Gao Series
The Japanese word “gao” used to name to Gao series is a word that translates to “growl”, and connotes the idea of a powerful beast. If these sets had been translated into English, then I would argue that the word “gargantuan” would be more appropriate, and as the G series form giant dinosaurs there are inescapable associations with kaiju archetype Godzilla.
Unfortunately, I’ve yet to add G-01 or G-02 to my collection, so the two photos here are from Zinc Panic, a really cool site about Japanese mecha. Make sure you check them out for additional pictures!
As the final Blockman sets to be released, the G series is somewhat unique. It consists of only two sets, G-01 and G-02, with each set containing a whopping 19 Blockman robots. G-01 and G-02 were never recoloured, nor were they combined for release as a single giftset. Unlike the other planned code series, they weren’t included on the list of codes on the back page of the C series promotional leaflet. They are also the only Japanese Blockman releases that were never released in any form overseas (there is no evidence to suggest that they were translated for release in Finland).
The G series packaging follows the updated logo and product-specific box-art of the recoloured 1985 C series packaging designs. The back of the box shows three larger designs that can be made with an expanded collection of Blockman robots: a scorpion, a winged dinosaur, and an absolutely massive super-robot requiring over 100 Blockman robots.
G-01 is named Godoras, and forms a Godzilla-like tyrannosaurus rex that is also reminiscent of Trypticon from the 1986 Transformers line. G-02 is named Gaurus, and forms a stegosaurus.
The cockpits packaged with the G series have a fanged design moulded into the sides, accentuating the saurian theme. Both G-01 and G-02 include spine-plate parts as well. Each G series set can also form a super-robot, albeit with the fanged cockpit as the head rather than a retractable sculpted robot face. Despite their cockpits, I do not believe that G-01 and G-02 came with drivers.
The G Series highlights a common aesthetic between the modular Blockman and the pre-assembled model designs of the Zoids line, with G-01 Godoras in particular being very similar in both name and appearance to the Zoids release Godos (known as Zoidzilla in its Western releases).
