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Micro Heritage

Takara Blockman Series (1984-1985)

  

BLOCKMAN

Takara Blockman Series

 

Union Fighter Blockman

Takara Japan (1984)
A (Armor Upgrade Series)

A-01 Armor Machine

A-02 Armor Machine

A-03 Armor Machine

A-11 Jet Set

A-12 Driller Set

A-13 Racer Set

 

B (Basic Type Series)

*Never Produced*

 
C (Combining Series)

C-01 Mach Fighter

C-02 Twin Driller

C-03 Cosmo Shuttle

C-11 Cosmo Robot

C-12 Driller Robot

C-13 Land Robot

C-11, C12 & C13 Gift Set

 

D (Motor Driven Series)

*Never Produced for Japan*

 

E (Electronic Battery Series)

*Never Produced*

 

F (Fortress Base Series)

*Never Produced*

 

G (Biomechanical Series)

G-01 ?? (Japan Only)

G-02 ?? (Japan Only)

(*G for Giant or Godzilla?)

 

EXPORTED VERSIONS

 

Combination Warrior Blockman by Takara for European Market (1984)

A (Armor Upgrade Series)

A-01 Machine Jet

A-02 Machine Driller

A-03 Machine Racer

 

C (Combining Series)

C-01 Mach Fighter

C-02 Twin Driller

C-03 Cosmo Shuttle

C-11 Cosmo Robot

C-12 Driller Robot

C-13 Land Robot

 

Robotech Robolinks Series by Revell for USA (1985)

(Licensed from Takara, Made in Japan by Takara)

Force 20, 21 & 22 (A01-A03)

Force 30, 31 & 32 (C01-C03)

Force 40, 41 & 42 (C11-C13)

Force 50, 51 & 52 (USA Only)

 

Robotech Changers Series Revell France for European Market (1985)

(Produced in France by Revell)

A1, A2 & A3 (A01-A03)

B1, B2 & B3 (France Only)

C1, C2 & C3 (C01-C03)

D1, D2 & D3 (C11-C13)

C10 (France Only)

D10 (France Only)

Blockman CD-1-L (yellow) and OSD Pilots with C-13 cockpit block

Takara released Union Fighter Blockman series in 1984 as a way to reintegrate the 5mm building block system in their sci-fi toy lines. By 1984, New Microman series and Diaclone had greatly "changed" from their original futuristic conceptions into the "Real & Robot" theme. The New Microman line became dominated by the Micro Change and Diaclone was dominated by the Car Robot toys. By this point both series greatly lacked any sci-fi futuristic theme that they started out with since the toys had became series of robots disguised as modern day objects. Blockman was designed to fill in the futuristic aspect of Takara sci-fi line and also to take up the 5mm interchangeability that was essentially abandoned by the New Microman series. Blockman then became a true successor line to the 5mm portion of the old Microman. Unfortunately the series was short lived and ended pretty much along with Diaclone and New Microman when Takara opted for the Transformers Super Robot Life series as a sole successor to their sci-fi toy legacy.

Blockman Story

In the year 2134, the Outer Space Development (OSD) Office determined that in order to executed its "new planet migration plan", Earth would need a powerful partner to succeed. The general purpose droid "Blockman" was put into use - possessing the infinite union combination function. The OSD decided that the planet Aron in the Rebase system was most suitable for colonization. Blockman now works with the OSD members in the construction of the frontier base while also serving as their defense system. Human beings build their future with Blockman, Union Fighters!

 

Blockman  Credit

Information presented here on Takara Blockman Series is courtesy of the extensive research done by my friend, Matt Doughty, who is a big Blockman fan. Also special thanks to Matt for sending me several Blockman toys plus all the catalogs and packaging pictures to help make this section possible. (Above - Custom Blockman inside Blockman walls also by Matt Doughty.) 

Blockman Revival ?

Ironically, Takara never attempted to revive Blockman series. However, if you like this block building style toys, the new Block Zoids series used similar principle and Bandai Machine Robo Mugenbine series is probably the most Blockman-like series. So check them out if you find Blockman type toys fascinating! 

BLOCKMAN LINKS

There are not too many sites on the internet that deal with Takara Blockman series. Here are some of the site with Blockman references.

Stargazer's Blockman Section

Kevin Goddard's Robolinks

Bryan Wilkinson's  Rockettubes.

All the links above are courtesy of Gobi's Fuyoh!

 

Blockman idea was build around small 5cm tall plastic robot "block" with die-cast chest. The robot was essentially New Microman Micro Robot figure that had been turn into "Lego" block brick. There were two basic Blockman core robots : CD-1-L (CD = Combination Droid) Light Duty Function Type (single rectangle grill chest) and CD-1-H Heavy Duty Function Type (two small rectangles chest). While there were only two Blockman they came in multitudes of colors and later even combination of colors. (body and limbs had different colors). These figures were then used as the "core building block" that can be stack together and form various futuristic space ships and robots by combining with special parts, all with 5mm ports and pegs system just like the early Microman toys from 1970's. There was even a plan for friction motor part that looked like an updated version of the old wind-up block used by 1970's Microman Machine Car series. (The part was released for Robolinks line but without the motor). Takara planed to release seven Blockman series (A - G) for Japan market but only series A ,C and G made it to market while the rest were never produced when the line was canceled along with New Microman and Diaclone. Blockman was clearly design to interact with both Microman and Diaclone as evidence by the design aspect of Blockman. All the Blockman parts were fully compatible with pre-Micro Change Microman toys and the cockpits for Blockman toys were done in the same scale as Diaclone pilot figure. (Blockman even came with chrome static pilot figure, it would not be Takara line if they do not get to add some type of chrome parts).

Above instruction on how to make Blockman Land Robot! A robot with chest cockpit is a must for any Takara Microman spin-off line!

Blockman, like Diaclone and New Microman, was exported outside of Japan when Takara tried to expand their world market share (which was greatly decline after Mego went bankrupt in 1980). Blockman was sold in Europe as "Combination Warrior Blockman" series and the line up was essentially repackaged of Japanese version of Blockman. For USA market, the line was distributed by Revell in 1985 which sold the line under the "Robotech" license which they owned and tried very hard to expand at that time. Blockman became a sub-series to Robotech called the Robolinks series. Most toys were repackaged of Japanese toys but with difference numbering system with exception of Force 50, 51 and 52 which was the unreleased "D" series of Japanese Blockman (but without the motor unit). Curiously, Revel also later sold Blockman in Europe as Robotech Changers. The toys were no longer repackaged of Takara Blockman instead they were produced by Revel in France and made from much inferior materials. The toys in Robotech Changers line were amalgam of the Blockman toys with some added set.

 

Top - Takara Blockman G-01 package (This was the last toy release for Blockman in Japan). Bottom - Takara exported version of Blockman toy for European market (C-01 Mach Fighter). Note the two box arts shared basically the same design layout.