This is an ad for Hong Kong toy maker FairToy International. FairToy International makes various dolls, including one that strongly resembles Barter Toys  Dynaman. Dynaman is one of the more prolific (and fuzziest) GI Joe Knockoffs and ran under different names. He also made history by being the basis for the “Gay Bob” doll in 1977.

Fairland packaged the toy line to order from foreign distributors, as evidenced by the array of names on the various accessory packs. Another name would be “Johnny Strong” or even “Bruce.”  It might seem strange to see a company selling such products in 1983 but 12″ figure ranges like this had longer legs outside North America. 

Fairland also had their own Big Jim Knock Off, who had a popular Western Line in Europe for many years. These 10″ figures are simply called “West” and, according to my pal Steve Moore, are very cheaply made. I’ve seen that boxed horse a bunch of times, so this stuff hit our shores.

 Of course, they had their own Barbie Clone in Christina. Many of those outfits (especially the Western gear) look like straight-up copies of what Mattel was doing at the time. 

FairlandToy also created Adventure Man, a 2000s Knock Off of GI Joe that sold quite well. 

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Toy-Ventures is back with an unboxing from another galaxy! That’s right it’s Space Knock-Off Madness with a series of sad-looking guys and gals that came from Tatooine, the Federation and the Planet of the Apes. Also, a guy named JungleJim, he’s not very spacey.

Get Toy-Ventures Issue 6 here:

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We have a new book out called “Knock-Offs: Totally Unauthorized Action Figures” it’s a 132-page tribute to bootleg toys.

You can get this new book via the PlaidStallions Shop , On Amazon (Affiliate Link) or on eBay (eBay Link)

Our book Rack Toys, Cheap, Crazed Playthings is now available again! Order through our Affiliate Link

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Toy-Ventures Magazine is our newest creation, an old-school print magazine about vintage toys! Professionally laid out and written, each issue is brimming with obscure and rare toys from companies such as Mego, Kenner, Remco, AHI, and much more. Monsters, Superheroes, Adventurers, Knock Offs, Apes, and so much more, it’s in Toy-Ventures.

Toy-Ventures Issue 5 is available now:
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Mego Knock Off Headquarters– The leading group discussing 70s Dime store knock-offs of Mego action figures, we talk vintage toys and not others. We know the difference between Astro Apes and Action Apeman! It’s a really fun group where we talk about Lincoln International, AHI, Tomland, Bogi, Demo Man, Mortoy, and other generic greats.

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Toy-Ventures is back with another unboxing of weird knock-off action figures just in time for our upcoming book! This week we face Tuff guys, Weird Astronauts/Fire Men and the weirdest Justice League ever. Unbox with me!

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We’ve got a new book coming! Knock-Offs Totally Unauthorized Action Figures is our follow-up to Rack Toys, click here for more info.

Our book Rack Toys, Cheap, Crazed Playthings is now available again! Order through our Affiliate Link

Order Rack Toys 2.0 Here through out Affiliate Link►https://amzn.to/3Bkm9z1

Toy-Ventures Magazine is our newest creation, an old-school print magazine about vintage toys! Professionally laid out and written, each issue is brimming with obscure and rare toys from companies such as Mego, Kenner, Remco, AHI, and much more. Monsters, Superheroes, Adventurers, Knock Offs, Apes, and so much more, it’s in Toy-Ventures.

Toy-Ventures Issue 5 is available now:
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FACEBOOK GROUPS FROM PLAIDSTALLIONS

Pod Stallions is one of the most fun groups on Facebook. Toys, Comics, Movies, TV, it’s all up for grabs and remember, you keep the glass!

Mego Knock Off Headquarters– The leading group discussing 70s Dime store knock-offs of Mego action figures, we talk vintage toys and not others. We know the difference between Astro Apes and Action Apeman! It’s a really fun group where we talk about Lincoln International, AHI, Tomland, Bogi, Demo Man, Mortoy, and other generic greats.

Get Toy-Ventures Issue 3 here with a comprehensive look at the Lincoln Monster line:
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Many of the characters chosen for the line were based on television shows that US children had never seen .

The line was beautiful but also premium priced due to high costs of importation, I certainly remember drooling over the GoDaikins at my local hobby shop but they were on the top shelf and over $75(!).

This catalog is from 1984, a year when the line would be overshadowed by two competing Japanese lines being marketed in America, Transformers by Hasbro and GoBots by Tonka, both of which were lower priced and had slick marketing campaigns, including animated series. 

As with a lot of unappreciated toy lines, GoDaikins command a high value on the secondary market and are highly collectible.

1984 Bandiai Godaiken Catalog

It’s interesting to note that this catalog has a transforming robot right on the cover, as that would be the hottest toys of Christmas 1984.

