In the landscape of tin robots, the Ichida Answer Game Machine Tin Robot stands out as truly unique. Crafted in Japan in the early 1960s by Ichida, renowned for their tin cars and figures, this 14.5-inch tall robot may not walk or engage in cinematic theatrics, but its capabilities are no less remarkable. At its core, this robot serves as an early calculator, powered by three ‘D’ cell batteries.
With a series of gears and levers, Answer Game Machine is capable of basic mathematical computations – addition and subtraction – while its eyes blink and a disc on its head rotates, indicating its ‘thinking mode’, and engaging users in an interactive arithmetic challenge. As a collector’s gem, it offers a glimpse into the intersection of toy craftsmanship and functional novelty. Lithographed in a vibrant array of colors – gold, yellow, blue, orange, pink, and shades of green – a truly unique tin robot from Japan’s golden age.