Vstone's Tetsu-jin 28 goes on sale!

You know, we're fairly sure there's nothing Vstone's Tetsujin 28 can do that the the OMNIZERO.2 can't, but damned if Gigantor doesn't have a place carved out in our hearts / homes / wallets. We've been waiting a long time for you, Gigantor, and Vstone's finally put it on sale (in Japan). This bigger than big, stronger than strong space-age robot -- in your command or not -- doesn't come cheaply though: expect to fork out ¥351,750 ($2980 US), a price close to what we understand the entire cartoon series cost to produce back in the 50s.

[Via Akihabara News]

[oshean @ Mar 31st 2006 9:35AM]

That " iron man 28 ", completes as 1 / 50 scales * ヒューマノイドロボット. Big dream of time of the boy that actualizes, now you work the iron man while it is mind. Smooth 2 foot walking which is not the former robot (the adoption of the SHIN-WALK) of course, operation while it is thinking with compilation of the individual program is possible. Japan is proud, it is the self-confidence work of the 渾 body which leading robot technology produces.

[Denys @ Mar 31st 2006 9:36AM]

I want one!!! Gimme!!!

1st Post

[Marcus Eklund @ Mar 31st 2006 9:53AM]

As they say in Wrestling H*LYSH*T .. give me one :)
That was a nice surprice and wonder what the import cost would be on that one to a country, say Sweden :)

[PodMonkeys @ Mar 31st 2006 9:56AM]

That is so awesome! :D

[ketsuke @ Mar 31st 2006 11:10AM]

Wow, I grew up watching this anime. It is an amazing trip back to a mid 80's Colombia and a poor third-world child's imagination.... I want one, only to wax melancholic about my always hungry days and how I immersed myself into this show and others to escape my living situation..... oh memories.

[rex @ Mar 31st 2006 11:31AM]

heck and i thought these things could've been the least bit affordable, maybe i'll end up getting that lego robot one instead :(

[TeleCustom @ Mar 31st 2006 11:45AM]

for 3 grand, the thing had better fly too.

[Justin @ Mar 31st 2006 11:55AM]

Oh. My. God. I. Want. One. Now.

[jmchez @ Mar 31st 2006 11:59AM]

Gigantor (El Hombre de Acero in Spanish) was the only Japanese cartoon that I coud stand to watch as a kid. Astroboy really freaked me out (machine guns coming out of the buttocks, feet that looked like they were chopped off stumps when he flew, shirtless, weird mouselike hat). My memory is fuzzy but even as a five year old I wondered how Gigantor could perform the most complicated movements but the kid (why a kid? I forget.) manning the RC only moved the joystick back and forth. That always bothered me. However I can still hum the theme song. That I've never forgotten.

BTW, $3,000 is way too much to relive fond memories of childhood (unless I winn the megamillions lottery).

[Kalyan @ Mar 31st 2006 4:23PM]

Ummm, how do I turn on the jet pack?

[Charles S @ Mar 31st 2006 4:25PM]

From what little Japanese I can read, the ad says that they will only make 100 of these. $3000 may be a lot of money, but with only 100 made, it's probably already sold out.

[Sex Machine @ Mar 31st 2006 4:51PM]

When does the female robot available for bed duties come out?

[Sex Machine @ Mar 31st 2006 4:54PM]

For $3,000 they should offer a female robot that includes bedroom duties.

[DC @ Mar 31st 2006 6:10PM]

For some of us this is an amazing trip back to the 1960s, which is when Gigantor originally aired in the United States.

But three grand is a lot to pay for a little nostalgia.

[tempusmaster @ Apr 1st 2006 11:09AM]

There are a few errors or omissions in the original report. First, this is actually the second version of the robot. VStone introduced the first version last year as a limited edition and sold out all 200 units in less than a week. That model was based on the Tetsujin 28 movie released here in Japan in 2005. The new robot model is based on the Tetsujin 28 (Gigantor) that appeared in the television series. Production this time is limited to 100 units, and they expect to sell out quickly. There's more information based on the original VStone press release posted on our robotics blog here: http://www.robots-dreams.com/2006/03/new_gigantor_te.html

[noshima @ Apr 2nd 2006 4:31AM]

To an American kid, who was uprooted to the chaotic, third-world megapolis that was Tokyo in the early 60's, this brings back vivid memories of hurrying to the corner store to buy the new issue of Shonen magazine for the latest installment of this strangely comforting story of a huge robot controlled by a small boy.

[rockstar @ Apr 2nd 2006 10:50AM]

That's super awesome..

I wonder if you could move those fingers?

[tempusmaster @ Apr 5th 2006 8:16AM]

No, unfortunately the fingers don't move. Still, the robot does look, and move, very much like the original. This online video - http://www.robot-fan.net/spot/spot075.html - shows the VStone robot Gigantor towering above the streets of Osaka.

[Tony Mart?z @ Apr 6th 2006 4:21AM]

TETSUJIN 28 GO!!!...that's the proper name.

From tin-robot wind up toy, to full on rc-bot...
SWEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEET!!!

Oh how I salivate.