Takara-Tomy products
When you give Armored Trooper Votoms more than a passing glance, you quickly find the Takara toy and hobby company built into its DNA. The concept itself originated as a joint production of Sunrise and Takara to generate toy and model kit sales. Takara released cutting-edge versions of both during the 1983-84 broadcast, hitting home runs with 1/24 model kits and 1/24 Dual Model toys. Development stopped in 1984, but the line turned out to have very long legs and stayed in production for years afterward.
(Find Takara’s vintage model kits here and toys here.)
When the series reached its 20th anniversary in 2003, many other toy and hobby companies jumped on the bandwagon, inspiring Takara (now merged with Tomy) to retake its rightful place on the throne by carving out three distinct niches to exploit.
The first was the 1/48 scale realm of the Actic Gear line, which allowed for many vehicles and accessories that hadn’t been made before. Those products were examined in full here.
Next, there was the 1/18 scale realm, dominated by Takara’s longtime favorite Microman line that went all the way back to 1974 (known as Micronauts in the west). Now it was called “Micro Action” and provided a new way to market the series with action figures as an anchor for 9.5″ to 10″ tall Armored Troopers.
Last but not least, there was the previously-untapped 1/144 realm, common to model building and military miniatures. The A.T.s would be tiny, but the opportunity to finally expand into support vehicles was wide open.
Takara-Tomy played hard in these realms from 2006 onward, creating some very unique products. This page covers the 1/18 and 1/144 lineups, accompanied by contemporary interviews with their developers from the Votoms Real Toy Collection book (Mediaworks, 2006).
I will work hard to make you say, “Takara’s Votoms are the best!”
Micro Action developer interview: Kazutami Abiko and Kensuke Akagi
Kazutami Abiko
Born in Tokyo. Worked for Takara-Tomy Card & hobby marketing group, toy hobby team. He is the director of Cyborg Laboratory. Major products include Neo Transforming Cyborg, Microman, and the 1/144 Thunderbird series.
Kensuke Akagi
Born in Kyoto. He is a member of the Takara-Tomy Card & hobby marketing group, toy hobby team. His main products include Transformers, Cool Girl, and the B-Daman series.
Interviewer: First of all, please tell us how you came to develop the Micro Action Votoms products.
Abiko: In the course of working with Sunrise in 2005, which was the 15th anniversary of the Brave series, Takara’s boys division launched Actic Gear and Masterpiece Exkaiser. At this time, the Microman series also released Gaogaigar characters Shishio Kai, Utogi Mei, Swan White, and also Chirico Cuvie from Votoms. Chirico was especially popular and received a great response from the audience at the presentation. As expected, it sold out immediately after its release. That’s when we realized that the underlying power of Votoms was not only the popularity of A.T.s.
Interviewer: Soon after that, you launched a Scopedog that was compatible with Chirico.
Abiko: After the release of Chirico, we received a lot of requests from both inside and outside the company saying, “I want a Scopedog he can ride in!” So we started the project as an upper-body model for the time being. To be honest, it was a bit haphazard. Chirico sold well, so we thought of an expansion plan. At first, we planned to make only the cockpit area with gimmicks. However, if the height is only 3.8 meters, we thought, “Wouldn’t it be better to make the whole body?” That’s where it took us. (Laughs)
Interviewer: So, you didn’t plan Chirico with the premise of a Scopedog in mind from the beginning?
Abiko: Correct. the Sunrise Micro Action character came first. I never dreamed I would make a 1/18 scale AT. I thought at the time about how Takara hadn’t released any new products as finished toys since the Dual Model when the program was aired. I decided to make something that could be played with as a toy, but with the quality of a plamodel. A finished toy that includes all the gimmicks and can be played with right out of the box. In other words, we took on the Dual Model’s concept of a “high-density finished product.” That was the goal when we started development.
Interviewer: What did you focus on?
Abiko: There are many interpretations of the Scopedog, such as Norio Shioyama’s style, Kenichi Nomoto’s supervision, and so on. For example, “I arranged this part in this way.” Actic Gear has some of these elements as well. However, I decided to seek a “legitimate toy” with this Scopedog. There is a famous 4-sided drawing by Kunio Okawara. I tried to make it look exactly like that drawing. We didn’t add any special arrangements. Of course, we referred to various other products, but Mr. Okawara’s drawings felt like the real thing.
Sunrise often says that “there is no correct answer” when it comes to the Scopedog. In fact, there are many different ways of expressing the Scopedog in this world. Also, if you’re a developer who likes Votoms, you want your products to reflect your own personal taste. However, I didn’t put any of my own assertions into it. I tried to keep it in a form that would satisfy as many people as possible.
