Embedded Files
HISTORY
Spinjas (a portmanteau of "spin + ninja") were a fighting top toy line, released in the late 1980s by Tomy.
In the Japanese releases, they were partnered somehow with Kanebo foods.
Tomy proto-spinjas - date unknown
Tomy files patents (see images) - late 1980s
Akakage Battle Shooter Japan - 1987
Tomy Kuten Senshi in Japan - 1987
Tomy Battlers in the UK - 1988
Parker Brothers Spinjas in the US - 1989
Sonic Duels in Europe - 1990s
WCW Whiplashers in Canada & Australia - 2000
Johnny Applesprings - keep Spinjas alive!
We absolutely endorse these springs. We can confirm these replacements fit the American, UK, and Japanese launchers, as well as the Japanese-only superchargers. We have replaced all of our launcher/supercharger springs with this aftermarket version; they perform GREAT, the springs are surprisingly easy to replace, and they're very reasonably priced.
This is not a paid endorsement!
Anatomy of a Spinja
King Dethblo, Klaw, and Trident, separated from their Spinja bases. Trident has his paint stripped off down to the solid blue plastic.
The Eliminators
The canonical "good guys." Four of them were sold in arena packs, paired with their corresponding Dread Force opponent.
Emperor Gar
Sold in a 4-top blister pack, along with the Fire Knights.
Champion Shotgun
Sold in a 4-top blister pack, along with the Ice Knights.
Stalker Blud
Sold in an arena pack with Stalker Gore.
Stalker Tangle
Sold in an arena pack with Stalker Mangle.
Stalker Gash
Sold in an arena pack with Stalker Klaw.
Stalker Scorcher
Sold in an arena pack with Stalker Blowtorch.
The Fire Knights
Sold in a 4-top blister pack, along with Emperor Gar.
Iron Top
Volcano (ground soldier model #1)
Nightmare
The Ice Knights
Sold in a 4-top blister pack, along with Champion Shotgun.
The Dread Force
The canonical "bad guys." Four of them were sold in arena packs, paired with their corresponding Eliminators opponent.
King Dethblo
Sold in a 4-top blister pack, along with the Muckers.
Champion Switchblade
Sold in a 4-top blister pack, along with the Rotters.
Stalker Gore
Sold in an arena pack with Stalker Blud.
Stalker Mangle
Sold in an arena pack with Stalker Tangle.
Stalker Klaw
Sold in an arena pack with Stalker Gash.
Stalker Blowtorch
Sold in an arena pack with Stalker Scorcher.
Muckers
Sold in a 4-top blister pack, along with King Dethblo.
Bludgeon
Odor
Butcher
Rotters
Sold in a 4-top blister pack, along with Champion Switchblade.
Slug
Maggot
Sloth
Launcher/Battle Shooter/Power Winder
A spring-powered unit which, when wound up, launches a Spinja upon pressing the button. Other than color & label, they are essentially identical regardless of the release market.
Known colors are, from left to right: US red, orange (from the Ninja Akakage set), UK yellow, US yellow, US green, UK Green, Japanese green, US blue, Japanese blue, UK grey (red button), and transparent black (from the Japan-only "supercharger" set). There are also known to be a blue launcher from the Ninja Akagage set, a yellow Japanese launcher, UK red, UK grey (grey button), UK grey (yellow button), and the yellow & red launchers from the Sonic the Hedgehog set.
Labels
From left to right:
Japan "Ninja Akakage" label
Japan "Sky Warriors" label
UK "Tomy Battlers" label
US "Spinjas" label
Differences
A few of the US-release launchers, while functionally identical to other launchers, have a button with a connector across the far side (red launcher), while most others, including the Japan & UK versions, are open across that side (blue launcher). No other internal differences have been observed, and no correlation between launcher color and type of internals has been noted.
Arena Packs
A "starter pack", consisting of a clamshell battle arena containing two tops and two launchers. Hours of fun!
There were four arena packs in the US release, with the arena itself in blue, yellow, orange, or green, packaged with two fighters each. The fighters and launchers included with each color arena were not randomized. The color/fighter distribution in Japan & the UK are unknown.
