Shogun Warriors Dragun (1976)

Shogun Warriors Dragun is one of the most popular and recognizable figures in the Mattel Shogun Warriors lineup, known for its bright red armor, distinctive head spikes, spinning forearm saw blades, throwing axe hand, and Star Shooter (Southern Cross) disc launcher. The combination of multiple projectile features makes Dragun a favorite among vintage robot toy collectors.

Released in multiple production variations, Mattel Shogun Warriors Dragun underwent several changes to the figure, accessories, and packaging.

Mattel Shogun Warriors Dragun Release Variations

First U.S. Release (1977):

• Features a softer vinyl head with early production variations in screw and rivet placement.
• Wheel trucks are molded directly into the bottoms of the feet.
• Includes a strap-mounted Star Shooter (Southern Cross) that attaches to the arm; early arms lack the mounting grooves used on later versions.
• Comes with 10 projectile shuriken discs and three throwing axes.
• Early axes may feature a spiked mace tip, while later axes use a smoother ball design with a thicker handle.
• Features spinning rear-facing saw blades on the forearms, Japanese-language chest and shooting-hand decals, and inverted "V" boot decals.
• Considered the closest Mattel version to the original Popy release, with "Made in Japan" added for export.

Second U.S. Release:

• Uses a harder vinyl head that is less prone to bending.
• The Star Shooter changes from a strap system to a large plastic clip that attaches into grooves on the arm.
• Wheel trucks become separate pieces attached with screws.
• Includes 6 shuriken projectiles instead of the original 10.
• Some examples retain Japanese labels above the belt, while later versions remove them.
• Figure height increases slightly due to changes in the wheel trucks and head sculpt.
• Expanded copyright markings appear on the back.

Third U.S. Release:

• Simplified production by removing the spinning forearm saw blades.
• Features additional packaging updates while retaining the same basic artwork.
• Box revisions include updated printer codes and revised feature descriptions.
• Later examples may include metallic lightning bolt decals on the lower legs, though this appears to be a production variation rather than a separate release.

Box Variations

Early Dragun packaging highlights features such as:

• "Star Projectiles"
• "Fist holds battle-axes"
• "Shoulder spikes"
• "Head rotates 360 degrees"
• "Star shooter"
• "Buzz saws"
• "Leg rollers"

Later boxes updated the descriptions and emphasized shooting stars, while keeping the same character artwork.

With its unique combination of throwing axes, missile discs, spinning saw blades, and multiple production variants, Mattel Shogun Warriors Dragun remains one of the most collectible figures from the 1970s giant robot toy era. Early releases with complete accessories, especially the original 10-disc version, are highly sought after by Shogun Warriors, Jumbo Machinder, and vintage robot collectors.

Please note: that the item shown here has already been sold and is no longer available. Browse our shop for Shogun Warriors Dragun or similar Shogun Warriors figures and collectibles.