16d Collection Terry Funk figure review

 
Outside of the realms of WWE merchandising, Terry Funk has been included in numerous
figure lines over the years. Most prominently, the lion's share of those depictions can be
found overseas exclusively in Japan.

From POPY's iconic Superstars figure line to Clockworks' Beyond The Mat movie exclusive,
BoFord's Martial Arts Box collection, and even Bandai's seemingly endless assortment of
keshigomu eraser figures, fans of the Texas Bronco have plenty of figures to choose from.

Today, we'll be taking a look at the newest Terry Funk depiction from Japan. Blog #262
laces up against the 16d Collection Terry Funk sofubi figure.

Legendary rivals reunite in the 16d line.

While most of the Terry's figures veer towards the tail-end on the Dirty Funker's career as a
hardcore legend, this particular figure is based on Terry's late 1970's - early 1980's run in All
Japan Pro-Wrestling.

At the time, Terry and his brother Dory Funk Jr. were considered two of the promotion's top
foreign babyfaces.

Terry's name is written on the front of his jacket. Though, if collectors want to appreciate the
writing clearly, they'll have to rotate Terry's arms. Like the 16d Giant Baba figures, I found
moving Terry's arms to be very quite tedious at first. Though, with a little persistence, it is
possible.

Another thing I discovered that the GoodSmile shop doesn't tell you is that Terry's wrists are
also articulated; both being able to rotate a full 360 degrees.

In terms of articulation, Terry features movable arms, wrists, neck and waist.

'Texas Broncos' is written on the back of Terry's entrance jacket.

In the world of Puroresu, The Funks' bomber jackets from this era are considered holy grails
among collectors. Often times selling for thousands of dollars to diehard fans.

The Great Kabuki himself was gifted one of these jackets by Dory Funk Jr. himself, along with
one of Stan Hansen's iconic cowboy hats. Two treasures the legend displays in his BIG DADDY restaurant in Japan.





Like most 16d figures, the sole of Terry's boots contains a copyright from the Wrestler himself.
In Funk's case, the license is a posthumous one; being the first figure released after Terry's
passing.

The side of the packaging reveals Terry's profile:

D.O.B.: July 30th, 1944
Birthplace: America, Indiana
Debut: December 9th, 1965
Height/Weight: 188cm (6'2), 118kg (260lbs)
Signature moves: Spinning Toe Hold, Rolling Cradle, Texas Clover Hold
(Texas Cloverleaf).


Closing thoughts:

After years of waiting, it's nice to see Terry finally added to the 16d line. Like a majority
of HAO's craftmanship, I feel the 16d figure depiction is one of the most realistic representations
of Terry to date. Terry's resemblance is spot-on in soft vinyl form.

Here's hoping we'll get Dory Funk Jr. (who just earned the distinction of being the oldest Wrestler
to Wrestle at the age of 83) along with other gaijin legends added to the 16d line in the future.

Martial Arts Pro-Wrestling Collection figure review

Following the success of the popular All Japan Wrestler collection prize series
in 2004 (which was inserted into canisters of Georgia Brand coffee for a limited
time), Japanese toymaker BOFORD decided to release a follow up series, this
time, however, made for retail.

                                                     

For blog #128, we'll be looking at BOFORD's Martial Arts Pro-Wrestling
Figure Collection.

Each figure set came packaged in blind box fashion. You didn't know which
figure set you got until you opened a box!

In total, there are 9 sets to collect plus one "secret" set.

Like other minifigure assortments during the era, there was also a "Closed Box"
(hobby box) assortment available that contained multiple, randomly selected blind
boxes - for stores and completionists in mind.

                               

Collection 1 features Dory Funk Jr. applying his finishing move the "Spinning
Toe Hold" on the villainous Tiger Jeet Singh.

Dory's "never quit" mentality is present as he applies the submission hold on
Tiger.

Tiger doesn't look too happy with his current predicament!

Each of the 10 figure sets are organized by "Collection". Collection 1 reads
"SPINNING TOE HOLD
______________________
Dory Funk Jr.
  VS Tiger Jeet Singh"

                          

Each figure set is removable from the included ring base. Collection 1, in particular,
features a peg on Tiger's back.

