Robocon

No, not every toy I seek has something to do with today's culture. I'll dig into the past sometimes. This is one of those times.

Robocon was an unforgettable, yet very minor part of the J-Robot revolution in TV watching during Hawaii's KIKU explosion of the 1970s. Robocon was no super android. He was just a creation that served people, or attempted to. At the end of each episode, his 'creater' gave him a final score for his efforts. Instead of a top score of 100, Robocon almost always scored a 0. Or negative number. It was destiny. He was constantly wrecking cars, houses and anything of material value, all out of clumsiness. It was funny, annoying and one of a kind.

Robocon was anti-cool. But Robocon appealed to the little kids because he was basically a little kid in a giant robot's body.

Robot Japan has some cool pics (below) of Robocon toys that are available today, 30 years later. I can't say I'm interested in buying the stuff, but it sure is fun to see after all these years.

Elmo goes 'extreme'

Seems like just yesterday that I had my nephew on my lap as we enjoyed Sesame Street's website together. I always loved Sesame Street, especially Bert and Ernie, and Mr. Hooper's ice cream shop. What intrigued my nephew, who was 4, was Elmo.

Fast forward seven years and I'm playing with my other nephew (1). I surf to Sesame Street's site. Yep, he was captivated by Elmo. So I wonder, what kind of Elmo toys are out there? It was interesting. Instead of just basic Elmo, there's "extreme" Elmo, or T.M.X™. Here's the intro of an explanation of the concept from Fisher-Price.

Tickle your funny bone with the most "x-treme" Elmo yet! Elmo has three interactive tickle spots on his chin, tummy or toe.

It goes on, and the new Elmo will both entertain and frighten kids. The toy moves!

T.M.X.™
Fisher-Price $40

Silver Surfer collectible

Growing up on Marvel Comics -- I'd spend a chunk of my hard-earned newspaper route money on them -- was a great thing in the 1970s. Stan Lee knew how to push our buttons, at least with Spiderman. A human superhero.

And then there was Silver Surfer, who gave up his own future to spare his home planet destruction at the hands of Galactus. Though I think the recent Fantastic Four movie did us Marvel fans a disservice by reducing Galactus to some milkish form in the skies, I did like the way Silver Surfer was drawn and portrayed. Truly a hero, and though I didn't think about it as a kid, he is definitely a Christ-like figure.

At Superherotimes.com, a limited edition of 1,000 action figures are on sale (painted). The chrome version of Silver Surfer will have a 2,500 pieces. Going rate is $160 to $180. I won't be buying, not at these prices, but it's cool to see nonetheless.

Silver Surfer (chrome) $180
Superherotimes.com

Hail the Bull market!

Welp, it's been a few days since I posted that stuffed bear picture, and now the stock market is getting bullish again. So, in honor of the new (and happy) direction, here's a cute little stuffed bull from Stuffed Ark.

"Tumbleweed" Stuffed Plush Bull, $12.50

Bear market can be cuddly

With the stock market gnashing its teeth all week long, the bears have been gleeful. It's time to celebrate the bear, even if my wallet is lighter as a result.

I like these little stuffed bears. They are different from the Smokey the Bear one I had as a toddler. Smokey had a sheriff's hat and denim blue jeans. I loved that little guy. He disappeared, though, one day, and my mother refused to tell me what happened. I don't know if I ever really forgave her for that.

Anyway, the bears below come from the Lil' Bear Shoppe. Barney ($29.98), Axel ($24.98) and Souffle ($16.95) are 15 to 17 inches in height.

RipStik

The RipStik is all the rage and, according to my nephew the expert, slightly better than the Wave board. Hey, don't get mad at me. I just get the info and pass it along.

Check out the RipStik ride guide video below the pics.

The headquarters of all things RipStik is the RipStikAmerica site. The site doesn't actually sell customers the product, but it has a list of store sites that have it. At Toys R Us, the RipStik sells for $99. Same price as a Wave board, apparently.

RipStik
Toys R Us $99


Epilogue: Catherine was nice enough to leave a comment noting that RipStiks are totally available at the RipStik site. Just look for the "Buy Now" image. Tah-daaa!

Ripstik ride guide

I was never any good at skateboarding, but just watching what people can do with the RipStik is pretty cool.

Wave board

OK, forgive me for any confusion, but the Wave board looks completely like a Quick Stik to me.

Of course, I'm an old fart and have never ridden either board. Below, the Wave board collection from The Wave Store. A Wave board retails for $129, but the Wave Store has them on sale for $99.

Florescent green (below) is the newest color. Also, check out the demonstration video down below.

Wave board demonstration

The keiki love their psuedo-skateboards. The Wave board is very similar to the Quick Stik. I have no idea what company makes it, but it's a hot fad. The guy teaching in the video is pretty loyal to the product. He even mentions that Razor has a "ripoff" version of the Wave board.

Wii all love to play

This, as much as anything else, is for my information. Though I don't own a Wii and haven't purchased a new console in years — I don't even play video games unless it's with my nephew — the popularity of Nintendo's breakout console amazes me.

Imagine that. Using laser technology as a motion detector of sorts. I knew, you knew, we all knew the day would come. And now, with new games on the forefront — tons of gaming companies underestimated the Wii and only now are developing games for the console — the Wii is here to stay.

