With Reideen the Brave celebrating its 50th anniversary, the classic super robot anime is getting a suitably golden celebrative toy.
Specifically, U-Treasure is making two gold statues of the titular Reideen. The first is made of pure gold and is priced at 3,520,000 yen (or around $24,000 at the current exchange rate), only five of these will be made.
The second and more affordable option is made from silver and coated in gold and costs 352,000 yen (or around $2,400 at the current exchange rate).
The reason why this is in any way an actual thing, is because the dormant version of Reideen in the anime is colored gold. Only once it is activated and controlled by its pilot does it change color.
Reideen the Brave is also a very important anime on a number of counts. It was technically the first anime to feature transforming mecha, with the Reideen transforming into its flight form of God Bird.
It also had many of the production team that would go on to make Mobile Suit Gundam. From Yoshiyuki Tomino as its chief director to Yoshikazu Yasuhiko for its character and mecha design.
The latter mecha design was also helped along by the team at Studio Nue, just like the original Mobile Suit Gundam, most notably by that of Kazutaka Miyatake.
Reideen the Brave also helped to inspire the creation of RahXephon, which is something various Super Robot Wars games have referenced over the years by having the mecha team up.
Even Yutaka Izubuchi, the writer, director and mecha designer for RahXephon referenced Reideen the Brave in its creation.
Not to mention the premise of Reideen the Brave, that of ancient mecha being brought back to life by one of its descendants, also inspired shows like Giant Gorg, which also involved the creative talent of Yoshikazu Yasuhiko.
This is why Reideen the Brave is something of a cultural icon, and its ongoing popularity has finally necessitated an actual gold toy.
In any case, pre-orders for both versions of this toy started yesterday in Japan. However, if you want a more affordable and articulated toy, you should check out the various releases from Bandai Spirits.
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