BOFORD made good use of their licensing agreements with each Wrestler
by including alternate variants with even more signature attacks!

Now it's Tiger's turn to slash Dory with Tiger's sabre sword (which Tiger would
famously enter the ring with - cutting the air as he walked through the crowd)!

With one eye closed and arms raised, Dory is trying his best to defend himself.

Collection 2 reads:

"SABRE ATTACK
_________________
Tiger Jeet Singh VS Dory Funk Jr.

Collection 3 includes the second half of the legendary Funks tag team Terry
Funk vs fellow hardcore legend "The Phantom of Arabia" The Sheik Ed Farhat!

                              

Complete with era-accurate red headband, Terry is sculpted performing his
signature "Texas Jabs" attack.

                            

The Sheik does a great job of selling Terry's punch!

There's definitely a charm to the Martial Arts Collection and it's assortment
of Chibi-fied legends.

Collection 3 reads:

"TEXAS JAB
_____________________
Terry Funk VS The Sheik"

                                                                     


                                       

The tables have turned with Collection 4 where The Sheik attempts to injure
Terry Funk with The Sheik's patented fireball!

Collection 4 reads:

"FIRE ATTACK
______________
The Sheik VS Terry Funk"


                                

This time, Terry's on the receiving end of some heel punishment.

Notice how BOFORD switched up the raised arm and closed eye for
Terry's mold (in comparison to Dory Funk Jr. in Collection 2)?

                               

Along with his fireball, The Sheik also comes holding a weapon in his left hand.
In this case, a pencil - which the Sheik would famously stab into many a foe!

                           

Collection 5 kicks off (no, literally) with "The Mystery of the Orient" The
Great Kabuki vs fellow All Japan veteran "The Demon of the Mic" Rusher
Kimura!

Rusher is on the receiving end of Kabuki's patented "Thrust Kick" (also known as
the "Super Kick").

Before Rusher was made famous for his off-the-wall and hilarious mic skills,
Rusher was considered a hardcore innovator (even being referred to as "the
demon of the steel cage").

The Rusher figure's scarred forehead is a testament to Rusher's hardcore years.

Collection 5 reads:

"THRUST KICK
______________
The Great Kabuki
VS Rusher Kimura".

                          

Collection 6 switches things up once again with Rusher Kimura taking the
house mic for some trash talk!

Collection 6 reads:

"MIC APPEAL
_____________
Rusher Kimura
VS The Great Kabuki"

                           

The Great Kabuki comes dressed in his armored shinobi-inspired Ninja hood
and robe complete with nunchuks!

                           

Both Rusher Kimura and The Great Kabuki are exclusive to the Martial Arts
Collection.

Along with each figure, the included turnbuckles are also removable from the

ring base.

                            

Collection 7 contains another exclusive figure not available in BOFORD's All
Japan coffee prize series: "Mr. Puroresu" Genichiro Tenryu!

                               

For Collection 7 Genichiro Tenryu is applying his Powerbomb finisher to
fellow All Japan rival Jumbo Tsuruta.

Collection 7 reads:

"POWERBOMB
______________________________
Genichiro Tenryu VS Jumbo Tsuruta"
                                  

Collection 8 depicts Jumbo Tsuruta applying his Backdrop finisher to
Genichiro Tenryu.

Since the early 1980's, both Tenryu and Tsuruta would have quite a history in
All Japan Pro-Wrestling. As tag team champions and frequent rivals. The Martial
Arts Collection pays tribute to both legends and their historic feuds.

Thanks to the peg in Tsuruta's boot, both Tsuruta and Tenryu can lean back
into a proper Backdrop pose!

Collection 8 reads:

"BACKDROP
____________
Jumbo Tsuruta VS Genichiro Tenryu"

Quite possibly the most popular collection from the set is Collection 9 which
features yet another hardcore legend - Abdullah The Butcher vs Terry Funk.

                         

Abdullah is sculpted holding Terry in a headlock while being repeatedly
stabbed by Abdullah's fork!

You can even see the blood trail down underneath Terry's headband!

