Wrestling MarketWatch: The Return To WCW

It’s hard to believe that WCW has been gone for over two decades. It’s even harder to believe that the company itself, as World Championship Wrestling, really only lasted a little over one decade. It produced enough memories, and memorabilia, to conjure up classic wrestling excitement to this day. The product had its ups and downs and everyone has their favorite era, but one thing is for sure: WCW was the ‘90s in a nutshell. Bright, neon and maybe some bad music in the first half of the decade. Dark, faux-edgy and worse music in the second half. It sounds like I’m putting it down, but I’m not. Nevertheless, it’s been nearly a decade itself since WCW was the topic of one of our MarketWatch posts. That means that it’s time to “Return To WCW!” As always the recent selling prices quoted are for unsigned examples.

*As big of a Hulk Hogan fan as I am (oh, you missed that?), I never truly warmed up to his WCW run. I mean, it’s ok, and the nWo turn was a shocker, but it just never felt the same as the WWF-Hulkamania glory years did. That doesn’t keep me from Hogan WCW merchandise, of course. In fact some of the early WCW-Hulkster items rival those from the decade prior with “those other guys.” Some say Hogan’s arrival took WCW marketing and merchandising to the next level, but you and I both know that’s not true. I think an argument could be made that the nWo concept shot it through the roof, but WCW merch was great from its inception. The Hogan “bow and arrow” pose foam hand recently sold for $57.

*Think you have all of the Starrcade programs? Think again! There were two editions of Starrcade in 1991 and the first was held on March 21st at the Tokyo Dome. In the United States the show was touted as “WCW/New Japan Supershow,” but on the soil on which it was held, this was Starrcade. An oversized program was sold for the show similar to many other Japanese wrestling programs of the time and some produced over the last twenty years or so here in the states. Think large, glossy, lots of pictures and some bios. All of the ’91 WCW names are inside as well as NJPW stars and some killer photos. WCW merchandise is sprinkled throughout, too! The program recently sold for $90.

*Another great WCW event was Fall Brawl, often featuring the beloved Dusty Rhodes creation of “War Games: The Match Beyond.” One of the final pay-per-view events of the 1990s was the 1999 edition of Fall Brawl held at the Lawrence Joel Center in Winston-Salem, NC. With Sting, Hogan, Diamond Dallas Page and Goldberg among the headliners of the show, the past decade of the company was certainly represented. It may not have been signed “Keep That Ass Warm” by DDP like my personal one is, but the promotional seat cushion from the event recently sold for $160.

*Along with The Hulkster came “The Mouth Of The South” Jimmy Hart to WCW. Initially aligned with the red and yellow hero, Hart went on to manage The Dungeon of Doom and even a reprisal of his “First Family” stable of many years prior. Managers weren’t quite the focal point that they once were by the time that Hart came to WCW, but The Mouth was still part of many storylines and feuds during his run. He also returned to the recording studio to create theme music just as he did in the WWF. Of course the world remembers Jimmy for his ubiquitous megaphone and his merchandise has always reflected that. The WCW souvenir version of his megaphone recently sold for $34.

*By now everyone knows that the classic Galoob WCW figure line went a tad longer in the United Kingdom than it did here in the states. Characters like The Fabulous Freebirds, Dustin Rhodes, Big Josh and El Gigante were added to the lineup while old favorites were reimagined with new colors. Sting and Lex Luger even received entirely new “entrance gear” sculpts. You may remember a near copy of this figure for The Stinger in the mid-1990’s line by The Original San Francisco Toymakers. The original was indeed produced by Galoob and is one of the most striking figures of the line. The Man Called Sting has recently been selling for an average of $45.

Well, that was quite an assortment of goodies from “Where The Big Boys Play!” Even still, like with most of the topics on MarketWatch, there are countless more great items out there. Say what you want about the WWF marketing machine, WCW knew how to do it pretty well, too.

JW’s Wrestling Memorabilia Vlog Vol. 2

You want more vlogs? You got em! This time the vlog is back with two vintage figure unboxing sessions!