Blue arena: Scorcher vs Blowtorch (green & red launchers)
Orange arena: Tangle vs Mangle (blue & green launchers)
Green arena: Blud vs Gore (yellow & red launchers)
Yellow arena: Gash vs Klaw (yellow & blue launchers)
The copyright mark on the underside was from Tomy (©1987) in Japan and the UK, and ©1987 Tomy (under license to Parker Brothers) in the US.
Battle Stadium
A large (approx 30cm) castle-themed battle arena, with 4 launching ramps equidistant around the edge. Between each pair of ramps there is "seating" for seven tops, totaling twenty-eight seats.
UK Release: Tomy Battlers
In the UK, and possibly Europe at large, Spinjas were sold in arena packs under the brand name "Tomy Battlers." They appear to have used the US-release names for the fighters, and they were sold in arena packs; it is unknown whether the 4-top blister packs or battle stadiums were ever sold in this market. The UK arena packs were distributed with one grey launcher, and one bright-colored launcher.
Blowgun
Shotgun
Slug
Bludgeon
Japanese Release: Kuten Senshi
In Japan, the "Kuten Senshi" (Spinning/Flying Warriors) arena packs were the same as the US version, but it is unknown which fighters were included. Models and paint are largely identical to their US counterparts, with minor cosmetic differences (slight differences in paint color and different color metal bases). They were split into four teams, as detailed below.
Many fighters were also sold individually for ¥100 (roughly 80¢ US). Some fighters were ONLY available in this way, like Rock or the Ground Soldiers.
Nuclear Fighting Type
White metal base.
Professor Flyer
Emperor Gar.
Warrior Yosa
Blowgun.
Slugger Airman
Whipshot.
Unknown Name
Trident.
Vodka Attack
Tangle.
Nuclear Disorder Type
Black metal base.
Kenuyosa
Shotgun.
Dark Air Lieutenant
Blud.
Armor Promotion
Iron Top.
Red Air Battle
Nightmare.
Unknown Name
Gash.
Sun Knight
Sold with the Battle Stadium set, Sun Knight was also featured on the blister pack artwork for Liger's Supercharger set. Sun Knight may have been sold in his own blister pack with a power winder and supercharger, but no confirmation of this has been found. This model was released as "Scorcher" in the US.
Benthic Insect Type
Dull gold base.
Floating/Flying Demon King
King Dethblo
Airman Spike
Slug.
Beat Yosa
Maggot.
Miyama Yosa
Switchblade. This guy came to us with his antler already knocked off. Note how much thinner his antlers are, compared to his US counterpart.
Demersal Insect/Beast Type
Bright gold/brass base.
Panzer Yosa
Bludgeon.
Airman Horn
Odor.
Eagle Promotion
Butcher.
Neiga Kusen
Mangle.
Wolf Yosa
Gore.
Liger
Stalker Klaw's model and paint scheme, but with notably brighter orange plastic. Sold in a blister pack, along with a power winder and a supercharger.
Rock
Seems to have only been sold as an individually bagged top, and the model was not used in any known release outside Japan.
Ground Soldiers
Transparent models in four colors, sold individually. There were two models, used once for each color, giving a total of eight ground soldiers. Volcano is the only one of these who made it into the US release, using model #1 & transparent red material; model #2 is not used in any known release outside Japan. They do not seem to have been given individual names in the original lore.
Blue
Nuclear Fighting type. White metal base.
Pictured: model #2
Red
Nuclear Disorder type. Black metal base.
Pictured: model #2
Green
Benthic Insect type. Dull gold base.
Pictured: model #1
Yellow
Demersal Insect/Beast type. Bright gold/brass base.
Pictured: model #1
Metal Militia
There were alternate, apparently much rarer, versions of both ground soldier models, in which metallic red, blue, green, or yellow was used, instead of translucent colors. The following photo of them on their sale board is VERY REGRETTABLY not from our collection; also pictured are Miyama Yosa, Neiga Kusen, Blowtorch*, Rokku, Sloth*, Wolf Yosa, Floating Demon King, Professor Flyer, Red Air Battle, Vodka Warrior, Trident*, and Gash*.
