Microman BLIZZARD & Jet deluxe set!

UPDATE: This item is no longer available.  However, I'm adjusting the post to keep it up for information content.

Recently, I decided to sell a rather nice Microman piece from my collection: the battery-powered Microman Blizzard B-3 Vesta and its Mystery Jet. Since I spent a little bit of time with the item, here are some pictures and thoughts to share about this rather unusual piece in the Microman line.

This is a deluxe boxed set from the original Microman line, 1980.  One of four Blizzard Micromen, Vesta was one of two that were also released as a deluxe figure & vehicle set.  GiG released one of the other Blizzard Microman toys in the Italian Micronauts line.  This Microman edition is a different color combination than the one GiG used, and includes a large blue jet with motorized action, in addition to two spinning disk weapons.  The Blizzard Micromen developed large, armored bodies and deep-cold weaponry as an adaptation to the part of space they fled to after the destruction of the Microman homeworld - a part of space with intense magnetic fields.  

The toys feature a battery-powered motor that creates a vibration that causes the Blizzard to 'hover' on the unique structures built into the heavy armored figure's feet, and to launch spinning blades from the huge cannon it holds.  Also, the Blizzard's legs can be removed and it can be attached into the Mystery Jet, where the motorized action makes the jet move in the classic bump-and-go 'mystery action'.  Have races with Battle Cruiser!  (Shown for size comparison is one of the latter original series Microman figures contemporary to Blizzard, although he isn't included with the set.)

On the surface, the Blizzards seem a bit of a diversion from the usual Micro line, but that may be the perspective from the Micronauts side of the property, which didn't have the wide range of battery-operated giant robot toys that the Microman portion of the line did.  However, the toy proved somewhat unpopular in Japan as well.  While it still fetches good prices in the collector market due to its original price point and larger size, it doesn't attract nearly the desire of piece like Mecha Acroyear, the latter Robotman [aka Biotron] variation and such.

Blizzard also includes the famous 1980 "Catarog" which features several large pages of great manga-style Microman story and  history.

For more in-depth information on Blizzard and the 1980 series of Microman toys, I'd encourage collectors to explore Microforever's coverage on Blizzard and the 1980 Microman series - a number of the many Micro-toys that Mego didn't include in the Micronaut line.