Let's learn about the technical capabilities of Bandai models at the end of 1981 by assembling the "Space Warrior Baldios," a 70's-style combined robot! 80's B-Grade Anime Plastic Model Natural History Vol. 9

We've had major titles like "Mobile Suit Z Gundam" and "The Super Dimension Fortress Macross," so it's about time, right?　This month, we have "Space Warrior Baldios" (1980)!　The kit is made by Bandai, and it looks like two types were released in December 1981, this 300 yen mecha collection (1/800) and 1/550 scale (700 yen).
I know there is a new plastic model of "Baldios" coming out this month from another company, right?　I guess it gained recognition after appearing in "Super Robot Wars," but at the time of its broadcast, "Densetsu Kyojin Ideon" was in a boom, so when I heard the news in an anime magazine that "the TV series was cancelled, but the movie version will complete the story," I was astonished and said, "It's that popular! I was astonished. It was half a year after the end of "Gundam," but "Baldios" has the atmosphere of a 70's robot story. ......

This is the 33rd in the "Best Mecha Collection" series. It has a saber and a shield, but it is similar to "Uchu Majin Daikengo," which was broadcast before "Gundam. There was a puzzled look on the faces of the viewers that said, "Why are they putting this kind of combined robot on the air now? I remember being perplexed. ......

I had thought that I could just follow the "Gundam" and "Ideon" route for future anime, but then, quite suddenly, the storyboard for the last scene, which had not been aired yet, was published in an anime magazine in color. Normally, storyboards are not drawn in color, right?　I wondered if this animation was made with such enthusiasm!　As if to imprint this shock, the last scene is also depicted on the box art of this plastic model!　The main character, Marin, is standing holding the enemy's female commander, Afrodia!

▲ At the time this plastic model was developed, the movie must not have been released yet. So, was this box art created while looking at a storyboard that was published in an animation magazine?　If so, that's a pretty dramatic plastic model development!

This time, I watched the TV version of "Baldios" again, and the main robot appears in the fourth episode. The emphasis is placed on the drama of Marin, a fugitive from the enemy forces (S-1 planet), and Aphrodia, who grows to hate Marin. In the meantime, the Earth side remodels the mecha that Marin brought from the S-1 star and combines it with two Earth-made mechas to complete Baldios. ...... is a rather absurd setting, but sometimes Baldios itself is depicted in a very cool way.
However, sometimes Baldios itself is drawn in a very cool pose. If they had focused on that pose and made it into a kit, it would have changed the subsequent history of character modeling.

▲ In the same period, Gundam models such as the 1/60 Dom and Gelgoog were being released, and kits with high density in both shape and gimmick were being developed. This Baldios also has a familiar "handling" of the surfaces and details of each part.

Looking at the other runner, it really is a Gunpla, but for 300 yen. Bandai's ideas and technology must have matured to the point where any robot can be made into a movable plastic model if it is put into the Gunpla format.

In the early 80's, Bandai was like, "What, are you going that way now?　Why?" It is interesting to look back on the kits from that period. Bandai's molding capabilities sparked in a corner of ...... Shizuoka!　This 1/800 Baldios is another example of that spark.

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