Pro-Kaku Heroes Strap Figures Review

In the mid 2000's, Character Product would release special versions of
select figures from their Pro-Kaku Heroes Mini Big Head figures line.

Marketed as "Figure Straps", these figures were meant to be attached
to cell phones for the mobile minded Puro fan.

While we have already covered the special Antonio Inoki Jungle Fight
figure strap (you can read the write up HERE), today we'll be focusing
on three additional figures:

The first figure is of Joshi legend Akira Hokuto.

The packaging consists of the "Kensuke Office" promotion logo in the top
left along "Devil Woman" (鬼妻) in Japanese Kanji along with the word
"strap" at the bottom.

                       
Strangely, there is no mention of Character Product anywhere on the
packaging. The Akira Hokuto Strap is an update of the Pro-Kaku
Heroes Vol. 4. Akira Hokuto Mini Big Head.

The repainted strap version features a lighter skin tone, purple
lip paint, black kendo stick and ""Devil Woman" (鬼妻) written
across Hokuto's shirt.

Both designs are based on Character Product's full sized Kensuke
Sasaki and wife/manager Akira Hokuto two figure set.

Also under the Kensuke Office banner is none other than Kensuke
Sasaki as his Road Warriors inspired alter ego "Power Warrior"!

The yellow font on the packaging reads "Power-. Warrior".


                          

           

The front and back of Power Warrior's packaging. Character Product is listed as the
manufacturer; while the material of the strap is listed as PVC.

                        
The Power Warrior strap is a repaint of the Vol. 4. Kensuke
Sasaki Mini Big Head.

In the mid 2000's, Kensuke Sasaki would resurrect his Power
Warrior gimmick when teaming with Road Warrior Animal.
The duo was billed as the "Hell Warriors".

From the grey and green streaks in Warrior's hair to his intricate

warpaint and tights decals, the Power Warrior strap figure contains
an impressive amount of detail!

                         

Just in case you were wondering, yes, the figure straps' heads are
also removable. It's just a shame that the Power Warrior figure is
incredibly difficult to stand on it's own without a display base.

The last of today's figure straps is the Mastodon himself: Big Van
Vader!

The packaging for the Vader strap reads:
 
"20th Anniversary Coming to Japan
Cell Phone Strap
Emperor Warrior Vader"

The Vader figure strap variant is a repaint of the Vol. 9. Big Van
 Vader Mini Big Head.

The strap variant's colouring is based on Vader's early 2000's

Pro-Wrestling NOAH attire.

Like the Inoki Jungle Fight strap, the Vader strap also includes a leather
attachment with Vader's iconic catchphrase "IT'S VADER TIME"!


Closing thoughts:

When I first discovered pictures of the figure straps online, I thought
the straps were unofficial, fan-created customs. It turns out, however,
that Character Product licensed quite a few figure strap repaints that
were sold through New Japan's Toukon Shop.

The best part is, Toukon Shop is still releasing Mini Big Head style
figure straps to this day - with current stars such as Hirooki Goto,
Hiroshi Tanahashi and Yuji Nagata (to name a few)!

Just how many straps exist at the moment is anyone's guess.
To be continued...