Enjoy and, as always, thanks for watching!

The Year of The Liger

I remember the first time that I saw Jushin Thunder Liger. Like many of you, it was during his first WCW run circa 1992. What moves! What a cool outfit! And maybe the greatest wrestling mask of all-time? He was unlike any other wrestler from any country. Charisma without ever seeing a single facial expression nor hearing a promo. Liger was, and is, something special. Like a few other foreign stars, I always felt that he deserved a modern day action figure. The Japanese wrestling figures made by various companies nearly twenty years ago have appeared on this blog many times, but an update for Liger was long overdue. Here it is.

As most fans know, Jushin Liger retired this past January. After a long career covering multiple decades and wrestling in nearly every promotion in the world, Liger's retirement is well-deserved. I would've liked to have seen a surprise entry in the 2020 Royal Rumble, but it wasn't meant to be. What we did get is a WWE Hall of Fame induction and a brand new action figure. The figure is produced by Storm Collectibles, a company that makes action figures for many Japanese-born properties but came to the attention of wrestling fans just a few years ago with a Hulk Hogan line.

Liger comes packaged in a window box, clad in entrance gear, and with a plethora of hands to choose from. Hands for use with various poses are a common trend in action figures these days, most notably to the readers of this blog with Mattel's WWE figures. Like with those figures, it's my opinion that hands floating around detract from the carded/boxed aesthetic of collecting. Though with a figure this great looking, who's keeping it boxed? The die-cut aspects of the box are well done and the packaging itself definitely makes it look like more of a Japanese product than something released domestically. It's also always fun to see the perpetually cool New Japan Pro Wrestling logo on a package.

As for the figure itself, I don't know if it gets any better than this. The sculpt is perfect. While some will argue that it's easier to capture the look of a mask than a face as far as a facial sculpt goes, who cares? This one is dead-on from the horns to the mesh on the eyes to the classic flow of the hair. The design of the bodysuit flows from front to back and is painted in the most recognizable Liger colors, red and white with black and gold trim. As of the time that this is being written there are two other color variants being produced, but most fans will want this version. The entrance gear is fairly easy to remove and replace (you have to bend the "hair" out of the way, but nothing extreme) and the soft goods cape has some light wiring inside for posing purposes.

The biggest question since this release was announced is how well it matches up to figures from other producers, specifically in scale. The most obvious question is how it will look with the Mattel Flashback Brian Pillman, considering the two had some mind-blowing matches over the years. If you're planning on buying this figure, find yourself a Pillman. I'll let that and an accompanying photo tell the story. Some may be turned off by the high price point on this figure, but at least that's the retail price and it's easily available for purchase. The same cannot be said for figures from another manufacturers where collectors are paying similar prices for items that retail for less than half, but I'll leave that argument for another day.

If I had any critiques they would lie in two small areas. The upper torso is produced in a much thinner plastic than the rest of the figure. This is for easier, more realistic posing. I only bring this up as I could see wear occurring with the figure if it were put up to heavy play should it be given to a youngster. The other small negative is that the paint, aside from that on the head, isn't quite as crisp and shiny as on other figures. It isn't bad by any stretch, it just doesn't quite pop like you may expect.

Fellow Liger fans, our wishes have been granted. It fits in with virtually any other wrestling figure line of the past twenty years and also looks great on its own. We may not have gotten that aforementioned Rumble appearance, but this figure more than makes up for it. Collectors are clamoring for more wrestlers from Storm Collectibles and I must say that I'm fully on board. They aren't the cheapest, but I feel fully satisfied with what I paid in terms of both quality and the ability to easily obtain the figure. Collecting isn't a fun "hunt" for people with real lives. Simplify and show me the means of obtaining the item and my business you will have. Make it a super-high quality item and you've done one better. This ticks both boxes.

