Popy World Hero Figure Archive

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The World Hero series was released in Japan in 1980, toy maker Popy had been distributing the 3 3/4" Kenner Star Wars figure in cool display boxes as opposed to the cards the rest of the world received.






Image Borrowed from Rebel Scum, they have a great article on Japanese Star Wars toys here.



With the success of this figure format, Popy sought to expand the 3 3/4" offering to more licenses, particularly the TV heroes of Japan.





What resulted is one of those wonderful bits of foreign toy magic, as a litany of popular Japanese heroes were released as if they were made and sold by Kenner.

I have fallen completely in love with this line and wish I'd discovered them ten years ago.

Visit the Popy World Heroes Archive here.

This one is a work in progress and as always, I'd welcome help and information.




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[ScottA]

Wow, they have to be pricey now.

[starsky]

pretty cool! they also made a ultra taro figure as well.

[Starroid Raiders Dagon]

Those are great pictures! They still sell figures, weapons, zords, little statues in boxes like that in the supermarkets in Japan in the candy aisle.

[Fitski]

That playset/storage head reminds me of a smaller Darth Vader head case

[Earth 2 Chris]

I have no nostalgia for these series, but man, those are just fun looking toys. Love the General Monster guy. That's a great looking, toyetic villain!

I had never heard of these figures before, and it's fitting that you feature them now, with all the Kenner-Retro 3 3/4" love going on.

Chris

[MIB41]

Ultraman has such a strong connection to my childhood. One local station used to play Ultraman every day after school back in the late 60's and early 70's. It was interesting too. One time during the mid-70's a prime time show was preempted due to a news flash. By the time the announcement was over, I guess they didn't have time to go back to the show, so they ran an episode of Ultraman and I remember thinking how wild that was. The 70's was definitely an era for customized programming at it's finest. It was truly a free for all.

But you know as much as I loved that show I never, EVER, saw any merchandise on him as a kid. The only thing I ever had was the Ben Cooper costume and I would still have that in the box today if my mother had not thrown it away in the mid 80's. So it's always fascinating to see this entire industry of goods that was manufactured back then, yet none of it ever got pumped into my town. Odd too given the show was on a daily rotation, yet no retailer ever thought anything of it. Communication and assimilation with the marketplace was so different back then. Everyone seem to be off doing their own thing - Consumer and retailers alike.

[cjefferys]

Finally!

[palitoy]

pretty cool! they also made a ultra taro figure as well.

I have it pictured in the gallery, just trying to figure out who figure 17 is.

[cjefferys]

Let me know whatever you need translated Brian, and I'll handle it for you.

[palitoy]

I have no nostalgia for these series, but man, those are just fun looking toys. Love the General Monster guy. That's a great looking, toyetic villain!

Yeah, that's exactly how I fell into this trap. I am familiar with these characters and then i saw these, I would have bought these as a kid in a heartbeat.

Wow, they have to be pricey now.

Actually, they're not, that's the other fun thing about them. I've gotten boxed ones for $20-40.

[SeattleEd]

Actually, they're not, that's the other fun thing about them. I've gotten boxed ones for $20-40.

That's really good, Brian. I ended up paying $75 for a loose Ultraman 80 and the Ultraseven & Ultraman went for over a $100 each. This was last year too. I've seen go for more over in PDX at Billy Galaxy.

Been trying to get the latter two with no luck.

[palitoy]

Ed, I had to network with Japanese dealers to get my collection started, the US market is dry and pricey.

One of the cooler things I uncovered were these Bandai reproductions done in the 1980s, these cost about $25 each in Japan.

[SeattleEd]

NICE! I'm in Flynn!

[palitoy]

I love the internet, I posted this less than 12 hours ago and I've already got my answers.

#17 is the pink Denjiman and figures 19-21 are from the next Super Sentai show Sun Vulcan.

http://www.mandarake.co.jp/information/2008/11/12/12cmp02/index.html

That one is a bit of a bummer as I don't like the five man shows at all....