Tiger Driver Collectibles' Japanese figure thread

[tigerdrivercollect]

The Japanese figure arrivals continue this week with NWO Hollywood Hogan and The Rock (painting error edition).



Strangely, my Rock figure came with an unpainted right nipple, and some minor wear on the front of Rock's right boot. This was perplexing
as I ordered a brand new, unopened figure from GoodSmile shop.

Despite seeing some of my friends' 16d Rock figures, I quickly deduced that my example was a rare painting error.



Luckily, (and after mixing some blue and red paint together), I was able to paint in Rock's missing nipple. Easily one of the strangest figure restorations
I've ever done.

I also touched up the wear on Rock's boot with baking soda (good for removing scuffs and paint chips), then added in black paint.

[tigerdrivercollect]

More 16d Collection figures have arrived from Japan!

My newest additions are Yoshihiro Takayama and Asuka (Empress Mask ver.):



There are in fact two versions of Yoshihiro Takayama available. The rarer version is a Takayamania exclusive, which includes a special Takayamania sticker on the front of
the packaging along with a "NO FEAR" logo on Takayama's shirt.

Admittedly, I hesitated getting the standard Empress version of Asuka, since versions feature the same exact paint job on the Asuka figure herself. With all of the colourful
attires Asuka has worn over the years, a simple costume repaint wouldn't have been too far of a stretch. Though, as an avid collector of the line (and a fan of Asuka's in
general) I decided to complete the set.

Even after acquiring 24 figures in the 16d Collection, the Asuka variants remain one of my favourite depictions. Hopefully, the WWE contracts HAO to sculpt Asuka in her
newest attire (with the creepy blue and white facepaint) next.

[tigerdrivercollect]

Today, I'm going to share an ultra-obscure Japanese Pro-Wrestling figure set with everyone. A set I might add ...that may qualify as one of
the strangest pieces of Wrestling memorabilia available.

Haniwa Pro-Wrestling
(Known in Japan as はにわプロレス)
Year: 2016
Released by: TAKARA TOMY/Panda's Ana

The slogan "waretara makedayo" roughly translates to "if you crack it, you lose".

Haniwa Pro-Wrestling is a five figure Wrestling select released by TAKARA TOMY exclusively in Japan. In Japanese culture, "haniwa" are
clay terracotta figures which date back thousands of years. Traditionally, haniwa were used in funeral rituals; often being buried with
the dead.

Yes ...you read that correctly. Clay figures buried with dead people. A surefire candidate for one of the weirdest pieces of Wrestling
merchandise, no?

Though, on a softer note, haniwa figures are also used in Japan as protection charms.



The Wrestlers are (left to right):

Taihar Nitto Wan - 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.

Wanimaru Haniguchi - Sounds like Animal Hamaguchi. Wanimaru's mask seems to resemble Tiger Mask's Red Devil.

Honeydozan - The mask design and pose is obviously based on Mil Mascaras. Though, this Wrestler's name is clearly inspired by Rikidozan.

Hanito Muwa - 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 Octopus Stretch.

Hambo Wanita - Another Tiger Mask character knockoff. There's even a small bird resting on Wanita's left shoulder.



Originally, the Haniwa Wrestling figures were available in gashapon machines retailing for 200 yen (about $2 USD). If you also think Haniwa
Pro-Wrestling is a set to die for, you can find the complete set online now for about $25.

[Ruby Fusion]

Haniwa Pro-Wrestling: definitely one of the weirdest wrestling items from Japan!

I like obscure stuff, but I'd be afraid they'd arrive broken...

[tigerdrivercollect]

If you guys love weird, totally-obscure 1980's Wrestling figure sets from Japan, look no further than:

ROBODATCHI - CHAMPION SERIES playsets





As I've mentioned before, one of the great aspects of getting into Japanese Pro-Wrestling figures is the the discovery of obscure and
exciting product lines from decades past. Hidden gems that collectors may have overlooked for one reason or another, series' produced
in minuscule numbers, or releases from toy manufacturers who folded just as quickly as they started.

"What is a Robodatchi?"