Well, I'll Be A Son Of A Tongan King

In the "new world" of wrestling, most chatter is still on WWE and its up and coming rival AEW. There's also my favorite of the bunch, NWA (usually called NWA Powerrr due to the title of their show) as well as holdovers from past decades like Impact, Ring of Honor, and Major League Wrestling. But one company that has a chance to be a major player in the future, and in many ways already is, has been around since 1972. That company? New Japan Pro Wrestling.

NJPW has made major strides in the United States market in the past several years with its program on AXS television as well as the enduring popularity of "strong style." How far this can go is set to be tested with New Japan opening offices here in America. It has also been announced that a line of New Japan action figures will debut in the U.S. next year. While we have seen the logo on figure releases here in the States and a full line in Japan, this is the first figure line of the company to be readily offered to U.S. collectors.

While Kazuchika Okada and Will Ospreay are among those announced for the first offering, one name notably missing who instantly translates into an action figure by appearance alone is Tama Tonga. Fear not fans of this founding member of The Bullet Club, Tonga actually already has two figures. Several years old already, Tonga debuted as part of Figures Toy Company's Rising Stars of Wrestling line which included several New Japan stars who struck their own figure deals with the company. There are both painted face and non-painted versions. Here we go with the much more exciting painted version.

Several years ago Figures Toy Company decided to re-enter the wrestling figure game with three separate lines: Ring of Honor, Legends of Professional Wrestling, and Rising Stars of Wrestling. While exciting names were announced, many making their figure debuts, it was soon discovered that quality control on these was less than stellar. Figures were arriving to consumers with loose or broken limbs and the quality seemed brittle as best. The Blue Meanie figure was reviewed on this very blog with somewhat of a bad taste in this author's mouth after the figure arrived with its head popped off in the packaging.

To their credit, Figures Toy Company responded to the concerns voiced both here and elsewhere on the Internet. They promised that the quality would rise with future shipments. While that did not help those of us who purchased the already-shipped items, it did improve the odds of the company getting another chance.

With Tama Tonga, I would have to say that the improvements are there with room for more. The loose limbs and popped heads aren't here, but this figure still does not feel as well made as the Jakks product on which the design is based, at least not the early Jakks figures which were fairly sturdy. The look of the figure, as with many of these Figures Toy Company figures, is superb. From the facial sculpt to the detail on the attire and vest, it is a great looking figure. These figures fit perfectly with the Jakks WWE "Ruthless Aggression" style figures, and Tonga looks great posed with figures of his father, King Haku.

The packaging on these is also unique with the resealable "clamshell" packages that Figures Toy Company also uses for their retro superhero and TV lines based upon the classic Mego figure molds of the 1970's. Drawings of the stars are used in lieu of photos, probably to avoid any copyright issues. I don't particularly care for the way many of these figures are twist-tied into the plastic trays within the bubble. It makes many of the figures look as if they're in some sort of bondage. That, coupled with the fact that heads and other parts have been found disassembled in the packaging, keeps me from getting any of these autographed. It should also be noted that despite Tonga being a major star for New Japan, the companies logo does not appear here as this is not an NJPW release.

It's hard to give a green light to actively pursue these figures due to the quality issues coupled with price point. It's difficult to find them under $30 per figure. On the other hand, the company is bringing us names like Meanie, Francine, Vince Russo, PCO, and others who've never had a figure and likely won't ever again. Will Tonga even appear in the upcoming New Japan line? Status unknown, but if you're concerned about owning him at all you may want to pick one of these offerings up while the price point is at the aforementioned $30. As unpredictable as wrestling is, the demand for its stars is as equally enigmatic.

The State of Wrestling Collecting Address--2015 Edition

After a solid month of nostalgia with the 25th anniversary of Hasbro WWF, February seems like a good time to look at the present and future.  The last time that I did a "State of Wrestling Collecting Address" was back in the summer of 2012.  WWE was focused solely on their upcoming 1,000th episode of Raw.  We had yet to hear the battle cry of "...for just $9.99" but trends and hashtags were already status quo.  Tout it out, anyone?  Regardless, 2015 has already opened with a lot of promise as far as the future of the business and, of course, its merchandising.

