Yohiya Planet Robot

The Planet Robot from Japanese manufacturer Yoshiya (aka K. O. Toys) is one of the classic robot toys. It was in production for a couple of decades.

The toy is obviously a copy of the famous robot introduced in the 1957 film Forbidden Planet as well as 1958's The Invisible Boy, otherwise known as Robby the Robot. This is almost certainly an unauthorized copy, as the packaging contains no reference to the filmmakers, and the name of the toy is close-but-not-close-enough, so that sharp kids could pick up on what it was without having it spelled out for them.

Standing at 9 inches tall, this is a classic example of the plastic and metal windup, sparking-action robot. It could walk, with lights flashing within its head and chestplate; the radar dish within its dome head also spun around. A battery-operated variation came with blue wire-remote controller.

Different variations exist of this toy, owing to production changes over the years: its hands were made of various materials (metal, rubber, plastic); the size of its legs and antennas changed somewhat, as did the composition of the head. Different colors of paint jobs also exist, with some models sporting two colors.

Japanese toymaker Nomura also released a taller version of Robby the Robot for export.