1979 Acroyear Series

A38X Type - A381 Fire Star and 382 Earth Star (c.1979)

Packages

A38X Acroyear came package in box design to match that of the Arden Series.  Takara probably want to change the package from the old A30X style which was quite dated by this time to a new more stylize design.

A38X members all shared the exact same package design.

Accessories

Each figure came with the same accessories as Acroyear 1 (A30X) which included roller wheels, roller arms, Bazooka and Acro-wing.  Takara also gave A38X black vinyl cape similar to Arden.

Between the Police Keeper Series and the Rescue Series, Takara released repaint versions of A30X Acroyear 1 as A38X Acroyear.  The figures were sold in new style box so that they would be similar to the Arden package (Takara actually used the same insert tray as the Arden series). Takara also retooled the body slightly to make the limbs fit better and kept the figures from falling apart like the A30X, however, this caused a gap between the body and pelvic section since the 5mm hole was now too tight for the slightly thicker chrome pelvic section.

A38X came in similar color assortment as their predecessor. A381 was the same as A301 which was red color.  A382 was changed from the bare metal silver of A302 to bright yellow. A383 was still blue but it was no longer metallic tone like A303.  Takara also gave these Acroyers new names based on the elementals - A381 Fire Star, A382 Earth Star and A383 Sky Star.  It was unclear if these A38X Acroyears were supposed to be brand new characters or if they were "rebuild" from A30X like the A37X Amazon Acroyears (which were rebuild from A32X President Acroyear).   A38X were sold as new series and not as variations of A30X.  In any case A38X along with A37X would be the last of the Acroyears to be released by Takara for the Original Series.  (Takara actually released A38X couple months before A37X came out).

A38X Checklist

 

A381	Fire Star	Red
A382	Earth Star	Yellow
A383	Sky Star	Blue

Replica Microman Series A38X

Takara re-issued A38X in 1999 as Toys R Us Exclusive during the Replica Microman line.  A38X were sold in a set of three which included replica of A381, A382 and A383 all in the same box.  Takara also released exclusive A384 Iron Star with Microman Watch Set.  The vintage versions of A38X can  be distinguish by the slightly different pelvic section and minor difference in body details.  Also the body section of the vintage toys didn't fit too well with the pelvic section and showed a slight gap.

(See also Takara Replica Microman Series - Toys R Us Exclusive A38X Set)

(See also Takara Replica Microman Series - e-Hobby Exclusive A384 Iron Star with Microman Watch Set)

A381 Fire Star (vintage)

A382 Earth Star (vintage)

A382 with his cape (vintage).  

By 1979 it became trendy for bad guy to wear black cape.