While any numbers have yet to surface, New Japan Pro Wrestling's WrestleKingdom 9 got quite a bit of buzz here in the United States.  That buzz was, in part, due to Jeff Jarrett's Global Force Wrestling presenting the show on American pay-per-view with Jim Ross and Matt Striker on commentary.  It seems that NJPW may finally gain a wide audience in the US with a new television show in the states as well.  I would love to see a WrestleKingdom 9 Blu-Ray release as well as a new line of NJPW figures.  I don't think that there has ever been a better time for the latter.

On the American front, Mattel's WWE line won't be the only new wrestling figures available in 2015.  Figures Toy Company has announced that their Ring of Honor figure line should debut this spring.  Series are expected to have four figures each and will have plenty of accessories, including gold-toned belts.  The company has also expressed interest in producing a new line featuring wrestling legends.  This could greatly fill the void left when Mattel decided to focus on more recent "Flashback" figures.

TNA is still a great unknown.  Although the company is back to regularly taping television, it still feels as if nobody is at the wheel.  Is their relationship with Jakks continuing?  Time will tell, but more waves of repainted figures won't satisfy anyone.  Now that Awesome Kong is back with the company, it's time to get her a full-sized figure.  Rockstar Spud and his act seems to scream "action figure," as well.

Of course, nothing stops the WWE merchandising machine.  Even though they no longer have a monthly magazine, I counted four different publications in January that featured WWE talent on the cover (The Authority and Eva Marie each on a different version of Muscle & Fitness, Brock Lesnar on PWI, and The Undertaker as shown).  One of those was the annual WWE Photos Of The Year issue.  That, coupled with the release of a WrestleMania preview magazine in recent weeks, shows that the company is still producing in-house specials.

Mattel seems to be churning out more product than ever, just in time for WrestleMania season.  Hulk Hogan, Rusev, Doink the Clown, Paige, Bo Dallas, Emma, and Razor Ramon are just a few of the names making their Mattel debut in the next few months.  The upcoming unveilings at Toy Fair should only add more exciting names to that list.

Mattel has also seemingly found a new retail partner for exclusives.  After their exclusive Rocky Maivia during the holiday season, Target has received a special series paying tribute to the WWE Hall of Fame.  Stone Cold Steve Austin, The Ultimate Warrior, Sgt. Slaughter, and Trish Stratus comprise the set.  Packaged in Hall of Fame-styled packaging, the series includes the first figure of Stratus as a brunette.

We're only into February yet already have a ton of new wrestling merchandise to look forward to. Our wallets can share in the excitement, as they look to lose more and more weight as the year progresses.

Speaking of new things for 2015, I now have a second blog!  Josh Culture is an off-the-top-of-my-head look at the things that I enjoy, adventures, food, and yes, even wrestling. This week, my first wrestling story, a trip to Abdullah The Butcher's House of Ribs & Chinese in Atlanta, debuts on the blog. For the many of you who have wanted to hear my stories interacting with wrestlers, trips, events, and more, this is where they will be posted!  Don't forget to follow the blog's twitter @JoshCultureBlog, as well!  Now there's two times the blogging fun!  Check #JoshCulture out at http://joshculture.blogspot.com!

Starrcade Was Turning Japanese

When you think of "The Granddaddy Of Em All," Starrcade, you think of huge NWA supercards held in November or December.  Japan, The Tokyo Dome, or the month of March usually aren't in the equation, unless you're thinking back to 1991.  Ric Flair was still holding "Big Gold," WCW had just broken away from the NWA, and stars such as Sting, Lex Luger, and The Steiner Brothers were at the top of the card. An alliance between WCW and New Japan Pro Wrestling was born, thus creating the first Starrcade '91, or WCW Japan SuperShow as it was known here in the United States.