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1984 Bandiai Godaiken Catalog

Lightspeed Electroid Albegas (光速電神アルベガス, Kōsoku Denjin Arubegasu) is an anime series that aired from 1983 to 1984 in Japan, Latin America, Spain and Italy. According the many, this was the least popular item in this line.

1984 Bandiai Godaiken Catalog

Kagaku Sentai Dynaman (科学戦隊ダイナマン, Kagaku Sentai Dainaman) is the seventh installment of Toei Company’s Super Sentai show and a direct ancestor to Power Rangers, it also saw broadcast in the United States however it was a parody series under the Night Flight banner.

1984 Bandiai Godaiken Catalog

Chōdenji Machine Voltes V (Japanese: 超電磁マシーン ボルテスVファイブ, Hepburn: Chōdenji Mashīn Borutesu Faibu, lit. “Super Electromagnetic Machine Voltes V”), popularly known simply as Voltes V (pronounced as ”Voltes Five”) is a Japanese anime television series produced by Toei Animation and Nippon Sunrise. It is the second installment of the Robot Romance Trilogy, which also includes Chōdenji Robo Combattler V and Tōshō Daimos. It is directed by Tadao Nagahama and produced by Yoshiyuki Tomino. It aired on TV Asahi from June 4, 1977 to March 25, 1978.

1984 Bandiai Godaiken Catalog

GOLION (百獣王ゴライオン, Hyaku Jūō Goraion, The King of Hundred Beasts GoLion) is known to most US children as Voltron and from what i understand was the most popular seller. I’m not sure how this affected Matchbox who was also bringing in Voltron toys.

Space Emperor God Sigma (宇宙大帝ゴッドシグマ, Uchū Taitei Goddo Shiguma) is a mecha anime television series aired from 1980 to 1981. It ran for 50 episodes. It is also referred to as “God Sigma, Empire of Space” and “Space Combination God Sigma”.

1984 Bandiai Godaikin Catalog

Future Robot Daltanious (未来ロボ ダルタニアス, Mirai Robo Darutaniasu) is an anime television series which aired from 1979 to 1980, produced by Toei Animation, with animation produced by Sunrise.

Gordian Warrior (闘士ゴーディアン, Tōshi Gōdian) is a Japanese anime television series that aired in 1979 to 1981. It is also referred to as Champion of Gordian or Gardian

1984 Bandiai Godaikin Catalog

Denshi Sentai Denjiman (電子戦隊デンジマン, Denshi Sentai Denjiman) is Toei’s fourth entry to its Super Sentai metaseries. It was broadcast from February 2, 1980 to January 31, 1981. The title given to this series for international distribution by Toei is Denjiman, Electric Fighters.

Daitetsujin 17  (大鉄人１７, Daitetsujin Wan-Sebun) is a 1977 tokusatsu series created by Shotaro Ishinomori and produced by Toei. It revolves around a giant battle robot commanded by a young boy who fights the giant robots of an evil organization bent on world conquest. It was released in North America as “Brain 17” but directly to video by Playhouse in the mid 1980s.

Bandai Godaikin Catalog

Taiyo Sentai Sun Vulcan (太陽戦隊サンバルカン Taiyō Sentai San Barukan, translated into English as Solar Squadron Sun Vulcan) is Toei’s fifth entry to its Super Sentai series. It is a direct predacessor to Power Rangers and Popy also created a series of  World Heroes figures based on the show.

Dai Sentai Goggle-V (大戦隊ゴーグルファイブ, Dai Sentai Gōguru Faibu, also called Dai Sentai Goggle Five)[Note 1] is a Japanese tokusatsu television series. It is yet another predecessor to what would largely be known as “Power Rangers” in North America.

Tetsujin 28 was better known as Gigantor to North American kids, although in 1984 most kids probably wouldn’t have been as familiar with him.

Tōshō Daimos (闘将ダイモス, Tōshō Daimosu, “Fighting General Daimos”) is a Japanese anime television series produced by Toei Animation and Sunrise. Daimos saw release as part of the Mattel Shogun Warriors line as well.

 Leopardon is the giant Mech that belongs to Spider-Man in Japan, based on Toei’s popular take on the character. Leopardon also had a cameo in the Shogun Warriors line.
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Transforming watches were everywhere by 1985, it’s not a surprise these got somewhat lost in the shuffle.

PlaidStallions Toy-Ventures Magazine #2 is now available and it’s been called “not only an entertaining read, but it’s also an impeccable work of reference” by PopCult.

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Mego Knock Off Headquarters– The leading group discussing 70s dimestore goodness, we talk vintage toys, not others!

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