Takatoku Henkei SDF-1 from Macross

This is a true blast from the past. I managed to salvage this childhood toy from my mum's place as I was digging around the storage boxes. I don't remember how long I've had this but this was one of my favourite figures when I was in primary school back in the 1980s.

I have vague memories of rushing back after school to watch the Macross cartoon that was running in the evenings. The SDF-1 (Super Dimensional Fortress) featured prominently in that anime series as the flagship craft of the human forces against the Zentraedi.

This is now a loose piece with no box nor paperwork and I had to do some research on the Internet to gather some information about it. Apparently, it was produced by a company called Takatoku which also produced other Macross toys.

The SDF-1 has several points of articulation, is made entirely of plastic and has a height of approximately 14 cm. The clincher for this is that it actually transforms from robot mode to cruiser mode. The detail on the Daedalus and Prometheus arms is in the form of foil stickers.

Unfortunately, one of the connectors to join the reflex cannon parts has broken off, and I taped it to the back for the purpose of this photoshoot.


Robot mode (front view)


Robot mode (side view)


Robot mode (back view). Here you can see the hollow reflex cannon parts.






Cruiser mode

Transformers C-888 - Dai Atlas, C-347 - Sonic Bomber, C-349 Road Fire, Big Powered

I acted on a slight motivation to rotate my toy displays and decided to snap some pictures of these beauties before returning them to storage. These three sets were among the last Transformers releases from the "vintage" era. By this time (around 1990), the popularity of Transformers were already at a decline with Takara releasing new toys for the Japanese market alone. They were from the standalone original video animation (OVA) Transformers: Zone, which followed the Transformers: Victory series. Only one episode of footage was produced before Transformers anime went on a hiatus until the Beast Wars series.

Dai Atlas was the main Cybertron commander and character in Transformers: Zone. He can transform into a base, jet, tank, and a robot. His legs contain a motor, powered by a pair of AA batteries under each front orange leg cover, that can move him forward or backward in jet or tank modes, or move Micromasters along the rubber treads down a ramp in his base mode.

Dai Atlas can combine with two other Cybertron transformers, Sonic Bomber and Road Fire, to form a giant jet or base called Big Powered. All of his motorized capabilities still work in this combined form, forming one giant rolling jet or base with multiple ramps. Each of them also come packaged with a Micromaster.

Dai Atlas was purchased from a Singapore seller of Yahoo! auctions. It is mint-in-box (MIB) with stickers unapplied, complete with all accessories, instructions and other paperwork. Unfortunately the box shows some wear.

Both Sonic Bomber and Road Fire were purchased in MIB condition from Singaporean retailer, Robo Robo, following the Dai Atlas purchase as I really wanted all three to combine and form Big Powered. Both come with all accessories and paperwork included, although Sonic Bomber had its stickers applied. All three are also available together in a Big Powered giftset (C-353).




Big Powered (combined jet mode)


Big Powered (combined base mode) as depicted on the individual rear box art


Dai Atlas (jet mode)


Dai Atlas (tank mode)



Dai Atlas (base mode)


Micromaster (with cannons)


Dai Atlas (robot mode)


Dai Atlas (with accessories)


Dai Atlas (in box tray)


Dai Atlas (unused sticker sheet)


Dai Atlas (MIB)



Sonic Bomber (jet mode)


Sonic Bomber (base mode) with Micromaster


Sonic Bomber (robot mode) with Micromaster


Sonic Bomber (used sticker sheet)


Sonic Bomber (in styrofoam box tray)


Sonic Bomber (MIB)


Sonic Bomber (rear box art)



Road Fire (tank mode) with Micromaster


Road Fire (base mode) with Micromaster


Road Fire (robot mode) with Micromaster


Road Fire (unused sticker sheet, mail-in survey and pamphlet)


Road Fire (MIB)


They each come with a pamphlet featuring other Victory and Zone releases


Final line-up before returning them to storage

Oishinbo

One of the greatest misconceptions others have of me as a comic book fan is they automatically think I read manga, or Japanese comics, as well. For the record, while I do enjoy some Japanese anime, I am neither a fan or collector of the Japanese comics nor animation on the whole.

Notwithstanding this, I'm a huge fan of Japanese cuisine and was compelled somehow to pick up a couple of volumes of "Oishinbo: A La Carte" by Tetsu Kariya (w) and Akira Hanasaki (a), published by Viz Media during the recent Kinokuniya sale. These are "best of" compilations of the long-running manga and anime series, translated for the American market since 2009. I counted seven volumes published so far on the shelves and selected the two themes which appealed to me (and my stomach) most - "Japanese Cuisine" and "Fish, Sushi and Sashimi".

The stories feature a journalist, Shiro Yamaoka, and his colleagues in the search for the Ultimate Menu - a project commissioned by the publishers of the Tozai News as part of the celebrations for its 100th anniversary. Yamaoka's enclopedic knowledge of food and refined palate were the result of his training under his father, Kaibara Yuzan, a gourmet, artist and ceramicist who is the President of the Gourmet Club. The strained father-son relationship sparks a rivalry and conflict that drives the narrative of most of the the stories.

The reader is taken on a fantastical journey into the world of Japanese cuisine - ingredients, preparation, cooking, presentation and the "love" and "gratitude" that goes into each meal. Written and drawn with an eye for detail, the stories are funny, poignant and informative in one bite-sized package. These Viz Media volumes are well annotated with explanations and translations of the key text and concepts presented. They also feature recipes of some of the dishes featured in the stories of the same volume, if you're game enough to try them. I'm certainly looking forward to picking up the other five volumes during the next Kinokuniya sale.


Oishinbo: A La Carte - Japanese Cuisine and Fish, Sushi and Sashimi volumes


Interior art of Japanese Cuisine


Recipes for Seabream Kamishio style and Seabream Pine-skin style


Interior art of Fish, Sushi and Sashimi


Recipe for Grilled Salmon Skin