Yujin New Japan Pro-Wrestling figures review

In our last entry, we covered Pro-Wrestling NOAH's Fighting Box Collection.
For our next review, we'll be looking at the blind box gashapon-style figures
made for New Japan Pro-Wrestling.

Blog #183 squares up with the New Japan Pro-Wrestling Fighting Box series.


Released around 1999 by Japanese toymaker Yujin, the Fighting Box series would be
New Japan Pro-Wrestling's second venture into gashapon-style model kit figures
(following Banpresto's 1996 Real Figure In Battledome line).

In Japan, the series is known as "ファイティングボックスコレクション新日本
プロレスリング編パート1" (which translates to "Fighting Box Collection New
Japan Pro-Wrestling Volume Part 1").

The Fighting Box figures were individually inserted at random into blind boxes (a
concept that was still relatively new for 1999).

Although the silhouettes on the front cover are meant to be generic, I'd like to think
the Wrestlers are Keiji Mutoh and Masahiro Chono.

Let's take a look at a few figures:                  

The first is Keiji Mutoh.

Keiji Mutoh comes with a fabric shirt accessory containing his late 1990's "NBM"
(Natural Born Master" era logo.

With shirt accessory removed. Keiji Mutoh is sculpted with an entrance taunt looking
out to the audience. A time before Mutoh reinvented himself a year later as the "Cross
Wizard" after shaving his head and adopting his more-famous Pro Wrest. LOVE pose.

Keiji Mutoh's ring attire is also lifted from the late 1990's NBM design. Mutoh's right
thigh contains the text "NO SWEAT" while Mutoh's knee pads contain NBM decals.

Even the "I AM BOSS" slogan from the era has been faithfully recreated.

Every figure comes with a simple black base to stand on. All of which can
be pieced together to make a stage.

Next up is Mr. Blackjack himself, Masahiro Chono:



Masahiro Chono dressed with a Team 2000 fabric t-shirt.

Chono is sculpted displaying his Team 2000 hand symbols taunt.


                    

While nothing to scoff off by today's figure standards, the Fighting Box set marked
the first time removable fabric clothing accessories were included smaller, NJPW-
inspired figures at this scale (about 4 inches in height).



Chono comes with his Team 2000 era ring attire.

While not pictured, Chono comes with a second removable head (sans sunglasses).




The next figure is the final member of the Toukon Sanjuushi (Fighting Musketeers):
Shinya Hashimoto.

Shinya's fabric shirt reads "破壊王" (translation: "Destruction King" - Hashimoto's
nickname) in gold ink.



The back of Shinya's top reads Shinya's name in cursive writing.

I have no idea what the design itself is supposed to represent. Could it be a demon
or a lotus flower? I'll let you decide in the comments.



Shirt accessory removed and head swapped to a more modern Hashimoto
look.



Shinya's likeness is captured perfectly with plenty of attention paid to the small
nuances of Shinya's ring pants as well.



Shinya's hachimaki (headband) connects to either head sculpt giving more customization
options.

                   

The next figure is Antonio Inoki.

                                      

Inoki is sculpted performing his signature "1-2-3-DA!" taunt with microphone in hand.

The hilariously-large, cloth fight towel bears Inoki's "Fighting Spirit" slogan and
Inoki's name in cursive writing underneath.

             

This version of Inoki is meant to represent Inoki's post-retirement career as a trainer
and ring announcer for New Japan Pro-Wrestling.

By this point in time, Inoki had retired just one year previously as an in-ring competitor.

The back of Inoki's tracksuit reads "Inoki Gym Professional Strong Professional".
A bit redundant, but we'll go with it.


                        

With fight towel and microphone hand removed, the Inoki figure also comes with
a training stick to discipline unruly trainees.








In total, there are six figures to collect from Part 1 of Yujin's Fighting Box line.

The two remaining figures are Tatsumi Fujinami (top left) who comes with a
fabric NJPW white and red t-shirt and Jushin Thunder Liger (bottom right)
who comes with a classy removable cape.

The rarest figure from Part 1 is Jushin Thunder Liger due to few Liger
figures from the era came bundled with a cape - let alone the Black variant.



Part 2

The second wave of New Japan Pro-Wrestling figures released by Yujin
was known in Japan as "ファイティングボックスコレクション新日本
プロレスリング編パート2"  (Fighting Box Collection New Japan Pro
-Wrestling Volume Part 2).





Again, figures from Part 2 were only available in Blind Box fashion.

The front of the packaging looks like the silhouette on the left is performing
a missile dropkick.

                 


First up from Part 2 is Riki Choshu.

Choshu's fabric t-shirt contains Choshu's last name "長州" (Choshu) in Japanese
Kanji.







Part 2 would also mark the inclusion of the first NJPW Championship belt.
In the above case, the second generation IWGP Championship.

                      

This facial-haired version of Choshu is based on Choshu's return to in-ring
competition after a short-lived retirement in 1998.

                       


The next figure is a special two-in-one example. Power Warrior and Kensuke Sasaki.


                 

Yujin really stepped up their quality game with the Power Warrior version.

Warrior's intricate facepaint and tights designs are well done.





Power Warrior's spiked shoulder pads are also removable in case you want to display
Warrior in a mid-match  look.

        

The additional lower torso and head makes Power Warrior's alter-ego Kensuke Sasaki.

Kensuke is sculpted in his late 90's early 2000's black trunks and goatee look.
        

Kensuke's mullet is also still intact from the 1990's.

                  

The rarest figure from Part 2 is easily Kensuke Sasaki. With six customizable
pieces (the largest number of accessories for part 2) , fans had the chance of
owning two figures for the price of one.





Another figure highlight from Part 2 is "The Raging Bull" Hiroyoshi Tenzan.
                

Just like Masahiro Chono and Satoshi Kojima, Hiroyoshi Tenzan comes with a cloth
shirt accessory with Team 2000 graphics.
                       
                

With t-shirt accessory removed. A bonus head accessory is also included with Tenzan
sculpted without his bullhorn entrance helmet.

                    
                    

A lot of effort was placed into capturing Tenzan's late 1990's-early 2000's animal
print ring attire.

The complete line of Part 2 figures included:

Top: Satoshi Kojima, Hiroyoshi Tenzan, Tiger Hattori,
& Hidekazu Tanaka (bundled together).

Bottom: Power Warrior, Riki Choshu, and Kendo Kashin.


Closing thoughts:

Out of all of the Yujin Pro-Wrestling figures covered so far, the New Japan variants
rank among the highest in terms of quality and bang for your buck.

Understandably, the New Japan figures were also the most expensive at the time.
Compared to Yujin's All Japan Pro-Wrestling figures which sold for 200 yen (just
under $2 USD) and Pro-Wrestling NOAH set which cost 500 yen (about $4 USD),
both partitions of the New Japan set cost 600 yen (around $5 USD) for the year
2000.

Of all the Yujin NJPW figures, the two most sought-after are Jushin Thunder Liger
and Power Warrior.