1972 - Rusher Robot by Horikawa

[Joe K.]

Robothunter started this thread on the Talk section sighting these great Horikawa robots in the 1972 Horikawa catalog:

http://danefield.com/alpha/forums/index.php?showtopic=4334

[plasticaugie]

This catalog is back, and it is not an auction so I think I am safe mentioning it. The 72 catalog shows many robots that are 'new' for 72. Dino, Rusher, Wheel barrow, Apollo 2000, and that little plastic flyeye gear robot. This cat shows the little red/orange gear robot as black however so it is a prototype. Also the grey 9' attacking martian is new in 72. The timeline linked from the front page stops at 72 with MR-45 and it is the only 72 entry. It is amazing that none of these existed before 72, most people would have thought late 60's I think.

[Morbius]

From what info I've gathered over the past 30 years or so, these toys could have been distributed for possibly up to 5 years in duration if popular enough, and could be on wholesalers' shelves for another 5 years or so after that until (hopefully) they were all sold...creating a possible 10 year or so span of time for them to be on the store shelves. If the Rusher Robot is 1972 then they could have been available until the '80's came around.

The Jupiter Flying Saucer (the small wind-up) I recall in stores around 1977, I always thought it was a much earlier toy.

[martijn]

Rusher robot pictured in this catalog is the prototype with different litho,

see marco's rusher prototype

[Brian..]

Thanks, Martjn. That litho is also the box art version.