87-494: Super Robot Chogokin ( スーパーロボット超合金 , Sūpā Robotto Chōgōkin ) , is Bandai 's robot toy line-up diverse from the popular Soul of Chogokin franchise, first introduced in August 2010. Despite being under the Soul of Chogokin family, the major difference is the size - only scaling around 14cm. Aside from the size, the other main selling points for the line-up are the flexible articulation of
174-597: A ¥ 9 billion loss from Bandai the same month, attributed to declining game sales and the poor reception of the Apple Pippin console. Bandai felt Sega was an appropriate company to merge with, as it possessed an American management model and several international offices, in addition to owning several successful franchises like Sonic the Hedgehog . Opposition arose within Bandai's employees and midlevel executives, as neither felt
261-478: A 2.6 L V8 engine. However, it had a different model designation, G10 (VG10 when fitted by 2.6 L V engine). The car was first introduced at the 1963 Tokyo Motor Show and introduced for sale on April 20, 1964, nine days before Emperor Showa 's birthday and the beginning of Golden Week in Japan. While it was essentially a wider S40 Crown, it was branded as a "Toyota" and not "Toyopet". The Toyota Crown Eight
348-473: A double-hinged tailgate, as the next generation converted to an overhead-lifting hatchback door. Crowns that were equipped with the 2,253 cc 2M engine were no longer classified as compact cars under Japanese vehicle size classification regulations , even though the length and width were still in compliance. Toyota offered the larger engine so that buyers who were traditionally served by the Crown could now choose
435-420: A line of build-it-yourself toy rolling ball "roller coasters" was introduced by Bandai in the 1980s. In May 1980, Makoto Yamashina, son of the founder, became president of Bandai. Naoharu Yamashina became chairman of the board. Upon his arrival, Makoto Yamashina completely changed the ageing staff of Bandai and replaced them with younger employees with the intent of not only bringing new ideas, but also revisiting
522-403: A mutual agreement to not renew their Power Rangers master toy license, effective Spring 2019, after which competing toy company Hasbro will inherit the license. This transition will not affect Bandai Japan's Super Sentai (the series from which Power Rangers takes footage) master toy license with Toei . A sister company, Bandai Spirits , was established on 15 February 2018. On 1 April 2018,
609-527: A taxicab. While a base Crown was available for many years aimed at the taxicab market, the increasing opulence and price of the Crown line led to the creation of the Comfort in 1995 as a more affordable alternative. Outside Japan, the larger Lexus LS took over the role of Toyota's flagship sedan in 1989 in the company's global lineup. Toyota's "Discover Crown Spirit Project" is a program in which Japanese Toyota dealers fully restore instances of every generation of
696-509: Is MS70 (2.0-liter), or MS75 (2.6-liter). The Japanese market Crown Custom (Wagon) was classified as a seven-seater. This generation was the first Crown marketed as a Toyota in Japan, as previous models were marketed as Toyopets. Also, in Japan, this model was known as the " whale " or "kujira" Crown. In 1973, Japanese television commercials introduced Japanese actress Sayuri Yoshinaga as a co-spokeswoman, joining Satoshi Yamamura, and together they appeared in commercials until 1983. Crown's for
783-574: Is also marketed in North America as the sole Crown model. The remaining three models: Sedan, Sport, and Estate, will be released in 2023 and 2024 respectively, and will be available in hybrid, plug-in hybrid, and fuel cell powertrains depending on the model. Introduced in 1955 as the Toyopet Crown , it has served as the mainstream sedan from Toyota in the Japanese market throughout its existence and holds
870-854: Is among the largest and most profitable toy companies worldwide, alongside Hasbro and Mattel . The company focuses on creating unique and innovative products for its consumers, and to bend established conventions within the industry; its slogan, "Break out of the box" was made in reference to this. Bandai Spirits Co., Ltd. produces figurines and plastic models targeted towards older demographics, utilizing popular licenses such as Mobile Suit Gundam , One Piece , Pokémon , Kirby , Disney , Star Wars , Hatsune Miku , Dragon Ball , Demon Slayer , Kamen Rider , Super Sentai , Ultraman , and My Hero Academia . Bandai produces confectioneries, board games, and capsule toys through its subsidiary MegaHouse Corporation, which also releases toys and figurines under its MegaToy label. MegaHouse also holds