Personally, I would have removed Terry's headband for this figure set;
just because the blood blends in too much colour-wise with it.

Collection 9 reads:

"FORK ATTACK"
_______________
Abdullah The Butcher
VS Terry Funk".

The final and "secret" collection of the set is Collection 10 which features Terry
Funk (who makes his fourth appearance - the most in the set) applying another
Spinning Toe Hold on Abdullah The Butcher!

The secret collection 10 set includes special gold ring ropes and a gold frame
around the ring.

Collection 10 is another reference to a famous (and incredibly successful) feud
which took place in All Japan Pro-Wrestling during the 1970's: The Funks vs
Abdullah The Butcher and The Sheik.

The Funks (who are considered one of Japan's most famous gaijin babyfaces -
and also one of the first gaijins to get over in Japan. in general) would shed
blood at the hands of The Sheik and Abdullah's heel tactics.

While bloody brawls have existed in Japan (Rikidozan vs "Classy" Freddie
Blassie comes to mind) years before hand, it was the Funks vs The Sheik
and Abdullah feud which is considered the prominent hardcore match in
Japan; helping to reshape Terry's image as a Hardcore legend years later.

Collection 10 reads:

"SPINNING TOE HOLD
____________________
Terry Funk
VS Abdullah The Butcher".

You can even stack ring sets from the Martial Arts Collection on top of each other!

Pro-Kaku Heroes - Vol. 7. review

The Vol. 7. 15 figure Hobby Box

                           

August 8th, 2006 saw the release of Pro-Kaku Heroes Mini Big Heads Vol. 7.

Based on the success of Vol. 5's "Legend Fighter" theme from 2005, Vol. 7.
was officially  marketed as "Legend Fighter Part II" which, once again,
featured some of the biggest Pro-Wrestling stars of the golden age of
Japanese Puroresu from the 1970's to early 1990's.

                                         The Vol. 7. individual blind box packaging.

Like other recent Volumes, Vol. 7. consisted of 18 regular figures
to collect plus, for the first time ever, 3 "secret" figures.

The Vol. 7. lineup is:

                            

Japanese Lucha Pioneer Gran Hamada, Seiji Sakaguchi [B] (ring attire)
and Kengo Kimura.

This would be Seiji Sakaguchi's second Mini Big Head since Vol. 1.
from 2004 and was inspired by Sakaguchi's successful tag team
partnership with Antonio Inoki back in the 1970's.

                         
Famous NJPW Dojo trainer Kotetsu Yamamoto (with Kendo training stick),
Jumbo Tsuruta [B] (in ring attire with "Jumping High Knee" pose) and
Genichiro Tenryu [B] (in ring attire with "Knife Edge Chop" pose).

This would be Tsuruta and Tenryu's second figures since Vol. 5.'s Legend
Fighter 1 back in 2005.

The inclusion of Tenryu and Tsuruta are based off of their lengthy
feud in All Japan Pro-Wrestling into the early 1990's.

Next up is the Original Sheik Ed Farhat (complete with dagger and
entrance attire), Umanosuke Ueda (with Kendo Stick) and Japanese
masked man The Cobra (George Takano).

                             
Ueda features a gold foil paint design for his slicked back hair while
the varied colors and pattern of The Cobra's ring mask are quite eye
catching.


Collectors should note that these are the only figures made of these
legends by Character Product.

The next pairing of Mini Big Heads were inspired by an early New Japan

Pro-Wrestling feud between the original Tiger Mask (Satoru Sayama) and
Kuniaki Kobayashi (left).

During the build up to the duo's feud, Kobayashi started referring to
himself as the "Tiger Hunter" with an intent to defeat Tiger Mask at
any cost.

Then, on November 4th, 1982, during a taped New Japan event,
Kobayashi (much to the shock of the audience) attempted to rip
Tiger's ring mask off mid-fight!

This heel tactic led to Tiger Mask becoming infuriated as he began
to lash out violently against Kobayashi; turning the match into a
ringside brawl as NJPW staff pooled into the ring to stop the match.

Vol. 7. pays homage to this New Japan classic with the Tiger Mask [E]

and Kuniaki Kobayashi Mini Big Heads, the later of which features a
piece of Tiger's Mask clutched in his hand!