Known in Japan as "ロボダッチ" (Robodachi), Robodachi started out as a character design created by Manga Artist Satoru Ozawa back in
1975. That same year, Japanese toymaker IMAI released the first-ever Robodachi figure; which became a hit overnight.

The name Robodachi literally translates to "robot friend".

The original Robodachi character Tamagoro.

As Robodachi's success continued to climb, IMAI began to release more complex figures involving playsets, dioramas,
diecast figures and additional characters adopted into themes such as pirates, sumo wrestlers, sports teams, sea
exploration and even Pro-Wrestling.

A 1999 advertisement for the diecast Tamagoro Robodachi figure.

Among other themes, IMAI released a number of Pro-Wrestling themed Robodachi sets
in the 1980's:

#1 Red ring playset (ロボダッチ赤いリング)

At first glance, I thought the packaging was the box art of an obscure Famicom Wrestling title from the 1980's. The
packaging reads "Robodachi Red Ring" and "Bad Guy Army vs Tamatama Army" (Tama being short for Robodachi's
Tamagoro character).



The red ring fully assembled. The left side reads "Robodachi World Pro-Wrestling RWGP". The RWGP (a nod to New Japan
Pro-Wrestling's IWGP tournament) most-likely stands for Robodachi World Grand Prix.

The right side of the ring reads "Tamatama Army VS Bad Guy Army".

As invasion angles were extremely popular in Japan during the 1980's (Riki Choshu "invading"
AJPW, Rusher Kimura, Animal Hamaguchi and Isamu Teranishi "invading" NJPW, etc), the
faction/army trend carries over into Robodachi format.



The red ring features a design of Robodachi's Tamagoro. The eagle on Tamagoro's head makes me think of Antonio Inoki's NWF Heavyweight
Championship belt (which also has an eagle design).

The two circles in the bottom left and top right corners serve as spring-loaded platforms that can send the Robodachi figures flying.



As you may have guessed, some of the figures featured in Robodachi's Wrestling series are based on real-life Pro-Wrestlers. The
figures are:

Texas Robo (Stan Hansen)

Debutcher (Abdullah The Butcher)

A generic "Wrestling Demon" that has a light-up mouth!

Riki Robo (Riki Choshu)

Miracle X

Giant Robo (Giant Baba)

Mr. Chun


#2 Blue Ring playset (ロボダッチ青いリング)

Same mat design as the red ring set. Just coloured blue.

The figures this time around are:

Monster Robo (a nod to Andre The Giant's Monster Roussimoff gimmick in Japan)

Antonio Inochi (Antonio Inoki)

The generic Wrestling Demon (the box depicts him as a cameraman).

Ichiban Robo (Ichiban being the catchphrase and symbol Hulk Hogan would adopt during
the early portion of his career in Japan)

Referee Robo

Great Z.

and King Tamagoro (who includes a Championship belt around his waist) along with a

silver ring bell.

#3 Pro-Wrestling Island playset (ロボダッチ プロレス島)



The packaging for the Pro-Wrestling Island set.

This is where the Robodachi sets really start to stand head and shoulders apart of other

Pro-Wrestling playsets released in Japan.

While Robodachi also has a Treasure Island playset for their non-Wrestling figures, the concept behind the Pro-Wrestling
equivalent may have been inspired by Antonio Inoki's 1987 Island Deathmatch against Masa Saito.

You'd be forgiven if you thought this killer playset looked just like a grail out of the LEGO catalog.

The banner on the bottom left corner reads "プロレス島" (Pro-Wrestling Island); which is also the name of this particular playset.
The left side of the ring reads "Robodachi Champion Series" (which may be a reference to All Japan Pro-Wrestling's Excite Series
tournaments).

The second banner on the right reads "実力" (rough translation "Real Power No. 1." - could be a reference to Robo Riki).



The mat of the Pro-Wrestling Island playset. This particular example was coloured in.



A look at the stickers for the Pro-Wrestling Island playset.



#4 Kinniku Land Playset (ロボダッチ キン肉ランド)




The fourth variant takes place on a volcano playset. On this particular packaging, Riki Robo looks more like "the father of
Puroresu" Rikidozan (complete with PWF belt) than Riki Choshu.