*NOTE: We do not have the original Japanese names for these fighters yet.
Yellow
Demersal Insect/Beast type. Bright gold base.
Pictured: Model #1
Supercharger
Never sold outside Japan, this is essentially an extra launcher that fits onto a regular launcher (NOTE: the superchargers fit onto all known Spinja launchers, as they all seem to have used identical molds & mechanicals regardless of market), providing another spring's worth of energy to launch the Spinja. It was sold in a blister pack containing one launcher, one supercharger, and Liger. Copyrighted 1988.
Battle Stadium
The Japanese version of the Battle Stadium differs pretty significantly from its US counterpart, unlike most of the other items in this line of toys.
The "seating" for the other tops is not part of the stadium itself, but rather three separate plastic pieces with space for 9 tops each.
Two movable launching ramps, rather than four stationary ramps
A raised circle on one side of the arena, used to hold a ball which appears, from the original packaging, to be about 25mm. This "murderball" would sometimes be knocked off the little circle and interfere in the fight. We refer to this as the "murderball."
The battle stadium set included:
Vodka Warrior (Tangle)
Slugger Airman (Whipshot)
Red Air Battle (Nightmare)
Sun Knight (Scorcher)
Professor Flyer (Emperor Gar)
Flying Demon King (King Dethblo)
Miyama Yosa (Switchblade)
Beat Yosa (Maggot)
Neiga Kusen (Mangle)
Wolf Yosa (Gore)
Sonic Duel
A one-off release in Europe, which appears to have used the original designs for the arena, launchers, and top bases, with new models. The arena pack featuring Sonic vs Doctor Robotnik seems to be the only set released. This arena is the only one released in purple (photos are not from our collection). Arena copyright is 1987 Tomy, like Japanese & UK arenas.
NOTE: photos are not from our collection.
Akakage Battle Shooter
The first version of Spinjas proper, modeled after the characters from the Kamen no Ninja Akakage manga/anime.
Six unpainted fighters, two launchers, a vaccuum-molded arena, and a dream. The fighters were split up into two teams, with dark and light metal bases.
NOTE: these box/full set photos are not from our collection.
Kôga no Genyôsai
Seagal.
The Other Ones
We do not have these guys' names figured out yet. We know that one of the grey bases is "Blue Shadow", one is "White Shadow", and the missing fellow with a mask, who did not show up with the others, is the titular character, aka "Red Shadow".
Proto-spinjas
These were Japanese capsule toys (gachapon) from Tomy, which came with a metal top base and a highly sculpted plastic main body. They were substantially larger than Spinjas, and intended to be spun by hand, without the aid of a launcher. They seem to be a precursor to Spinjas, and in fact are using some of the same characters; pictured are Odor, Bludgeon, and two unknown ninja-type characters.
NOTE: photo is not from our collection.
NOTE: photos are not from our collection.
WCW Whiplashers
Released in Canada and Australia, these tops are very similar to, but NOT directly compatible with, Spinja tops & launchers. They were released as arena packs with the standard two tops and two launchers, inside a wrestling-ring-themed arena. Three arena packs were released:
Sting vs Goldberg
Kidman vs Rey Mysterio*
Scott Steiner vs Buff Bagwell
If you're willing to sacrifice the collectability of the WCW fighters, as well as an existing Spinja, the models can be fitted onto genuine Spinja bases, but they spin like absolute crap and ALWAYS lose. The full-package pictures in this section are not from our collection.
*NOTE: Our sources tell us Rey Mysterio used a Luchador-style mask for much of his career; this almost-spinja appears to use a sculpt from his unmasked period, which some have called "his worst work"
Sting
Frankenstein'd version, mounted on black metal Spinja base.
Goldberg
Frankenstein'd version, mounted on gold metal Spinja base.
The Whiplashers Arena
Easily the most complicated spinja-adjacent arena. The arena pictured is from the Sting vs Goldberg set; the other arenas have similarly-themed but visually different "buckles." When it's folded up, the staircase on the back of the ring can act as a clip, so it can be worn on a belt.
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