Interviewer: So you chose the greatest common denominator that most people can agree on.
Abiko: Yes, I used 1/24 SAK (Scale Anime Kit) as a reference for adding details. As for the painting, it’s the same as the 1/144 Thunderbird series we used to produce. I tried not to expose the molding color of the product as much as possible. If you leave the molding color as is, it will look too light no matter what.
I thought there were many people who prefer the anime-style coloring. I personally thought the popularity of A.T. was due to its military-like realism, so I decided to use weathering paint like the examples of plamodels and box art. When I presented the coloring samples within the company, there were quite a few objections, but there were no negative opinions after the official announcement. To be honest, at first I thought, “Did I go too far?” There had never been a product that was this weathered in the past.
Akagi: It’s almost like an example from a modeling magazine. It seems that fewer people are painting and modifying models nowadays. I think it’s okay to go this far. But maybe I’m being a little too generous. (Laughs)
Abiko: The trend among customers nowadays is that they don’t like even the most minor assembly parts. People who build plamodels don’t usually have a problem with it, but most prefer finished products that can be played with right away. Therefore, we only added a few decals for detail-up. We printed all the minimum necessary marks on adhesive paper.
Interviewer: Yes, you’re being a little too generous. (Laughs) When I heard the Strikedog would be released next, I was honestly surprised that the second product didn’t turn out to be a Scopedog variation.
Abiko: Looking at past merchandising, it’s standard practice to release a Scopedog first, followed by a variation such as Brutish, or a weapon set. Before we launched our Scopedog, the prototype we showed to various media was very well received. I was told by upper management, “Why don’t you release a variation of the Scopedog two months later?”
But I was against it. “I understand that the company wants to increase sales, but now that Takara is finally getting serious about Votoms, it will kill the project if we continue with the same development as before. Let’s make the second product something that will defy expectations in a good way, something that hasn’t been done three-dimensionally yet, and make it more exciting.”
Interviewer: I see. So you had already decided on the second product relatively early?
Akagi: Takara is now developing Actic Gear and other products. When Yamato and other companies were making Votoms a big success, we felt a bit guilty that we couldn’t participate. The DMZ line would be the latest Votoms products, so we had to create something that would definitely satisfy our customers. It’s a point of pride for us as the maker who offered products at the time of the program’s original broadcast.
So, instead of the color changes or parts changes seen in regular Votoms products, we wanted to develop it in a way fans couldn’t predict. I wanted customers to say, “Wow! Votoms is by Takara, after all!!” Of course, I think it’s possible to use the same molds for different products. But if we only release easy color variations, we might not achieve the desired result, and the boom would be over in just a year or two. Since Takara is doing Votoms again after more than 20 years, I think it’s important to enliven the work with the customers. For that reason, I didn’t want to make any compromises on the product.
Abiko: When we announced the first Scopedog, people in various fields predicted that “this is probably what they’ll do next.” But when the second one was the Strikedog, they said, “Oh, here we go!” and the excitement grew again. Many people said, “If the second one is a Strike, I’ll buy the first one, too.” Until now, garage kits have been the mainstream for Votoms, so it’s great to see Takara getting attention again. It was worth making a new mold.
Interviewer: It inherits the “Dual Model” name, a masterpiece of Dougram and Votoms toys, and the series is named DMZ (Dual Model Zwei).
Abiko: Sunrise had originally proposed the revival of the Dual Model. However, I thought it would be presumptuous. Mr. Izumi, who was in charge of the project at that time, named it “Dual Model Zwei,” so I decided to continue with that name. However, DMZ is just an expression, since development is centered upon Microman. We don’t intend to do business only with A.T.s.
Akagi: For example, Votoms includes many attractive characters besides Chirico, such as Gotho, Vanilla, Coconna, and Kan Yu, but surprisingly, they have not been commercialized. So I wanted to release them as Microman products. Personally, I’d especially like to release Lu Shako and Kan Yu.
Abiko: I would say Vanilla. It would be interesting to give him a can of spray paint to recreate the scene where he paints the shoulder red. (Laughs)
Akagi: But at this point, it’s just a way for fans to have fun. When you think of Votoms products, you think A.T.s, so I’m afraid if we continue to release only Microman figures, customers will be troubled. Therefore, in the future, we’ll release other characters like Ypsilon, while tying them in with A.T.s.
Interviewer: There is also the MAP [Micro Action Plus] series, which includes the bike set and the capsule set.
