Mogura House Akitoshi Saitoh & Jun Akiyama GHC Tag Team figure review

Our 86th figure review focuses on another Pro-Wrestling NOAH tag team
figure set: Mogura House's Akitoshi Saito & Jun Akiyama GHC Tag
Team two-pack.

                          

The top of the packaging contains the text "THE 5TH GHC TAG TEAM
CHAMPIONS" which is a reference to Saito and Akiyama's Pro-Wrestling
NOAH GHC Tag Team Championship victory on September 23rd, 2002
in Tokyo, Japan.

The first of two versions of this set features Saito with a blue flame design.

The back of the packaging lists the stats and individual bios of both Wrestlers.
I always felt Mogura House had the best graphics in terms of packaging art.

Collectors should also look for the alternate colour variant which features a
white flame design on Saito's pants.


Let's take a look at the figures themselves:

Akitoshi Saito comes sculpted in a pointing pose and includes a Pro-
Wrestling NOAH GHC Tag Team Championship belt.

Next to Big Van Vader, Saito is the second stockiest figure from Mogura
House.

                             

All Japan Pro-Wrestling star "Blue Thunder" Jun Akiyama comes dressed
in his Pro-Wrestling NOAH era white and silver entrance attire.

One of my favorite features of Akiyama's entrance attire is the translucent
portions on the sides of Akiyama's gown.

                            

Like Saito, Akiyama is also sculpted in a pointing pose.


                              


The back of Akiyama's gown continues the awesomeness with an eye decal,
"A" (for Akiyama), the word "STERNESS" (Akiyama's theme at the time)
and a small bit of Engrish.


                                   

Hands down, the coolest feature of the Jun Akiyama figure is the ability to
take off Akiyama's entrance gown to reveal a removable GHC Tag Team
belt!

                       

The alternate colour set contains Akitoshi Saito with a white flame design
on his pants.

                          

Both Saito variants include various text and tattoos.

                                     

The tattoo on Saito's back contains a skeletal hand performing Saito's point
pose. The text "Death" is a reference to Saito's nickname "King of Death"
(which was coined many years before Saito's unfortunate involvement
with Mitsuharu Misawa's tragic passing).


                             

Akitoshi's left bicep contains a tattoo which reads "AKITOSHI".

It is worth noting that the only Mogura House figure to include a tatoo
is 2 Cold Scorpio

Since having a tattoo is looked at as a symbol of crime involvement in
Japan, there aren't too many Japanese Wrestler figures that feature tattoos
in general (sorry Hakushi - body paint doesn't count).

                         

The left side of Saito's pants contains Saito's nickname "KING OF DEATH".

                       

The right side of Saito's pants contains the text "NAUGHTY" and "I.V.Y.
GEAR" (which tag partner Jun Akiyama had on his attire at the time as
well).