Robotech

Synopsis of Toy

We know what all you kids were thinking the first time you saw Robotech toys: “Ooo, another Transformers wannabe. Yippee.” But get those cynical thoughts out of your heads, young ones. Robotech may have hit U.S. shores a year after Optimus Prime and the rest, but its legacy dated back well before the first Autobot battled the first Decepticon.

What American kids knew as the syndicated TV series Robotech was actually a combination of three popular Japanese cartoons—Macross, Southern Cross and Genesis Climber Mospeada—all edited and dubbed into one new storyline. The toys were culled from the entire series, starting with the Super Dimensional Fortress (the SDF-1) from the first series. This interstellar combat vehicle could take one of three forms (one more than those early Transformers, thank you very much): Attack, Battle and Cruiser. Various other Macross-derived vehicles were three-mode wonders as well, especially the jetlike Valkyries.

Die-cast carmaker Matchbox released most of the Robotech toys in the U.S.—including action figures of characters like Southern Cross army officer Dana Sterling and the evil Zentraedi—but resourceful kids managed to find imported Japanese toys as well. Model kits were especially popular, as faithful Robotechies hunted down do-it-yourself Valkyries, Elintseekers and SuperOstriches.

As an animated series, Robotech didn’t really catch on in U.S. syndication, but it went on to become a bona fide cult classic among anime buffs. Robotech toys became hot collectors items, and the continued production of Japanese toys ensured that those collections would keep growing for years to come.

Release History of Toy

1980s - Robotech

Sub Categories of Toys

action figures

Toy and Game Manufacturer

Matchbox, Bandai, Harmony Gold

Other Toy Links