wave of Mini Big Head figures in Japan.
Officially sold and referred to as the "Legend Fighter" line, the
Wrestlers featured in Vol. 5. were inspired by Japan's golden age
of Professional Wrestling from the 1950's up to the early 1980's.
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| The 15 figure Vol. 5. hobby box. |
"mystery" figure. The figures for Vol. 5. are:
with sombrero, Mil Mascaras B in classic ring attire along with
brother and fellow legend Dos Caras.
It should also be noted that all three of these figures were also
recreated as part of Character Product's full-size "BIG HEAD
SERIES" bobble head figures that were released in 2005.
No Japanese legends line would be complete without the mad
man from Sudan or the blood thirsty Tiger: Abdullah The Butcher
and Tiger Jeet Singh!
The Abdullah The Butcher Mini Big Head is based on The Butcher's
early years in Japan and features a time-accurate goatee (a feature
not included with the full-size Abdullah The Butcher figures also
released by Character Product).
Tiger Jeet Singh's Mini Big Head figure comes dressed exclusively in
Tiger's classic entrance coat (another feature not present in Character
Product's full-size Tiger figure).
Bruiser Brody would make his Mini Big Head debut in Vol. 5.
combining a mixture of both of his full-size Character Product
figures into miniature form.
The Destroyer's Mini Big Head was inspired by his legendary
televised match against "the father of puroresu" Rikidozan
and comes designed with a gold painted "Masked Man"
Championship belt.
Despite The Destroyer's massive popularity and cultural signifi
-cance in Japan, Character Product would never release a full-sized
Destroyer figure.
Product figures are Vol. 5.'s The Great Kabuki and Killer Khan.
The Great Kabuki features Kabuki's entrance Kimono and is
sculpted in his pre-match ritual of swinging his Nunchaku
while Killer Khan is posed in his signature move the "
Mongolian Chop"!
Next up are two Mini reproductions of Character Product
figures and a Mini Big Head exclusive. Heel manager &
NJPW Hall of Famer Kantaro Hoshino, NJPW legend &
color commentator Masa Saitoh and a special Riki Choshu
figure!
While Hoshino and Saitoh were released by Character Product
(Saitoh under New Japan's Toukon Shop store), Riki Choshu's
second Mini Big Head appearance is a nod to Choshu's role
as a strict NJPW Dojo trainer.
The Choshu Mini Big Head includes a mini microphone and
a "you're going down" pose.
Next up are two famous rivals: Jumbo Tsuruta and Genichiro
Tenryu's first Mini Big Head figures.
Jumbo's figure is sculpted in Tsuruta's iconic, fist raised "Ooh!"
pose and entrance jacket while Tenryu's first Mini Big Head
features Tenryu's WAR Revolution.
The back of Tsuruta's entrance jacket includes the logo of the
1972 Summer Olympics (which Tsuruta participated under the
Greco-Roman Wrestling division).
While Character Product has released full-sized figures of both
Wrestlers, the Vol. 5. Mini Big Head Tenryu and Tsuruta figures
are the only figures to feature their entrance jackets.
The next figure set from Vol. 5. is the Antonio Inoki and Karl
Gotch Mini Big Heads.
Both Mini Big Heads are based on Toukon Shop's "30th
Anniversary" Antonio Inoki vs Karl Gotch figure set that
was released in 2002.
The set commemorated the 30th anniversary of the duo's
famous fight on March 6th, 1972 at the Ota City Gymnas
-ium in Tokyo, Japan - the same year Inoki left the Japanese
Pro-Wrestling Alliance (JPW) to form New Japan Pro-
Wrestling.
This iconic match is widely considered to be the birth
of the Japanese "Strong Style" of Pro-Wrestling!
The Mini Big Head version is the only Karl Gotch figure
to include Gotch's moustache.
Vol. 5. also featured two more of Gotch's students, WWE
Hall of Famer Tatsumi Fujinami (B) and Osamu Kido.
Like the Vol. 5. Antonio Inoki Mini Big Head, this Tatsumi
Fujinami Mini Big Head was modeled after a younger, early
1980's Fujinami.
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| "The God of Pro'Wrestling" Karl Gotch's top students - all featured in Vol. 5.! |
The final 3 figures from Vol.5. are all of the legendary
"father of Puroresu" Rikidozan.
It's interesting to point out that Character Product and Toukon
Shop never released a full-sized Rikidozan figure (Mogura
House -which had a working relationship with Character
Product at the time- did).
The Rikidozan A and B Mini Big Heads are based on two
action figures originally produced by Japanese toy maker
Mogura House.
The secret Rikidozan figure is the only figure of the legend
to be dressed in casual clothing.
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| Two promotion owners, two "secret" Mini Big Heads and two cigar lovers. |
Pro-Kaku Heroes Display Ring promotion #2
Character Product would come full circle by reprising the
design of the secret Rikidozan when the third (and final)
Giant Baba Mini Big Head would be included as a secret
figure in Vol. 9.; the last official wave of Mini Big Heads.
With the launch of Vol. 5. Character Product also advertised
a special promotion where collectors who sent in 3 tickets
found in the booklets of Vol.5. Mini Big Heads could win
a Pro-Kaku Heroes Mini Big Head Figure Display Ring!
Like the not-for-sale, promotional Mini Big Head figures them
-selves, this ring (the second ring released after the green Vol.3.
green NOAH variant) was limited to just 300 pieces and was only
available through a lottery conducted by Character Product.
Tune in next time for more Puro figure reviews!
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