{"id":34551,"date":"2022-06-03T14:46:40","date_gmt":"2022-06-03T21:46:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ourstarblazers.com\/vault\/?p=34551"},"modified":"2025-10-13T11:23:16","modified_gmt":"2025-10-13T18:23:16","slug":"802a","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ourstarblazers.com\/vault\/802a\/","title":{"rendered":"The Glico Collection, 1978-79"},"content":{"rendered":"

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World-reknown confectionary company Ezaki Glico had a huge impact in the mid-70s with inexpensive tie-in products for Japanese idol stars, and they made the jump into anime licensing in October 1978 with Yamato 2<\/em> as one of its first properties. <\/p>\n

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The primary reason for Yamato<\/em>‘s smash success was the simple fact that it told a great story. But many other factors combined to make it the biggest thing Japanese pop culture had ever seen–including chocolate and bubblegum.<\/p>\n

In the battle for constant visibility, there were few allies more powerful than the Ezaki Glico<\/a> confectionary company. Dating all the way back to the early 1900s, their products are found on snack shelves around the world (look for Pocky<\/em> in your local supermarket) and they were practically a monopoly in Japan during the time Yamato<\/em> hit its peak; they had only tepid competition from Lotte, a candy company that had originally sponsored the first Yamato<\/em> TV series, and Kabaya Foods Corporation which got into the anime licensing game in 1979.<\/p>\n

Glico had a huge impact in the mid-70s with inexpensive tie-in products for Japanese idol stars, and they made the jump into anime licensing in October 1978 with Yamato 2<\/em> as one of its first properties. They struck gold with “fancy goods,” products that had been long been advertised in girl’s magazines. There were plenty of these for Yamato<\/em> collectors, too. Glico products with a Yamato<\/em> tie-in were very popular with children and were produced in great variety, using images from Farewell<\/em> and Yamato 2<\/em> in all sorts of creative ways, as demonstrated in the gallery below… <\/p>\n

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Bubblegum<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n

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Sticks of Glico’s Yamato<\/em> bubblegum came in these wrappers, and for a stretch of months in 1978 and 1979, they also contained a variety of bonus items…<\/p>\n

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The first wave in the red wrappers contained plastic “pikari [shiny] plates,” released in 1978. They featured a raised character or mecha image painted gold or silver.<\/p>\n

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They could be added to a keychain or stuck to something via an adhesive strip on the back. “Mascots” became a mainstay in the late 70s when the audience for anime reached the age bracket where they would commonly carry a keychain, purse, or backpack. Today, they attach their “mascots” to cell phones.<\/p>\n

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The yellow wrappers indicated a cardboard “license plate” inside. <\/p>\n

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Released in February 1979, they had a rock\/paper\/scissors game on the back. <\/p>\n

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Each stick of gum also included a 3.3″ x 3.7″ insert with different features. The license plates came with color stills, one of four different maze games, or mini popup displays that could be blown around on a flat surface. <\/p>\n

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The pikari plates came with a series color story images wrapped around them, sort of like trading cards.<\/p>\n

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These “action plates” came with the third wave of bubblegum, circa May 1979. They featured a still image on one side, and a 2-step lenticular version on the other.<\/p>\n

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Snack products<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n

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“Choco Glico” was a favorite, a box of ten chocolate drops with another small box attached. In this case, the extra box contained a “badge,” what we would call a pin. They came in multiple styles…<\/p>\n

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the first wave was a plastic “relief” type with a raised image released in February 1979.<\/p>\n

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The second was a “die cut” style with a reflective coating.<\/p>\n

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If you were looking for more “mascots,” several styles could be found in boxes of fruit-filled pretzels in fall 1978.<\/p>\n

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This style, featuring a portrait inside, was called a “dream mascot.”<\/p>\n

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Then there was the “pekari mascot,” with a raised image painted gold on clear blue plastic. The largest measured about 2″ x 1.5″<\/p>\n

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But wait, there’s more! These mascots were reflective…<\/p>\n

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…and these were metal, each about 1.5″ across.<\/p>\n

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Snack cakes called “Choco Cookies” came with other items.<\/p>\n

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Namely, large-format color slides (4.3″ x 4.9″) to be viewed against a light source.<\/p>\n

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Glico’s “Fruits Roll” came with something called a “pekari film calendar.”<\/p>\n

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They consisted of a pocket-size “mirror calendar” (covering spring 1979) with characters and mecha printed on a clear cel layer against a foil backing.<\/p>\n

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“Almond Candy” came with miniature trading cards.<\/p>\n

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This was a set of “ring cards” measuring 1.3″ x 1.7″ that could be collected and kept on a single metal ring.<\/p>\n

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Were stickers your game? Then you wanted Glico’s cone-shaped “Caprico Choco,” which came with a couple varieties.<\/p>\n

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One type, measuring about 1.4″ x 2.2″, came with fairly typical action scenes from Farewell to Yamato<\/em>.<\/p>\n

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The other type, called “action seals,” offered dual lenticular images.<\/p>\n

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Other products<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n

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Depending on where you bought your Glico snacks, you could get bags to carry them home on. This style was made for “Almond Choco.”<\/p>\n

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If you had a modest appetite, these minibags were just the thing.<\/p>\n

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Slightly hungrier? Fill up this vinyl handbag.<\/div>\n

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If that still wasn’t enough, these 6-inchers were ready to serve.<\/p>\n

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But if you decided to clean off the entire store shelf, no problem! There were two styles of duffel bag to do it right.<\/p>\n

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It’s likely that these and other Glico products were offered as prizes for those who consumed enough snacks to win them.<\/p>\n

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How cool would your table look with these cardboard “Yamato<\/em> panels” on it, maybe serving as coasters? You know the answer.<\/p>\n

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Day at the beach? Don’t forget your Yamato<\/em> kite and beach ball!<\/p>\n

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Might be a good idea to pack this handheld fan, too.<\/p>\n

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Maybe you’ll find some soft serve while you’re there. Just keep an eye out for this Glico Ice Cream banner.<\/p>\n

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Another display item: an April\/May ’79 calendar poster to promote Glico’s “Almond Chocolate.”<\/div>\n

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You’ll need this Yamato<\/em> ruler to measure everything in sight.<\/div>\n

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Cardboard pencil boards were quick and easy to make, and Glico pumped out five of them (all shown front and back).<\/p>\n

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This one came with a science lesson on the back that examined different travel times from the Earth to the Moon or to the Sun.<\/p>\n

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According to this handy reference, Yuki would take 10 years to walk to the moon whereas a jet liner could fly there in 20 months and a Saturn V Rocket could make it in 15 hours. On the other hand, Kodai could walk to the sun in 4,000 years, a jet liner could fly it in 20 and a Saturn V could get there in 250 months. You’re welcome.<\/p>\n

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And finally, something from the “what the” category. This “Space Panorama Jumbo Map,” a big plastic sheet plastic that appears to have served no purpose other than to give cutout characters something to lie on.<\/p>\n

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\nContinue to Glico products for Yamato III<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n

Continue to Be Forever Yamato<\/em> collectibles<\/a><\/p>\n

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The mighty sugar-powered Glico man towers over pedestrians in Osaka, Japan (photo taken in 2009).<\/p>\n

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