The text "APO!!" is actually onomatopoeia. In this case, the impact sound from Giant Baba's
dropkick.

The word "Apooooh" also appears as the name of a 1984 Japanese Pro-Wrestling Arcade game
that features a large majority of the Pro-Wrestlers featured in this set.




IMAI was also known for also producing less-expensive figure sets for different consumer budgets. The Kinniku Land Playset (being
smaller in scale in comparison to other Robodachi sets) is a prime example.

Admittedly, this was the first Robodachi playset that I came across, and because of the Kinniku playset name (which translates to
"Muscle Land"), I originally thought the Robodachi figures were a spinoff of the M.U.S.C.L.E./Kinnikuman series (sadly, not the case).



Kinniku Land's playset.


#5 Pro-Wrestling Set (ロボダッチプロレスセット)



The packaging of Robodachi's "Pro-Wrestling Set".



Another one of the less-expensive sets. This set includes what looks like a cardboard ring outline. All of the figures (minus the light up cameraman and ring bell)
seem to be here; ideal for collectors who are just after the Wrestlers themselves.



In case you were wondering, each Robodachi figure requires assembly and painting.



Unpainted examples of the Robodachi figures.



A painting guide for the Robodachi figures. Depending on what set you purchased, your Andre The Giant figure may
have instructions to be painted with a darker skin tone; or your Abdullah The Butcher with a yellow skin tone and a
blue top!


Closing thoughts:

The Robodachi Pro-Wrestling line mixed Japan's love of Pro-Wrestling with model kit making and a healthy
dose of robotics for good measure.

In total, there are five Robodachi Pro-Wrestling playsets to choose from. My personal favourite is the Pro
-Wrestling Island playset. Great detail, excellent size, tons of accessories ...and it comes with a Wrestling
ring from the red and blue playsets.

Your best chance of tracking any of these sets down is to the use the Japanese keywords "ロボダッチ プロレス"
(Robodachi Pro-Wrestling) on sites like Mercari, Yahoo Auction Japan or Mandarake. But, good luck finding the
Pro-Wrestling Robodachi figures due to their rarity.

Special thanks to Robodachi Institute (ameblo.jp/smynnn/entry-12625444766.html?frm=
theme) and all of the other Robodachi collectors for the excellent photos and information on
these sets.

[EricG]

Loved reading this, thanks for posting! Always nice to learn about something I never knew existed.

[tigerdrivercollect]

Did you know All Japan Pro-Wrestling was the first modern Japanese Wrestling promotion to release figures?




Released in the 1970's by a company called GREAT. Jumbo Tsuruta (left) and Giant Baba (right) were featured as bendable figures.
Think of them as the precursor to WWF's Bendies.



At the time, Jumbo Tsuruta was the young ace of All Japan Pro-Wrestling. A talented Wrestler poised to be the central attraction
of All Japan in the coming decade; so, it made sense that the two figures GREAT created were based on the duo.


As to my knowledge, GREAT never added any other AJPW Wrestles to their bendable line. Wrestlers like Abdullah The Butcher
or Mil Mascaras would have been interesting additions, to say the least.



While I don't have an exact release date for the GREAT bendies, I did find a Deluxe Pro-Wrestling
magazine from 1979 that features Abdullah The Butcher having a Giant Baba bendie for dinner!

[Ruby Fusion]

Apr 7, 2023 11:53:11 GMT -5 tigerdrivercollect said:

Did you know All Japan Pro-Wrestling was the first modern Japanese Wrestling promotion to release figures?

Ok, you said "modern", but the first Japanese Wrestling promotion to release figures is JWA, figures by Bullmark in 1969 of: Antonio Inoki, Giant Baba, Michiaki Yoshimura, Seiji Sakaguchi and foreigner Killer X (Frank Townsend aka Mr. X).

[tigerdrivercollect]

Apr 7, 2023 16:37:01 GMT -5 Ruby Fusion said:

Apr 7, 2023 11:53:11 GMT -5 tigerdrivercollect said:

Did you know All Japan Pro-Wrestling was the first modern Japanese Wrestling promotion to release figures?

