The Space Ranger Collection

The space ranger from many of our childhoods who was also one of my favourites as a youth (secretly still one of my favourites). Parts of the collection are ones sourced in Ireland and some are beyond.

Buzz Lightyear Thinkway 1995, Second Release. Image taken by Luke Coleman — **Title**: Buzz Lightyear
**Creator**: Thinkway
**Coverage**: 1995, Second Release, Lismore, Ireland **Contributor**: Luke Coleman
**Date**: 24/03/26. **Source**: Space Ranger Collection Archive image no. 1.
**File Format**: JPEG
**Image size**: 768 x 1024

I am in no way a collector, but I genuinely have inadvertently curated a Buzz Lightyear collection. One that collectors would lose their minds over. This is one of the original Buzz Lightyear toys released to coincide with the the first Toy Story film. It is the second release of this toy. Identifiable by the logo that says ‘Buzz Lightyear’ being on a yellow background in the first release. The second release contains a more stylised background as the one shown in the photo.

How did I get my hands on a 31 year old toy? I have no idea. I also have no idea why I own the box either because when I used to play with this toy a lot. Regardless, remembering I had this spawned the idea of doing this archive, but focusing it purely on Buzz Lightyear, but I remember that I gave away a lot to a younger cousin so I decided to archive other toys of childhood and not just Buzz Lightyear.

Hasbro Electronic Galactic Defender Buzz Lightyear 2001. Image taken by Luke Coleman. — **Title**: Toy Story and Beyond Galactic Defender Buzz Lightyear
**Creator**: Hasbro Electronic
**Coverage**: 2001, Lismore, Ireland
**Contributor**: Luke Coleman **Date**: 24/03/26
**Source**: Space Ranger Collection Archive image no. 5
**File Format**: JPEG
**Image Size**: 768 x 1024

Many of the Buzz Lightyear toys rarely served as a replica of the actual character from the films. Buzz often got new paint-jobs and brand new looks that were separate to his movie portrayals. Upon researching, I saw that he was supposed to come with a jetpack and I do remember having it with this item. As it stands currently, the set remains incomplete without it. I have had this toy as long as I can remember and do also remember his voice lines and the sort working. I believe after the films were released toy companies aimed to distinguish their own Buzz Lightyear toys from other companies. For example, the first item in the collection was manufactured by Thinkway. The Galactic Defender Toy is a key identifier of Hasbro’s influence on the brand of Buzz Lightyear and an element of them trying to take ownership of the property. Hasbro often changed colours, and gave him accessories not present in the films. One interesting thing to add about the Hasbro line of Buzz Lightyear toys, is they always equip him with a utility belt which the main Buzz in the movies does not have. Again, this is another way of Hasbro differentiating themselves from other toy manufacturers.

Toy Story and Beyond Battle Buzz Lightyear, Hasbro 2002. Image taken by Luke Coleman. — **Title:** Toy Story and Beyond Battle Buzz Lightyear
**Creator**:Hasbro **Coverage**:2002, Lismore, Ireland
**Contributor**: Luke Coleman **Date**: 24/03/26
**Source**: Space Ranger Collection image no. 6
**File Format**: JPEG
**Image Size**: 768 x 1024

Similar to my last entry this one is also from Hasbro’s Toy Story and Beyond collection. Fittingly enough with the name given ‘Battle Buzz,’ this toy is equipped with a huge arm cannon and of course the utility belt. The arm cannon had foam bullets that shot out from it, but of course, they are completely lost to time.

Toy Story and Beyond, Deluxe Electronic Buzz Lightyear, Hasbro 2001. Image taken by Luke Coleman. — **Title**: Toy Story and Beyond, Deluxe Electronic Buzz Lightyear, **Creator**: Hasbro **Coverage**: 2001-2007
**Contributor**: Luke Coleman
**Date**: 24/03/26
**Source**: Space Ranger Collection Archive image no. 7
**File Format:** JPEG
**Image Size**: 768 x 1024

This one I know I got from America in 2007 on a family holiday. Although, the product listing and the back of the item does say 2001, it was still in circulation for years afterwards. It is basically the exact same toy as Battle Buzz, just minus the arm cannon.

