Series: Dragon Ball Z
Company: IF Labs
Year: 2002
Size: 15.5~28 cm
Main distribution: America / Europe
Barcode: 069545XXXXXX
Irwin Toy, a Canadian distributor and manufacturer of toys, and FUNimation, the packaging firm that licenses and packages Dragonball and Dragonball Z for North America, joined forces to create IF Labs, a Fort Worth-based toy company that produced toys based on the Dragonball Z Movies and tv series. They created the Movie / Fusion Collection. In 2002 Irwin Toy went bankrupt, and Jakks Pacific took over the line.
In total 19 series were made for the Movie Collection. However, Jakks Pacific took over from series 4. Here I’ll only show the Movie Collection from IF Labs, so the first 3 series. If you want to see the rest, look here.
The packaging was, like the figures, large, and cylindrical of shape, with a large see-through area at the front showcasing the figure.
The figures were made larger than Irwin Toy’s regular Action Figures, and made to look / compete with McFarlane figures, with detailed shading and rubber clothing. The figures were roughly in scale with one another.
Series 1 Movie Collection
Release date: 2002
Series 1 consisted out of 4 figures; Cooler, Super Saiyan Goku (battle damaged), Slug and Piccolo (battle damaged).
The first 2, Cooler and Super Saiyan Goku (battle damaged) were based on the movie Dragonball Z: Cooler’s Revenge, ドラゴンボールＺ とびっきりの最強対最強 Doragon Bōru Zetto: Tobikkiri no Saikyō tai Saikyō (Dragon Ball Z: The Incredible Strongest vs Strongest), also referred to as Dragon Ball Z: The Strongest Rivals, which is the 5th Dragonball Z movie and 8th Dragonball movie overall.
The last 2, Slug and Piccolo (battle damaged), were based on the movie Dragonball Z: Lord Slug: ドラゴンボールＺ 超サイヤ人だ孫悟空 Doragon Bōru Zetto Sūpā Saiya-jin da Son Gokū (Dragon Ball Z: Super Saiyan Son Goku), also referred to as Dragonball Z: Super Saiyan Son Goku, which is the 4th Dragonball Z movie and 7th Dragonball movie overall.
I have 0/4.
Series 2 Movie Collection
Release date: 2002
Series 2 also consisted out of 4 figures; Metal Cooler, Krillin (spacesuit), Goku (spacesuit) and Super Saiyan Vegeta (battle damaged).
All 4 figures were based on the movie Dragonball Z: The Return of Cooler, ドラゴンボールＺ 激突！！１００億パワーの戦士たち Doragon Bōru Zetto Gekitotsu!! Hyaku-Oku Pawā no Senshi-tachi (Dragon Ball Z: Clash!! 10,000,000,000 Powerful Warriors), also referred to as Dragonball Z: Fight! 10 Billion Power Warriors, which is the 6th Dragonball Z movie and 9th Dragonball movie overall.
Blurb from the box:
The Return of Cooler™
New Namek is besieged by an enormous evil entity – the Big Gete Star – a ‘living planet’ of metal that sustains itself by devouring entire worlds. Fearing the existence of his people, Dende, the new guardian of Earth, turns to Goku and his friends for help. The Z-Fighters spring into action in an effort to save the new Namekian home world from this invading menace, but their fight won’t be easy! The Big Gete Star has an army of powerful Cyclopean Guards at its disposal, and what’s more, at the heart of this metal giant lurks an old enemy… Cooler!
I got all 4 of these.
Metal Cooler
Metal Cooler is the biggest figure in the set, standing 28cm tall. He comes with a red plastic base that is lower than the rest, possible due to its weight or height.
He stands powerful and confident. One arm is regenerating, while the other is a fist. He has articulation in his head, shoulders, elbow, waist, hips, upper legs and knees. His tail is a little flexible. He is silver coloured, with a hint of blue, and has nice shading overal. The regenerating arm is extremely detailed.