957-539: Is now under the management and a member of Bandai Namco Holdings (Bandai Namco Group). Following a group reorganisation in 2006, Bandai heads the group's Toys and Hobby strategic business unit (SBU). Bandai Entertainment announced it would cease its distribution operations in January 2012. Beez Entertainment is no longer releasing new anime in Europe. In February 2018, Saban Brands and Bandai's US division jointly announced
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#17328770786501044-617: Is primarily a line of mid-size luxury cars that is marketed as an upmarket offering in the Toyota lineup. In North America, the first through fourth generations were offered from 1958 through 1972, being replaced by the Corona Mark II . The Crown nameplate returned to the North American market in 2022, when the sixteenth-generation model was released. The Crown has also been partially succeeded in export markets by its closely related sibling,
1131-487: Is the toy production division of Bandai Namco Holdings , currently the world's second largest toy company measured by total revenue. Between 1981 and 2001, Bandai was a manufacturer of video game consoles . Bandai was founded by World War II veteran Naoharu Yamashina as Bandai-Ya on July 5, 1950, as the corporate spin-off of a textile wholesaler. The company began as a distributor of metallic toys and rubber swimming rings, before moving to metal cars and aircraft models. It
1218-586: Is universally accepted as the rarest licensed NES game released in North America. A shrink-wrapped copy of the game sold for $ 41,270 on eBay in February 2010. The sister game to Stadium Events , called Athletic World was initially released with a label that indicated compatibility with the Family Fun Fitness mat, but was later re-released with an updated label that mentions the Power Pad instead. Stadium Events
1305-596: The Imperial limousine manufactured by Chrysler in the early 1950s. In 1958, it introduced a ball joint suspension. Production of the double-cab Masterline pickup (RR19) started in April 1957 by the former Central Motors . In August 1957, three Toyota delegates with the intent to establish a sales company in the United States introduced a white and black Crown and Crown Deluxe at a public relations event attended by dealers and
1392-617: The Lexus GS , which since its debut in 1991 as the Toyota Aristo has always shared the Crown's platform and powertrain options. Later models of the GS and Crown have taken on a very strong aesthetic kinship through shared design cues. In 2022, Toyota unveiled four different Crown models to replace the fifteenth-generation model. The first model that is available is the Crossover-type Crown, which
1479-576: The Masterline , continued to be offered (utilities, wagons and vans) until 1959. A six-door wagon known as the Airport Limousine was shown as a concept car at the 1961 Tokyo Motor Show . It did not go into production. In December 1955, the Crown Deluxe (RSD) was introduced, a posher model equipped with a radio and heater as standard. The initial RS model received a cosmetic update in 1958 to become
1566-518: The Masterline . There was also a limited run of the sedan known as the Toyota Crown S (MS41S) which featured twin SU style carburettors on the 2.0L M in-line-six engine, sportier camshaft, sports instrumentation, sports suspension, four-speed floor shift, bucket seats, 14 inch wheels, disc brakes on the front and larger drum brakes in the rear. This Crown became the first Toyota to be exported to Europe, after
1653-508: The R-series four-cylinder engines. Crown vehicles meant for commercial use had received the Masterline nameplate until the introduction of this generation; they were now badged "Crown" as well. However, this generation was the last to be offered in an entire line of commercials - from the next generation on, the only commercial-use model available was the Crown Van, whose bodywork was also used for
1740-625: The Weekly Toy News in Tokyo, Bandai-ya distributed and imported celluloid dolls, metallic toys, and rubber swimming rings. The company released its first original product the same year, the Rhythm Ball, a beach ball with a bell inside that suffered from numerous quality defects. Bandai-ya improved the quality of its products as it continued designing new kinds of toys, such as inexpensive metal cars and aircraft models. Several of these were exported to
1827-673: The button car plan was put into effect. Exports to New Zealand began in 1968 and local CKD kit assembly of the Deluxe sedan started in 1973 (under contract at Steel's Motor Assemblies in Christchurch alongside the Corona). The model was replaced in NZ assembly by the Cressida in 1979 though limited imports of Japanese assembled cars continued for several more years. The island nations of Aruba and Curaçao in
