August 2009 New Specialty Toys — Hobby Goods

The painted wooden Torii Gateway, built in the traditional Shinto style, is a classic and beloved icon of Japanese architecture. This model is 1/100 scale and measures 9.4" x 5.1" x 6.7" when assembled. Launch date: July 15, 2003.

This product features programming, saving, editing and downloading capabilities via desktop or laptop USB port. It is compatible for both the Robotic Arm Trainer (OWI-007) and the WAO Kranius (OWI-9762). Launch date: April 2008.

With the USB Interface Kit, robot lovers can connect the Robotic Arm Edge to a PC and have real-time manual control of the robotic arm and program the arm to perform a sequence of movements — just like an actual robot on an assembly line. The kit comes complete with a CD, a printed circuit board, a USB cable and accessories, and a detailed instruction manual. Launch date: April 2009.

OWI’s aluminum, non-venomous invertebrate building kit features a Scorpion to be assembled from metal and bendable aluminum parts. The Samurai Scorpion is comprised of two major parts: head and body. The head consists of a pair of eyes, mouth and claws used to capture prey. The body contains eight legs, tail and a curved aculeus (stinger). The kit contains 30 hard and soft pre-punched aluminum parts, seven screws, seven nuts, three springs and assembly tools. Its claws, arms, legs and tail are moveable. Launch date: April 2008.

OWI’s aluminum insect building kit features a praying mantis insect that the owner assembles from metal and bendable aluminum parts. The average size of the scientifically named “stagmomantis carolina” is 3" to 4" in length. Mega Mantis is twice this size, hence its name. Kids can hold it, bend it, and even move its legs, wings, head and fore legs. The kit contains 25 hard and soft pre-punched aluminum parts, seven screws, seven nuts, four metal springs and assembly tools. Launch date: April 2008.

This kit is designed for children and adults who wish to build and solve the SphereXYZ. The pieces can be assembled in any way, and once snapped in, the puzzle is ready to be solved, which is done by rotating the hemispheres and moving the scrambled tiles along the canals until each hemisphere hosts the complete collection of one of the tile colors and the two white tiles are positioned at either pole. SphereXYZ takes about 10 minutes to snap together. "It's the first-ever 'build it, solve it' puzzle," Lori Powers, co-founder of LA1Products, told TDmonthly.  Launch date: November 2009.

Horizon's iconic H-racer refuelable fuel cell car has entered the second generation, with infrared remote control and steering capability, as well as faster driving speed due to a new generation of miniature PEM fuel cell. Launch date: October 2008.

This set for portraits contains a 12-piece selection of smooth, blendable oil pastels to create natural skin tones. Expressionist oil pastels are formulated with extra-fine quality pigments, wax and oil. Artists blend to create genuine complexions for portraits. The product is ACMI Non-toxic certified and may be used on paper, cardboard, canvas and wood. Also available is Expressionist Extender, a unique oil pastel medium that extends a color’s hue range. "Expressionist oil pastels are the standard by which all other oil pastels are judged," Linda Lyon, marketing specialist for Sakura of America, told TDmonthly. Launch date: June 24, 2009.

Designed for LaQ beginners to enjoy snapping together flat models, this kit includes all 10 LaQ colors, four types of blocks and four colorful pages of instruction sheets to make 39 interchangeable models. "Children enjoy the snap! and click! sound when piecing the parts together. LaQ is a highly educational block toy with an infinite possibility of creating three-dimensional and spherical models. The Mini Kit Plane is an introductory kit," Mo Saeki, in the overseas division of Yoshiritsu Co., Ltd., told TDmonthly. Launch date: May 2009.