バンダイ「マスコミシリーズ」No. 73 ウルトラマンタロウ ZAT ラビットパンダ - Bandai "Masukomi" Series No. 73 Ultraman Taro ZAT Rabbit-Panda

Well now you can say you have seen it all...presenting the Rabbit-Panda from Ultraman Taro. By far the goofiest "garrison" vehicle in the entire series (a very close second is the "Roady," MAC's street transportation from Ultraman Leo). I think if the designers left the clown nose off the front, it would be a bit more appealing, but Taro was a series that was all about overdoing it. Like its companinon vehicle the Wolf 777, the Rabbit-Panda has every square inch covered with junk. Somewhere under it all is a very embarrassed Honda delivery van.

I was amazed at how detailed and substantial this model kit is. Its approximately 1/24th scale, so if it were built it would display nicely with the Bullmark "TDF Pointer," the Hasegawa "MAT Vehicle" and the Marusan "TAC Panther." Why didn't anybody make a UGM Mazda RX-7?

Like other kits of this vintage and genre, expect to pay a few yen if you find and want one. I have seen these go for as high as 9600 yen. Oy!

バンダイ「マスコミシリーズ」No. 68 ウルトラマンタロウ ZAT スパースワロー - Bandai "Masukomi" Series No. 68 Ultraman Taro ZAT Super Swallow

I have always been a big fan of the Ultraman series. Each series has its hero(s), monsters and the resident Science Patrol/Monster Defense Garrison. The scenarios are just about the same in every series, but each is unique unto itself.

Of these series, Ultraman Taro's garrison was known as ZAT (Zariba of All Territory). ZAT's vehicle designs were interesting to say the least. You can see a major influence from the then growing Anime Super Robot craze sweeping Japan in the early seventies.

Where the designs of the garrison ships from Ultraman, Ultra Seven, Return of Ultraman and Ultraman Ace are functional, ZAT vehicles are all 100% fantasy. They are not in my top ten, but I cannot resist these early Bandai model kits from these series! Plus, Bandai made a model of every vehicle in the ZAT arsenal, except for the submarine. So I have been picking them up here and there. Because of their age and nostalgia value in Japan, they are sometimes pricey, but I must have them all!

The Super Swallow kit is number 68 in the masukomi series! Sixty-freakin-eight! I don't know how I'm going to find the first 67, but you can bet I will. Incidentally, "masukomi" is short for "mass communications." Why Bandai chose this name for the series is a mystery.