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#17328770786501914-454: The 1968 New York International Innovative productions Exhibition. An additional manufacturing plant was acquired in late 1969 to further increase the production of toys. Bandai continued its expansion throughout the 1970s. The company established a joint venture with model car manufacturer Tonka in 1970 and established Tonka Japan K.K., as part of Bandai's continuing mission in establishing ties with foreign companies. A subsidiary named Popy
2001-519: The 2.0-liter M six-cylinder engine also available. As for the previous generation, the M-C engine (in Japanese specifications) has 105 PS (77 kW; 104 bhp), while the 5R's output increased somewhat to 98 PS (72 kW; 97 bhp). In some markets the previous 2.3-liter "2M" six remained available, in sedan or "utility wagon" forms. The Utility Wagon was a body style between commercial and passenger car, and carried chassis codes MS67V until
2088-510: The 2.0-liter M engine or the 2.3-liter 2M engine shared with the Toyota 2000GT sports coupe. A premium level Super Saloon joined the Super Deluxe model, and was available with the 2M engine including twin carburettors, electric windows, rear seat radio controls, air conditioning and luxury fabric on the seating including the Crown logo embossed into the vinyl. Lower specified models were equipped with
2175-572: The Century VG20. Approx 3,800 Crown Eights were produced. Some of the items that were exclusive to the Crown Eight were climate control , automatic headlamps , electrically powered windows, electric cruise control , and a two-speed "Toyoglide" automatic transmission. Vent windows were installed on all doors, separate from the side windows, and could be opened or closed electrically. The front and rear door latches were electromagnetic and installed on
2262-520: The Crown Eight successor, the Century. Unlike a conventional door handle, the door latch would release by touching the interior switch. The front suspension used a double wishbone suspension with coil springs and the rear used a trailing arm suspension with coil springs, with shock absorbers for all wheels. The Crown Eight was available in four exterior colors: Royal Bronze Metallic, Sherwood Olive Metallic, Black, and Victoria Blue Metallic. Launched in 1967,
2349-497: The Crown spokesman for 16 years, introducing subsequent new generations of Crown products until 1983. The Crown range now included the four-door station wagon, pick-up (rare), double cab pick-up (very rare), and in October 1968, the new two-door hardtop " personal luxury car ." In September 1968 the option of power steering was added. In 1969 the Crown received a facelift for the headlight, grill and trim arrangement. The Crown S used
2436-555: The Crown to show that even the oldest Crown still works. Having been in production since 1955, the Crown is Toyota's second longest running model nameplate in Japan after the Land Cruiser , and seventh in the world after the Mercedes-Benz S-Class (1954), Chevrolet Corvette (1953), Land Cruiser and Nissan Patrol (both 1951), Volkswagen Transporter (1950), Ford F-Series (1947), and Chevrolet Suburban (1935). The Crown
2523-613: The Crown was being sold with the newer 3R engine and alongside the new smaller Tiara model with the Crown's outgoing 1.5L engine. Only the Custom sedan and wagon were offered ($ 1,795 and $ 2,080 respectively). Total sales for 1961 reached only 225 units, trailing off to 74 for 1962, and finally 28 for 1963. Total sales for the Toyopet Crown RS series in the United States is 2,240. By the end of 1960, Toyota Motor Sales USA had accumulated 1.42 million dollars in losses from lackluster sales of
2610-667: The Crown. To prevent any further loss, all passenger car imports were suspended and new management structures were established to refocus all sales efforts on the Toyota Land Cruiser with profitability expected from selling 50 to 60 per month until the development of a new car suitable for the US market. In November 2000, Toyota released the Origin , a retro version of the RS series Crown to celebrate 100 million vehicles having been built in Japan. Due to
2697-588: The European Ford Versailles and Simca Vedette . The Toyota Patrol was a police car version of the 1955 Crown. It featured many differences from the standard car, including a more reinforced chassis with the more powerful 6-cylinder 3.4 L engine from the Toyota BX truck. In a similar way, an ambulance based on the Crown was also built. In 1956, both of these vehicles were upgraded to the F 3.9 L engine and remained in production until 1959. The Crown
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2784-554: The NES. Shortly after its release, Nintendo purchased the rights to the FFF mat in North America, replacing it with their own redesign, the Power Pad . In order to maintain branding continuity, Stadium Events was pulled from shelves after a short period of availability at Woolworth's stores. Because the game was pulled from shelves and discontinued before many copies were sold, Bandai's Stadium Events
