Machine Robo

Machine Robo (マシンロボ) is a Japanese transforming robot toyline first released in 1982 by Popy, a division of Bandai, then later by Bandai proper. The franchise was marketed as Robo Machine in Europe and Machine Men in Australia. A large portion of these toys were exported to North America as part of Tonka's Gobots series, which began in 1983.[1][2][3][4]

About Machine Robo

The initial assortment of Machine Robos consisted of small toy robots which transformed into vehicles, aircraft, etc., comparable in size to Matchbox cars. These early MR toys have become known as the "600 series" (being priced at ¥600 each), and were developed through ideas submitted by children, similar to the children's submissions in the Kinnikuman anime series. Larger-scale deluxe ("DX") toys were soon released, along with other non-transforming vehicles & figures.

Catalogs packaged with the toys contained stories depicting the Machine Robos as beings from the Romulus system. Romulus was collapsing in on itself, and those beings who reached Earth became Machine Robo, while some became trapped in the Casmozone and mutated into monstrous Devil Invaders. This premise would later be abandoned in favor of a new storyline originating with the first MR anime Machine Robo: Revenge of Cronos.

The "600" Era (1982–1985)

600 Series (マシンロボ 600)
MRNameVehicle ModeGobot Name
01Bike RoboMotorcycleCy-Kill
02Battle RoboTankTank
03Jet RoboJetFitor
04Gyro RoboHelicopterCop-Tur
05Steam RoboJNR Class D51Loco
06Highway RoboGround effect vehicleHi-Way
07Supercar RoboSupercarTurbo
08Buggy RoboDune buggyBuggyMan
09Dump RoboDump truckDumper
10Fire RoboFire EnginePumper
11Bulldozer RoboBulldozerDozer
12Shinkansen Robo0 Series ShinkansenBullet
13Patrol Car RoboPatrol carHans-Cuff
14Shuttle RoboSpace ShuttleSpay-C
15Ambulance RoboAmbulanceRest-Q
16Scooter RoboScooterScooter
17Drill RoboAugerScrew Head
18Trailer RoboSemi-trailer truckRoad Ranger
19Harrier RoboSea Harrier FRS1Royal-T
20Porsche RoboPorsche 956Crasher
21Countach RoboCountach LP500SSpoiler
22New Shinkansen Robo200 Series ShinkansenVain Train
23Missile Tank RoboMissile tankBlaster
24Crane RoboCraneCrain Brain
25Eagle RoboF-15 EagleLeader-1
26Sanitation RoboGarbage truckFly Trap
27Doubledecker Bus RoboDoubledecker busDecker Decker
MRNameVehicle ModeGobot Name
28Jeep RoboMitsubishi Jeep CJ-3BGeeper-Creeper
29UFO RoboUFOPath Finder
303-Wheel Buggy RoboThree-wheelern/a
31Cessna RoboCessna 172Water Walk
32F-1 RoboRenault RE20 TurboSlicks
33Submarine RoboLos Angeles-class submarineDive-Dive
34Forklift RoboForkliftSpoons
35Offroad RoboToyota Hilux SR5Small Foot
36Mixer RoboCement Mixer TruckBlock Head
37Harley RoboFLHC Electra-Glide ClassicNight Ranger
38Mini Cooper RoboMini Cooper 1300SJack Attack
39Zero RoboA6M ZeroZero
40Kaman RoboSH-2 SeaspriteFlip-Top
41Apache RoboAH-64 ApacheWrong-Way
42Skyline RoboSkyline 2000 RS TurboTail Pipe
43Hot Rod RoboCamaro Z28Street Heat
44Classic RoboExcaliburGood Knight
45Blackbird RoboSR-71 BlackbirdSnoop
46Limousine RoboRolls-Royce Phantom VITux/Stretch
47Fairchild RoboA-10 Thunderbolt IIBad Boy
48Fairlady RoboNissan 300ZXMajor Mo
49Falcon RoboF-16 Fighting FalconHeat Seeker
50Vertol RoboKV-107-II5Twin Spin
51Phantom RoboF-4EJ PhantomMach-3
52Tomcat RoboF-14A TomcatSky Jack
53Apollo RoboSaturn V rocketApollo
54Battleship RoboIowa-class battleshipMan-O-War
B747Jumbo Jet RoboBoeing 747n/a
Machine Robo DX/Scale Robo
DXNameSuper Gobot Name
01Space Cobra PsychoroidPsycho
02Fairlady 280Z T-Bar RoofZeemon
03Porsche 928SHerr/Doctor Fiend/Go
04Leopard 2A4Destroyer
05Volkswagen 1303S BeetleBug Bite
06Saladin MkIIDefendor
07Porsche 930 TurboBaron/Professor Von Joy
Big Machine Robo
BMRNameSuper Gobot Name
01Big Bike RoboSuper Cy-Kill
02Big Eagle RoboSuper Leader-1
03Big Trailer RoboStaks
04Big Jet-Heli RoboWarpath
05Big Shuttle RoboSuper Spay-C
Devil Invaders
MRDNameKatakanaMonster Gobot Name
101CasmodonキャスモドンVamp
102FalgosファルゴスPincher
103ZariosザリオスScorp
104GildisギルディスCreepy
105BaldasバルダスBladez

