Affectionately known as Sparky robot and standing at 5.5 inches tall, this wind-up strides forward, with sparks in its chest. Along with a fundamentally identical version with independent legs, this enduring design has been reproduced countless times over the years in Japan and abroad. It was evidently* manufactured by Nomura, a pioneering force in Japan’s tin toy industry since the late 1940s, whose legacy extends beyond this Mighty Robot, encompassing a colorful array of tin toy vehicles and beloved characters such as Astro Boy and Tetsujin 28.
*Note: there is some debate online surrounding this toy’s exact origins – attributed to both Noguchi and Yoneya – so if anyone has more accurate information, please contact me at mike (at) tintoyrobots, so I can update it. Thank you!