2871-571: The RS20, now with hooded headlights and a single-piece front windshield. In October 1959, Japan's first diesel-engine passenger car, the Crown Diesel, was introduced. Its C-series engine only had 40 PS (29 kW). In October 1960, the 1.5 L R engine was complemented by the larger 1.9 L (1,896 cc) 3R engine for a model called the RS30, originally only available in the Deluxe version. The 1900
2958-510: The RS32L series Crown with the larger 3R engine and other improvements for high-speed driving in July 1960. For 1958, Toyota introduced the Crown in sedan form only (Standard and Deluxe) with a base price of US$ 2,187 (equivalent to about $ 23,096 in 2023). Options included $ 94 AM radio and $ 75 whitewall tires. By comparison, an optioned up Crown was $ 32 more than the base Chevy Del Ray and $ 10 more than
3045-518: The Rambler Rebel V8 sedan. Total sales for the initial year were 287. For 1959, sales were again limited to only sedan models and despite a price boost to $ 2,329 for the Deluxe model, sales more than tripled to 967 units. For 1960, Toyota added a wagon body style ($ 2,111 for the two-door, $ 2,211 for the four-door) but in the midst of Detroit's Big Three compact cars (Ford Falcon, Chevy Corvair and Plymouth Valiant), sales fell to 659 units. For 1961,
3132-601: The Southern Caribbean also imported the Crown starting from the second generation (S40) in 1965 in Curaçao up until importation of the tenth generation (S150). It was discontinued in 1998 due to the high price and low demand combined with the introduction of the Lexus GS series. In 2019, a small number of fifteenth-generation Crowns were exported to Indonesia for use as an official vehicle by cabinet ministers and other government officials. The sixteenth-generation Crown that
3219-539: The Toyopet Super . The front doors open conventionally, and the rear doors are " suicide doors ", a feature also utilized on the Toyota AA , Toyota's first car. Small engine displacements were used to keep the vehicle affordable, as the Japanese government began to impose an annual road tax to help develop and maintain a national transportation infrastructure in 1950. The appearance of the Crown shows some similarities with
3306-538: The United Kingdom (Bandai UK), Indonesia (Bandai Namco Indonesia), France, Spain, Taiwan, and mainland China. In the past, it owned offices in Hong Kong, South Korea, Thailand, Germany, and East Asia, which acted as distributors for Bandai products in their respective countries. Bandai is a wholly owned subsidiary of Bandai Namco Holdings and heads its parent's Toy and Hobby Content Strategic Business Unit (CSBU). Bandai
3393-426: The United States and elsewhere as a result of their popularity, being among the earliest "Made In Japan" products exported outside the country. As its revenue increased, Bandai-ya began expanding its operations. A new shipping and warehouse facility was constructed in spring 1953, followed by research and development (R&D) and product inspection departments later that year. A manufacturing facility, Waraku Works,
3480-507: The United States despite known high-speed performance issues. As a publicity stunt to demonstrate the car's reliability, Toyota staged a campaign common to American automakers: a coast-to-coast endurance run from Los Angeles to New York. The Toyopet was barely able to limp into Las Vegas before the project had to be called off. Toyota's first export to the United States began with 30 Crown Deluxes in June 1958 after establishing Toyota Motor Sales USA
3567-453: The Wagon models. Crown Double-Cab pickups were produced by the former Central Motor Co., Ltd. until December 1970. When the 1967 S50 series Crown was introduced to Japan, television commercials used Japanese actor Satoshi Yamamura , who among his many roles on stage, movie, and television, portrayed Fleet Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto in the 1970s movie Tora! Tora! Tora! Yamamura would serve as
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3654-402: The addition of the "M" six-cylinder engine in 1965. Deluxe and Super Deluxe models were available with added features. The ladder frame chassis of the previous generation was replaced with an X-frame to achieve a lower centre of gravity. The sedan and wagon were known simply as the Crown while the commercial vehicles (coupe utility, double cab coupe utility (pick ups), and van) were known as
3741-497: The all-new Corona Mark II in 1968. This allowed Toyota to reposition the Crown as the top level privately available luxury sedan, with much nicer interior treatments, more spacious accommodations. This was the last generation for the pick-up versions of the Crown, as load carrying was ceded to the new Toyota Hilux in February 1971. Australian market models were assembled in Australia by Australian Motor Industries . The two-door ute
