Takara NJPW Board Game figures (Pro-Wrestling Keshi from Japan Part 8)

The Keshigomu figure coverage continues with blog #125 which focuses on Takara's
New Japan Pro-Wrestling Keshi board game.

Long before multiplayer video games became the gaming norm (and the earliest Pro-
Wrestling video games were still in Arcades), Japanese toy maker TAKARA, released
a board game based on the biggest stars of Japanese Wrestling promotion New Japan
Pro-Wrestling in the early 1980's.

(Mind the scribbling on the box), the original board game box. The official title
of the game reads "燃える闘魂 プロレス ゲーム" (Burning Fighting Spirit Pro-
Wrestling Game).

The phrase "Burning Fighting Spirit" was the slogan of New Japan founder and
main attraction Antonio Inoki. From Keshi to polystone statues and video games,
almost every piece of merchandise associated with Inoki includes Inoki's Fighting
Spirit slogan.

The packaging also mentions that the NJPW board game can be played by 2 to 4
players.

                        


While moving around the included playing board, players would use "battle cards"
to reenact a standard Wrestling match. Along with the keshi figures of each playable
Wrestler, there was also a Keshi championship belt included (which served as the
main goal of the game).

Let's take a look at the figures that came packaged with the board game.

The first Keshi figure is Andre The Giant! I just love Andre's evil smile sculpted
into this Keshi.

The back of each keshi figure contains the writing "タカラ" (Takara in the
Japanese Katakana alphabet).

Besides their goofy, cartoonish designs, I just love how bulky and large the
Takara figures are (which stand just under 2 inches tall). The above picture
includes a size comparison with Andre's first Keshi figure which was made
by Popy in 1982.

The next figure is easily the funniest depiction I've ever come across of this
particular Wrestler. Japanese masked superstar: Tiger Mask!

Of the four figures, the Tiger Mask keshi contains the most detail (and
strangely, the only figure with ...nipples?)

As rival promotion All Japan Pro-Wrestling had purchased the rights to use the
Tiger Mask character in 1984, this Keshi could very well be the last official Tiger
Mask collectible released by New Japan Pro-Wrestling in the 1980's.

The above facts also makes TAKARA's NJPW board game at least 35 years old!

When compared to the 1982 Popy and 2001 Character Product Tiger Mask
keshi figures.

With his prominent jaw, determined facial expression and clenched fists, it's
obvious that the next Keshi figure is Antonio Inoki!

Like other Keshi figures, each of the four Wrestlers included in the NJPW
board game were released in four different colour variants: resulting in 16
different versions to collect (not counting the extra game pieces).

When compared to Inoki's tag partner Seiji Sakaguchi. It's easy to see why the
TAKARA board game figures rarely go for sale.

Lastly, the final Keshi figure is that of Tatsumi "The Dragon" Fujinami!

As Pro-Wrestling history goes, fellow rival Riki Choshu was angered for not
being selected to compete in New Japan's inaugural IWGP Championship
league in 1983.

Choshu would turn on Fujinami in a match and become Japan's first "traitor
heel" defecting to the Japan Pro-Wrestling (JPW) promotion in 1984 with his
"Revolution Army stable".

When placed next to a standard Animal Hamaguchi keshi.