Guardian Night Owl - Robot Changers
Originally designed by Japanese company MARK, this figure was originally released for their Bird Robo* toy line and sold as 'Owl Robo'.
MARK also released this model to the West via Select seeing it renamed 'Hoot' for Convertors in the United States, Canada and Australia (and likely other regions). In parallel MARK distributed it directly to Europe under the Robot Changers banner as, 'Guardian Night Owl'.
* Packaging for the Bird Robo toy line has a subtitle of, 'Bird Robo VS Zectron' (Convertors Avarians VS Insectors) after the main Bird Robo logo indicating the two MARK toy lines were marketed as rivals.
All of the Avarians bar Calypso (Parrot Robo) were later re-released in Japan by the Japanese company JAM as Candy Toys; toys that come with candy. They came in kit form under the title, Mekabad'. It's supposed Parrot Robo's more complex mode change may have been problematic to replicate in a cheap, snap-together kit.
Then in 1999 JAM again issued the same four figures plus Parrot Robo for their Metal Force line. These further cost reduced versions saw newly designed, non-foil stickers and the chromed sections, including weapons replaced with white plastic.
At this time a connection between MARK and JAM has not been established, nor has how JAM acquired the Bird Robo moulds.
See main Convertors & Robot Changers index page for more details.
Region Codes Used: JP Japan / US United States / CA Canada / EU Europe / AU Australia
NOTE: Location codes only shown where items were known to be released. This list is accurate yet likely to be incomplete.
Convertors Avarians US/CA/AU Select 1985
Robot Changers EU MARK 1985
Bird Robo JP MARK 1985
Mekabad JP JAM Date Pre 1999 (kit form)
Metal Force JP JAM 1999 (silver sections replaced by white & unique stickers)
Bootleg - unknown origin, date of manufacture or accessories (red and white)
This bootleg is not either the JAM Mekabad or Metal Force release.
MARK also released Owl Robo in a three pack with Parrot and Peacock Robo showing, 'DX' after the Bird Robo toy line logo.
The addition of DX is likely borrowed from Bandai's famous DX quality toy identifier. The second three pack (Condor, Peacock and Bat Robo) includes the word, 'Series' in place of DX, also presumed copied from Bandai's popular Machine Robo Series. Both are likely used to encouraging potential buyers to feel the product is a quality item.
All five JAM Metal Force versions were more recently sold in as a complete set in an open fronted box under one large, shaped blister. Little is known about this release other than 'Hundredbird' is printed in large letters across the bottom front of the box
in English and it appears to be a very budget release.
