Good ol Toynami, gotta love em. We spoke to George at Toy fair and he filled us in on some stuff they were involved in that never panned out that shocked me but this wasnt one of the things he spoke about. Cool stuff
I have only recently been researching these Voltron figures but I think you are right. I have a Voltron very similar to yours but they did not grind the Bandai off. I bought it off a guy who was the original owner. It is in the matchbox packaging but is Marked Bandai 1981 Taiwan under the chin and in the appropriate places.
@No9ones9hero9 yeah, Im thinking up what to do with it, I got almost 36 years of crap running thru my head, I'm sure I got a few stories. Maybe I'll even share my first ever diecast toy that changed my life forever...THE reason I collect today.
I wouldnt say exactly since I have both vintage and new Lionbot and there are differences, but that kinda ties into how Matchbox had to source some from Taiwan, they were essentially selling Lionbots as legit Voltrons and thats fine because the quality was so good. You can take apart a Popy and swap parts with a Lionbot (most) Some did have different moldings for certain parts but the main diecast body was mostly identical.
Thanks for the input on this, always good to hear about what was going on with these. I wonder what the story behind the Trendmasters reissue was. Its like a lionbot with arm fins lol
@mantis999999999 thats my plan brother, Sometimes just talking about figures and only seeing my hands becomes less personal. Im trying to find more stuff to do in my videos just to mix it up a bit.
How come my three versions of Lionbots don't have any writing or any Bandai logos scraped off underneath the Red Lion or Green Lion's lower jaws? All it shows is nothing written on any of them including my Matchbox and 1997 Trendmasters versions.
Lion bot may or may not have writing and is not voltron .and is made in Taiwan . This poster is saying .you can get go lion quality lion bots b/c they where sometimes made at the same factory Go lion is a matchbox voltron made in Taiwan .and has writhing . And often it also has led base paint . Also has stickers That say cy-k made in Taiwan. Gb-36 is Japan matchbox voltron it’s the best quality and it also has no writing . Stickers that say gb 36 made in Japan Trend master is voltron and has new molds ,black face and always was some writing . Made in china . 1997 but no stickers If you’re figure does not match the above it is not matchbox . And is just a bootleg lion bot . They can be anything , if you’re box says matchbox and you’re figure does not match one of the above . It is not the original figure for that box or it is a bootleg box .. to go with a boot leg figure ..
@RafealxPhoenix Well, it's only legit if it was branded as Voltron. I tend to believe the quality control of the Taiwan Voltron was better than the Lionbot but not by much at the time. They probably picked the best painted ones because aside from the paint app and missile features, there was really no difference.
Taiwan would definitely do that... Almost all factories in Taiwan now were once Bootleg factories.... I am taiwanese, and I know that because the toy market in Taiwan was once filled with bootlegs too,you could even find some today! really need to go on a hunt for bootlegs this summer..
@killerpitdbo hey you sound like me except I dont have belt variations....at least I didnt know about them when I was hording them. Maybe I will have to dig them up to check.
Hey man have some questions about voltrons, but too much to type. Is it possible to call u?? I also grew up in queens, Ozone Park. Im now in Long Island. Just wanted to chit chat about some voltrons, and u seem to know ur shit. Thanks man
@RocketPunchArmy that would be cool im not even sure i know what toy did that for me. i know i didnt start collecting until the transformers movie came out... so i dont guess that counts. lol here is my story "they made a movie" the end
Also Toys Like Today's Version of Voltron, Are Made In China For PENNIES, Or Very Cheap And Inexpensive. Where they Are Then Shipped to the US and Sold At Extremely Higher Cost than it Took to Make! In other Words, Toys we collect Are Made Overseas at very low cost. Then We Get Our Wallet's robbed in Price to have Them!
Good ol Toynami, gotta love em. We spoke to George at Toy fair and he filled us in on some stuff they were involved in that never panned out that shocked me but this wasnt one of the things he spoke about. Cool stuff
I have only recently been researching these Voltron figures but I think you are right. I have a Voltron very similar to yours but they did not grind the Bandai off. I bought it off a guy who was the original owner. It is in the matchbox packaging but is Marked Bandai 1981 Taiwan under the chin and in the appropriate places.
