CHANGE MAN ROBOT - MARUMIYA/METAL HOUSE - JAPAN

Large lithographed tinplate remote control battery operated robot. It advances with walking motion. The plastic molded dinosaur head opens to reveal a vinyl boy's head. Lights and noise. No box was produced, though examples are "Change Man" written on the top.

Of mixed vintage, this large lithographed tinplate robot has an unusual history: it appears that it was a planned release that only reached an early stage in the process. Parts were manufactured but were not assembled. The parts remained at the Metal House factory for many years. In the 1980s a number were made up. Over the years more have appeared using original old parts mixed with new components.

Similarities have been pointed out between this robot and the Daiya Cragstan Astronaut: in particular the legs look to be identical - notice the slight flare where the leg enters the foot. A red - purple headed prototype of this robot (which is little more than a test run) is known.

The Metal House company still have (at 2012) access to unused components from the original run and are releasing the remaining "sleeper" robots in as yet undetermined numbers.