DEEP-SEA ROBOT - AHI - JAPAN

A.N. is something of a mystery company. Their toys were usually imported by AHI Toytime, (Azrak Hamway International) whose logo features prominently on the boxes, and this leads to some confusion. There is clearly a connection with the early Nomura astronaut design, while the accepted maker is 'Naito Shoten'. There's no confusing the fact that they created a superb group of early wind-up astronauts. These are the Inter Planet Space Captain, the Interplanetary Explorer, the Deep Sea Robot, the Spaceman, and the Polar Explorer. The Deap Sea Robot was on sale in August 1957.

The Deep Sea Robot is silver in colour with red detailing and a big blue helmet from which a pair of eyes stare out. The oxygen cylinders are not fully formed, as in most astronauts, but are half pressing instead. There's a design on his leg that is similar to a pattern on the older Nomura Radar Robot. The action is simple, he walks forward and his arms swing.