@No9ones9hero9 yeah, Im thinking up what to do with it, I got almost 36 years of crap running thru my head, I'm sure I got a few stories. Maybe I'll even share my first ever diecast toy that changed my life forever...THE reason I collect today.
I wouldnt say exactly since I have both vintage and new Lionbot and there are differences, but that kinda ties into how Matchbox had to source some from Taiwan, they were essentially selling Lionbots as legit Voltrons and thats fine because the quality was so good. You can take apart a Popy and swap parts with a Lionbot (most) Some did have different moldings for certain parts but the main diecast body was mostly identical.
Thanks for the input on this, always good to hear about what was going on with these. I wonder what the story behind the Trendmasters reissue was. Its like a lionbot with arm fins lol
Makes sense if you have worked in factories which I have..... companies will do anything to cut cost , increase their profits and deliver on time.
@mantis999999999 thats my plan brother, Sometimes just talking about figures and only seeing my hands becomes less personal. Im trying to find more stuff to do in my videos just to mix it up a bit.
How come my three versions of Lionbots don't have any writing or any Bandai logos scraped off underneath the Red Lion or Green Lion's lower jaws? All it shows is nothing written on any of them including my Matchbox and 1997 Trendmasters versions.
Same here ... I have two sets of matchbox sets with original 1983 boxes and not one set has the writings under the chin
Lion bot may or may not have writing and is not voltron .and is made in Taiwan . This poster is saying .you can get go lion quality lion bots b/c they where sometimes made at the same factory
Go lion is a matchbox voltron made in Taiwan .and has writhing . And often it also has led base paint . Also has stickers
That say cy-k made in Taiwan.
Gb-36 is Japan matchbox voltron it’s the best quality and it also has no writing . Stickers that say gb 36 made in Japan
Trend master is voltron and has new molds ,black face and always was some writing . Made in china . 1997 but no stickers
If you’re figure does not match the above it is not matchbox . And is just a bootleg lion bot . They can be anything , if you’re box says matchbox and you’re figure does not match one of the above . It is not the original figure for that box or it is a bootleg box .. to go with a boot leg figure ..
@@gunsamillion No arguments there.
@RafealxPhoenix Well, it's only legit if it was branded as Voltron. I tend to believe the quality control of the Taiwan Voltron was better than the Lionbot but not by much at the time. They probably picked the best painted ones because aside from the paint app and missile features, there was really no difference.
were the legs on the matchbox lions die cast metal? I don't remember
Victor Trevino the legs on the lion are chromed plastic, although some older figures had such thick chrome that they felt like metal
Taiwan would definitely do that...
Almost all factories in Taiwan now were once Bootleg factories....
I am taiwanese, and I know that because the toy market in Taiwan was once filled with bootlegs too,you could even find some today!
really need to go on a hunt for bootlegs this summer..
@killerpitdbo hey you sound like me except I dont have belt variations....at least I didnt know about them when I was hording them. Maybe I will have to dig them up to check.
i agree with @mantis dude. you should make this a whole thing...
You like the tawinies lion bot or the trendmaster voltron better?
Taiwan makes the best bootlegs hands down, especially diecasts like my beloved Daitarn!
Hey man have some questions about voltrons, but too much to type. Is it possible to call u?? I also grew up in queens, Ozone Park. Im now in Long Island. Just wanted to chit chat about some voltrons, and u seem to know ur shit. Thanks man
Where can I get a orig Voltron 1? Are there are good bootlegs of him available?
@RocketPunchArmy that would be cool im not even sure i know what toy did that for me. i know i didnt start collecting until the transformers movie came out... so i dont guess that counts. lol here is my story "they made a movie" the end
Lionbot is a great bootleg...and the only one. trendmasters made a new version but had some color and design changes.
Lionbot, the older the better
Also Toys Like Today's Version of Voltron, Are Made In China For PENNIES, Or Very Cheap And Inexpensive. Where they Are Then Shipped to the US and Sold At Extremely Higher Cost than it Took to Make! In other Words, Toys we collect Are Made Overseas at very low cost. Then We Get Our Wallet's robbed in Price to have Them!