3828-411: The cars without headlights and installed General Electric sourced sealed beam units upon arrival which met the required standard for brightness. Since the car was designed for the muddy, slow, unpaved Japanese roads, it failed the mass urban landscape of the US because of its inability to keep up with traffic on the faster interstate highways, along with stability, noise and vibration concerns. The car
3915-403: The company transitioned from working on original products to funding the creation of new television series and acting as a sponsor during their run, with advertisements that showed off Bandai's tie-in action figures and costumes. A similar blockbuster hit was found with action figures in the likenesses of Ultraman characters, largely due to the popularity of the television series at the time;
4002-517: The company's family-friendly work ethic meshed well with Sega's top-down corporate culture. As a result, Bandai called off the merge in May before its finalization in October. President Makoto Yamashina took responsibility for its failure, publicly apologizing and resigning his position within the company. Bandai instead agreed to a business alliance with Sega. After its merger with game developer and amusement facility operator Namco in 2005, Bandai Company
4089-434: The creation of several subsidiaries; Tonka Japan in 1970 following a joint venture with Tonka , Bandai Models being established in 1971, and finally Popy , who specialized in the manufacturing of toy characters. Although not their most profitable range, Bandai's 1/48 scale AFV models dominated that segment of the model kit market. Bandai America Inc. was established as local US sales/marketing operation in 1978. Spacewarp ,
4176-534: The distinction of being one of the longest-running passenger-car nameplate affixed to any Toyota model. Its traditional competitors in Japan and Asia were the defunct Nissan Cedric / Gloria / Fuga , Honda Legend , Mazda Luce , Isuzu Bellel and Mitsubishi Debonair . Formerly only available at Toyota Store dealers in Japan, the Crown has been popular for government usage, whether as a police car or for transporting government officials. It has also been popular with Japanese companies as company cars along with use as
4263-491: The division of Bandai that dealt with products for adult customers (including figures and plastic models) as well as Banpresto 's prizes business were transferred over to Bandai Spirits. (incomplete list) Bandai has developed kits of the following Star Wars vehicles and figures: Bandai's headquarters is in Taitō, Tokyo , Japan . The company owns offices in the United States (Bandai America), Mexico (Bandai Corporación Mexico),
4350-567: The early 1973 facelift when it was replaced by the MS68V with the 2.6 engine. While previous generations of the Crown had been marketed under the Toyopet brand, the fourth-generation model was the first version to be officially marketed worldwide as the Toyota Crown. The Sedan and Wagon (Custom) were coded RS60/MS60/MS64/MS65 and MS62/MS63, while the Van was coded MS66V with the two liter "six". The Hardtop Coupé
4437-591: The early 1990s, Bandai published games for Nintendo in the United Kingdom , including Street Fighter II on the Super Nintendo Entertainment System . In January 1997, Bandai announced it would merge its operations with Japanese video game developer Sega . The merger, a $ 1 billion stock swap where Sega would acquire Bandai and dissolve the company, would have established a new entertainment conglomerate named Sega Bandai Ltd. with an estimated $ 6 billion in revenue. The announcement followed
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#17328770786504524-461: The field, the two worked long hours to establish a small toy distribution division within the textile business. Yamashina assumed full control of the toy division on July 5, 1950, when it was spun-off as a separate company named Bandai-ya in Taitō, Tokyo . The name was derived from Japanese reading of Chinese phrase "bandai fueki" ( 万代不易 ), meaning "eternally unchanging" or "things that are eternal." Being assisted by Atsuko Tatsumi, publisher of
4611-576: The figures were later released in North America to little fanfare. In July 1966, it released Crazy Foam, a line of bubble blowing canisters that sold 2.4 million units in three months, thanks to the backing of an extensive marketing campaign. Bandai's other products included the Thunderbird electrical vehicles, the Water Motor bath toys, and the Naughty Flipper, the last of which received a gold medal at
4698-457: The first cars going to Finland. Other European countries which saw early imports of the Crown included the Netherlands and Belgium. The United Kingdom was another European market until the early 1980s. Australia was another important export market for the Crown – to the extent that it was manufactured there from the mid-1960s until the late 1980s using many local components. It was discontinued when
