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Above
left:
Bob
Kinoshita
created the two most distinctive robots in
history: Robby
from the 1956 film, Forbidden Planet, and B-9
from the '60s TV show,
Lost in Space. These two Masudaya wind- ups
measure 4.25 inches (Robby)
and 4.5 inches (B-9) and were originally available
for under $20 each.
Above
right: Masudaya wind-up B-9 with Don and young
Will Robinson from
the 1988 movie , Lost in Space. Leonard Maltin
says this film is "hurt
by crudely episodic story, grim tone and paper-
thin characters". We
might add that everyone but Matt LeBlanc is
miscast and the plot has
enough holes to drive a space chariot through.
However,
the
good news is that New Line Cinema, along with
releasing
the movie, licensed Trendmasters to create toys
from the original Lost
in
Space series. Robot B-9 does not appear in the
film (although pieces of
him are rebuilt into a sort of hybrid robot, in
the same way that the
film is sort of a hybrid of the TV show, with the
original cast members
appearing in cameos). Trendmasters' B-9 robots are
better than any of
the toys made by Remco and other companies in the
'60s when the TV show
originally aired. Trendmasters followed with great
Robby robots from
Forbidden Planet (see Robby). Don and Will above
are Trendmasters
action
figures released with the movie. Will came with
the hybernaculum shown
at the far right.
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Above:
Two
views
of the Polar Lights Jupiter II model from Lost in
Space.
Johnny
Lightning’s
space
chariot was one of four 1998 Lost in
Space-themed diecasts. Others included the escape
pod, Jupiter II, and
robot B-9. They retailed at about $5. The
chariot is nearly
scaled to the Polar Lights/ Playing Mantis Jupiter
II model kit. The
backdrop is an article on assembling the ship
from Model Toy and Collector.
Right:
The completed model with the Polar Lights box. It
was also released
with different box art. This model has been
customized with a red LED
from Radio Shack mounted in the top dome. The
bottom has been drilled
out for a small toggle switch, with two AA
batteries mounted inside the
ship. When the switch is thrown the lamp flashes.
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Above
left.
Benign companions. The B-9
robot
toys made by Trendmasters in
1997 are far more accurate than the Lost in Space toys
of the ‘60s. In
the "room guard" mode, this model (center) waved its
arms, frantically
sounding
off, "warning, warning Will Robinson." This highly
detailed 10 inch
robot said two phrases. When pulled back, it rolled
forward, and
retailed under $30 at Toys R Us. Shown with
Masudaya's YM-3/B-9 wind up (left) and a key chain B-9
which said three
phrases, retailing for $5 (right). Trendmasters also
produced other
rare Lost in Space toys, including a two foot tall,
radio- controlled
B-9 robot and the Classic Jupiter II, below.
Above
right.
Masudaya’s popular 5” YM-3
wind-up
robot. The
new,
licensed box
graphics correctly identify it as the B-9 Lost in
Space Robot. Retailed
under $20.
Below left:
Trendmasters'
Classic Jupiter II comes with three figures:
Dr. Smith, Will Robinson, and this highly detailed
B-9 robot. The robot
is about 2.3 inches tall. The Space Pod shown is
also included, and
fits in a bay in the Jupiter II.
Below right: The Jupiter II with collapsible landing
gear extended.
Will and Dr. Smith are visible through the window of
the bridge. The
top hatch snaps off to reveal the detailed interior.
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Above
left:
Hatch removed, showing interior of ship. B-9 robot
snaps into
recharging bay. Dr. Smith and Will at the bridge.
The sensor dome is
shown lit by a red LED, one of six that
constitute "authentic
lights and sounds". Pushing the button next to
the dome activates
the blinking sensor dome, the bridge, and four
chasing lamps on the
bottom of the ship (bottom right). Power for the
sounds and lights
comes from two AA batteries.
Above
right: The dome sits atop an "authentically detailed
Astrogator". The
interior comes as seen; there are no stickers to
apply. The box says
this is a "Collector's quality replica of the
Classic Jupiter II. I'm
inclined to agree. Trendmasters was obviously very
proud of this ship,
and had reason to be. There is just one place where
I question the box
claims. "Working Cryo Hibernation Tubes". Working?
Below
left: The included Space Pod fits into a bay in the
Jupiter II. One
figure can fit in the Pod.
Below
right: One of four LEDs shown lit, the next barely
beginning to glow.
These four running lights "chase" around the bottom
of the ship.
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Below
left and right: the front and
back of the box, respectively. The box shows white
dome and chaser
lights. The box art may have been completed before
the toy was, or the
toy design may have been altered during
production. The "blazing light
up bridge controls" have been replaced by a red
LED. Trendmasters had
problems with the ship from the movie (which was
not the Classic TV
Jupiter II) which lacked some of the
features shown on the box.
Ironically, the then- largest toy store chain
stocked that ship, and
not this wonderful Classic Jupiter II, which,
since no one knew it
existed, soon became a collector's item. One
wonders if there were
plans to bring out more Classic Jupiter II items,
such as the Space
Chariot and more of the cast and crew. Is it worth
it? I'd say yes. It
was not designed to be expensive, but as with
their B-9 robot, this
Trendmasters creation is as classic as the Irwin-
Allen TV show.
To quote the box:
"The
Jupiter II-- the classic spacecraft that
propelled a family lost in space! For three
seasons, millions of TV
pioneers were mesmerized by its pulsating lights,
far-out sounds and
futuristic gadgets. Now Trendmasters is proud to
present an exclusive
replica of the ship as it was meant to be-- packed
with so many
authentic features you could get lost inside." The
text cleverly
combines the story with the ship's features:
"The Jupiter II
rockets
through space hopelessly lost!
*(removable hatch
reveals
detailed playset!)
The Jupiter II
touches
down on another bizarre world!
* (space pod fits
inside
ship
*working landing
gear
*running lights and
authentic sounds)
Dr. Smith, Will
Robinson
and the B-9 Robot prepare to explore the
treacherous planet!
*(one figure fits
inside
space pod).
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Above:
Space
Family Robinson, an adventurous, science fiction
comic from Gold
Key, evolved into the Lost in Space TV show. These
comics are from 1968
(left) and 1969 (right).
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Robot
B-9, or "the Bubble- headed
Booby" as Dr. Smith called him, depicted on the
video box of episode
one of the TV show, Lost in Space. Although it began
with a serious
premise, like many Irwin- Allen shows the episodes
turned increasingly
campy.
Right: June Lockhart as Mrs. Robinson graced this
DVD cover from
the first season set of Lost in Space.
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