Welcome back to JNC‘s “Guess the Tokusatsu Car” series. This should be a relatively easy one. For those unfamiliar with the term, tokusatsu shows are Japanese programs for kids that usually revolve around superheroes, robots, and giant monsters. Power Rangers, that was essentially a dubbed and recut version of the tokusatsu series Super Sentai. For this installment, it’s the Machine Zellet from 1997’s Ultraman Dyna.
It’s almost impossible to keep up with all the various Ultraman series and movies, but we’ll try. 1997’s Ultraman Dyna takes place in 2017. Humans have colonized Mars, but the solar system is attacked by a planet-devouring alien race. It’s up to Ultraman Dyna to save the day.
One of the weapons in Ultraman Dyna’s arsenal is the Machine Zellet, described by the official Tsuburaya Productions (the company that makes Ultraman) website as “a special four-seater patrol and investigation vehicle with two roof-mounted lasers, the Zellerian cannons, which are quite effective against monsters.” I don’t know about you, but if I’m mounting laser cannons to the top of my car, I’d want them to be not just effective, but quite effective.
What might be even more effective is the Machine Zellet’s top speed of “over 850 kph,” or 528 miles per hour. No big deal, that’s just the cruising speed of a commercial jet. It can also deploy electromagnetic barriers, fire anti-plasma bullets, and comes equipped with a universal radar communications device.
For the final image we’re going to show you a diecast toy of the Machine Zellet because if we kept showing you real images it’d be too easy to guess. We’ll just add that for many years it was impossible to find a 1/64-ish version of the Machine Zellet’s base car. This toy was the only one available, and the crazy V-shaped hood scoop and other add-ons were molded into the body.
Any guesses? Post them in the comments and we’ll just rely on Scout’s honor that you haven’t Googled it. We’ll post the correct answer in the comments after people have gotten a chance to chime in.
I know what it is, I used old school car guy knowledge. (No interwebs).
I won’t say. So the next “guesser” can say it…
Is it a Starion ESi-R? Kinda looks like the car I had for a few years.
BB6 Prelude!
Pretty easy to recognize even with all that stuff on it, probably cause I owned one a few years back.
I do miss that vtec cross over
Honda Prelude 5th Gen
Ding-ding, we have a winner (IMO).
That looks like the rally-inspired double-deck rear wing from the 80’s, so it must be a Ford Sierra 😉
I always get a laugh at the Engrish we can see in Japanese-only stuff, like the “Super Guts” over the windshield, why is it there, what does it mean? I am pretty sure the designer did not know either, but it looked cool, and it is a kids show so looking cool is a priority, it’s always fun!
Prelude!
Honda Prelude for the win!
Those headlights scream Honda Prelude to me…
winner winner chicken dinner, last gen.
Older Skyline? If it has a Keurig in it, I want one!
For those who guessed the 5th-generation Honda Prelude, you are correct!
*pushes up glasses*
Tokusatsu means “special photography” and can mean anything filmed with special effects, basically live-action movies and TV shows. It’s just that Japan has been doing costumed hero shows for a longer time than in the west where it comes and goes in trends.
that’s a Honda Prelude!