THE BLOCCAR STORY

In the year 1984, Japanese toy company Takara released ROBOTROID, a modular building block system very similar to Lego. ROBOTROID building sets were made in Japan by Takara and distributed by their US division, Takara Toys Corp. Takara first released the series in Japan under the name TAKARA CULTURAL BLOCKS SYSTEM BLOCCAR. Along with DIAKRON and KRONOFORM, ROBOTROID was one of the last toylines distributed by Takara in the states before they began licensing distribution rights for their toys to US based companies like Revell and Hasbro. For a brief period Revell distributed Takara's other building set line, BLOCKMAN, as ROBOTECH ROBOLINKS until that line's demise a short time later. Hasbro had a bit more sucess distributing the combined DIACLONE CAR ROBOTS and MICROMAN MICROCHANGE lines as the TRANSFORMERS. I have found no evidence that Takara continued the BLOCCAR line in Japan beyond the first series, and no US toy company licensed distribution rights for the BLOCCAR or ROBOTROID properties from them after 1984.

ROBOTROID blocks were similar to the more famous Lego bricks, but they were about 25% smaller. Each ROBOTROID building block set included instructions for assembling at least two different forms from the bricks-usually a vehicle and a robot. ROBOTROID's main marketing gimmick was the pull back and go 'TKR-02 motor module' that could be incorporated into each form, allowing for motorized rolling action of each vehicle or robot. Basic ROBOTROID sets came with only one TKR-02, but larger sets came with two. All of the ROBOTROID TKR-02 motors were stamped with the BLOCCAR logo on their bottom.

ROBOTROID packaging promoted the sets as 'Motorized Modular Vehicles That Transform', but the truth was that in order to convert from vehicle to robot the kit had to be totally disassembled and rebuilt into the other form. ROBOTROID sets weren't really transforming toys in the strictest sense. Any brand of building block set was as 'transformable' as any ROBOTROID, but in all fairness the ROBOTROID line really stressed the robot/vehicle construction possibilities. Stickers were included with each set to improve the look of the earthly vehicle forms, but they had to be removed to construct the other modes. Over time this lead to excessive wear and tear on the stickers. Sometimes sets were shipped without all the necessary pieces included or with extra pieces, and in at least one instance instructions were printed with incorrect illustrations. Quality control issues aside, I really liked what Takara was trying to do with ROBOTROID and BLOCCAR and I wish they had continued the line either in Japan or stateside. I think its great that the ROBOTROID sets are totally incompatible with the more popular LEGO brand. Their small size and pull back motors make them really sleek little block vehicles.

THE ROBOTROID PRODUCT LINE

Robotroid was a nearly direct import of the TAKARA CULTURAL BLOCKS SYSTEM BLOCCAR line, with the only changes to the sets being the names and outer packaging. Even the instructions and catalogs were identical for ROBOTROID and BLOCCAR, except for the text which was written in either Japanese or English. Nine BLOCCAR sets were released in Japan and all nine were pictured in the ROBOTROID product catalog, but I don't know for sure if all nine sets were released in the US. Some ROBOTROID package backs featured a picture of all nine sets in both robot and vehicle modes. This ROBOTROID cross-sell featured two of the sets in robot modes for the first time anywhere-BLOCCAR didn't have robot modes for sets 101 and 201. Takara was pulling out of the US market as a distributor when ROBOTROID hit the shelves, and this could have led to some ROBOTROID sets not being released or some being rarer than others. From my experience the two medium ROBOTROID sets are the most common.

The ROBOTROID catalog divides the nine sets into three different size classes-mini, medium, and deluxe. Six mini sets, two medium sets, and one deluxe set were pictured. The following lists give the name of each ROBOTROID set and their BLOCCAR equivalent. For ROBOTROID the robots got a numerical designation and their alt modes got a name. The sole exception was set 201, where the robot and all the vehicle modes got names. For BLOCCAR, both the robots and the vehicle modes got names in addition to the numerical designation that applied to the set. Names written in YELLOW can be clicked on to go to my review of that set.

ROBOTROID SET LIST

MINI SETS catalog pics
• Robot 001 Enforcer
• Robot 002 Space Racer
• Robot 003 4 W D
• Robot 004 Command Turbo
• Robot 005 Space Coupe
• Robot 006 Ambulance

MEDIUM SETS
• Robot 101 Space Camper - Shuttlecraft
• Robot 102 Galactic Trailer

DELUXE SET
• 201 Klonar Robot - Space Station
  • Klonar 1
  • Klonar 2
  • Klonar 3
  • Klonar 4
  • Klonar 5
  • Klonar 6

T.C.B.S. BLOCCAR SET LIST

MINI SETS
• 001 American Patrol Car - Patrol Robo
• 002 F1 Racing Car - Racing Robo
• 003 Offroad Car - Offroad Robo
• 004 City Car - City Robo
• 005 Open Car - Open Robo
• 006 Ambulance - Doctor Robo

MEDIUM SETS
• 101 Camping Car - Spaceshuttle*
• 102 Trailer Truck - ???*

DELUXE SET
• 201 Deluxe Set - Spacebomber
  • Sports Car
  • Lightsports Car*
  • Tanker Oil*
  • ???*
  • ? Ambulance*
  • Wrecker*

*I'm a total amateur when it comes to translating Japanese. The names of the vehicle modes I have put asterisks by were originally written in kanji that were beyond my ability to translate accurately and correctly. Some names I didn't even try translating but others I did and they sound silly. I mean, whoever heard of a Tanker Oil or a Lightsports Car? I probably messed those up.

ROBOTROID LINKS

There are no sites I know of (Japanese or otherwise) dedicated to ROBOTROID or TAKARA CULTURAL BLOCKS SYSTEM BLOCCAR. I have been able to find little tidbits of info here and there on the web. These links are the only other sites I have found with any mention of ROBOTROID or BLOCCAR.

DEALERS
• TOYHERB's BLOCCAR Page-This is the current (as of December 2003) sale page of Japanese toy dealer TOYHERB. He's got nearly every BLOCCAR set available with small pictures of the packages. Prices range from 1,000 yen for the mini sets to 4,500 yen for the deluxe set. (In Japanese)
• Galactic Trailer for sale(?)-This Japanese site seems to be a sale page for various toys with small pic of Galactic Trailer at the bottom.

MISCELLANEOUS
• Transformers In My Collection-This is the text list of one guy's personal collection that mentions he owns Space Camper and Galactic Trailer. No pictures are provided, but it's at least confirmation that ROBOTROID made it into people's collections.

Future updates to this site will include a whole buttload of Bloccar reviews.

Robotroid, Bloccar, Blockman, Blockwoman, Diaclone, Diakron, Space Camper, Klonar Robot, robot robot, Hasbro, Transformers, Toransufoumaa, Lobotloid, Brocclar, and your mom were once, still are, or soon will be copyrights of Takara Co., Ltd. This web site is not meant to infringe upon these copyrights and trademarks but has been established for informational purposes only. (Note I left out 'entertainment'.) non-Takara content of this site is copyright 1996, 1997, 1998, 1974, 2000, 2001, 2797, 2003, 2004, 2005 Sven Primenkopf