Star Blazers was a huge phenomenon in my neighbourhood when it hit the airwaves in 1979, my friends and I would gather every day at the one house whose ariael got the channel just to see if the Argo did indeed save the earth.

That’s why these action figures produced by Nomura in Japan blew my mind when I first saw them. Like Battle of the Planets, Star Blazers is an action figure line I really wanted as a kid!

First of all the figures themselves rock, this is Derek Wyldstar aka Susumu Kodai in the original Japanese version (which is known as Space Battleship Yamato). Their packaging is wonderful, little acrylic cases, almost anticipating collectors.

This is Nova AKA Yuki Mori, she’s the most common of the set although Derek isn’t hard to find either.

This is Mark Venture (Daisuke Shima) he’s not easy to find at all, to be frank.

Captain Avatar (Captain Juzo Okita) was another really tough one to find for me. He’s a hole in many a collection.

Desslock (Dessler) was right next to Zoltar as a favourite villain as a kid, so naturally, it was a good day when I tracked him down.

I am not sure this wind-up IQ9 (analyzer) goes with the figures or not but he’s in scale and it works for me….

If that wasn’t enough, Nomura created an amazing replica of the Yamato/Argo bridge that moves and talks.

I should probably put batteries in this thing and hear it talk but hearing it in Japanese isn’t a big thrill for me.

The box art is full of win.

The set not only includes the wave motion gun controls (yes that’s where that Marcy Playground song comes from) but interchangeable viewscreens just like the Mego Star Trek bridge play set.

Seriously, what is not to love? 

The box art is full of win.