Introduction
When speaking concerning the mecha style, omitting the merchandise element typically tells an incomplete story. Most reveals are traditionally additionally toy commercials, and generally selections will be traced to backside strains greater than inventive selections by a director or author. However what a few large robotic that, for essentially the most half, was solely ever a toy?
That’s the story of Gattai Robotic Atlanger, a robotic from the Seventies that didn’t have a cool and dramatic TV collection to excite the creativeness and endear itself to an viewers, but nonetheless managed to seek out success by trying cool, being inexpensive on a child’s allowance, and having a number of playability. And my objective in writing this text is to offer an informative however not complete have a look at Atlanger to assist others who’re curious.
Background
My curiosity in Atlanger (generally referred to as Atranger or Atlanjer) began a couple of years in the past, although I don’t bear in mind what was the catalyst that prompted me to search for extra info. However, I used to be intrigued by the concept there exists a beloved hero from the golden age of tremendous robots that always doesn’t get included due to an accompanying anime or tokusatsu title. Nonetheless, once I tried to seek out English web sites, articles, or something that talked about it at size, I saved arising quick.
So I made a decision to provide it a attempt myself. I’m nowhere near being an skilled on Atlanger, however I needed to have one thing on the market for English readers. I additionally wasn’t a child in Seventies Japan and I haven’t collected any of the toys or different merch, so the whole lot I do know is simply second- and even third-hand data. Hopefully, those that lived by means of it, or are maybe larger toy and mannequin fans, can hopefully increase on what I’ve right here.
Earlier than I get into issues, a couple of notes:
First, a particular because of long-time robotic fandom comrade VF5SS for pointing me in direction of a e-book launched in Japan all concerning the firm behind Atlanger: Outsider Plamodel Artwork -Aoshima Bunka Kyozai Co.’s Uncommon Energy of Creativeness-. It’s been the largest boon on this endeavor, although it means there are seemingly various biases that come from working primarily off of 1 useful resource. I’m additionally grateful to the YouTube channels pokopokoMyTube, Robo-Labo J, and Arisa Honda for offering detailed appears to be like at most of the merchandise and releases I talk about beneath.
Second, a variety of title spellings beneath are unofficial and are my finest guesses.
And final, whereas the phrase “profitable” is utilized in varied assets, it’s not solely clear what defines successful. Outsider Plamodel Artwork provides some gross sales numbers, however they’re for Aoshima as a complete, and never simply Atlanger by itself. At the very least by way of general revenue, the corporate made a whole bunch of thousands and thousands of yen all through the Seventies and Eighties.
Aoshima and the Beginning of Atlanger
Aoshima Bunka Kyozai started in 1918 by promoting mannequin kits of airplanes, and the corporate nonetheless makes mannequin automobiles immediately, together with for the racing manga and anime collection Preliminary D. The story of Atlanger’s particularly, nevertheless, begins in 1975. The corporate had beforehand launched a Mach Baron toy, however that yr noticed one thing of a brilliant robotic drought, with supercars being the recent new factor. On this atmosphere, the workers at Aoshima determined they’d take issues into their very own fingers: The third-generation firm president, Aoshima Masao, went about personally designing their first unique robotic.
In response to its lore, Atlanger is a robotic originating from Atlantis 8,000 years in the past. Made up of the alloy orihalcon found by the scientist Picard (Pikaru), it was created by the Atlantean prophet Palou (Paruu) to defend the Earth towards an invasion from the Darkish Planet Gloustar (Ankoku Sei Guroosutaa). Atlanger is definitely assembled by combining 4 automobiles: the Grand Tiger, the Mighty Hen, the Pink Clipper, and the Goal Service. When absolutely shaped, it strikes a formidable determine because of its Mazinger-like aesthetic and its golden yellow highlights (particularly its bird-like chest plate), in addition to its 4 main armaments. These can be the Damaged Cutter sword, the Miracle Defender defend, launching fists referred to as Rocket Clippers, and the flight-granting Pink Wings.
This title and backstory had been created after the robotic was already designed, and a few particulars seem to have modified or gotten fudged over time. For instance, later variations would state that the pilots of Atlanger had been combating within the yr 2500 CE after a second invasion from Gloustar. Aoshima would additionally introduce different allies just like the robotic Dryger; a Grendizer Spazer-style flying car that may mix with Atlanger referred to as the Tiger Shark; and the big battleship Gattai Kyokan Yamato, which has its personal mecha on deck referred to as Gattai Robotic Musashi.
