Do you know the anime scale "1/460 Ancient Robot Godiger" (Aoshima)?　Assemble this original robot, which is the first in the series and has not yet been shown in an anime, with determination! 80's B-Grade Anime Plastic Model Natural History Vol.12

When will it end? "When will it end?" "Will it end next time?" But thanks to your support, this series of articles has lasted for a year. The item this time is "Ancient Robot Godiger," a robot originally designed by Aoshima (Aoshima Bunka Kyozai-sha), the same box size as the 300-yen Gundam, and priced at 300 yen at the time.
The title of this article is "B-Grade Anime Plastic Model," but this is not an "anime. Because it has not been broadcast on TV, released in theaters, or even released as an OVA. The reason why we picked it up, then, is because it says "Anime Scale 130mm Series" on the box.

Aoshima enthusiasts are familiar with the proudly tasty phrase, "Imagine the action," which at the same time sounds like a cop-out or an excuse. And then there is the common "Anime Scale" logo, a brand name that began to be used around the time of "Hikaru Ideon" in 1980's "Densetsu Kyojin Ideon" (The Legendary God Ideon).

But what exactly does "Anime Scale" mean?　It sounds like a declaration by the manufacturer that although the mecha are fictional mecha from an anime, they were faithfully made to look like scale models ....... Well, I guess it's just momentum or a flirtation, but it's a word that represents Aoshima's 300 yen size.
And there is a storyline to "Godiger". It is printed gingerly on the side of the box, so let's settle down and read it carefully.

According to the storyline, Godiger is the "Brother Robot Guardian God" of Atlanger (the plastic model that was released by Aoshima Bunka Kyozai-sha in 1975 as the original hero and established the brand name "Gattai Machines"; it will be revived in 2020 as the "New Gattai Series"). Robot Guardian Gods". It's not just a "brother robot", it's also a "guardian god". The "information is processed by a cross or a sub-computer," but a cross and a computer are the same thing? The worldview is a bit off, but that individuality is what makes it a "work of art.

There are traces of a story, or a story that was intended to be popular, not natural, in this story setting. This 300-yen "Godiger" was released in March 1982. It was around the time "Battle Mecha Zabungle" started airing on TV, but I guess the image of robot animation had not yet been refined.
You know, what surprised me more than the story setting was the completed image on the side of the box. Usually, the pictures on the side of the box show the test shot assembled and painted. They even make the model pose in an unnatural way to show off the kit's movable specifications, don't they?　However, they are not photos, but pictures.

▲ Looking at the two pictures on the far right, don't the pose of the figure standing with its legs bent back and the way it holds its weapons look like Yuichi Higuchi, who worked on "Ideon the Legendary God" and "Galactic Whirlwind Braigar"?　Maybe if I e-mailed the person himself, I could find out at once, but I won't pursue it this time. This is not a serial with that kind of information accuracy, so I'll take it elsewhere.

But, well, they are four strange pictures, some faithful to the product, some with a perspective in the style of a setting drawing. Well, let's open the box and take a look at the parts. The runner is pure white.

▲ I see that the helmet is designed in the Gundam style, extending to both cheeks. And the forehead mark and both horns are bouncing up at an angle. And if the mouth part is guarded or mask-like, it makes it look coquettish. This is my favorite type of armored face for a robot.

Next, the weapon parts. The futuristic look of the gun, which is clearly different from the Gundam and Okawara style of realism, and the super-robot-like sword like the Seiryuu Sword are weapons that seem to capture the chaos of the robot anime culture of the early 80's.

However, to put it another way, except for the face and weapons, all the other parts are white, like a box, and I'm too anxious ....... But you can't tell what a plastic model is until you try to build it. You can tell the individuality and ingenuity of the manufacturer and the kit when you try to assemble it. That's what my many years of experience and intuition tell me!　The only way to overcome this anxiety is to assemble the "Ancient Robot Godiger," which I have never heard of!

Recommended Articles