Akagi: These are support mecha for Microman. I thought of making a series of mecha as single items you would want. I’d like to liven up Fyana with a Brutish someday, but I decided to keep her as a Microman-in-capsule form at first. We still have the same DMZ approach, though, I think “Shako and Sandrunner” or “Kan Yu and a scout ship” are also possibilities.
Abiko: Bikes for a motorcycle gang would be good too, wouldn’t they?
Akagi: Biker gang Microman? (Laughs) That would surprise everyone!
Abiko: The next one, Merowlink, has a cult following, but for some reason it has never been marketed. That’s why we decided to commercialize it, but at the same time it’s one of the most popular Microman products we’ve released so far. Bike things have always been a popular part of the market.
Some people said, “I want a real bike, not a sci-fi bike,” so we decided to make a realistic diecast bike. That’s how we came up with Merowlink.
Interviewer: What are your plans for future cultivation?
Akagi: When we exhibited Microman and DMZ at the last toy show, a father in his thirties stopped to look at our products. The mother and her children wanted to go to the next display. (Laughs) It was the opposite of what we usually see at toy shows. When I asked the father about it, he told me that he was a fan of the show at the time it aired, and he didn’t know that new products are still being sold today.
We have to think about how we can convey this information to people who have moved on from Votoms. Of course, we also need to think about how we can provide better products to existing fans as well as to young people who have only recently discovered the program. Votoms will remain as a good work in the hearts and minds of our customers.
Abiko: The Votoms collectors have been dealing with a variety of products, and I think they are very discerning. But when I hear from them, they seem to have high expectations for this series, so I’d like to create something that won’t betray those expectations. It’s important content that can continue a long time for us, so I’ll do my best to make people say, “Takara’s products are the best.”
(October 23, 2006, at Takara-Tomy headquarters)
Find demo & review videos for Takara-Tomy Votoms products here and here.
Read more about the Dual Model Zwei line at Anymoon here
Microman Figures
MA-24 Chirico Cuvie
The first release included a helmet, pistol, bazooka, landmine, and optional hands. See more info here.
MA-38 Chirico Cuvie
This upgraded version added more weapons and props to the same figure.
Battling Pilot
Generic A.T. pilot with pistol.
Other Microman figures: Chirico in Red Shoulder uniform, Fyana, Vanilla, and Ality Merowlink. The first three were bundled with Dual Model Zwei toys. The Merowlink figure was bundled with a DVD set, and was one of two. (The other is shown below.)
MA-35 Ypsilon
Another Microman figure (MA-35) from Takara, armed with helmet, option hands, and hand weapons.
MAP-01 Fyana with Jijirium Capsule
One of the odder choices, essentially an unadorned female Microman figure in a tube.
It did have a light-up feature, which would have made for interesting diorama opportunities. See more info here.
MAP-02 Ality Merowlink with military bike set
Merowlink came with two different heads, several sets of hands, and his trusty Anti-AT rifle.
But the most impressive bonus item was his beautifully-crafted “military bike” with spinning wheels and removable parts.
See an unboxing video here
Arron and Gurran
Finally, two very obscure and rather creepy characters with very little action potential. Their creepy pet was also included. See more info here.
1/18 Dual Model Zwei Series
We were able to incorporate A.T.s as an extension of current weapons
Interview with Takara-Tomy Microworld developer Mikitoshi Amano
Mikitoshi Amano
Born in Aichi Prefecture. Takara-Tomy hobby development team expert. He has been active as “Dr. Tamano” in magazines and at events while in charge of B-Daman development. He has been developing toys for adults since 2004, and is currently working on the RC Skyship and the Chorobai RC motorcycle.
Interviewer: Please tell us how you came up with the idea of releasing Votoms in Microworld.
Amano: Thanks to Actic Gear, Votoms is getting a lot of attention, isn’t it? Votoms is one of the big titles that Takara can handle, and it’s also one of my favorite titles. So I thought about how Votoms could be expressed in the world of Microworld with ATs and peripheral vehicles.
Since the World Tank Museum IRC series, I’ve been working on ships and airplanes. The A.T. is around 4 meters tall, which makes it easy to put together with other vehicles. Votoms is often said to have a strong military flavor, and I felt that this was partly due to the relationship with other vehicles. If we developed it in 1/144 scale, which has become a major toy niche, I thought we could create something interesting.
Interviewer: This is the first anime robot for Microworld, isn’t it?
Amano: You might think of it as a hero robot, but A.T.s are just an extension of weapons. It’s an unusual category of robot. I’ve always thought that the positioning of A.T.s as “disposable combat weapons” is similar to tanks and other weapons we’ve seen in the past, so I was able to infuse this into it without hesitation.