Ok, you said "modern", but the first Japanese Wrestling promotion to release figures is JWA, figures by Bullmark in 1969 of: Antonio Inoki, Giant Baba, Michiaki Yoshimura, Seiji Sakaguchi and foreigner Killer X (Frank Townsend aka Mr. X).

Which is why I said modern. Should have went with non-defunct Japanese Wrestling promotions to be a bit more specific.

Though, All Japan Pro-Wrestling would go on to have a number of other figure spinoffs with the decades to follow. Many of which, I'll be covering here.

[tigerdrivercollect]

Today's Puroresu figure coverage faces a very special rarity that pays tribute to the career of Japanese Wrestling
icon Antonio Inoki. A rarity that I currently have up for sale at the moment!

So, for the Wrestling collector in mind, here's an in-depth article I wrote in honour of the:

HAO Collection Antonio Inoki Retirement Commemorative statue



Unlike most HAO figures which come in see-through clamshell packaging, the Antonio Inoki Retirement
statue comes packaged in a black cardboard box, complete with a stylish photo of Inoki on the front.

The left corner of the packaging features Antonio Inoki's signature with the inscription "闘魂" (Fighting Spirit)
, along with Inoki's ring name "アントニオ猪木"" (Antonio Inoki). The bottom of the package reads "闘魂伝説"
(Fighting Spirit Legend) in red lettering.





There aren't too many Japanese Wrestling figures with window packaging that literally opens up!

The packaging opens from the front to reveal the Inoki statue. Inoki's "Fighting Spirit" signature (left)
is also accompanied by "燃える闘魂" on the right which reads "Burning Fighting Spirit" in Japanese.



The inside of the packaging contains a message from Antonio Inoki that includes a printed graphic
of a "Hanko" stamp with Inoki's namesake.

Next to the message is a picture of Inoki from his retirement match against Don Frye and a mini bio
which reads:

ANTONIO INOKI
KANJI INOKI (Inoki's birth name)
190cm/102kg
1943 2 20 (February 20th, 1943)
Yokohoma, Kanagawa Prefecture

The inside of the packaging also mentions Inoki's Championship victories from 1964 to 1987, as well as
the dates the championships were won and the opponents Inoki defeated.



Unlike the majority of HAO figures which are made of soft vinyl, the Fighting Spirit Inoki statue is made of Polystone.




The Inoki statue features Inoki ready to fight with a clenched fist.

Initially, HAO's first licensed figures began with developing prototypes back in 1998, which would lay

the foundations for MDK's K-1 Grand Prix polystone statues.

With the included bases, the K-1 sculpts served as the template for the Antonio Inoki retirement

statue in the years to follow.

Seconds before Inoki's last fight: you can just feel Inoki's fighting spirit with a look of determination presented here.




The bottom of the statue's base contains the HAO Collection logo and Inoki's Copyright.



From the base, the Inoki statue stands 16.5cm tall (about 6.5" inches) (half an inch higher than most figures
from the line).

Inoki's "fighting spirit" signature is actually etched into the included fight towel with gold stitching!
The text "A. Inoki" is also included directly below in white font.

Closing thoughts:

Over the years, there have been many Antonio Inoki figures released throughout Japan. Yet, few figures are
as captivating as this piece.

Like the legend himself, the HAO Collection retirement statue exudes charisma and confidence. A Wrestling
legend that was always ready for a fight. In terms of realism, Inoki's likeness is spot-on with an excellent

sculpt job.

It's worth noting that Antonio Inoki was the first and only Pro-Wrestler given the 6 inch polystone
treatment in the HAO Collection line; making this standalone rarity all the more unique.

For those interested, you can check out my listing for the Antonio Inoki retirement statue:

--------->HERE<-----------

Only one available - from my own personal collection!

[tigerdrivercollect]

One of the most expensive Japanese Wrestling figures currently available is the 16d Great Muta Memorial version (centre). What originally sold for
5,500 yen (about $40 USD) now sells on the secondary market for anywhere between $380 - $620 USD; easily making it the most expensive 16d
figure ever released.

Of course, being the 16d enthusiast here, I had to bite the bullet and buy one.



Limited to just one thousand pieces in Japan, this exclusive figure is a repaint of the Great Muta Red and white paint variants, that were released
back in 2021.

