Japanese Pro-Wrestling Halloween Mask Ads

Years ago, I came across two Japanese magazine clippings that contained a few Halloween mask.    Fans of Pro-Wrestling from the 1980's may recognize a few of the likenesses here. So, without
further adieu, Blog #215 covers up with a couple of Japanese Pro-Wrestling masks ads from the
1980's.

This first scan shows six masks. The masks are:

フランケ ("Franken", short for Frankenstein),
宇 宙 人 ("Space Alien"),
コング ("Kong" short for King Kong).
ウルトラマン ( ヒモ付 ) ("Ultraman with string")
ウルトラセアン ( ヒ モ 付 ) ("Ultra Seven - with string)
カアキマスク ( ラバー) ("Kabuki Mask - rubber")

Ultraman is an incredibly popular Japanese superhero franchise that has been running since
1966. The second character Ultra Seven actually was a masked Wrestler who was best known
for competing in All Japan Pro-Wrestling in the early 1980's.

                                    
The Great Kabuki applying his facepaint before a match.

Kabuki Mask is obviously a copyright-friendly version of Japanese Pro-Wrestler The Great
Kabuki. Due to Japan's lenient copyright laws in the past, a simple re-wording of a popular
Wrestler's name was enough to skirt by paying licensing fees.

This next advert comes courtesy of Turnbucklethrowbacks:

On the left: another rubber mask of The Great Kabuki. On the right: Kabuki's chain mail
entrance hood.

To complete the illusion, Kabuki's nunchaku are also available in two formats: 1 piece for 650
yen ($5 USD) or two pieces for 1100 yen ($9 USD). Both are advertised as being signed and
look like they contain a facsimile of The Great Kabuki's signature.

A signed shikishi board containing The Great Kabuki's signature and tegata handprint.

To this day, The Great Kabuki still sells his patented Shinobi hood.

Tune in next time for more even more obscurities!