Mogura House Kenta Kobashi statue figure review

Very few figure companies in Japan come close to the coolness factor of Mogura
House and their dizzying amount of figure variants. Character Product may have
their clear, bronze and figures designed with different colored ring attires, but
Mogura House took collecting one step further with our next figure spotlight.

Blog #140 is all about the super RARE Kenta Kobashi DX statue figure variant by
Mogura House.

This Kenta Kobashi figure comes from Mogura House's deluxe (DX) figure line which
featured sturdier clamshell packaging, an acrylic display stand, 2 acrylic foot holders
and an acrylic name plate.

The first figures created by Mogura House to receive the black and white treatment
were those created of "The Father of Puroresu" Rikidozan. The idea behind the odd
lack of colors was to recreate the concept of watching a Wrestling match on a black
and white television back in the 1950's.

Along with Rikidozan, Kenta Kobashi would also receive the black and white figure
treatment; allowing fans to imagine what it would have been like if "The Maximum
Innovator" would have competed in the pioneering days of Japanese Pro-Wrestling.

Even Kobashi's two Pro-Wrestling NOAH GHC Championship belts also lack
color.

Alongside the statue-esque black and white version, Mogura House would
also release another variant in sepia colors. It is rumored that both variants
are limited to only an estimated 100 pieces each - making them some of the
absolute rarest Kenta Kobashi figures ever created!

Mogura House Kenta Kobashi Silver flame design figure review

For blog #139, we'll be taking a look at the Kenta Kobashi silver flame design variant
figure by Mogura House.

The Kobashi figure comes in Mogura House's early blister packaging with
various Pro-Wrestling NOAH-era images of Kobashi on the front and back.

The packaging is identical to the standard purple variant Kobashi figure.

Let's take a look at the opened version, fresh from it's packaging that is
currently for sale:

Kobashi is decked out in his early 2000's Pro-Wrestling NOAH trunks,
kneepads and boots.

This particular variant features Kobashi with a goatee and two clenched
fists sculpts (known in the Mogura House figure series as the "fighting pose"
variants).

Another unique feature is the silver painted flame design on Kobashi's trunks.

When it comes to Mogura House, you really have to pay attention to the
finer details.

With the black trunks, there are also purple and blue flame design versions
available, too.

Mogura House would also re-release the silver flame variant as a limited edition
two-pack exclusive with Mitsuharu Misawa.

                              

The big difference with the the two-pack variant is Kobashi sculpted with a chop
hand sculpt.

Character Product Atsushi Onita Keychain (Gold ver.) figure review

For blog #138, we'll be looking at another obscure piece of Japanese Pro-Wrestling
memorabilia released at the dawn of the new millennium.

Without further adieu, let's dive right in:

                                    

Atsushi Onita stands approximately 2.7" inches (7cm) tall and features a cigar, pointing
pose and chair in Onita's left hand.


                                    

Onita's attire and accessories are based on Onita's highly anticipated match against
Masahiro Chono - Onita's first match in the New Japan Pro-Wrestling promotion
which took place on April 10th, 1990 in the Tokyo Dome.

With New Japan Pro-Wrestling's audience strictly against deathmatch Wrestling (former
All Japan Pro-Wrestling owner Giant Baba once famously referred to the style as "Garbage
Wrestling), the New Japan audience would pelt Onita with garbage as he made his way to
the ring.

In response to the audience's reaction, Onita (in complete badass mode) took a seat in
the middle of the entrance ramp and casually lit a cigarette).

                           

The back of the keychain contains the "EVIL WAYS" copyright (Onita's licensing
company). Though, with the cartoonish art style that was commonly used by New
Japan Pro-Wrestling in the 1990's (and with the slew of Onita items that were being
produced by the company at the time), the Onita keychain figure was produced by
Character Product/Charapro.

In total, there are 5 different variants available of the Atsushi Onita keychain:

1) Chair and cigar version - silver
2) Chair and cigar version - gold
3) Crouching pose - full color
4) Crouching pose - silver
5) Crouching pose - gold

Play Set Products Jumbo Muto Bear Plush review

Continuing over from our previous coverage of Play Set Product's Muto Bear
keychain plushies, blog #137 supersizes to incredible proportions with another
great find.

Today's collectible coverage is all about Play Set Product's JUMBO Muto Bear
plush figures:




                               

You may recognize this adorable character as the mascot of the WRESTLE1
promotion. The first Jumbo plush is the Keiji Mutoh-inspired Muto Bear.