4785-645: The first third-party developers for the Nintendo Family Computer in 1985. Among its first titles was Tag Team Match: MUSCLE , a video game adaptation of the Kinnikuman manga, which sold over one million copies. Bandai also produced the Family Trainer Pad, released outside Japan as the Power Pad , which also performed well commercially. A series of games was released both in the US and in Japan, including Athletic World and Stadium Events for
4872-596: The front seatback could be reclined horizontally to be flat to the rear seat, while the rear seat included a center folding armrest. The Crown Eight was considered as a possible submission for use by the Japanese Imperial Household Agency as a car to be used by senior members of the Imperial House of Japan , but it lost out to the Nissan Prince Royal . The Crown Eight was replaced in 1967 by
4959-682: The head of Denmark's Erla Auto Import A/S saw it at the Tokyo Motor Show. They brought in 190 of these subsequent to a May 1963 agreement. In Canada, it was introduced in November 1964 as one of the first Toyota models available in the country alongside the UP10 Publica . In the US, the MS41L sedan was available in the US for US$ 2,305 (equivalent to about $ 23,217 in 2023) PoE while the MS46LG station wagon
5046-533: The introduction of the Corona , the dramatically restyled and enlarged Series S40 was launched in 1962, and saw the introduction of the Custom model. The front grill approach has a similar appearance to the 1960 Imperial Crown (Chrysler) , which speaks to Toyota's aspirations that the Crown be a large, comfortable sedan. The station wagon body style carried over from the previous generation Masterline, but with more attention to
5133-501: The license for the Rubik's Cube in Japan, and has created multiple variations of the toy specifically for Japanese audiences. Manga series, television shows, and character-themed products are created by the Plex subsidiary. Toyopet Crown The Toyota Crown ( Japanese : トヨタ・クラウン , Hepburn : Toyota Kuraun ) is an automobile which has been produced by Toyota in Japan since 1955. It
5220-461: The luxurious approach used on the Crown. The stylized "crown" badge, affixed to the grille and hubcaps, first appeared with this generation. Headlights were integrated within the boundaries of the greatly enlarged grill, providing a clean, modern appearance. A 2-speed automatic transmission was introduced, called Toyoglide, with a column shift. A bigger and better car than the previous S30 series, it initially had four-cylinder R-series engines before
5307-406: The mechanicals were much the same as the previous generation, but additional equipment was included. The X-frame chassis of the S40 series was now dropped in favour of a perimeter frame that improved collision protection for passengers; this chassis design would remain in use until 1999 when the S130-series wagons were superseded by the unibody S170-series Estates. Higher specification models used
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#17328770786505394-428: The media. Both models were constructed with 50% thicker steel than the average American car at the time and the black Deluxe model was nicely appointed with lots of chrome and luxurious items like a radio, heater and whitewall tires which prompted the press to liken it to a "baby Cadillac". This promising initial showing along with the strong reputation of the Crown in Japan gave Toyota the confidence to pursue exports to
5481-422: The previous October, the first directly managed retail dealer (Hollywood Toyota) the previous February, U.S. wholesale and import companies, and a parts warehouse in Long Beach. Toyota also signs up 45 dealers to sell cars in its initial year, growing to 70 dealers by 1960 and 90 by 1962. In the effort to obtain certification from the California Highway Patrol for the sale of the Crown in California, Toyota shipped
5568-423: The previous models (unlike the trailing arm rear suspension used on the SA). Taxi versions were produced and beginning in March 1959 commercial versions of the vehicle were also available, as an estate wagon and a three- or six-seat coupe utility . These took over the "Toyopet Masterline" name in the Japanese domestic market, but usually received "Crown" badges in the export. The "Crown" name was previously in use by
5655-453: The robots and added weapons set(s) (sold separately) to evoke some of the effects, memorable moves, and attacks seen in each of the robots' respective series. This toy line is mainly focused on the Super Robot series as well as the Super Sentai and Armored Core series. Just like the Soul of Chogokin, the robot figures are molded in plastic and diecast metal. Extra accessories such as bases and laboratory (such as Mazinger Z's lab) are also in
