Robot Hacchan

Robot Hacchan (Robot 8-Chan) hails from the series of the same name, created by Shotaro Ishinomori as part of the Toei Fushigi Comedy Series. This series of shows is best described as a light-hearted Metal Hero show geared towards younger children.

This Chogokin was released in 1981 to coincide with the airing of the show, and was given the designation GB-62.

The box is typical Chogokin style, with light-hearted graphics that mimic the feel of the show. People tend to forget that all kinds of characters made it into the line, not just super robots.

Inside you get the standard Styrofoam tray, accessories, instructions, and catalog.

Robot Hacchan is almost entirely diecast metal. His round shape makes him feel like a hand grenade in your palm. The paint is lush and vibrant and the red makes a nice contrast to the exposed bare metal.

Yes, he has a license plate attached to his back. There’s a reason for this that I will discuss in a moment.

But first, lets talk about Herichonbo, the flight mode of Robot Hacchan. In this mode, Hacchan dons a helicopter hat that enables him to fly through the sky.

Included are a few tools he can use for repair as I think Hacchan works in a robot repair shop.

His head opens up to reveal a compartment inside. I’m not sure what its purpose is, but it has a mirror-like sticker inside. Maybe you are supposed to see yourself inside Hacchan?

Push the button on the back to reveal Hacchan’s automobile mode. This opens the door on the chest to reveal a steering wheel which Hacchan can grasp. You have to manually split the legs to show the hidden wheels. In automobile mode, Hacchan rolls freely around the floor. You can see why he needed the license plate now!

This particular specimen is rather beat up, with paint chips and yellowing of the eyes and parts of the helmet, but he’s still pretty cool. It just shows that some kid back in the 80s actually played with this but still kept the box and all the parts.