It was a star-studded card headlined by Flair defending the championship against Tatsumi Fujinami.  It was this match that led to the main event of the first WCW SuperBrawl event a few months later.  At the time, WCW seemed to be trying to position SuperBrawl against WrestleMania and replace Starrcade as its biggest yearly event.  I've always felt that, despite respect from a wrestling standpoint, the Flair-Fujinami rematch wasn't the main event to use to build a new supershow, but that's another argument for another time.

Although WCW was gone from the practice of event-specific programs, NJPW produced an amazing looking publication that was sold at the Tokyo Dome.  It is an oversized glossy program in the style that the WWF would not adopt for a few years.  Perhaps as a reflection in the advancement in photography by the Japanese, wrestling publications from their country almost always have a modern look and feel that holds up today.

Kicking off the program is a proclamation from James (Jim) Herd.  It is presented in both Japanese and broken English.  For those of you that have heard Jim Cornette rant about the former WCW Vice President, you can only imagine what the "Louisville Lip" would make of this. This is the WCW side of the program, and traditionally the "American" side.  Publications in Japan are generally read in what Americans would consider a "backwards" format, due to how their language is printed.  The other side of this program has a NJPW logo cover and contains opening statements from their officials at the time as well as their own rundown of the card.

To say that the card was star-studded is almost an understatement.  The top WCW and NJPW talent of the day is featured as well as men like Big Van Vader and Bam Bam Bigelow who competed regularly on both continents.  Sting battled his longtime rival The Great Muta in a match that would make any classics list, while El Gigante took on "Big Cat" Hughes probably to appease Japanese wrestling fans longtime fascination with "big man" wrestlers. 

WCW merchandise from the era is shown several times throughout, including the Wrestling Wrap-Up magazine and many now-collectible shirts.  One page displays merchandise made exclusively for this Starrcade In Japan event.  A pair of what appear to be pre-paid phone cards are particularly interesting looking.  T-shirts and even a beach towel were offered, but the crown jewel has to be the shiny silver Starrcade In Japan jacket.  With Ribera Steakhouse jackets becoming more and more common among Japanese wrestling lore, I would imagine that this jacket would be considerably rarer.  There's a treasure for puroresu collectors to hunt!

Interestingly, the ads are not limited to wrestling related goods.  Full page ads appear several times throughout the program for liquor, food, and other items.  Japanese ads often appeared quirky to Americans back in those days, as was often lampooned by shows like The Simpsons.  If you haven't sought out commercials featuring Hulk Hogan singing or Abdullah the Butcher frolicking on a beach with a young Japanese girl, you truly need to.  Nonetheless, in this program we see a rather creepy ad featuring a robot holding a baby in a wooded area, and girls dressed as Geisha advertising what is probably a ramen-style soup.

Although three of these SuperShows (all labeled Starrcade in Japan) were produced altogether and eventually sold in the United States on pay-per-view, this 1991 event is the only one to be released on VHS.  It was released as "Rumble In The Rising Sun" and appeared in many rental stores at the time.  All three would definitely be great additions to WWE Network, especially since "all" pay-per-views are supposed to be included.  So while these events aren't included in the regular Starrcade chronology, all are interesting footnotes in the history of both WCW and NJPW.

Mattel Keeps The Tensai Dream Alive

 Countless wrestling action figures have been produced over the years commemorating a particular character, match, or moment.  While the figure that we're about to take a look at really wasn't produced to commemorate anything, it certainly makes me fondly remember a push that almost was, but thanks to various factors never really got off the ground.  On the night after WrestleMania XXVIII, a character debuted that was allegedly slated to be the big new villain of the WWE.  He certainly had the look and the talent, but sadly it was just not meant to be.

I've been a fan of the in-ring characters of Matt Bloom since he debuted in the
WWF as Prince Albert.  To me, he simply has the look of a wrestler.  While his earlier characters of Albert and A-Train weren't quite "main event" level, he always entertained me in the ring and seemed to carve out a comfortable niche among the WWF/WWE roster.  Following his first stint in the company, Bloom went to New Japan Pro Wrestling and became Giant Bernard, a reference to another American who became a star in Japan, Brute Bernard.

