My Favorite Birthday Present Part One

When I was about twelve I got a ton of cash for my birthday ($60 if I remember right). So I bopped down to the TG&Y and what did I see?

MAZINGA!

To be honest, I had NO idea what the heck this thing was.

While, nowadays everybody knows about anime and Japan seems next door, this was '79 or '80. The only 'anime' I had seen was 'Battle of the Planets' and 'Speed Racer' (though I doubt I knew that was Japanese).

All I knew is 'Holy cow that thing is cool!' And MAN WAS IT BIG!

So I bought it. And I didn't know anything about it for a while (I don't even think I knew it was Japanese!) until a family friend who was in the army visited and told me about it. I think he had been stationed in Japan.

You can check it out here:http://www.wildtoys.com/Shogun/ShogJumbo/mazinga.html Not an option in '80!

My favorite toy I had when I was a kid, bar none. Well, except for maybe the Cori Batmobile my uncles brought me from NYC and maybe the Deathstar play set...

Man, I gotta get into Mom & Dad's attic!