SOMA: Home Page

Soma International Ltd Toys
Soma Traders Ltd
Hong Kong China
Sonic Rangers : Robocop, Sentai, Power Rangers...bootlegs and beyond!
Photo archive & toy checklist

 

SOMA, action figure FUN!

Large scale 9" Sonic Man (red), Sonic Man (camo), Sonic Man (chrome),
Super Robotic Warriors (green & pink pearlescent)

For the purposes of these posts, the primary focus will be on Soma's Robocop, Sentai, VR Troopers & Mighty Morphin Power Ranger bootlegs and knockoffs. Soma would distribute it's products under it's own Soma label as well as distribute them via: M.T.N., E-Toys, Radio Shack, Ceppiratti, Way Out Toys, Parijouet & many more.

SOMA primarily sold their products in the USA via: Dollar General, Family Dollar, Eckerd, K-mart, Toys-R-Us, Kay-Bee Toys, CVS & Rite-Aid and Wal-mart to name a few.

Soma 2" to 5.5" tall sealed figures on blister cards. 

Examples of: Star Challenger, Super Robotic Warriors, Super Patrol, Super Robotic Rangers, Sonic Ranger & Sonic Man figures.

HISTORY
Soma International Limited is a Hong Kong based toy company engaged in the designing, marketing, manufacturing and trading of toy products.
Soma Traders Limited was founded on July 30th 1968 by:

Mr. P. K. So  &  Mr. Bing Kuen Ma

Soma large scale window boxed examples
(Sonic Man, New Sonice Ranger, Star Rider & Star Challenger)

Soma International LTD.
South Seas Centre, Tower 1, 6th Floor
Tsimshatsui East, Kowloon
Hong Kong

ChinaSoma has evolved from a trading company of general merchandises to a major exporter of toy products with customers worldwide, including some of the largest toy retailers in the world. Soma markets its products under its own brand names, as well as in private labels for major retailers. In addition to Soma's basic line of toys, it also offers products with licensed brands. Soma logo trademark

 

Loose 4.5" Soma: Sonic Ranger Super Fighther, Super Robotic Warriors, 

Sonic Ranger & Super Robotic Rangers.

Smaller window box sets: Super Robotic Rangers, Robot Warrior & Sonic Ranger.
Also pictured is a sealed blister card of Soma's 'Action Robot'.

Soma produced a variety of scaled figures designed to target different budget ranges.

Figure size ranges:
 9.5" Large Scale (shoulder articulation only)
9" Large Scale (articulated)
5.5" Medium Scale (articulated)
 4.5" Regular Scale (articulated)
2" Mini Scale (static)
1" Micro Scale (static)

Loose figures:
A. Super Robotic Ranger (v1) 9.5"
B. Super Robotic Rangers (v2) 9.5"
C. Sonic Ranger - 4.5"
D. New Sonic Ranger - 4.5"

Between the years 1990-2000, Soma released their bootleg figures under a variety of different  lines. Many figures and concepts were repurposed over and over again by simply modifying the paint deco to both the figures and the packaging.

Product lines and release dates:

CLICK on line names below for picture archives and toy checklists.

1990 - Sonic Man
1992 - Galactic Man (Radio Shack)
1992 - Robot Warrior (No.4900-49000)
1994 - Sonic Ranger (diamond chest & oval chest) (No.500,5000,50000)
1994 - Super Robotic Rangers (V1) (oval chest) (Soma & M.T.N.) (No.500,600)
1994 - Sonic Man (v2) (No.600, 41000)
         - Robot Man (Italy)
         - Flashing Robot (France)
1994 - Super Robotic (blue burst)
1994 - Super Robotic Rangers (V2) (green burst) (stomach gem) (No.27000)
(-----) - Flying Robotic Warriors (No.28000) (estimated date range)
(-----) - Super Robotic Warriors (No.28000) (estimated date range)
1995 - Super Patrol (No.600,6000, 90000)
1995 - Sonic Patrol
1995 - New Sonic Ranger (No.600,6000)
         - Warrior (Italy)
1996 - Space Warrior (No.40000)
1996 - Flying Squad (parachute figures)
1997 - Star Rider (No.70000)
1999 - Star Challenger (No.44000)

CLICK on line names above for picture archives and toy checklists.

In addition to Soma, another company called DSI produced their own bootleg line of Power Rangers which they called 'Combat Force Rangers'. To learn more about them:
CLICK HERE

Side Note: In 1995 Soma International took legal action (click here) against Dolly Dolls Toy Factory Limited in Hong Kong. In the legal notes is states:

"The plaintiff (Soma) says that it is the owner of the copyright subsisting in some drawings, a sculpture in the form of a plaster model, and sculptures in the form of plastic models relating to a toy figure in the shape of a modernistic warrior called a 9½ inch Sonic Man/Sonic Ranger/Super Robotic Ranger ("the larger ranger"), and plaster and plastic sculptures relating to a similar toy figure, but only 4½ inches high ("the smaller ranger"), all of which I will refer to collectively as "the works". The plaintiff says that the defendant has infringed its copyright, and now seeks final judgment against the defendant under Order 14."

Here we see some insight as to how Soma labeled their figures the 'larger' & 'smaller' rangers.