Bismarck

Let’s face it, eighties mecha rocks. Whether you are talking about Laserion, Vavilos, Albegas or even Commpoboy, there is something so cool about the vision of the future at that time.

Bismarck is a classic example of a design from that school. Hard blocky lines, copious amounts of chrome, red and black, this bot has it all. The Bismarck hails from the 1984 TV anime Sei Jushi Bismarck (星銃士ビスマルク Star Musketeer Bismarck) which was brought over to the US by World Events Productions (the same who did Voltron) as Saber Rider and the Star Sheriffs. In Saber Rider and the Star Sheriffs, Bismarck was known as Ramrod.

Even though this is a ST or standard) size chogokin, it still has plenty of gimmicks and for a gokin – really fantastic articulation.

First off, you can’t ignore the giant guns on the chest. These guns can pivot up and down and are made out of a bendable plastic that resists breaking.

The left arm features a firing fist, while the right arm has some hand articulation that can hold a gun.

When not in use, the gun is stored in a holster at the side.

Just look at the arm articulation. Amazing stuff for a vintage gokin.

From there down the toy continues to impress. There’s a waist joint, ball jointed hips, knees that bend, and articulated ankles.

The panels on the sides of the lower legs open to reveal working missile launchers with microscopic missiles.

While this toy does not have as many gimmicks as its impressive larger brother, it is still a great toy in its own right, and is one of the more affordable vintage gokin one can search after.