Giant Bernard collected several titles in Japan and definitely honed his craft while doing so.  He even reminded some of a young Big Van Vader.  Personally, I felt that he would be a perfect fit in TNA, but his appearances there were limited to being on the NJPW side of TNA's Global Impact shows in Japan.  When it became apparent that Bloom may follow the likes of Stan Hansen with a bigger career in Japan than here in the United States, rumors of a WWE return began to swirl.

A new WWE contract was confirmed when Lord Tensai made his aforementioned 2012 debut.  The character was basically a mixture of his Giant Bernard look dressed in traditional Japanese apparel.  Some compared him to '80s star P.Y. Chu-Hi (southern wrestler Phil Hickerson in an Asian gimmick), but others, such as myself, truly enjoyed the character.  A win over John Cena seemed to cement the scuttlebutt that Tensai would indeed become a top heel within the WWE.

The WWE would allude that Tensai had been in the company before, but never went out of their way to advertise it.  Show attendees who felt that they needed to look "smart" in front of the rest of the crowd began to chant "Albert."  This, coupled with the re-signing of Brock Lesnar, became an obvious detriment to the chances of Tensai becoming a top star.  The character began to flounder and now has seemingly fell to a fate that one of Bloom's previous incarnations similarly suffered.  Tensai has become "Sweet T," the tag and dancing partner of Brodus Clay just as Prince Albert became the "Hip-Hop Hippo" with Scotty 2 Hottie a decade earlier.

As long as the man is making good money, we really can't be sour about the deal.  Still, for someone as obviously interested in becoming great at what he does, it seems a shame that he will be remembered in the United States for dancing to the ring.  True fans of his can overlook that and watch the big man in his New Japan matches.  Thankfully, Mattel is giving us at least two reasons to remember Lord Tensai.  The first of these figures is what we're looking at today.

A "First Time In The Line" entry in Mattel's "basic" WWE figure line, I almost passed on this figure in the stores.  The reason is because an "Elite" version of Tensai, with complete entrance gear from the start of the gimmick, is going to be released shortly.  Upon seeing this figure for the first time, I knew that I had to grab it just as it grabbed my attention from the shelves.

To begin with, this figure is absolutely huge.  One of my favorite memories of wrestling toys of the past is the old adage attached to the LJN King Kong Bundy figure: you really got your money's worth!  Even at the average current price tag of $13 for these basic figures, this guy is huge.  Not only is there a lot of plastic here, but some great paint apps and detail as well.

Tensai towers over many figures as he rightly should, but is still shorter than The Big Show.  I must stop here to give credit where it is due.  Mattel has done a fantastic job of keeping scale in check with their WWE figure line.  While not perfect, most of the product that I have picked up has been fantastic in this regard.  That being said, I have yet to purchase a Rey Mysterio figure in the line.  The Mysterio figures have always appeared a bit too small and bland, but the newest one that is also in this series with Tensai is somewhat appealing.

It looks to me as if all new parts have been produced for Tensai.  The most striking of these parts is the barrel chest.  It almost sticks out at you through the plastic bubble.  The legs could also be new, but if they are not they definitely work well here.  The face scan is excellent as well, although Jakks Albert and A-Train facial likenesses were always good as well.  With distinctive features like Tensai has, it would be hard to screw it up.  The piercings are in place as are the kanji across part of his face.

The tattoos as well as the design on the tights and boots are just amazing for a basic Mattel figure where such detail is often overlooked.  Even tattoos on the back of his head and legs are present.  For $13 we should be getting such detail, but in a situation where that isn't always the case it's a welcome surprise.  Considering that twenty years ago we weren't getting nearly the detail that we see now, I don't think that there is any room to complain on this level.