Fire Fightin Buzz Lightyear, Hasbro 2006. Image taken by Luke Coleman. — **Title**: Fire Fightin Buzz Lightyear, **Creator**: Hasbro **Coverage**: 2006, Lismore, Ireland
**Contributor**: Luke Coleman
**Date**: 24/03/26. **Source**: Space Ranger Collection Archive image no. 8
**File Format**: JPEG
**Image size:** 768 x 1024.

More weirdness from Hasbro, I really don’t understand this toy, it was one you just had because it was so jarring. Unlike the other Hasbro models from the Toy Story and Beyond line. This line of toys were fire fighters which is cool in concept, but the toy is really uncanny and Buzz’s face comes off as very weird and almost angry.

Toy Story 2 Buzz Lightyear Mega Morpher Transformer, Disney 1999. Image taken by Luke Coleman. — **Title**: Toy Story 2 Buzz Lightyear Mega Morpher Transformer, **Creator**: Disney **Coverage**: 1999 – 2007, Lismore, Ireland **Contributor**: Luke Coleman
**Date**: 24/03/26
**Source**: Space Ranger Collection Archive image no. 9
**File Format**: JPEG
**Image Size**: 768 x 1024

Well this one is certainly strange. Surprisingly not produced by Hasbro but rather manufactured by Disney themselves. I got this one in Disney World in Orlando Florida at the Disney Store. Although it was manufactured in 1999 for Toy Story 2 it was still under production by 2007.

So yes, he transforms into a car/spaceship/rocket. It is very jarring and as a quick side-note, I never knew how to properly transform him, often just messing around with it and never really trying too hard. For this archive however, I have correctly transformed Buzz Lightyear into a spaceship.

Toy Story 3 Ultimate Buzz Lightyear Talking Robot, Thinkway 2010. Image taken by Luke Coleman. — **Title**: Toy Story 3 Ultimate Buzz Lightyear Talking Robot (missing remote)
**Creator**: Thinkway **Coverage**: 2010, Lismore, Ireland **Contributor**: Luke Coleman
**Date**: 24/03/26
**Source**: Space Ranger Collection Archive image no. 13
**File Format**: JPEG
**Image Size**: 768 x 1024

It is worth noting that when it comes to replicating the films portrayal of Buzz, Thinkway seems to own the rights. The three toys I have shown from them are most ‘lifelike.’ The coolest part of this toy was that it was a programmable robot. Buzz could move on his own, be voice activated and dance. You could spend hours pressing buttons trying to figure out what you could get him to do next and in what combination.

Toy Story Signature Collection, Buzz Lightyear, Thinkway 2009. Image taken by Luke Coleman. — **Title**: Toy Story Signature Collection, Buzz Lightyear
**Creator**: Thinkway
**Coverage**: 2009, Lismore, Ireland
**Contributor**: Luke Coleman **Date**: 24/03/26
**Source**: Space Ranger Collection Archive image no. 14
**File Format**: JPEG
**Image Size**: 768 x 1024

This is the final showcase of the Space Ranger Collection. In comparison to the first entry from 1995, the craft that went into creating the toys as replicas was perfected. It came full circle for Thinkway in that they released the first toy based on the character, that while close to the film, it was still missing the element of feeling ‘lifelike.’

As it stands, that is what I will add to the archive on this page. If I have anything else to add, I will do so in good time. I may have a box for the 2009 Thinkway Buzz somewhere, if I can find it then I will be sure to update this page again. The Buzz Lightyear toys were a big part of my childhood, not just the movies but the toys, having them as a toddler really ingrained the brand in me. Buzz was both cool and approachable as an action hero. Even though he was a toy he was always something or I guess someone to look up to.