Just like his smaller plush keychain counterpart, Muto Bear's attire is based
on Keiji Mutoh's "Sir PROMENADE" (also shortened to "PROM") ring
gear from the mid 2000's.

The included championship belt is not intended to be removed.

With his unique kneeling pose, Muto Bear can stand on his own for display
purposes when not being cuddled.

Also unlike the smaller keychain version, there is no strap or hook attached
to Muto Bear's head.

The second jumbo Muto Bear variant is based on Keiji Mutoh's evil Pro-Wrestling
alter ego: The Great Muta.

From his ring pants to his Darth Maul-inspired ring mask and body paint, the
Great Muta Muto Bear figure contains plenty of detail. There's even a draw
string on Muta's pants!

The only downside (and a very minor one at that) is the lack of detail from
the back of both plushies.

Given that this figure is made of plush with a unique design, it's also quite
difficult to stand this version of Muto Bear on his own.

When compared to a standard Japanese figure (Toukon Shop's 5" Hiroyoshi
Tenzan figure).

Both Jumbo Muto Bear plushies stand an impressive 15 inches (38 cm) tall
(making them some of the biggest Great Muta/Keiji Mutoh figures ever created).

                              

Both plushies (and their smaller keychain equivalents) include an identical tag
which includes a picture of the Wrestler the Muto Bears are based off of (Keiji
Mutoh/The Great Muta) in front of an All Japan Pro-Wrestling backdrop (which
Keiji Mutoh served as president for between 2002 to 2013).

Confusingly, the first version is listed as "Mutoh Bear" while the Great Muta
version is simply listed as "Great Muta".

The back of the tag reads "Play Set Products X Keiji Mutoh
                                           Play Set Products Mutoh Bear
                                           MUTO BEAR Plushie"

                                                                  

Play Set Products Muto Bear Keychain plush figures review

Whether you're a fan of New Japan's Rollertrons, Tonka's Wrestling buddies
or even the WWE's recent Bleacher Creatures line, plush and Pro-Wrestling
have gone hand in hand for decades.

Mixing cuteness with the legendary career of a Pro-Wrestling GENIUS,
Blog #136 focuses on Play Set Product's Muto Bear Keychain plush figures.


PLAY SET PRODUCTS X KEIJI MUTOH

In the late 2000's, Japanese toymaker Play Set Products (also shortened
to simply "PSP") teamed up with Japanese Pro-Wrestling legend Keiji
Mutoh to create a line of adorable plush characters based on Mutoh's
likeness.

The result: Muto Bear!

The first Muto Bear plush features Mutoh's mid 2000's "Sir Promenade"
(shortened to "PROM") era attire.

The Muto Bear plush is crafted in a kneeling pose with Mutoh's famous
Pro-Wrestling love hand sign and fabric belt (that is not meant to be
removed).

When compared to Character Product's Great Muta (Darth Muta) figure.
The Muto Bear keychain stands about 6+ inches tall.

The second variant of Muto Bear is Keiji Mutoh's evil Pro-Wrestling alter
ego: The Great Muta!

The Great Muta Muto Bear is based on Great Muta's mid 2000's "Darth
Muta" attire (meant to resemble Star Wars villain Darth Maul).

While the Keiji Mutoh version may have the cooler pose and belt, the
Great Muta version has plenty of detail and wild, era-accurate designs
to make up for it.

The Muto Bear brand is officially endorsed by Keiji Mutoh himself.

Bandai New Japan Pro-Wrestling Keychain figures review

Welcome to the largest source of Japanese Pro-Wrestling collectibles information
anywhere on the web.

In this blog, you will find hundreds of photos, collections, purchase links and even
the history behind the items themselves. From Puroresu's earnest beginnings to the
global phenomenon that it is today, it's all here.

Whether you're a long time collector looking to discover new rarities, a casual fan
looking to brush up on their fandom, or someone just discovering Puroresu, you've
come to the right place!

For blog #135, we'll be taking a look at figures from Bandai's Full Color Gashapon
figure line.



Released in the mid 1990's as part of Bandai's "Full Color" series, the New Japan
Keychain lineup features 10 of New Japan Pro-Wrestling's biggest stars of the
era.

The above picture is an original advertisement for the line along with a photo

example of the gashapon gumball machine (bottom right corner) that the figures
were originally sold in.

The sign above the machine itself reads that the figures are referred to as "soft
vinyl key holders", there are ten figures to collect,  each capsule contains one
figure and that each capsule cost 200 yen (about $6 in today's money).