In the past, limited edition variants of HAO figures were limited to a smaller run of 500 pieces or less. Though, with Keiji Mutoh's star power
as a Wrestling legend, and with two retirement ceremonies (for both Mutoh and his alter-ego Great Muta) being held back to back, it's
understandable why a larger number of figures was made available.



One thing I really like about the 'limited edition' 16d figures is how the placement of the red and black colours have
been reversed. Though, what makes this figure variant special is that it's the only figure that promotes Great Muta's
retirement match.

The included photo of Muta isn't photoshopped. Originally, Muta wore the 'Bye Bye' makeup for Riki Choshu's initial
retirement card on August 31st, 1998. Muta painted his face out of respect for the Revolution Warrior.



As Keiji Mutoh was known to incorporate his old facepaint designs into his modern ring masks, I found it cool that
Mutoh decided to come full circle and resurrect the Bye Bye motif - this time coming full circle for his own retirement.

The Memorial Version Great Muta figure was never available in the GoodSmile shop. The figure was originally available
as a pre-sale item at the Yokohama arena on the day of Muta's retirement match. Keiji Mutoh's official MUTO OFFICE
merch page, Pro-Wrestling NOAH's goods shop, and 16d's website also sold the 16d Muta figure before promptly
selling out.

Personally, I would have preferred a figure based on Muta's actual look for his retirement match, but the time and
effort required to create these figures I'm sure wouldn't have been readily available for Muta's retirement event.

[tigerdrivercollect]

It's been a while since I updated this thread (or got around to finishing my last video ....still in the works). But, life and work happens.

Anyways, I just acquired more very rare figures from Japan:



The Antonio Inoki (bronze ver.) figure!

Some sources say this limited edition figure was only available through Japanese Convenience Store brand & Wrestling

affiliate LAWSON TICKET. Though, HMV in Japan also ran a special promotion, which included 1 of 5 acrylic keychains

along with the special Inoki figure.

Chosen at random, the keychains contain five of Inoki's famous catch phrases like "1.2.3. - DAaaa!" or "any time, any place, anywhere".



Since 16d has become renown for creating figures to honour retirements and special events in the Wrestling world, the bronze Inoki figure

was issued to commemorate the 50th anniversary of New Japan Pro-Wrestling, and more importantly, the Antonio Inoki Memorial

Fighting Spirit Forever!' event. Both of which took place during WRESTLE KINGDOM 17 at the Tokyo Dome on January 4th, 2023.



Other promotional items included souvenir event tickets and posters advertising the event.



The Inoki bronze figure includes the text "LIMITED EDITION" on the packaging, yet the colour scheme of the box isn't reversed
like the BYE BYE MUTA ver. - using the same layout as regular 16d figures.



The box includes product photography of the bronze version.




Antonio Inoki wasn't the only 16d figure to receive the bronze treatment. Before New Japan began celebrating their 50th anniversary, rival

company All Japan Pro-Wrestling also issued four bronze versions, too. The variants included Giant Baba, Jumbo Tsuruta, Stan Hansen

and Bruiser Brody.

Interestingly, Stan's bronze version was announced before the regular version was introduced to the public!



For the hardcore Puroresu collectors, the rarest of these promotional figures has to be the "Raffle Finish Prize Giant Baba Sofubi Gold Ver." figure.

On 16d's website (16d.jp), the company announced a special series of raffles, where entrants could win select All Japan 50th anniversary prizes.
The prizes included beer steins, key holders, and special 16d figure variants among other prizes.

In total, there were five different raffles, each requiring a $9 entrance fee to enter the draw. The Gold Baba version was the final raffle (which

is where the text 'finish raffle' on the figure's box comes from). Between the five raffles, there were 60 prizes given out in total.

In addition, 16d also had a Twitter sweepstakes, where entrants could send in pictures and retweet jyurokuhoui (16'd parent company)'s profile
for a chance to win all four AJPW bronze figures PLUS the gold Baba. The complete set was limited to just 10 winners.

Like the Jumbo Tsuruta 16d figure, the Giant Baba gold version also came packaged with AJPW's Triple Crown championship belts!

