Chogokin facts for kids

Chogokin (pronounced "Cho-go-kin") is a special, imaginary super-alloy. It first appeared in a Japanese manga (comic book) and anime (cartoon) series called Mazinger Z. This series was created by Go Nagai.

In 1972, a toy company named Popy decided to use the "Chogokin" name for a new line of toys. These toys were made from die-cast metal, which means they were heavy and strong. The very first Chogokin toy was a robot from Mazinger Z. Even though it had some small problems, this toy became incredibly popular. It started a big trend that changed the Japanese toy industry in the 1970s. Today, Bandai, which is Popy's parent company, still makes Chogokin toys under their own brand.

Classic Chogokin Toys

The first Chogokin toys usually came in two main sizes.

• ST (Standard) toys were typically about 5 inches tall.
• DX (Deluxe) toys were much larger. They often had more cool features, like parts that could separate or weapons that could launch projectiles. These often included launching fists, just like Mazinger Z, the first Chogokin toy.

Many of these toys were also sold in the United States. In the late 1970s, Mattel sold some Chogokin toys as Shogun Warriors. Later, in the early 1980s, Bandai America sold other Chogokin toys under the Godaikin line.

Around 1979, there was a concern about toy safety. Because of this, many later Shogun Warriors toys were changed. Their launching projectiles were made "child-safe" so they wouldn't cause any harm. The Godaikin toys, however, were made for older collectors. So, they were mostly the same as the original Japanese versions.

Modern Chogokin Toys

After the 1980s, fewer robot toys were made with die-cast metal. Instead, most toys started using plastics like PVC and ABS. Today, Chogokin toys are usually quite expensive. They are high-quality items made mostly for adult collectors.

Soul of Chogokin (SOC)

Bandai's Soul of Chogokin (often called SOC) line is a very famous example of modern Chogokin. These toys are updated versions of many classic robots that Popy first made in the 1970s and 1980s. The first SOC toy was an updated Mazinger Z. Many other classic robot designs followed. This toy line is still active and now includes robots from more modern shows. It also helps create new, detailed toys for older robot shows like Dancouga - Super Beast Machine God.

Souchaku Henshin Series

The Souchaku Henshin series (also known as Armor Trans) started in 2000. This is another Bandai toy line under the Chogokin name. These action figures are about 5 inches tall. They feature characters from Japanese live-action shows called tokusatsu, like Kamen Rider, Metal Heroes, and GARO. Souchaku Henshin figures have many movable parts, removable armor, and some die-cast metal pieces. Like Soul of Chogokin, this line includes both new characters and updated versions of classic ones.

Super Robot Chogokin (SRC)

In 2010, Bandai launched Super Robot Chogokin (SRC). This line offers a more affordable choice compared to Soul of Chogokin. These figures are about 140mm (14 cm) tall. They use less die-cast metal but have more movable parts and a wider range of accessories. The SRC line includes traditional robots like Mazinger Z and Brave Reideen. It also features robots from shows like The King of Braves GaoGaiGar and the Super Sentai series.

Other "Gokin" Toys

The word "Chogokin" became very well-known among toy collectors. Because of this, other companies started using the "-gokin" ending for their own die-cast robot toys. For example, Takatoku Toys made a line called Z-Gokin, and Max Factory created the Max Gokin line.