(Clockwise from top) Keiji Mutoh, Jushin Thunder Liger, Hiroyoshi Tenzan, Masahiro
Chono. (Bottom row, left to right) Shinya Hashimoto, El Samurai, The Great Muta,
Riki Choshu, Shiro Koshinaka and Kensuke Sasaki.

                                

The first figure is The Great Muta looking devious in his classic red and black
facepaint with green lips.

Next up is Jushin Thunder Liger; taking advantage of Bandai's "Full Color"

treatment.

                                

Also keep an eye out for alternate colour variants of the NJPW keychain
figures; such as the obscure blue variant Jushin Thunder Liger figure!
                         

                           

One of the earliest figure examples of Masahiro Chono's controversial heel turn.

There aren't too many figures that feature Chono with a smirk and blinking eye!

                              

Fellow team wolf and NWO Japan team mate, Hiroyoshi Tenzan with
signature bullhorn entrance helmet!

I believe this keychain is Tenzan's very first figure as well!

                               

The "King of Destruction" Shinya Hashimoto with first raised and
iconic hatchimaki headband.
                         

El Samurai's first figure uses a similar body sculpt to The Great Muta's.

The silver accents in Samurai's ring mask is a nice touch with the red
portions sticking out easily.

                                 

The last figure we'll be looking at from the line today is Kensuke Sasaki.

As one of Kensuke's earliest figures, this design is based on Kensuke's
early 1990's break out success as a singles Wrestler away from his
involvement as a member of the Hellraisers tag team.


                          

The back of the Kensuke keychain includes a small sticker with the letter B.
The "B." represents "Bandai".

Bandai would take full advantage of these keychain molds by also releasing
a ring and motorized figure box set called the "Toukon Battle Royal" playset
around the same time.

HAO Collection Yoshihiro Takayama figure review

The largest source of information for Japanese Pro-Wrestling collectibles

continues with another soft vinyl figure from the popular HAO Collection
line.

Let's take a giant leap over the ropes for Blog #134 for another soft vinyl
figure: the HAO Collection Yoshihiro Takayama figure review.

Released in 2004 as part of HAO Collection's earliest Wrestling figures,
Takayama comes in HAO's standard slip-case packaging.

                                

When the cardboard backing of the package is slipped off, the packaging
becomes a jumbo trading card.

Like other early HAO figures, the packaging mentions that the Takayama
HAO figure is a limited edition and displays a large graphic of Takayama
performing his well known "NO FEAR" (Takayama's All Japan and Pro
-Wrestling NOAH tag team with Takao Omori) pointing pose .

The right side of the packaging displays the "@mbition" logo along with
Takayama's name in Japanese Kanji.

The bottom left portion of the packaging contains a hanko stamp (it is
more common in Japan to sign items with an individual's custom-made
stamp than to sign with a signature) with the attached (now-defunct)
website link takayama.do.com.

The back of the packaging contains an even more impressive graphic
of Takayama along with the standard production credits.

While I'm not familiar with the "@mbition" company, I presume the
company is behind the licensing of Takayama's image and may have
been run by Takayama himself (kind of like Keiji Mutoh's LEG LOCK,
Giant Baba's "Giant Services" or Atsushi Onita's  EVIL WAYS companies).

                           

The Takayama HAO figure comes dressed in black trunks with UWF
style ring boots and white wristbands.

                                

Takayama's face sculpt features a shifted glance (a trait common with a few
HAO figures) as Takayama anticipates his next match.

Even in soft vinyl format, HAO made sure to include the mole on Takayama's
chin.


                              

                                       

Takayama's bleached yellow hair is patterned with patches of white for texture.




                                    

The sides of Takayama's ring boots contain gold text which read "Takayama".

Fellow UWF legend Akira Maeda would also receive similar a similar
treatment with his two HAO figure variants.

Takayama performing his best The Rock taunt.

The HAO Collection Yoshihiro Takayama figure features articulation at the
neck, arms and waist.



                             

The bottom of Takayama's right boot reads "(C) HAO 2004" indicating that
the Takayama HAO figure was made around the same time as other mixed
martial artists fighters from the HAO line such as Bob Sapp, Don Frye,
Takada Nobuhiko and Fedor Emelianenko.


                            

When compared next to Mattel's Kamala and Toukon Shop's Yuji Nagata figures.

Scale-wise, Yoshihiro Takayama stands an impressive 7 and a half inches (20
cm) tall - making Takayama one of the biggest figures ever in the HAO
Collection line!