It's hard to say exactly how many Gold Baba versions exist. I know of at least 11 of them (between the two raffles) in existence. It's also the

only gold 16d/HAO figure ever, making it even more desirable to fans of the line.

[EricG]

Thanks. I starting seeing the bronze versions a few months ago while sorting through Mercari Japan and Yahoo Auctions Japan and couldn't really nail down the sources. Kudos to whoever won those gold Inoki figures!

[tigerdrivercollect]

Jun 12, 2023 12:18:34 GMT -5 EricG said:

Thanks. I starting seeing the bronze versions a few months ago while sorting through Mercari Japan and Yahoo Auctions Japan and couldn't really nail down the sources. Kudos to whoever won those gold Inoki figures!

Can't say I've ever seen a gold Inoki figure from the 16d line. Only Giant Baba so far. Though, I wouldn't hold it against 16d
with Inoki's star power.



On the subject, I just received my first bronze 16d figure, and have to say that the figure looks much better than I had expected.
They honestly look like mini soft vinyl trophies.

Having 'limited edition' written on the bronze's inoki's packaging is just the icing on the cake.


The last time I ever owned any bronze Wrestling figures were those released by Toukon Shop/Charapro/Mogura House from the late 90's
- early 2000's. Granted, classical bronze statues are synonymous for their black patinas, but these particular examples were just regular
figures simply painted black.

Not the most-desired figure variants.

At the moment, I'm waiting on the Gold Baba and rest of the bronze AJPW figures to arrive. It seems the most popular on
the secondary market are Stan Hansen and Bruiser Brody.

[tigerdrivercollect]

The 16d Collection Giant Baba bronze figure variant just arrived from Japan!

While the bronze colouring is cool, the packaging steals the show for me. The top-right of the packaging reads:
全日本プロレス50周年記念くじ (All Japan Pro-Wrestling 50th Anniversary Lottery)



The bottom of the packaging includes the text:

特賞1 ソフビフィギュア (ブロンズカラー特別仕様)
ジャイアント馬場

(Raffle Prize 1 soft vinyl figure (bronze colour special edition)
Giant Baba)



The gold and bronze versions use the 16d Giant Baba Crane Gown (pictured to the right) figure as a mould. Just look at Baba's rope belt.

[xwmikey]

I love that Bye-Bye Muta figure. I was in the third row for his match with Nakamura at NOAH on NYD, so I'm extremely tempted to try and chase one down, even though they're so expensive.

[tigerdrivercollect]

Jun 20, 2023 22:45:08 GMT -5 xwmikey said:

I love that Bye-Bye Muta figure. I was in the third row for his match with Nakamura at NOAH on NYD, so I'm extremely tempted to try and chase one down, even though they're so expensive.

Your best bet is Yahoo auctions. Even with a middleman service like Buyee, you'd essentially be paying hundreds less than the eBay going rate.

While 16d are known to create figures just in time for a Wrestler's retirement, I still hope 16d releases a version of Muta depicted from his last match.
Design-wise, it shouldn't be that hard to modify the Keiji Mutoh figure version.




Speaking of rare variants, I just wrote an extensive article on Grape Brain's new soft vinyl Muta x Norikun figures. You can read the article (and check out my
200+ other Japanese figure reviews) here:

tigerdrivercollectibles.blogspot.com

[xwmikey]

Jun 21, 2023 9:56:49 GMT -5 tigerdrivercollect said:

Jun 20, 2023 22:45:08 GMT -5 xwmikey said:

I love that Bye-Bye Muta figure. I was in the third row for his match with Nakamura at NOAH on NYD, so I'm extremely tempted to try and chase one down, even though they're so expensive.

Your best bet is Yahoo auctions. Even with a middleman service like Buyee, you'd essentially be paying hundreds less than the eBay going rate.]

Yeah, I’ve had a look there sporadically, but by the time I realised the asking prices were fair, they’d all been snapped up. Silly me.

[banditman]

Thank you, I had NO idea the poisonous fog Kabuki existed, it didn't even show up for sale on my usual import sites. Gonna cop one on goodsmile

[MKSavage]

Looks like Dynamite Kid is coming soon: