOG

Wonder of wonders! Here's another miniature Japanese SWORD toy, the Morinaga deformed* ZERO X, appearing here for the first time with the kind permission of Japanese reader Hiko.

The toy appears to be a three-piece model that snaps together, complete with a section of landing strip. Looking at the Morinaga candy bar leaflet below [seen previously on the blog] it's possible to see the ZX landing strip in position. The small T shaped protruberance on Hiko's toy is a palm tree! The whole Tracy Island base is a plastic jigsaw. Cool or what! I wonder if the base and toys have been painted for the leaflet or where different colours available? Hiko's toy is as it came from the candy box and I must say that's the way I like it! What do you think?

*we've seen the 'normal' non-deformed Morinaga snap-together ZERO X previously on the blog.

Morinaga Snacks Zero X

Morinaga snacks from Japan: Deformed Thunderbirds and Zero X gifts

Morinaga snacks: normal Thunderbirds packs

Morinaga snacks: normal Zero X gift