Interviewer: What criteria did you use to select the first round?
Amano: I selected mecha that were active in the story and left a strong impression. Among these, I think the A.T. Fly is relatively impressive. But even so, when I rewatch Votoms now, I see a lot of peripheral vehicles. They all have the Votoms flavor, but can also be considered as weapons. I wanted to choose the ones in the sweet spot.
Interviewer: The release date is early 2007, but the information came out ahead of time.
Amano: It took more development than I thought, and a long time to go into production. It’s the same when you launch any series. What kind of product will be made first, what staff will be partnered with, and “what is the standard grade”? For Votoms, we changed production plants twice before we reached a point where we were satisfied with the quality of the product. I don’t feel relieved until I see the finished product, but I feel we can produce something good with our current flow.
Interviewer: Are the prototypes made by the same people who produced the tanks?
Amano: No, I asked someone who made Votoms garage kits to make the prototypes. I think it’s the same in any genre; if “people in the know” aren’t involved, you’ll end up creating something different. It’s like, “Even if you leave this out, you have to express that by all means.” But if you don’t modify anything it will be limited by the anime, so we tell them, “This is the direction we want to go.”
Interviewer: I see that the interior and undersides of the vehicles are also newly created.
Amano: Since it’s a three-dimensional object, you can see the back of the vehicle as well. The World Tank Museum series is like that. If you look at the back, you can see that the suspension and the escape hatch are also molded. For example, “If the tank is to be used on rough terrain, it will probably need underguards.” I designed the new model while talking with people in the know. Sunrise told me, “There is room for that kind of play.”
Interviewer: Are there any difficulties unique to this size?
Amano: The sculptor is handling the difficulties in A.T. modeling. We have to work on how to deliver it to the customer in the form of a finished product. This is a different challenge from planning. When we receive images from the factory for confirmation, we ask them to take close-up photos. At this size, it looks better than the real thing to the human eye. When corners sag and parting lines appear, I think, “Wow.” But it’s nothing at this size when you look at it normally.
For mecha, we want to make lines that are sharper than those on the A.T.s, so we use 3D CAD to make molds. This process requires more intermediary people than just creating a prototype as it is, so communication is difficult.
Interviewer: Please tell us about your future prospects.
Amano: We haven’t even released the first product yet, but when selecting lineups, I’m trying to imagine the second and third installments. I’m also very happy to see that the Scopedog has suddenly become a Red Shoulder Custom. Of course, I want you to look forward to the next one. However, after some time went by I thought, “Isn’t it strange that there’s no lead character?” (Laughs) I wondered if we could do something special for the Votoms Fair. So I decided to offer a normal Scopedog as a special offer at the Votoms Fair in the fall and winter of 2006.
Interviewer: What is your message to your fans?
Amano: Since the unit price is low, I hope you’ll collect them in large numbers. One idea everyone has while collecting 3D objects for Votoms, but is difficult to realize, is reproducing a “mob scene” with a huge number of A.T.s. You may not be able to do it with large objects, but with Microworld, I think it’s possible if you try hard enough. For example, the parade scene from Roots of Ambition, or Scopedogs repainted to space specifications facing off against 100 Fatties. (Laughs) Of course, it doesn’t have to be a diorama, but by taking advantage of the merits of mini-size, I hope you’ll find enjoyment in ways you couldn’t before now.
There are a lot of products and scenery modeling supplies available in 1/144 scale, including from other companies. I hope you’ll enjoy combining them to create a variety of displays. I hope military enthusiasts who know a little about Votoms will also add these products to their collections.
(October 23, 2006 at Takara-Tomy headquarters)
Find more Microworld product photos here
Microworld Series
Other products
Lest you get the impression that Takara was dormant in terms of Votoms products before all the above came about, here are several other lines that were released both before and after, albeit on a less visible basis…
1/35 HQ Collection Figure Series
These simple non-posable figures are meant for display only, and were released in multiple package styles. They were primarily offered as prizes in crane games.
Harikiri Diorama Series
Single-piece “deform” style A.T.s, sold in miniature box dioramas and as keychain mascots.
“Gagan Gun” Series, 2016
Radio-controlled A.T.s that fire beams of light at each other in miniature duels.
I have two of the 1/18 Dual Model Zwei ATs, the original Scopedog and the Space Assault version. I love them–smaller than the Yamato 1/12 and larger than the 1/24 model kits, but still packed with details of course the decals and weathering work was perfect.
…Of course, the one flaw I ended up spotting was that the legs tended to get a bit loose after the ‘Dog was on display for a while, which led me to always checking it. Still, they did get noticed by my nieces and nephews when they visited.