Vehicles & Bases

  • Jet Garry
  • Battle Base
  • Combat Buggy
Power Suits
  • Battle Armor 5 (Courageous / Grungy)
Jet fighter and four powered suits combine into huge robot.
  • Land Commander 5 (Nemesis)
Tank and four powered suits combine into huge robot.
Machine Puzzler
NameGobot Name
CorvetteTic Tac
Celica XXJigsaw
Countach LP500Pocket
Porsche 930TCrossword
Benz 500SLCRube
Fairlady 300ZXZigZag
Double Machine Robo
  • Jetlancer
  • Helitanser
  • Tanktrancer
  • Drillheli
  • Doublejet
  • Sidelancer
Martial Arts Robo (格闘技ロボ)

Revenge of Cronos (1986–1987)

see Machine Robo: Revenge of Cronos

Both in Japan and in the West, Machine Robo's main competition was The Transformers, whose animated series debuted in Japan in 1985. To match this, the first Machine Robo anime, Revenge of Cronos, debuted a year later in 1986.

Chara Collection

Large, non-transforming versions of main characters with swords. DX versions come with firing BB guns.

  • Triple Jim
  • Blue Jet
  • Rod Drill
Snapfit model kits
NameAKA
Blue JetJet Robo
Rod DrillDrill Robo
Baikanfun/a
Kenryun/a
Combat RacerPorsche Robo
Mecha FighterBlackbird Robo
Soul of Chogokin (2007)
  • GX-39 Baikanfu

Battle Hackers (1987–1988)

see Machine Robo: Battle Hackers

CG Robo (1993)

In CG Robo (シージーロボ), the "CG" is short for "Change & Glow", pointing to the fact that this line of 14 figures not only transformed, but also had working lights and sounds. CG-01 to CG-05 were released in Europe with minor changes as part of the Robo Machines toyline.

CG #NameVehicle Type
01Patrol Car CGPolice Car
02Fire CGFire Truck
03Rescue CGAmbulance
04Carrier CGTank truck
054WD CG4WD
06Spy CGSports Car
07Armor CGArmored Car
08Nozomi CG300 Series Shinkansen
09Dump CGDump Truck
10Crane CGCrane
11Shovel CGExcavator
12Tsubasa CG400 Series Shinkansen
13Dozer CGBulldozer
14Shuttle CGSpace Shuttle

Machine Robo Rescue (2003)

see Machine Robo Rescue

Mugenbine (2004–present)

see Machine Robo Mugenbine

Revival Series (2015-Present)

In 2015, Bandai and Production Reed collaborated with Hong Kong-based toy company Action Toys to do a revival of the original Machine Robo Toyline, in which the designs were based on their appearance in Revenge of Cronos.[5] The first of the series was released in the same year with the second line released in 2016. A DX version of Bike Robo is stated for release in December 2017.[6]

Animated series

The first Machine Robo animated series was Challenge of the Gobots, which aired in the United States from 1984 to 1985. The second series was Machine Robo: Revenge of Cronos, which aired in Japan from 1986 to 1987. There were some further straight-to-video adventures released from 1988 to 1990 that featured some characters from this anime. The third series was Machine Robo: Battle Hackers, which aired in 1987. The fourth and latest animated series was Machine Robo Rescue, which aired from 2003 to 2004.

References

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