A quick look at the Toys n' Joys site shows myriad gadgets and accessories to go with the Wii. I can see how it's very Apple-esque and appealingly ubercool. Santa, can I have a Wii this Christmas?

Interestingly enough, though the Wii is sold out all over the U.S. — a Nintendo store in New York claims to sell out early in the morning every day — my nephew informs me that it's easy to find in Honolulu. Better for me. Or Santa.

Hunt for Kamenrider leads to Toys N' Joys

In my search for all things Kamenrider, it was a pleasant surprise to find Toys N' Joys among the very first links.

Toys N' Joys is a Honolulu-based store that is a real, down-to-earth success story. One of the staples of the store, which recently expanded its original Kaimuki location, is Japanese toys and anime. So many cool things in that store, I find myself wandering around for up to an hour even if I go there for just one item. Or none.

But back to Kamenrider. TNJ has 20 pages of items on its site, from other members of the "Rider" family to Shocker Zukkoke (bad guys) action figures. In all there are dozens of Kamenrider and Kamenrider-related items.

One of the gem is a Kamenrider Cyclone (motorcycle) 1/6 scale die cast. The bike was one of the coolest elements of the show (on KIKU TV) when I was a big fan back in the 1970s. It retails for $299.

Fortunately, the other items are quite a bit more affordable and amazingly varied. It's basically a museum of Rider art, and available for purchase. Though Kikaida will always be entrenched in my memory as the first Japanese action hero, the Kamenrider franchise is easily the most complex and compelling on a broad scale even though in Hawaii, we were exposed primarily to V3.

So go to the Toys N' Joys site and check it out. Here are a few samples.

Kikaida, Hakaida

I suppose I'll never forget that Halloween night in the mid-1980s, when I lost my beloved Kikaida action figure (another way to avoid using the word doll). Just goes to show that college life and common sense don't necessarily go hand in hand. I lost my Kikaida action figure on one of our "walking tours" of Waikiki that night. Thousands of people just roaming the streets in all kinds of Halloween outfits. I was the guy with Kikaida hanging around his neck. What a dumb idea.

Anyway, I've read that Max Toy Co. is making a Kikaida action figure.

Kikaida

Max Toy Co. (Japan) $39.99

Then there are the Biliken robot toys made in the 1990s. Wind them up and they swing their arms. A bit poofy looking, but the intense Kikaida memorabilia fan will need these.

Kikaida

Biliken $390

Hakaida

Biliken $325

Then there are the more modern interpretations of Kikaida. Some fans like it. Some fans hate it. Here's a rarity: Side Machine & Kikaider. These photos are from Kevin Comer's site, Plamo-Warrior DX: Super Imaginative Chogokin. This is not for sale, at least not at the Plamo-Warrior DX site. Strictly a collectible.

Doh! The Simpsons movie spurs toy sales

When I began working in Kona right out of college back in 1990, the solitude of a small newspaper in a rural place finally gripped me.

It was especially gripping because I worked nights as a sports editor, working with just one other staffer on the editorial side. He was my boss, essentially, and he made sure that the TV was always tuned in to CNN Headline News. Occasionally, he'd flip stations for Monday Night Football or some other somewhat news-related story.

By no coincidence, 1990 was the year when my habit of watching The Simpsons came to an end. I wasn't in the habit of recording the show at home, and no matter how much I begged, my boss never went for it. Little did either of us know that the TV show would still be running strong 17 years later.

That's a run that compares favorably with any series in TV history. And with the release of The Simpsons movie on Friday, this is a good time to start checking on the brand's toys, both movie- and TV-related.

The Simpsons Movie Action Figure Set, Amazon.com

$95.99

The Simpsons Movie Homer Movie Mayhem Figure, Amazon.com

$15.99

The Simpsons Movie Mayhem Lisa and Maggie, Amazon.com

$16.99

The Simpsons Movie Marge Movie Mayhem Figure, Amazon.com

$19.99

The Simpsons Movie Bart Movie Mayhem Figure, Amazon.com

$14.99

The Simpsons Movie Homer and Plopper "Who's a Good Piggy", Amazon.com

$15.99

Simpsons Nuclear Power Plant, bendable set, Amazon.com

$18.89

Hail Raideen!

The original badass robot was Raideen, which I saw through a weekly cartoon show locally in Honolulu (KIKU) in the 1970s. All the other descendants like Transformers can discover their lineage and Raideen is right there at the heart of their roots.

The name was Americanized to Raydeen in the 1980s with a comic book to boot. Matt Mason's site is a wonderful trip to the gloried past of the great Raideen. The photos (below) speak for themselves.

The '70s were a stupendous time to be a kid who loved cartoon and comic-book action heroes. There was Raideen, operated by a boy would would "fade in" with a chant and an Olympian-level leap to the entrance of Raideen (his face). There was Kikaida and Kikaida 01, Kamenrider, Denjin Zaboga, Inazuman and many more, including comedic, sometimes pathetic Robocon.

Raideen Model Kit

This Raideen model kit is available at Gundham Store and More
Reg. price $22.99
Sale price $19.99