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BIG Toys Week: Rodan by Mattel

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    Museum Robot
    • May 9, 2007
    • 5788

    BIG Toys Week: Rodan by Mattel



    I cap off this theme week with one of my absolute favorite BIG toys of all time, Rodan! Toho movies were a treat for me growing up, rarely playing on TV, I can vividly remember watching each one I did catch.

    The weekly Godzilla cartoon and monthly Marvel comic were also enabling my love for Japanese Kaiju cinema. My single attempt to get a Mattel Godzilla toy was begging my parents to buy me one at Woolco.

    It didn't go over great.



    Rodan was not released in Canada, so I was blissfully unaware of it. When I began toy collecting in high school, Godzilla and the Shogun Warriors were on my short list, basically I was fixing Santa's mistakes.

    I started by visiting kids I grew up with and asking if they still had their toys, I got a lot of weird looks, I also got a lot of cool old toys. I eventually graduated to late night calls to the shadow network of dealers and collectors in the United States.




    Everybody knew somebody and you'd get off the phone with one guy and have a new contact to call. One of them mentioned he had a Mattel Rodan, I probably swallowed my gum, I'd never heard of this toy, I NEEDED it.

    So after some negotiation, at 17 years old, I had a Mattel Rodan hanging over my dresser mirror complete with a cigarette in his mouth and a pair of tiny sunglasses. I wish I had a picture of this.

    He would be the first thing I saw every morning until college when I sold him for car money. It kind of stung to see him leave at that toy show...



    Flash forward to 2007 when I encountered a great deal on a boxed Rodan, I snapped it up and put it on display. It was pretty magnificent, I'd hate to think what it would sell for now.

    But for some reason, it brought me little to no joy. I eventually sold it to a friend for a friend price, he still mentions it.

    Later on, it dawned on me that sometimes "Mint in Box" isn't as fun as loose. The Rodan I had as a teen didn't have a box, heck he was missing his feet! So if I wanted a Rodan, it would have to be loose.




    And here he is, my 3rd Rodan toy hanging with some of my childhood toys, hung over my workspace, he's often one of the first things I see every day (after my dog). He never fails to bring me joy.


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  • Earth 2 Chris
    Verbose Member
    • Mar 7, 2004
    • 32498

    #2
    Great story, and a great looking toy! I love the photo of the kid on the box too!

    Chris
    sigpic

    Comment

    • drquest
      ~~/\~~\o/~~/\~~Shark!
      • Apr 17, 2012
      • 3741

      #3
      The art is awesome on that! Rodan has been on my short list for years as well, but still is elusive... maybe someday...

      Also I'm surprised the 18" Kenner Alien didn't make the list this week....
      Danny(Drquest)
      Captain Action HQ
      Retro shirts and stuff
      More retro shirts
      Stuff For Sale

      Comment

      • Marvelmania
        A Ray of Sunshine
        • Jun 17, 2001
        • 10392

        #4
        That is just a great story!

        Comment

        • Werewolf
          Inhuman
          • Jul 14, 2003
          • 14616

          #5
          Mint in box is not as fun. It's no fun having a toy you can't actually touch or play with.
          You are a bold and courageous person, afraid of nothing. High on a hill top near your home, there stands a dilapidated old mansion. Some say the place is haunted, but you don't believe in such myths. One dark and stormy night, a light appears in the topmost window in the tower of the old house. You decide to investigate... and you never return...

          Comment

          • palitoy
            live. laugh. lisa needs braces
            • Jun 16, 2001
            • 59204

            #6
            Originally posted by Werewolf
            Mint in box is not as fun. It's no fun having a toy you can't actually touch or play with.
            A lot of time the box is tied to the memory and is therefor joyful. When I see a GI Joe box, I'm in the Eaton's toy aisle, so I like MIB collecting, just not all the time I guess.
            Places to find PlaidStallions online: https://linktr.ee/Plaidstallions

            Buy Toy-Ventures Magazine here:
            http://www.plaidstallions.com/reboot/shop

            Comment

            • Earth 2 Chris
              Verbose Member
              • Mar 7, 2004
              • 32498

              #7
              If it's in a box, I'll open it. As long as you can put it back in undamaged (besides maybe cutting the tape), I don't see it as being "non-MIB". I know many others think differently, but that's just me.

              Chris
              sigpic

              Comment

              • cjefferys
                Duke of Gloat
                • Apr 23, 2006
                • 10180

                #8
                Great toy, really wish I grabbed your boxed one when I had a chance. I didn't realize that they weren't sold in Canada, that explains why I didn't know it even existed until I visited my cousin in the US one time (I was around 12 maybe?) and his friend came over, bringing this huge Rodan toy that I'd never seen before. My mind almost exploded!

                Comment

                • cjefferys
                  Duke of Gloat
                  • Apr 23, 2006
                  • 10180

                  #9
                  Originally posted by Earth 2 Chris
                  If it's in a box, I'll open it. As long as you can put it back in undamaged (besides maybe cutting the tape), I don't see it as being "non-MIB". I know many others think differently, but that's just me.

                  Chris
                  I completely agree with you on this, I'm the same way. MIB means a mint toy in a box, that's it, as opposed to MISB (mint in sealed box). In this case you just need to remove Rodan's wings to put him in the box (they are attached by rubber bands).

                  Comment

                  • Makernaut
                    Persistent Member
                    • Jul 22, 2015
                    • 1546

                    #10
                    I wanna know what Ernie said about Bear that has everyone cracking up.

                    Comment

                    • cjefferys
                      Duke of Gloat
                      • Apr 23, 2006
                      • 10180

                      #11
                      I think Redd Foxx just told a rather blue joke, and Bear didn't approve.

                      Comment

                      • tay666
                        Career Member
                        • Dec 27, 2008
                        • 753

                        #12
                        What a great story.
                        Sounds like an amazing trip down memory lane.

                        And I get the whole boxed / unboxed thing.
                        Some things are just cooler when out of the box and on display. While other times seeing that sealed box sitting on your shelf just brings back awesome memories of seeing the same thing on the store shelf.

                        Comment

                        • captact
                          King of Super Queens!
                          • Aug 19, 2007
                          • 1997

                          #13
                          I need one,...badly!!!!!!

                          Comment

                          • B-Lister
                            Eccentric Weirdo
                            • Mar 19, 2010
                            • 2922

                            #14
                            He's a very high maintenance toy. I, personally want the Medicom Vinyl version, that was a nod to the Mattel sculpt. Unfortunately, the Medicom one was a limited release, and aftermarket prices are almost on par with a vintage original.
                            Looking for Green Arrow accessories, Doctor Who Sonic Screwdriver, and Japanese Popy Megos (Battle Cossack and France, Battle of the Planets, Kamen Rider, Ultraman) and World Heroes figures

                            Comment

                            • TrekStar
                              Trek or Treat
                              • Jan 20, 2011
                              • 8354

                              #15
                              My friends had the Shogun Warriors and I had Godzilla, first we'd battle then team up, I knew of Rodan and wanted him
                              badly, I searched and searched but could never find him.

                              Comment

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