Diaclone "Blackhood Bluestreak" Quickie

Quickie time again! Blackhood Bluestreak, Diaclone Anime Streak, second release Diaclone Car Robot No.7 Fairlady Z 280Z T-Bar Roof, you know the toy I'm referring to. This figure often has to share the limelight with (or rather relinquish it to) the Diaclone Blue Bluestreak. This early 1983 Diaclone release is exclusive to Japan and is the second ever release of the mould after the famous blue Fairlady.

Diaclone 'Blackhood' Fairlady Z

Over the years it has become accepted by the collecting community that this version of the pre-Bluestreak is rarer than the much sought-after blue deco, and my observation of auctions and private sales over the last 2 years continues to support that. The last unused and mint specimen of a Blackhood Fairlady Z sold in 2011 for $2200 on eBay US. The product number and packaging for this toy is exactly the same as that of the blue release, but there are toy and styro variants (styro space for sirens etc).

Much better presentation than Anime Streak reissue

As we all know, this deco was never carried over to The Transformers, the black hood and roof were replaced with silver to better match the rest of the car. This is also the scheme used for the Sunbow cartoon version of the Bluestreak character, leaving those in the 80s undoubtedly baffled as to why the blackhooded cartoon character had an all silver toy with blue box artwork.

Pre-TF Fairladies

Not an Autobot symbol in sight

E-Hobby recreated this colour scheme for their 2002 reissue exclusive "Anime Streak" with corrected artwork. A very popular reissue it was too, but sadly the grey plastic and factory stickers used were far less attractive than the vintage version, which is quite an elegant and beautiful toy. It should come with red launchers and a red and black Diaclone pilot when complete, and far less reflective rear windows than the reissue Anime Streak. Easily noticeable variations on the toy for those who like to scratch beneath the surface include copyright stamping, and a coloured vs uncoloured tab on the end of the roof where the rear windows sit.

One of these remain in my collection today

MP-18 Masterpiece Streak also uses this colour scheme, much to the fandom's appreciation, and it's just as successful on that figure as it is on the Diaclone. The first time I owned this variant, I spotted it in a lot of G1 Transformers sold by Wheeljackslab on eBay. Nowadays, dealers like him are far more aware of Diaclone and its variants, so deals like that are far more difficult to come by. This is never going to be as popular as the blue Diaclone Fairlady Z, but I've always found it to be more obtainable even though it turns up far less - I've never managed to successfully win or purchase a Blue Bluestreak, but I've had two of these a decade apart and both times paid next to nothing. The main difference is, back in 2003 I sold it on for barely anything too, but this time around my second specimen you see in this article went for...considerably more. Things change, people become informed, people ask more, people pay more. That's Diaclone 2014.

Gaining recognition

More on Diaclone Blackhooded Fairlady Z HERE.

All the best
Maz