When most toy collectors think of All Japan Pro-Wrestling figures, the first line that
usually comes to mind are figures made by Character Product in the mid 2000's.
In actuality, All Japan Pro-Wrestling has been licensing figures all the way back to the
the promotion's early years in the 1970's.
Our next blog entry takes a look at possibly the oldest All Japan Pro-Wrestling figures
ever made. Blog #229 stretches out with GREAT's Giant Baba and Jumbo Tsuruta
Bendable figures.
The original packaging for Jumbo Tsuruta (left) and Giant Baba (right).
Both figures contain the same art (just flipped depending on the figure). The illustrations
on the packaging feature Tsuruta's running knee pat and Giant Baba's 16mon Kick
along with both Wrestler's ring names in Japanese.
Besides the illustrations, the GREAT production logo is displayed (see Jumbo figure)
along with the text "(C) All Japan Pro-Wrestling" in the bottom right.
Giant Baba's packaging contains the text "シユワツチ" (shiyuwachi - I think they were
going for "stretch") along with Baba and Tsuruta's full names at the bottom of the
packaging.
While no production date is given, some estimate that these bendable figures were
released around 1978.
Removed from packaging. Both bendable figures stand about 6 inches tall and are
made of rubber.
Design-wise, both attires are lifted from Giant Baba and Jumbo Tsuruta's 1970's
AJPW ring wear.
figures' bodies. I assume this is to assure the figures remain poseable.
I once read that Giant Baba would only grant a license as long as his figure was slightly
taller than any figure that was produced alongside his (which makes sense given Baba
was, in fact, a giant after all).
Both figures contain their namesakes written on their trunks. In Jumbo's case, the text
"JUMBO T." is written. On Baba's, the text "GIANT B." is written.
The Giant Baba figure was featured on the cover of DELUXE Pro-Wrestling 1979 issue #5
with none other than long-time adversary Abdullah The Butcher!
Closing thoughts:
Two of All Japan's most prominent stars in the 1970's were promotion founder Giant Baba
and young protege Jumbo Tsuruta. Besides being a popular babyface for All Japan, Tsuruta
was even sent to Amarillo, Texas to be trained by the Funks themselves; ensuring the style
of the territories remained intact within All Japan Pro-Wrestling.
What we in the west refer to as bendable figures (or just "bendies") is known as "kunekune"
(wiggle doll) in Japan; figures that came into fashion in Japan around the 1950's.
As to my knowledge, only two bendable figures were made. A shame, really; but only a
few years away from POPY's highly-coveted Super Pro-Wrestling series of action figures.
In case you'd like to look up GREAT's bendable figures, you can do so by typing in these
Japanese keywords:
ジャンボ鶴田 くねくね人形 (Jumbo Tsuruta Kunekune doll)
ジャイアント馬場 くねくね人形 (Giant Baba Kunekune doll).
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