Mogura House Big Van Vader & 2 Cold Scorpio figure set review

"IT'S TIME, IT'S TIME....IT'S VA-DAH TIME!"

The Mogura-marathon continues with our next two-pack set released by
Japanese toy maker Mogura House. For blog #113, you'll know exactly

what time it is with Mogura House's Big Van Vader & 2 Cold Scorpio
(Vader Hammer ver.) figure set review.

                       

This particular set pays homage to Pro-Wrestling NOAH's very first GHC
Tag Team Heavyweight Champions Big Van Vader and 2 Cold Scorpio,

who obtained the Heavyweight Tag belts on October 19th, 2001 in 

Yokohama Japan.

The back of the packaging contains graphics of Vader and Scorpio with 

individual stats for each Wrestler.


Let's take a look at an opened version.

The Big Van Vader figure (which is the bulkiest of the Mogura House NOAH
line) features Vader with a closed fist; recreating Vader's signature "Vader
Hammers" attack.

Unfortunately, a common issue with the Mogura House Big Van Vader figuresi
s the "VADER TIME" decal written on Vader's top (which was originally
gold coloured) has faded from over the years.

Only on very close inspection can collectors still make out the VADER TIME
decal.

                          

This variant of 2 cold Scorpio is featured with Scorio's blue and black tights.

 I've always liked Scorpio's multi-coloured ponytail.

In total, there are four different variants of this figure set to collect:

1) Vader (Vader Hammer pose) & Scorpio (black pants)
2) Vader (Belt holding pose with GHC Tag belt) & Scorpio (black pants with GHC Tag belt)
3) Vader (Vader Hammer pose) & Scorpio (purple pants)
4) Vader (belt holding pose with GHC Tag belt) & Scorpio (purple pants with GHC Tag belt).

Here's an example of Mogura House's Big Van Vader figure (belt holding pose)
with a discoloured GHC Belt.

Instead of just adding a few extra pegs of articulation for Vader's right arm
(to alternate between a closed and opened hand or the angle of Vader's
forearm), Mogura House decided to just create two different figure
molds.

A bit overkill? Yes. But, that's just how popular Big Van Vader was in Japan.

Mogura House Big Van Vader (1 of 500) GHC Tag Team Championship figure review

One of the most popular and rarest figures from the Mogura House line is
of none other than the Mastodon himself: the late Big Van Vader.

Continuing to expand upon the largest source of Japanese Pro-Wrestling

figure and collectibles information on the web, blog #99 is all about the
limited edition Mogura House Big Van Vader single-packed GHC
Championship belt figure.

                                     

The packaging of the single-packed Big Van Vader figure features it's own

unique packaging art with a close-up of Vader.

The back of the packaging lists Vader's stats, a brief bio from Vader's
debut to NOAH era and includes a graphic of Vader with Pro-Wrestling
NOAH's GHC Tag Team Heavyweight Championship belt.

Big Van Vader is one of only three foreign Wrestlers to be included in
Mogura House's Pro-Wrestling NOAH line.

Vader's right arm is sculpted in a belt holding pose.

What truly makes this figure variant truly collectible is the updated Vader

head sculpt which features the legend with his classic ring mask!

This particular variant also contains a new (and truly intense) face sculpt
of Vader with mouth open and a wide-eyed stare.

You can almost hear Vader shout the iconic question "WHAT TIME?
IT'S TIME, IT'S VA-DAH TIME!"

                                     

The included GHC Tag Team Championship is also the special, slung-over
shoulder variant which rests on the Vader figure's right shoulder.

To keep the GHC Tag belt in place, the GHC Tag belt even includes a small
peg which fits into a hole in the Vader figure's right palm

Like most Mogura House exclusives, the Big Van Vader single-packed GHC
Tag Team Championship figure with ring mask is a limited edition of only
500 figures in existence; making this variant one of the rarest Big Van
Vader figures ever created!

Collectors should also keep a close eye out for the 1 of 1000 variant that
features a very special mold of Big Van Vader with two arms at his sides
that is NOT featured in any other Vader figure from Mogura House!

Pro-Kaku Heroes Strap Figures Review

In the mid 2000's, Character Product would release special versions of
select figures from their Pro-Kaku Heroes Mini Big Head figures line.

Marketed as "Figure Straps", these figures were meant to be attached
to cell phones for the mobile minded Puro fan.

While we have already covered the special Antonio Inoki Jungle Fight
figure strap (you can read the write up HERE), today we'll be focusing
on three additional figures:

The first figure is of Joshi legend Akira Hokuto.

The packaging consists of the "Kensuke Office" promotion logo in the top
left along "Devil Woman" (鬼妻) in Japanese Kanji along with the word
"strap" at the bottom.

                       
Strangely, there is no mention of Character Product anywhere on the
packaging. The Akira Hokuto Strap is an update of the Pro-Kaku
Heroes Vol. 4. Akira Hokuto Mini Big Head.

The repainted strap version features a lighter skin tone, purple
lip paint, black kendo stick and ""Devil Woman" (鬼妻) written
across Hokuto's shirt.

Both designs are based on Character Product's full sized Kensuke
Sasaki and wife/manager Akira Hokuto two figure set.

Also under the Kensuke Office banner is none other than Kensuke
Sasaki as his Road Warriors inspired alter ego "Power Warrior"!

The yellow font on the packaging reads "Power-. Warrior".


                          

           

The front and back of Power Warrior's packaging. Character Product is listed as the
manufacturer; while the material of the strap is listed as PVC.

                        
The Power Warrior strap is a repaint of the Vol. 4. Kensuke
Sasaki Mini Big Head.

In the mid 2000's, Kensuke Sasaki would resurrect his Power
Warrior gimmick when teaming with Road Warrior Animal.
The duo was billed as the "Hell Warriors".

From the grey and green streaks in Warrior's hair to his intricate

warpaint and tights decals, the Power Warrior strap figure contains
an impressive amount of detail!

                         

Just in case you were wondering, yes, the figure straps' heads are
also removable. It's just a shame that the Power Warrior figure is
incredibly difficult to stand on it's own without a display base.

The last of today's figure straps is the Mastodon himself: Big Van
Vader!

The packaging for the Vader strap reads:
 
"20th Anniversary Coming to Japan
Cell Phone Strap
Emperor Warrior Vader"

The Vader figure strap variant is a repaint of the Vol. 9. Big Van
 Vader Mini Big Head.

The strap variant's colouring is based on Vader's early 2000's

Pro-Wrestling NOAH attire.

Like the Inoki Jungle Fight strap, the Vader strap also includes a leather
attachment with Vader's iconic catchphrase "IT'S VADER TIME"!


Closing thoughts:

When I first discovered pictures of the figure straps online, I thought
the straps were unofficial, fan-created customs. It turns out, however,
that Character Product licensed quite a few figure strap repaints that
were sold through New Japan's Toukon Shop.

The best part is, Toukon Shop is still releasing Mini Big Head style
figure straps to this day - with current stars such as Hirooki Goto,
Hiroshi Tanahashi and Yuji Nagata (to name a few)!

Just how many straps exist at the moment is anyone's guess.
To be continued...