Character Product Masakatsu Funaki figure review

As Toukon Shop re-branded themselves as Character Product in 1999, Character
Product set out to create figures for Wrestlers outside of the New Japan Pro-Wrestling
promotion.

One of the earliest licenses came in the form of "the golden boy" shoot fighting legend
Masakatsu Funaki.

Blog #172 gets Hybrid Conscious with Character Product's Masakatsu Funaki figure.

This particular variant features a younger Masakatsu Funaki from his early 1990's career
competing for the PANCRASE promotion.

The packaging contains the PANCRASE cross logo on the top right corner and middle
of the packaging.

As a throwback figure, Funaki is also sporting his longer hair from the era.

Funaki's stoic facial expression looks ready to start dropping palm strikes and
high kicks.

Funaki's stats and in-ring accomplishments are listed on the back of the packaging.

Though, no date is given, I suspect the figure (based on the blister card packaging
and Character Product's third logo being used) was released around 2001. The
bio section also mentions Funaki's accolades up until the year 2000.


Closing thoughts:

A great throwback to the early days of PANCRASE and a solid likeness of Funaki's
younger years. Collectors should keep an eye out for the rarer, alternate red colour
variant of this figure, too.

Technically, the rarest Funaki figures you can find are:

1) Masakatsu Funaki vs Minoru Suzuki two pack with Pancrase belt.

2) Masakatsu Funaki vs Rickson Gracie two pack with special Funaki colour variant.

3) Masakatsu Funaki Real Figure with Pancrase belt