Mazinger Z (1972)

Soul of Chogokin GX-01 Mazinger Z, 1997 The figure that brought grown-up collectors back. Released in December 1997 for 5,800 yen, it began life as a plastic High Complete Model design before Bandai turned it into a heavy robot made almost entirely of die-cast metal. It carries a rocket punch arm, two Hover Pilders and a chest missile that pops out at the press of a button on its back. Later GX figures move better, but this is the one that opened the modern line, and many Japanese collectors credit it with pulling them back into the hobby.