On the subject of recognizable merchandising brands, few Japanese toymakers are regarded
as highly as TAKARA TOMY.
In this blog's seven year existence, we have covered several of TAKARA's more notable.
releases. Products ranging from wind-up racecars, to vintage, tabletop board games that
predate the commercial resurgence of video games in the mid 1980's.
Today, we'll be taking a look at one of TAKARA's more obscure pieces of Puroresu
merchandise. A line that mixes the pageantry and visual excitement of the squared circle,
along with a nod to one of Japan's ancient forms of model making.
Article #235 focuses on TAKARA TOMY's Haniwa Pro-Wrestling line:
Known in Japan as 'はにわプロレス', the Haniwa Pro-Wrestling line was released by TAKARA/Panda's Ana. The line's edgy slogan "waretara makedayo" roughly translates
to "if you crack it, you lose".
"But what are haniwa"?
Haniwa are clay, terracotta figures that date back thousands of years. In Japanese culture,
haniwa were initially used as markers for borders of burial grounds. It wasn't until the 4th
century that sculptors began fashioning the haniwa into sculptures of dancers, animals and
even warriors; serving as protection totems and funerary objects that were buried with the
dead.
From historical artifacts to pop culture phenomena - haniwa in modern society:
hearted fashion.
Despite their rather grim history, the image of haniwa figures have taken on a more
animated approach in Japanese media. Over the last twenty years in particular, the
haniwa have evolved from artifacts of historical significance to depictions of
mischievous, sentient beings. More so, these enchanted characters have made
appearances in cartoons, video games and even trading card adaptations; softening
the haniwa's image in the public's eyes over time.
Aesthetically, the antiquated design of the haniwa have also been embraced as a
popular art form; garnishing praise from aspiring model makers and art lovers alike.
Like many Japanese minifigures, the Haniwa Pro-Wrestling line were originally sold in
gashapon (gumball vending machines that sell buildable model kit toys in Japan) format
for 200 yen (about $2 USD) each. Figures were distributed at random; encouraging kids
to trade with their friends to track down a full set.
There are five figures to collect in the Haniwa Pro-Wrestling line; each one displaying a specific
pose and colourful Wrestling mask.
Seasoned fans of Pro-Wrestling may recognize some of the masks, as these particular designs
are copyright-friendly tributes to some of Japan's most popular real-life Pro-Wrestlers. The
figures are named (left to right):
Taihar Nitto Wan (タイハー・ニット・ワン) - His name sounds just like Tiger Jeet
Singh. He's also carrying a weapon (or is that a flute) in the same fashion as Tiger would
with a sabre sword.
Tiger Jeet Singh with sword between his teeth.
Wanimaru Haniguchi (ワニマル・ハニグチ) - Sounds like Animal Hamaguchi.
Wanimaru's mask seems to resemble Tiger Mask's Red Devil.
Hanidozan (ハニドウザン) - It seems most of the characters' incorporate the word
"haniwa" into their names. The mask design and pose is obviously based on Mil Mascaras.
Though, this Wrestler's name is clearly inspired by 'the father of Puroresu' Rikidozan.
Mil Mascaras and Rikidozan - two legends who inspired TAKARA's Haniwa line.
Hanito Muwa (ハニド・ムワ) This is another tough one. The mask depicts an octopus
with the number 8 (obviously referencing the Octopus' 8 appendages). A standard Japanese
Wrestling hold is also the "manji-gatame" (Octopus Stretch).
Hambo Wanita (ハンボ・ワニタ)- Another Tiger Mask character knockoff. There's even
a small bird resting on Wanita's left shoulder.
Closing thoughts:
TAKARA's involvement with Pro-Wrestling is a long and storied one. The majority of which
centred around officially-licensed products that were created for Japan's biggest Puroresu
promotions: New Japan and All Japan Pro-Wrestling, respectively.
On it's own, the Haniwa Pro-Wrestling line is a unique concept in the world of Japanese
collectibles. These 2 inch gashapon kits are an interesting tribute to the Wrestling legends
of the squared circle from the 1950's to the early 1980's. Talent who, for the most part, only
receive figures created in the form of sofubi/soft vinyl.
As interesting as these collectibles are, TAKARA never released a second wave of Haniwa
Pro-Wrestling figures; making the crossover concept of haniwa and Puroresu a relatively
short one.
On a positive note, collectors interested in adding these eccentric gashapons to their figure
collections can purchase the entire set: --------->HERE<------
