Junior Machinder Overview Part 2: SMC

...continued from Part 1.

SMC

Another big player in this game was "SMC" who made many of the most common toys in the genre, many of which were very similar to, if not exactly the same as, the New Gio. Co. toys. It seems as if they may have had very high production runs since today there are far more of their toys found on the open market than perhaps any other maker of these things. They are perhaps most recognizable for their series of "Space Hero" toys, but also have a couple other offerings as well. In this next part, we'll start to see a lot more variations than we saw from New Gio. Co.

The first and most common "Space Hero" toy is the exact same toy as New. Gio. Co's "Falco Rosso".

There is a sticker variation that can be found on this toy. On some versions, the leg stickers are a thinner, solid blue line without the spacing seen near the knees.

Sticker variation

Another version of Space Hero has black legs with different stickers and the same torso as the Dragonne Giallo toy. However, instead of a solid orange "V" shape, the chest instead has a type of opening plastic "wings". We'll see these better later. I don't own this toy, but I believe it to be made by SMC. If I find out otherwise, I'll make the correction.

There are also two more Space Heroes but fortunately, no known variations... yet. The other toys are also based on New Gio. Co toys. The Combattler V version of Space Hero is exactly the same as Dragonne Giallo, while the Great Mazinger version is similar to the Aquila Nera toy, but with a chest piece like the Atoranger Space Hero seen above.

Combattler V

Great Mazinger

All of the toys listed thus far for SMC come packaged in two different boxes, each one featuring an Atoranger headed character on the front, regardless of which character is inside.

Atoranger/Combatter

Great Mazinger/Combattler

Two quick notes about the Space Hero line before we continue. Tom has one that had the head of "Viking Robot", but no other one has been seen and it seems likely that it was put there by a collector and not an actual product. Until proven otherwise, this is my assumption anyway. Furthermore, there is an Atoranger Space Hero with fat legs, but this one seems to say "D.A.G" on the box instead of SMC. I'm sure the companies are likely related, but for now, I'll list this one in the article on the smaller companies.

Moving on, SMC also produced a toy called Robot From Outer Space that is the exact same toy as the Mantide Nera toy from New Gio. Co. which the following exceptions: the belt is different, the left hand holds the sword instead of the right and the missile clips are red instead of white.

Until now, SMC has made some decent toys but nothing spectacular. Well, this last one is among the rarest, coolest and most desirable of all junior machinders. Lion Robot is the only known junior machinder version of Daltanious!