Atlanger inside Mecha Historical past
The truth that Atlanger consists of automobiles that be part of collectively cleanly would possibly really feel fairly run-of-the-mill immediately, however it was no small deal on the time. 1975 was after Getter Robo launched its “smash ’em collectively” gattai sequences however earlier than Combattler V and its detailed mixture that may very well be replicated properly in toy type. Whereas the Atlantean robotic’s design wasn’t as elegant as Combattler’s, it was a bridge between the extra logic-defying method of the previous and the extra practical one of many latter. And in contrast to Aoshima’s Mach Baron (which had an analogous characteristic however which didn’t mirror its presentation within the Tremendous Robotic Mach Baron TV present), this was “official.” Atlanger was additionally pretty novel in its idea, being a robotic with a fantasy angle just like Reideen—which coincidentally got here out the identical yr and can also be from a misplaced continent (Mu).
This timing and relative originality is a part of the rationale Atlanger discovered a spot within the toy market, however one other main issue was value. Aoshima’s full robots had been bought in supermarkets and dagashi retailers for 1,000 yen (round 2,115 yen adjusted for 2025 inflation), however particular person automobiles had been additionally obtainable for 500 yen every. Whereas children won’t be capable to afford the entire thing, they may additionally accept a component and perhaps hope to get the remainder down the road. The toys had been additionally typically cross-compatible, so you possibly can take elements of 1 robotic or car and connect them to a different. A battleship may have heads and arms protruding of it. There have been no guidelines, like seen on this absurdly and decidedly non-canon Ideon car referred to as the “Ideon Colossus.”
One of many the reason why the Aoshima kits like Atlanger (and Mach Baron earlier than it) had been so comparatively cheap is that they had been made solely of plastic, not like the diecast steel toys seen elsewhere that had been typically twice as costly. On this sense, they is also thought of precursors to the Gunpla craze, with Gundam predecessors like Zambot 3 and Daitarn 3 even getting Aoshima variations. Atlanger and friends had been additionally a lot less complicated to assemble.
Aoshima would later create smaller kits extra proportionally in step with Gundam mannequin kits. Though Aoshima’s kits had been barely dearer (400 yen vs. 300 yen), they had been additionally bigger and extra colourful.
But, regardless of (or maybe due to) Atlanger’s affordability, it wasn’t proof against financial hardship. One curious factor concerning the aforementioned Damaged Cutter is that the sword is so unusually quick that it’s virtually a dagger. Japan was nonetheless feeling the results of the 1973 oil disaster, and this was one option to save on manufacturing bills.
Maintaining Up with the Instances, or At Least Attempting
Atlanger comes from a particular time frame, however as Aoshima’s flagship mecha, it has been up to date in quite a few methods over the a long time.
When the corporate began making these smaller and vaguely Gunpla-esque kits by means of its Mini Gattai line, they launched “New Atlanger” in 1981, a model with a extra angular design and components very paying homage to Gundams and different actual robots.
Years later, they’d launch Hattenkei (Successor) Robo Atlanger, which appears to be like much more like a 90s Dawn/Takara Courageous Robotic.
In 2012, Evolution Toy launched a premium poseable determine in its Dynamite Motion Collection. One fascinating characteristic of this toy is the truth that it comes with two variations of the Damaged Cutter: an extended one and a shorter one. The previous is extra aesthetically pleasing and what you count on out of a brilliant robotic’s sword weapon. Nonetheless, the latter has historical past, calling again to the unique toy and its materials circumstances. I discover it humorous and charming that the stubby Damaged Cutter is so iconic for Atlanger that they bothered to incorporate it as an adjunct.
Most not too long ago, 2021 would see a brand new mannequin equipment referred to as the ACKS Gattai Atlanger, and it once more made a transfer to modernize. Nonetheless, whereas it certainly sported a “fashionable tremendous robotic” aesthetic, the true characteristic that spoke to the occasions was the truth that it got here with a further determine: a cute and horny anime lady named Hotaka Atori, who wears an outfit paying homage to Atlanger. This lady determine may even connect a number of the robotic elements to grow to be a mecha musume of kinds.
Truly, There Is an Atlanger Anime, However…
I went by means of nearly all of this text emphasizing that Atlanger-related narrative media wasn’t actually an element. That technically isn’t true, although there is a vital caveat: It’s at all times been in service of the toys themselves to a level that exceeds even the merchandise tie-ins of different mecha.
Aoshima’s merchandise, together with however not restricted to Atlanger-related toys, had been portrayed in manga type by means of the Seventies and 80s, first in kids’s magazines by Shogakukan targeted on particular person elementary grade ranges, after which in their very own Aoshima Comics. Nonetheless, these had been primarily quick promotional comics meant to indicate how cool the toys are, not not like the pack-in comics that got here with He-Man merchandise within the US.
