Machine Robo
| The name or term "Machine Robo" refers to more than one character or idea. For a list of other meanings, see Machine Robo (disambiguation). |
Machine Robo(マシンロボ/Mashinrobo) is a long-running metaseries from Japan, originally produced by Popy and later by Bandai. Relevant to this wiki's main subject, Machine Robo's first toyline provided the figures and molds for the GoBots franchise.
Franchises[edit | edit source]
Machine Robo[edit | edit source]
Initiated in 1982 by Popy and taken over by Bandai in 1983, the original Machine Robo line ran until 1986, consisting of toys made out of ABS plastic and diecast metal which could convert from one form (typically an everyday vehicle) to a robot. While mainly a toyline, it did feature some media backing via manga strips and toy commercials. The series is best known for the Machine Robo Series range of figures that ran throughout its' life, and is colloquially known as the "600 Series" due to the figures retailing at ¥600; this was the source of the regular-sized figures used in GoBots, Robo Machine and Machine Men.
Machine Robo: Revenge of Cronos[edit | edit source]
The original Machine Robo line transitioned to the Revenge of Cronos franchise in 1986; this was backed by the first Japanese cartoon based on the line and the toyline was reorganised accordingly to tie in with the anime.
Machine Robo: Battle Hackers[edit | edit source]
A direct successor to Revenge of Cronos starting in 1987, Battle Hackers also involved a cartoon and a tie-in toyline. After Battle Hackers ended in 1988 the franchise went into hiatus.
CG Robo[edit | edit source]
A revival of Machine Robo named as CG Robo appeared in 1993, consisting of a toyline and a scant fictional storyline conveyed through TV commercials and the toys' instruction manuals. After a single year of production the franchise again went into hiatus.
Machine Robo GP[edit | edit source]
A small-scale revival came in 2001, through a series of Gashapon figures.
Machine Robo Rescue[edit | edit source]
2003 saw the first large-scale revival of the Machine Robo brand since 1988; Machine Robo Rescue featured not only an all-new toyline but also a new cartoon series.
Machine Robo Mugenbine[edit | edit source]
Since 2003 Bandai have redirected the Machine Robo franchise as Mugenbine, a series which has little mythos and has instead concentrated more on a construction-style play pattern via sets of versatile combining robots that can be merged with many others to create unique models. It has been by far the most commercially successful off-shoot of Machine Robo, though from 2008 the term Machine Robo was dropped from the toys' packaging.
Machine Robo: Revenge of Cronos (Action Toys)[edit | edit source]
Starting in 2016 the small-volume Hong Kong manufacturer Action Toys has produced collector-orientated Machine Robo figures based on the Machine Robo: Revenge of Cronos anime series.
Machine Robo Duel[edit | edit source]
Bandai revived the Machine Robo brand once again for a line of candy toy models in 2019.
External links[edit | edit source]
- Machine Robo at Wikipedia