5742-402: The strategy of the group. The new president took a different commercial approach by selling directly to retailers rather than going through intermediates. In July 1980, Bandai launched the 'Gundam Plastic Model' based on the animated series Mobile Suit Gundam which gave birth to the Gunpla range of scale model kits. In November, the subsidiary Celent was created. Bandai became one of
5829-413: The taxi market to bear. So the Super was updated, renamed the Master and sold in tandem to the Crown, at Toyota Store locations. When sales of the Crown proved worthwhile, the Master was discontinued in November 1956 after being in production for only one year, and production facilities for the Master were transferred to the Crown. While the Master was discontinued the commercial vehicle based thereon,
5916-407: The two-liter 'six', but due to sportier tuning it produced more power than the larger 2M, 125 PS (92 kW) at 5,800 rpm versus 115 PS (85 kW) at 5,200 rpm. The commercial versions were fitted with the six-cylinder "M" engine (M-C) produce 105 PS (77 kW), while the four-cylinder 5R had to make do with 93 PS (68 kW). This generation was the only one to use
6003-405: The way for future innovations and designs. The Crown Eight was designed to replace full-sized American automobiles commonly used by major corporations. The Crown Eight represents the first Japanese mass-produced vehicle with an 8-cylinder engine. The main rivals at the time were the Prince Grand Gloria , Mitsubishi Debonair , and Nissan Cedric Special , all equipped with a six-cylinder engine. It
6090-626: The works. Super Robot Chogokin is targeted to a mature demographic, but priced lower than the Soul of Chogokin line. Weapons and accessories to invoke some of the moves and attacks seen in the series This is basically a special effect part(s) for each individual mechas, but can be used with others. Bandai Bandai Co., Ltd. is a Japanese multinational toy manufacturer and distributor headquartered in Taitō, Tokyo . Its international branches, Bandai Namco Toys & Collectables America and Bandai UK, are respectively headquartered in Irvine, California , and Richmond, London . Since 2005, Bandai
6177-403: Was a significant project for Toyota, developed and assembled by their subcontracting company, Kanto Auto Works. Toyota delegated the production to Kanto Auto Works due to the Crown Eight's unique components, which could have hindered mass-production operations at the Motomachi plant. Despite its production volume of approximately 1,000 cars per year, the Crown Eight's impact on Toyota products paved
6264-536: Was also assembled in Australia, but not the coupé model. This generation was imported fully assembled into New Zealand from 1968 to 1971. This generation was still sold in the United States; 1970 was the most successful year for the nameplate in the US with 6,528 being sold. Notable features on the Crown Wagon were: Launched in February 1971 for the Japanese Domestic Market, the fourth generation Crown
6351-431: Was also available with the new two-speed Toyoglide automatic transmission. In April 1961, a Crown Standard 1900 was added. Its coil and double wishbone independent front suspension was a departure from the leaf sprung beam axle front suspension used on most previous models but was similar to the independent front suspension used on the 1947 Toyopet SA . The live axle rear suspension was similar to that used on most of
6438-411: Was also very rigid and heavy for its size at 2700 pounds. Motor Trend reported "The Toyopet is so rigid that jacking up one wheel at the rear bumper quickly lifted the other rear wheel". They also observed an average of 23.5 mpg combined city/highway for 407 miles. To remedy the performance issues along with the resulting breakage of parts from being overly stressed, Toyota introduced the newer RS22L and
6525-416: Was available for US$ 2,525 (equivalent to about $ 25,433 in 2023) PoE. Some optional features include an automatic transmission for US$ 160 (equivalent to about $ 1,612 in 2023) and a radio for US$ 60 (equivalent to about $ 604 in 2023). A two-door Crown Convertible was displayed at the 1963 Tokyo Motor Show , based on the Crown 1900 sedan. It was not put into production. This Crown generation
6612-481: Was available in ascending trim levels, including Deluxe, Super Deluxe and Super Saloon. Another trim, Royal Saloon, introduced with the Crown's 1973 facelift, added luxury features from the Century limousine. The first two model years of the fourth generation Crown were marketed in North America; subsequently replaced by the Corona Mark II . The 4M 2600 engine was introduced, with the 2.0-liter 5R inline-four engine and
