Battle Robo MR-02 / MRB-13
Originally designed in Japan by Bandai and released for their Machine Robo Series line as Battle Robo the model was not long after issued as Tank Man and Tank in the West. Low sales in the US saw Tonka take over distribution and successfully rebrand the line to 'Gobots'. Tank is one of the few early figures to retain one of its previously distributed names.
Bandai adopted the Gobots character name for the Australian Machine Men line on figure re-release; predominantly to benefit from the Challenge of the Gobots cartoon. This was not the case for their European Robo Machine distribution where the figure was not re-released, however as it turned out he had always been sold as Tank.
Further details are below, on the Series 1 Index and for more in-depth reading see the Toy Line History page.
Region Codes Used: JP Japan / US United States / CA Canada / AU Australia / EU Europe / KOR Korea
NOTE: Region codes only shown where items were known to be released. This list is accurate yet possibly incomplete.
Gobots Series 1 02 US/CA Tonka 1983
Gobots Renegade Gift Pack #2 US Tonka 1985
Robo Machine RM-02 EU Bandai 1983
Mini-Changeable Bots YJ-1 KOR - Bootleg
Robot Machine Men [Tank Man] 02 CA Bandai America 1983 (card dated 1982)*
Machine Men [Tank Man] 02 AU Bandai America 1983 (card dated 1982)*
Machine Men [Tank Man] 02 AU Bandai Australia 1983 (card dated 1982)*
Machine Men [Tank] AU Bandai 1984*
Machine Robo Series MR-02 JP Popy 1982*
Machine Robo Series MR-02 JP Bandai 1983 (stamped Popy)*
Machine Robo Series MR-02 JP Bandai 1983 [Gold variant - Competition Prize Draw]*
Machine Robo Revenge of Cronos MRB-13 Bandai 1986*
* Machine Robo Series extra sticker sheet issued with this release.
Placement of sticker (3).
Sticker Three: Below is the originally intended position of sticker (3). Due to initial confusion arising from the vague sticker sheet directions seeing the sticker applied to the front of the groin the error became the norm. Note that all early depictions of the figure, the instructions guide and other marketing do not show sticker (3) on the front of the figure. On the sticker sheet directions the line from (3) does not extend onto the figure's front as is the case on other sticker sheets when placement is intended to be upon the front face of the figure.