The branding is under his feet. The left foot has in raised font: ©02B.S./S.,T.A.FUN and the right foot has: IF China. The same is written on the back of the plastic base.
Krillin (spacesuit)
Krillin is the smallest figure in this series. He comes with a red plastic base that looks like the spaceship’s floor, as well as a spaceship backdrop. He also comes with an accessory; a Capsule Corp cool box filled with onigiri.
Krillin is wearing his spacesuit. His expression is angry. His hands are open to hold things. He is very detailed, with seam lines on the suit etc. and nice shading.
He has articulation in his head, shoulders, elbows, hips and knees.
The cool box is a cute addition. It can be opened and has a rack inside that holds 4 onigiri.
The branding is under Krillin’s feet. The left foot has in raised font: ©02B.S./S.,T.A.FUN and the right foot has: IF China. The same is written on the back of the plastic base.
Goku (spacesuit)
Goku is wearing his spacesuit. His expression is angry. His hands are two fists. He is very detailed, with seam lines on the suit etc. and nice shading. He has articulation in his head, shoulders, elbows, wrists, hips, upper legs and knees. He comes with a gold plastic base with a Z one it, possibly to indicate he’s a Z fighter.
The branding is under his feet. The left foot has in raised font: ©02B.S./S.,T.A.FUN and the right foot has: IF China. The same is written on the back of the plastic base.
Super Saiyan Vegeta (battle damaged)
Barcode: 069545367238
Vegeta is wearing his saiyan armour that Bulma made for him. He is a Super Saiyan. He is battle damaged, meaning his suit is broken and he has wounds here and there. His expression is very angry. His hands are two fists. He is very detailed, with seam lines on his gloves and boots, many wounds etc. and very nice shading. He has articulation in his head, shoulders, elbows, wrists, hips and knees. He comes with a gold plastic base with a Z one it, possibly to indicate he’s a Z fighter.
The branding is under his boots. The left foot has in raised font: ©02B.S./S.,T.A.FUN and the right foot has: IF China. The same is written on the back of the plastic base.
Series 3 Fusion Collection
Release date: 2002
Series 3 also consisted out of 4 figures; Vegito, Super Saiyan 3 Goku, Gotenks and Super Buu. Despite part of this collection, this set seems focused on the Fusion Saga, and had Fusion Collection instead of Movie Collection on the box.
Although the back of the box doesn’t state it, Gotenks also came with ghosts.
I got 3/4; Vegito, Gotenks and Super Buu. My Super Buu was second hand so I’m missing the Buu ghosts.
Vegito
Barcode: 069545368235
Blurb on the box:
Now the bodies of Goku and Vegeta join to form a new Saiyan warrior- Vegito! The newly formed Vegito matches Majin Buu punch for punch. As the battle rages on Vegito seems to have the fight well in hand. But is Vegito tempting fate by toying with the pink monster Buu?
Vegito is wearing his trademark outfit. The outer shirt is made of rubber and a little flexible. It creates a cool 3D and lifelike effect. He has a smirk on his face. His hands are two fists, although he comes with an extra set of hands which are open as if blasting. He is very detailed, with seam lines on his gloves and boots, veins etc. and has nice shading. He has articulation in his head, shoulders, elbows, wrists, hips, upper legs and knees. He comes with a gold plastic base with a Z one it, possibly to indicate he’s a Z fighter. He also comes with a Ki blast accessory.
The Ki blast is nicely done as a transparant blue ball with Ki trails coming of it. The extra hands is nice addition for extra posing options.
He doesn’t seem to have any marking on him. The back of the base does however and reads: ©02B.S./S.,T.A.FUN IF China.
Gotenks
Blurb on the box:
Can Gotenks succesfully defeat Majin Buu when every second becomes a tesst of survival? As Gotenks turns up the power, so does Majin Buu!
