Who can forget these awesome missile-launching plastic giants!? Shogun Warriors were a line of toys, made by Mattel during the late 1970s that consisted of a series of imported Japanese robots all based on then-popular giant robot anime shows. They were manufactured in a number of sizes, the most common the 24 inch plastic versions and the 3.5 inch diecast metal versions. My brother and I loved Mazinga and his little rocket-ship brain was spotted all over our house.
The most attractive features on these toys were the spring loaded launcher weapons such as missiles, star shuriken, and battleaxes. Some robots were able to launch their fists. The diecast versions of these toys also had the ability to transform. Grandizer, for instance, was changeable into a saucerlike spaceship. But unlike the 80s Transformers, Shogun Warriors transformations were based on dissasembly and reassembly into a new mode.
Like certain other toy lines of the 70s, the Shogun Warriors came under pressure due to safety concerns regarding their spring loaded weapons. Mattel was hit hardest because quite frankly, they were the masters of the spring-loaded weapon! Toy manufacturers were facing new regulations due to reported child injuries as a result of playing with these toys. Consequently, many toy companies were forced to remodel existing toylines with child safe variations (such as spring loaded "action" missiles that would remain attached to the toy). For this reason, as well as decreasing sales, the Shogun Warriors line disappeared by 1980.
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