PENTABOT : Royal Condor Variants

PENTABOT
Royal Condor 
S.R.M. Co. Inc

PENTABOT
Visual Checklist / Archive
of the various releases of Pentabot
Based on Poplar's Acrobunch アクロバンチ from Japan
1985-1987

Size comparison of Arcubots/Pentabot next to 
Transformers G1 Optimus Prime and GIJOE Cobra Commander

This post will visually document a variety of
 variant Pentabot figures & boxes.



VARIANTS
1. (Original) Acrobunch (Poplar / Clover)
2. Pentabot (Royal Condor)
3. Pentabot (Royal Condor) French
4. Thorn Rock (Royal Condor) French
5. Pentabot (TTW Toys)
6. Arcubots (TTW Toys)
7. Arcubots (TTW Toys) Astro-Form
8. Variobot (Toyco) French & English
9. Variobot (variant font) French & English
10. Variobot (variant font) Galaxy

Although the figure itself is identical across all the variant boxes, there is one notable difference worth highlighting—the stickers on the red wings. 
These variations include Arcobunch, Pentabot, Thorn-Rock, and Variobot stickers, each adding a unique touch for collectors and fans.

The Strange Story of Pentabot

While we usually provide background information on the figures featured here, this time we recommend watching the excellent video above instead. Jeff from The Classic Comics Forum delivers a clear and engaging overview of the history, making it the perfect resource for anyone looking to learn more about the history of Pentabot.

1

Photo Credit: RoboToyDays

Acrobunch in Devil-Land
Poplar / Clover
This is the original figure and mold from which Pentabot 
was produced, making it an essential piece of history for 
vintage robot and transforming toy collectors.

2

1985
PENTABOT
Blue Box
Royal Condor (SRM)
 Item No. 6480
Die cast metal 6 in 1 robot toy
Robot converts to 5 vehicles
Toys-r-us $29.97
Full box (6 sides)


Foam insert tray with additional parts 
and option sticker sheets. In addition, you see Pentabot's
sword and blaster gun.

3

Photo Credit: Lulu Berlu

1986
PENTABOT
French Blue Box
"Plastique et metal 6 robots en un"
Slip over box only

 

1986
French toy catalog featuring:
PENTABOT
French Blue Box
Also featured is French Hergoss Robotech,
to learn more (click here)

1986 
French Toy Distributor Catalog featuring Pentabot

4

THORN-ROCK
French Blue Box
"Plastique et metal 6 robots en un"
Slip over box only

The Acrobunch cartoon series was known as:
 "L'Empire des 5" in France
'Antenne 2' logo in the top right.

The Thorn-Rock Cartoon was also spelled out as:
"L'Empire Des Cinq"
It was broadcast on Antenne 2, a French public television station

 5

PENTABOT
Red Grid Box Variant
TTW Toys
TTW 6480
Made in Taiwan
Full box (6 sides)

6

ARCUBOTS
France - Red Grid Box
TTW Toys
TTW 6480
Box Front
Full box (6 sides)
Die cast metal 6 in 1 robot toy
Metal moule robot jouet "6 dansl"

ARCUBOTS
France
Box back
Made in Taiwan for (left blank)
Fabrique a Taiwan pour (left blank)

 

7

ARCUBOTS
ASTRO-FORM
Canada
Box Front

ARCUBOTS
ASTRO-FORM
Box Back
TTW Toys
TTW 6480
Made in Taiwan for Fabrique a Taiwan pour 
Videl Distributing Corp
Concord, Ontario L4K 2L7
Astro-Form is a registerd Trade Mark of Videl.
To learn about Videl Astro-Form Sludge Dinobot (click here)

8

VARIOBOT
French & English Red to Black grid box
Standard pink to blue font
"Pentabot sticker on wings"

(Box back)

Distributed by: Toyco R1004 
 Boite Postale 1104 - Plattsburgh, NY 12901
Boite Postale 1496 - Place Bonaventure - Monteal, Quebec H5A 1H5

Made in Taiwan
Toyco (Canada) also released 'ROBO-LOCK Variobot'

9

VARIOBOT
French & English Red to Black grid box
Variant Red, White & Blue Font
Metal Moule 6 dans 1 robot
Die Cast Metal 6 in 1 Robot Toy
"Variobot sticker on the wings"

Photo Credit: padillarrobertt Instgram

Vintage toy dealer 'Chung's International Co. LTD.'
 catalog featuring "Variobot"

in both robot and vehicles modes 

10

VARIOBOT
Variant Metallic Font
Galaxy background
English only
"Variobot sticker on the wings"




PENTABOT 
Advertisements


(Click to enlarge)
Print ad for: Thorn Rock, Attackbot and Tankbot (top right).
Also includes some Gobots, Sectaurs and more!

Photo Credit: Roboplastic Apocalypse

1985 - Sept 29th
US Peoples Drug newspaper ad featuring
SRM Toys Pentabot for $18.99
Die Cast Metal 6 in 1 Robot Toy
Royal Condor was a toy line inside of SRM

French toy catalog featuring Thorn Rock - Pentabot

1986
Francajou jouet catalogue
Thorn-Rock with Pentabot wings


1987
Prodij toy catalog (French)
Thorn-Rock

Oddity

Photo Credit: Darnation

In this photo, you can see the “Stunt Robot Car” (Chuan-Shin Toys), a retro toy that features an interesting design choice by its manufacturer. To enhance the robot mode, they attached a knockoff (KO) set of Pentabot wings to the back of the figure. While these wings are noticeably thinner and decorated with different stickers, they are clearly inspired by — and modeled after — the original Pentabot wings.