Gotenks is the smallest figure in this series, standing 15.5cm tall. He is wearing his trademark outfit. His vest and belt are made from rubber, creating a cool 3D and realistic effect. His pants are metallic silver. His expression is angry. He has two sets of hands, 2 fits and 2 open hands. He is very detailed with nice shading.
He has articulation in his shoulders, elbows, wrists, hips and knees. He also comes with 2 Kamikaze ghosts.
The Kamikaze ghosts are done as a transparant blue instead of the show’s white. The extra hands is nice addition for extra posing options.
He doesn’t seem to have any marking on him. The back of the base does however and reads: ©02B.S./S.,T.A.FUN IF China.
Super Buu
Blurb on the box:
Buu stages a clever deception to absorb Gotenks and Piccolo. With the wisdom of Piccolo and the power of Gotenks now a part of his being, Buu transforms once again – this time into a “Super Buu”!
Super Buu is wearing his trademark outfit, with Gohan’s upper shirt. The outer shirt is made of rubber and a little flexible. It creates a cool 3D and lifelike effect. His pants are metallic silver. He has a smirk on his face. His hands are two fists. He is very detailed, with textures on his clothes etc. and he has nice shading. He has articulation in his head, shoulders, elbows, hips, upper legs and knees. He comes with a red plastic base.
Mine is secondhand; the base is cracked and he’s missing his Kamikaze ghosts sadly.
The branding is under his feet. The left foot has in raised font: ©02B.S./S.,T.A.FUN and the right foot has: IF China. The same is written on the back of the plastic base.
Irwin Toy went bankrupt in 2002, and the line was continued by Jakks Pacific.
I remember seeing the ads for these on my Dragonball Z dvds of FUNimation. Apparently this is what collectors wanted. The detail was unlike anything made prior. And of course, like the collector teen I was, needed to have these.
I tried to get them all, but I never even saw the first series in the shops. That was okay though, it didn’t have a Vegeta, just Goku, Piccolo and 2 baddies I didn’t care much for. They were also quite expensive, between €30~€50 I recall. The second series I bought all. All my paper route money went to these. I really like the Return of Cooler film, it has some cool Goku and Vegeta moments in it, and the whole plot felt very Terminator to me, another one of my favourite movies.
Metal Cooler is one of the coolest figures I got, pun intended. He is so detailed! His arm looks amazing. He’s also quite big and feels hefty, you know you’re holding quality and not just some toy. Battle Damaged Super Saiyan Vegeta is one of my favourite figures ever. It’s Vegeta, he looks badass, and the details are unlike I’ve ever seen on a toy. Seamlines on his gloves! Goku and Krillin always looked a bit odd to me. Especially Goku. Their faces are … weird. But they are in their space suits which I thought was neat as you don’t see any figures of this. It was a cute choice to focus on the film’s opening where they are eating onigiri in the ship as well. And I wanted to have a whole set.
ドラゴンボールＺ 激突！！１００億パワーの戦士たち Doragon Bōru Zetto Gekitotsu!! Hyaku-Oku Pawā no Senshi-tachi
(Dragon Ball Z: Clash!! 10,000,000,000 Powerful Warriors)
The next series though, I started to lose interest. Gotenks looks cool, but his pants are silver. The ghosts are transparant blue. Vegito looks goofy. It became obvious how Americanised these were, and how they tried to make them look realistic. It was putting me off, but with half a set I still tried to get the rest. I bought Super Buu of someone, and realised I was missing the ghosts later. He also has silver pants.
I bought one more of Jakks Pacific line, but that was it.
These figures seem to be a hit and miss for me. This isn’t strange, considering I feel the same about McFarlane figures and these are based on that. I’m still keeping them for now for nostalgic reasons, but I might thin the herd at some point. Metal Cooler and Vegeta however, I will definitely keep.
Got any more details / information you think I should add? Or did I get something wrong? Do you own any of these figures? Which one is your fav? Do you agree or disagree with my findings? Let me know in the comments below!