Saturday, 20 March 2021

Mitsuharu Misawa GHC Heavyweight Championship figure review

For Blog #143 we'll be taking a look at Mogura House's Mitsuharu Misawa GHC Heavyweight Championship figure.




Besides making multiple variants, Mogura House also updated the packaging of their figures.

The packaging of this variant makes good mention of Pro-Wrestling NOAH's Global Honoured Crown Heavyweight Championship.



The back of the packaging states the significance of the GHC Championship.

Let's take a look at the Mitsuharu Misawa figure from out of the packaging:




Misawa is depicted with chinstrap facial hair circa early 2000's.



The included GHC belt accessory contains the words "GHC Heavyweight Championship" on the front.





The wording on the side plates could be improved upon.


The GHC Championship accessory is removable.

More figure reviews coming soon!

Antonio Inoki 60th Anniversary Pure Gold Figure review

For our next figure review, we'll be looking at a figure that is out of reach from all but the most affluent of Wrestling collectors. Get ready to enter high-end territory and jaw-dropping prices with blog #142: the Antonio Inoki 60th Anniversary figure.

On February 19th, 2021, Japanese Pro-Wrestling legend Antonio Inoki made an announcement over his official facebook page regarding the pre-order of a pure gold figure:


In Japanese the name of the figure is アントニオ猪木 初”の純金フィギュア化
(Antonio Inoki First Pure Gold Figure)

In the the above picture, the three golden circles state that the figure weighs 23 grams, is 1/48 scale (about 1.5 inches or 40 millilitres) and is limited to just 60 pieces; making this figure one of (if not the rarest) Inoki figures ever made.

The poster also mentions that five customers will be chosen at random in a special lottery to win a card signed by Antonio Inoki himself.

                                        


With hands raised, Antonio Inoki is ready to test his fighting spirit.



Inoki is no stranger to lavish figures made in his image. In the 1990's for example, statue maker MAN SPORT also released several bronze figures of Inoki (you can google them yourself with these keywords アントニオ猪木 MANSPORT).


The Antonio Inoki pure gold figure is just one of several pieces of merchandise created to celebrate the 60th anniversary of Antonio Inoki's debut as a Pro-Wrestler.


While there are no watermarks or logos of any kind on the front or back of the figure, a serial number is said to be engraved on the back of one of the Inoki figure's boots.
.



The official item description mentions that the pure gold Inoki figure is 24 karats and is solid (not hollow).


Included with the figure is a stylish display case and base. The plaque on the base reads:

アントニオ猪木   (Antonio Inoki)
デビュー60周年  (60th Anniversary Debut)

You can check out the official video promo here:



Expensive golden figures are nothing new to Japanese collectors. Similar pricing and scales can also be found for Godzilla and the Gundam Wing series, too.

And if you're wondering how much this luxurious figure costs: 660,000 ($6,000 USD).

The official store selling the Pure Gold Inoki figure can be found HERE

Friday, 19 March 2021

Pro-Wrestling Keshi from Japan Part 9

Hello again, readers.

A lot has changed over the last few years since our last blog post. From the devastating effects of the Corona Virus to the ensuing collapse of many businesses as a response to the global pandemic. 2020
is a year that many of us would rather forget.

While this blog is going to stay up as a resource for other Puroresu figure collectors, there's still plenty of items left to cover. Which brings us to today's figure review - an unfinished draft that goes back to 2019 and another look at the wonderful world of keshigomu figures.

Better late than never, right?

For Blog #141, we'll be taking a look at Character Product's PANCRASE-X Keshi figure set.








In 2003, Japanese toy maker Character Product released a special six figure set of two inch keshigomu figures to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the PANCRASE promotion.

All six figures are re-releases from Character Product's 2001 line of Keshigomu eraser figures with
one important little addition: they've been painted.



From left to right: Ikuhisa Minowa, Masakatsu Funaki, Minoru Suzuki and Kengo WatanabE

From the Japanese flag on Maskaatsu Funaki's trunks to the chest and shoulder tattoo on Kengo Watanabe, the paint job on these small figures is immaculate.



On the left is Sanae Kikuta. On the right is Yuki Kondo. Both fighters fought each other on May 18th, 2003 in Kanagawa Japan for the Hybrid 5 event. The event served as a title defence for Kikuta's 2001 Light Heavyweight Championship victory.

The decals on Kikuta's gi (complete with a Pancrase X on Kikuta's left pant leg) are appreciated.

Also enclosed is an exclusive Pancrase ring which I believe is a similar scale to the various ring sets that were made available with Character Product's series of Pro Kaku Heroes Mini Big Head Figures.




The back of the packaging reads:

"PANCRASE - X
Pancrase 10th Anniversary Figure Set (2 kinds)

Year 1993
The flag-raising event was held at Tokyo Bay NK Hall on September 21. Killing in seconds became a buzzword.

Year 1994
The match between Minoru Suzuki and Masakatsu Funaki was held. The belt (non-discriminatory weight class) was established.

Year 1995
Introduced the ranking system and held the 1st Neo-Blood Tournament in July.

Year 1996
Yuki Kondo debuted and was called a supernova with his breakneck success.

Year 1997
New dojo established in Tokyo. Ikuhisa Minowa debuts at the Neo-Blood Tournament.

Year 1998
Kengo Watanabe, a hot newcomer from the college rugby world, makes his debut against Bas Rutten in the September tournament. Shocking debut.

Year 1999
Sanae Kikuta, a big freelance player, joins the team.

Year 2000
A third force, GRABAKA, is formed with Sanae Kikuta at the center.
Founder, Masakatsu Funaki retired after his match with Hickson Gracie in May.

Year 2001
The rules of GRABAKA were changed to gloves and rounds, and Manabu Yamada retired.

Year 2002
Tokyo Dojo and Yokohama Dojo were reintegrated into Yokohama, and renamed Pancrase ISM.

Year 2003
Sanae Kikuta fights against Yuki Kondo at the 10th Anniversary Hybrid Tour 5.18."



Closing thoughts:

Going back to the heyday of keshi figures in the 1980's, hobbyists young and old alike would paint their own keshi figures. Fast forward two decades later and Character Product have done all of the heavy lifting themselves with the company's own painted figures.

Though, Character Product wasn't the only company releasing painted Keshi figures. By 2003, BANDAI would release their own painted Keshi figures as part of the Ultimate Muscle Micro
Wrestler line outside of Japan.

As the back of the packaging states, there is also a second set that features different colour variants for the included figures.




The two aforementioned Pancrase sets would be the last keshi figures ever made under the Character Product banner.

All in all, an essential set for Pancrase purists and a brief glimpse of what could have been if only more legends were added to Character Product's line of keshigomu figures.