1979
FUTURE ROBO DALTANIOUS Back to the Future, baby....

Daltanius was one of the famed "Robot Factory" Jumbos. Just like the others in the series, it shipped in pieces and had to be assembled by the owner using bolts, nuts, and a plastic tightening device. The other Machinders in the Robot Factory series have a tendency towards the clunky. Not this guy, though. Daltanious is one spectacular Machinder.

Amazing character-toys spring from great animated designs, and Daltanious was a classic from the get-go. The Machinder is perfectly balanced and incredibly colorful. The huge lion-face on the chest is intricately sculpted and fires a single missile from the mouth. The bolts were integrated into the design perfectly and add to the robotic charm.

Just as with the widely available deluxe diecast "Godaikin" version of this toy, the Jumbo features a removable head-spaceship. The jumbo also features spring-loaded fists on each arm.

So why's he called "Future Robo"? Well, the late-Seventies animated series was set in the far-flung year of 1995, for one thing. Japan might be a bit behind schedule in building the REAL Daltanius, but it's hard to hold anything against 'em after seeing what a great job they did on the toy....

Matt Alt