Toukon Shop Full Movable Action Figure review

Inspired by the success of the incredibly popular G.I. Joe brand,

Toukon Shop set out to create their own line of fully articulated
figures based on the biggest stars of New Japan Pro-Wrestling.

Released in 2001 as the "フル可動アクションフィギュア"
(Full Moveable action figure - a reference to the phrase "Full
Action Figure" which is used to describe G.I. Joe's in Japan)
line, Toukon Shop released a number of 3 inch figures in G.I.
Joe scale.

In blog #71, we'll be taking a look at three figures from the set.

The first figure is the Japanese Hell Demon himself, The Great
Muta.

The packaging features members of the Team 2000 and B.A.T.T.
stables.

                                

Clearly Cobra material, Great Muta comes dressed in his classic
white facepaint and black ring attire.


                                           

Muto's stats and a bio are presented on the back mentioning the
gimmick's debut, IWGP and NWA championship victories as
well as Muto's involvement with the NWO.

It's worth noting that the G.I. Joe Muta figure would be one of
the  very last created under the Toukon Shop banner. The figure
itself was released after Keiji Mutoh shaved his hair and re
-designed himself as the "Cross Wizard" in 2000; abandoning
his Great Muta gimmick until 2002 for Mutoh's debut in AJPW.


                              

Next up is the "Revolution Warrior" and master of the Sasori-ga
-tame: Riki Choshu!




                              

Move over Sgt. Slaughter, Riki's stern facial expression in G.I.
Joe form.

                              

The only real problem I have with the G.I. Joe NJPW figures
is their eye-straining designs on the backs of the packaging.

The design reminds me of the eye-straining comics found on
the inside labels of cans of Heinz Spaghetti in tomato sauce
with cheese:


                   


If you were a 90's kid growing up in North America, you prob
-ably remember Heinz's superhero mascot of the era "Strand
Man"; but I digress.

Let's look at an unboxed example:

                               

Up next is one of the very last Toukon Shop figures of Keiji
Mutoh (and one of the very first based on Mutoh's recently-
created "Cross Wizard" persona).


                           

Toukon Shop's Full Movable Action Figure line has the look
and feel of the classic G.I. Joe figures right down to the screws
in the backs of each figure!


                            

Sacrificing height for articulation, Toukon Shop's Full Movable
Action series stands 3 3/4" scale (the common scale of most G.I.
Joe's starting in 1982) and are significantly smaller than Toukon
Shop's regular action figures from the era.

In total, there are only a handful of Full Movable Figures released
by Toukon Shop for New Japan Pro-Wrestling (and the only figures
that I can think of that feature full-articulation from the company
in general).

The Full Action series would continue under Toukon's "Character
Product" banner and would include other NJPW legends and not
-able Wrestlers from the PANCRASE, RINGS and PRIDE
promotions.