There is no shortage of legendary Gaijin talent in Vol. 7. with "The

Texas Bronco" Terry Funk,  charismatic champion Nick Bockwinkle
and "Captain Redneck" himself: Dick Murdoch!

The Terry Funk Mini Big Head (which used the same mold as his full

-sized Character Product Legends figure) is based on Terry's pre-
hardcore look as a popular babyface.

Nick Bockwinkle's Mini Big Head (another legend that never received a
full-sized Charapro figure) is one of the few Mini Big Heads to feature
a mini Championship belt - in this case, the classic AWA Heavyweight
belt.

Like the Umanosuke Ueda Mini Big Head, Nick Bockwinkle features

shiny, gold-foil paint design as his hair color that helps Nick's Mini Big
Head stand out quite easily.

Easily the two most popular inclusions in Vol. 7. are the legendary

tag team of Bruiser Brody [B] and Stan Hansen [B]. 

This time around, Bruiser Brody is featured in his ring attire with

his wild, curly hair untied and sculpted in an exclusive pose based
on Brody's patented "King Kong Knee Drop" move.

Stan Hansen's Mini Big Head (also featured in ring attire) includes
Hansen's iconic "The Western Lariat" finisher.

Again, both the Bruiser Brody and Stan Hansen Mini Big Heads are
based on two, full-sized figures released by Character Product as part
of their famous legends line.

                       

Continuing Vol. 7's inclusion of throwback designs, next up is Keiji
Mutoh [C] and Masahiro Chono [C].


                     

Both designs are based on the duo's late 1980's, very early 1990's
attires.Specifically, before Masahiro Chono reinvented himself as
a heel character and Keiji Mutoh as his pre-NWO Japan/Natural
Born Master looks.

Masahiro Chono's Mini Big Head includes Chono's famous "Kenka

Kick" attack and is the only Chono Mini Big Head to release Chono
without his iconic sunglasses.

When paired with Vol. 4.'s Shinya Hashimoto [A] the Pro-Kaku
Heroes line once again recreates the famous Toukon Sanjushi trio
for the second and last time.

The Superkick pose was a very popular sculpt!

For the first time ever, Vol. 7. breaks the unspoken rule of the Pro-
Kaku Heroes line by including three "secret" (two more than usual)
figures:

Based on the original (not to be confused with the WWF's short-lived

American adaptation) Japanese "The Machines" stable:

Super Strong Machine (Junji Hirata)  --- Silver

Strong Machine #3 (Yasu Fuji)   --- Black
& Strong Machine #2 --- Red  (Yang Seung-hi - also known as Riki Bassan)

                      

Old school Wrestling fans  may also recognize the trio from their
unofficial inclusion in the very early Wrasslin' title: Tag Team Pro-
Wrestling as part of the "Ricky Fighters". 

Random trivia: to avoid lawsuits, the in-game heel duo of El Canek
and Road Warrior Animal are known as the"Strongbads", an obvious
reference to the Strong Machines.

And let's not forget the final boss of World Championship Wrestling
"WCW Master" ( a nod to Andre The Giant's portrayal of "Giant
Machine")!

All three secret variants contain their own minor differences. Super
Strong Machine is the only variant that includes a Leotard, Strong
Machine #3 stands out wearing ring tights and different layers of black
coloring in his ring mask while Strong Machine #2 is the only variant in
a red singlet with gold accents on the mouth portion of his ring mask.

The Strong Machines would be the first secret Mini Big Head figures
NOT to be sculpted in suits, dress attire or based on promotion
Presidents.

Closing thoughts:
From a collection standpoint, Vol. 7. picks up exactly where the
previous wave of Legend Fighters left off. With more familiar
faces and a total of three secret figures to find, Vol. 7. delivers
with a high level of collectability.

It's worth noting that many of the legends featured in Vol. 7.
were never made into full-sized action figures by Character
Product!

If Character Product ever decides to officially resurrect the blind
box minifigure portion of their Pro-Kaku Heroes series, my
personal wishlist for a "Legend Fighter Part III" would be:

Tune in next time for a very special collection of repaint exclusives!