6699-404: Was first exported to the United States from 1958 to 1973 as the first model Toyota exported to the country. In 1960, Toyota temporarily suspended exports to the region as the Crown was not capable of speeds needed on American freeways, before introducing an improved model. The Crown was also exported to Canada from 1964 to 1972, and Mexico from 1959 to 1964. Exports to Europe began in 1964 with
6786-413: Was formed a year later that specialized in the manufacturing of toys based on popular children's characters. Though Bandai became a major player in the Japanese toy industry, competing with companies such as Takara and Epoch , executives believed the company needed to further spread out into international territories to help increase worldwide brand awareness. Bandai continued to expand in the 1970s with
6873-449: Was introduced in 2022 will be exported to about 40 countries with an expected annual sales volume of around 200,000 units. The Crown was introduced in January 1955 in Japan to meet the demands of public transportation. The Crown was intended for private purchase, while the Master served in a commercial form as a taxi, both with the same 1.5 L Type R engine used on their previous car,
6960-519: Was much more popular than the Master due to the more compliant suspension of the Crown, and while the Master was intended for taxi service, the Crown was more accepted by the market over the Master, and more Crowns were sold into taxi service than the Master. The Crown was designed to replace the Super but Toyota was not sure if its independent front coil suspension and its suicide type rear doors were too radical for
7047-684: Was not released by name again, but instead was slightly modified and relaunched as the Power Pad pack-in game, World Class Track Meet . Since the 1980s, Bandai has become the leading toy company of Japan, and to this day, has the main toy licenses in Japan to popular properties including Daikaiju , Ultraman , Super Robot , Kamen Rider , the Super Sentai and Power Rangers series (which it took part in creating), Gundam , and many others. In February 1989, it acquired arcade game developer Coreland and reorganized it into Banpresto , which became Bandai's coin-operated entertainment division. In
7134-463: Was opened in early 1955 to increase the production of toys. In the same year, it implemented the toy industry's first quality assurance system; the first toy approved by this was the 1956 Toyopet Crown model car, which was also Bandai-ya's first product with a guarantee. The growing company worked on creating a friendly corporate image for itself, introducing a new logo, slogan, and television commercials that emphasized its quality products. Bandai-ya
7221-507: Was renamed Bandai Co., Ltd. in 1961 and achieved considerable success with its action figures based on the anime Astro Boy . In 1947, Naoharu Yamashina began working for a Kanazawa -based textile wholesaler. The eldest son to a rice retailer, Yamashina had studied business in high school and was enlisted in World War II , where an impact from a grenade shrapnel blinded him in his right eye. The textile business, ran by his wife's brother,
7308-494: Was renamed Bandai in July 1961, the same time it started spreading its operations overseas, beginning with the establishment of Bandai Overseas Supply in New York City. While its toys often sold well in Japan, Bandai didn't achieve considerable success until 1963, when it began producing action figures based on the anime Astro Boy . The toy line's success prompted Bandai to reorganize and rethink its business strategies, as
7395-466: Was struggling financially as a result of Japan's post-war economy. He made little money working, and as he was having a difficult time finding ways to allow the business to pick up, a neighbor told him about the potential of the toy industry and the financial success that could be generated from it. Intrigued, Yamashina convinced his wife to travel to Tokyo with him to begin studying the potentially lucrative market for toys. With little money or exposure in
7482-408: Was the first Crown to exceed vehicle size classification regulations in length, width, and engine displacement capacity. The width at 1,845 mm (72.6 in) compares to the Century at 1,890 mm (74 in). The width was so that the front and rear bench seats, upholstered in silk brocade, could accommodate six passengers. The front seat could be electrically adjusted in six directions, and
7569-462: Was the first to be assembled in Australia, from CKD kits, by AMI in Port Melbourne, with significant local content. AMI, which assembled numerous brands including Triumph and, for a short time, Mercedes-Benz, was to become the basis of Toyota's current Australian manufacturing operation. The longer, wider, and more upmarket Crown Eight was introduced in 1964 for the Japanese market, powered by
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