Then, in 2011, Aoshima launched a one-episode 15-minute OVA titled Gattai Robotic Atlanger at Winter Comedian Market 81. Its function was to have a good time Atlanger, but additionally to coincide with a determine launch: the 2012 Evolution Toy model talked about above.
The plot sees Atlanger on the eve of a retirement ceremony after a long time of service within the battle and eventual stalemate towards the aliens from the Darkish Planet. When a brand new assault happens, it’s as much as Asuka Ken (one of many outdated pilots of Atlanger) to leap within the cockpit as soon as once more. This time round, he’s joined by a bunch of younger co-pilots who’re skeptical concerning the effectiveness of this outdated machine, however the basic robotic proves to nonetheless have what it takes in battle. On the climax, Atlanger showcases its capability to separate into 4 automobiles, in addition to its mixed type with the Tiger Shark, to win the day—all whereas a theme music is carried out by tokusatsu and anime music legend Kushida Akira (Gavan, Xabungle). General, the OVA is a love letter stuffed with nostalgia. There’s even a meta industrial for the outdated 1975 toy included!
(Curiously, this wasn’t Atlanger’s first anime look. That might be, bizarrely sufficient, a really temporary cameo within the opening of Episode 8 of Oreimo in 2010. The identical studio, AIC, labored on each.)
An Atlanger manga then debuted digitally in 2021. Gattai Atlanger was revealed on the Dengeki Interest web site, coinciding with the ACKS mannequin equipment launch and that includes a number of cute moe women. On this model, Atlanger was a sentient guardian deity robotic who fought towards a risk to humanity referred to as Shadow (not Gloustar). After a cataclysmic battle, the AI for Atlanger was despatched again throughout time and house, assembly schoolgirl Hotaka Atori, who turns into able to reworking magical lady–type and even summoning Atlanger in tremendous robotic type. This manga ran for six chapters, with the ACKS equipment model of Gattai Robotic Musashi additionally displaying up.
In each case, the merch finally ends up being the true focus. Atlanger is just a robotic that occurs to have an anime, reasonably than being an “anime robotic.”
Concluding Ideas
Gattai Robotic Atlanger started as an inexpensive robotic toy firstly, with any media tie-ins being ancillary at finest, and in some way nonetheless discovered success. This spirit has continued, defining the presence and reminiscence of Atlanger over the course of 4 a long time.
With out a defining anime/manga picture at its core, the aesthetics of Atlanger shifted from one iteration to the following. The 70s tremendous robotic toy made method for the 80s actual robotic–adjoining mannequin equipment, and every later launch noticed increasingly adjustments that fluctuated based mostly on how a lot they had been attempting to name again to the unique and the way a lot they had been attempting to modernize.
However even by way of tapping into nostalgia, Atlanger hasn’t been in a position to get what most different mecha obtain once they’re made into premium robotic figures. Excessive-quality strains like Soul of Chogokin, Masterpiece Transformers, Grasp Grade (or greater) Gunpla, and even Evolution Toy’s Dynamic Motion Collection all attempt to shut the hole and discover a compromise between the bodily objects, the visible media, creativeness, and nostalgia. Various designs like Hajime Katoki cellular go well with variations or the Amakuni Kizin line would possibly re-think or exaggerate sure components or proportions whereas staying fairly near this concept. However as a result of “constancy to the unique” isn’t actually an element, there is no such thing as a “platonic preferrred” to intention for on this case. In a method, that’s excellent for Atlanger.
However eschewing faithfulness to supply materials isn’t telling the entire story. In an essay in Exterior Plamodel Artwork, quintessential mecha designer Okawara Kunio (Gundam, Zambot 3, many others) talks concerning the diploma to which the “combining” points of Aoshima’s licensed toys paid little consideration to how a robotic was portrayed in their very own media. This wasn’t unusual on the time (see the unique Clover Gundam toys), however Okawara believes that whereas different corporations had been at all times attempting to create new concepts and gimmicks for toys, Aoshima was extra about offering “educating supplies” that might foster studying in children. To me, it seems like Okawara is saying that Atlanger and firm had been like a midway level between motion figures and Legos, and thus occupied a novel place on retailer cabinets.
So whereas Atlanger gained’t ever have the highly effective politics of Cellular Go well with Gundam, the enduring standing of Mazinger Z, the handfuls of variations of Tremendous Sentai, or the difficult introspection of Evangelion, it does emphasize one thing particular: a main devotion to play, the place “messages” and “themes” are secondary to imaginative, hands-on exploration by the younger and the younger at coronary heart.
