The Power of Packaging: Cyborg

You’re probably thinking: Okay, Rob–you’ve been skipping days here at your supposedly daily GI Joe blog, and now you’re once again featuring something non-GI Joe. For the first part, yes–I have missed quite a few days. No big deal. For the second part, yes–this isn’t a GI Joe toy, but is shares Joe DNA.

Takara’s Henshin Cyborg evolved from the company’s licensed twelve inch GI Joe offerings, and was later offered at a smaller 8 inch scale. UK toymaker Denys Fisher rebranded these figures as Cyborg, Android and Muton (hey, where have I heard that name before?) in the mid-70s. Not much changed other than a storyline and names, but that’s fine with me. The Henshin Cyborg idea and aesthetic is like catnip to me. Clear plastic and vac-metal in the same toy line? I’m in!

If these toys remind you of Microman, or their US counterpart Micronauts, that’s because of the DNA thing again. If you’d like to read (I mean hear) more about the Joe/Microman connection, check out my not very regularly updated Toy Department Podcast here.