Review: Taito 1/1 Cosmo Dragoon (updated)

[Updated images]

The Cosmo Dragoon appeared in many Leiji Matsumoto's famed franchises including Captain Harlock, Galaxy Express 999, etc., and is touted as the weapon only a true space warrior can own and use. Depending on the story line, there were supposedly 4 or 5 of these in existence in the Leiji universe, and the owners were Tochiro (who made the Cosmo Dragoons), Captain Harlock, Queen Emeraldas, Tetsuro, and Maetel.


This Taito version is a very well-made replica made out of high quality plastic. With an original purchase price of 1500 yen ($15 USD), I think it was supposed to be a UFO catcher prize, but like more things these days, they are also up for sale...There was no orange cap on the tip of the pistol, thank god! But at the same time this means that this item will never be sold in stores in North America.

This particular one is stamped #2 in the barrel, signifying this to be Tetsuro's Dragoon.

At first, the Cosmo Dragoon seems a bit smaller than expected, but in this comparison shot with Captain Jack Sparrow's flintlock from Master Replicas, it definitely is in scale.

The Cosmo Dragoon is a worthy pick up, but the trick is finding it in the secondary market, as most of these would have been long gone from the shelves.