Articulation is more limited than the elite version will be, but it's still nothing to be disappointed about.  I feel that the elite figures often have too much articulation (see my constant torso-joint rants), especially when we're looking at a "big man" wrestler such as Tensai.  I have a feeling that, as long as it's compatible, I'd be one to use the Tensai gear on the basic figure.  We shall see when the elite figure is released.

If you're a fan of the basic figures, this is one that you absolutely can't pass up.  It's easily the most detailed and striking figure that Mattel has done for their basic line.  If you can wait, the full entrance gear makes the elite a worthwhile buy in a series that will also contain Damien Sandow in his robe.  This basic Tensai figure was in a series that also included the first figure of Sandow, but aside from the pink tights that figure appears as basic as basic gets.

I'm assuming that these will be the only two figures of Tensai, but that's really all you need.  I'm sure that we will all be treated to a Brodus Clay-Sweet T two-pack down the line.  Seeing as that I own most of the previous Matt Bloom figures (including the Hip-Hop Hippo), I'm sure that I will feel inclined to buy it.  That said, I'm almost positive that I won't enjoy it as much as the Lord.  Long Live Tensai!

Wrestling Figures From The Land Of The Rising Sun

A silent crowd, polite applause, perhaps a few crepe paper streamers, and some of the best in-ring action you'll ever see.  These were the glory days of puroresu aka professional wrestling in Japan.  Antonio Inoki, Giant Baba, Mitsuharu Misawa, Tiger Mask, and even domestically known names like Stan Hansen, Andre the Giant, The Funk's, and Abdullah the Butcher dominated Japanese culture for years perhaps even more than the country's other sports and entertainment icons.

It's actually quite unimaginable in the United States as to just how big professional wrestling and its stars were in the Land of the Rising Sun.  While domestic wrestling has always had niche fans and "boom" periods of fad popularity, wrestling in Japan enjoyed mainstream popularity and coverage for several decades.

That is, of course, where the memorabilia comes into the picture.

Not only was Japan the birthplace of many gimmicks, moves, angles, and ideas in pro wrestling, but it was also the home country to the very first wrestling action figures.  A company called Popy, also manufacturer of the Tiger Mask action figure line (based on the cartoon from which the Tiger Mask character was born), created a small line of wrestling figures in the early 1980's.  This series, including Inoki, Andre, Hulk Hogan, and Harley Race among others, is very hard to find and valued highly to this day.

In the 1990's when the Japanese in-ring product was often regarded as the best in the world, several lines of quality figures began being produced.  Every promotion of the time including New Japan Pro Wrestling, All Japan Pro Wrestling, Pro Wrestling NOAH and others got into the act with figures produced by a wide variety of companies such as Hyper Heroes, HAO, Character Product, and more.

Although figures were produced in several different sizes, the most popular would likely be the five inch figures which were made under each company's banner.  As much as the Jakks Classic Superstars line should be celebrated for including stars from so many different eras, these five inch Japanese figures cover eras, companies, and countries with stars ranging from Mil Mascaras and the Funk's to Jushin Liger and Ultimo Dragon.  Special outfits, accessories, and other "deluxe" features were included with many of the figures while others commemorated special matches or events based on their design.  Ring announcers, referees, managers, and even a pair of ring girls known as the "Break Bunnies" were produced into figures along with rings, belts, and even ring accessories such as barbed wire and (plastic) flames!

Nearly all of the five inch figures included a universal feature: removable arms.  For some of the figures this fact made no difference at all.  For others, like Jinsei Shinzaki/Hakushi, two pairs of arms were included with the figure to create different poses.  Others yet, like Satoru Sayama, included a different torso to transform the popular light heavyweight into his guise as the original Tiger Mask.

These figures hit the height of their popularity in the early 2000's which was a time when MMA was heavily crossing over with pro wrestling in Japan.  Many MMA figures were produced in the country by the same manufacturers and collections often include figures from both, especially of those who starred in both sports.  One notable example would be American "The Beast" Bob Sapp who was one of the biggest cultural stars in Japan at the time.

American collectors often wonder just how these figures measure up in size compared to popular lines from their country.  The main five inch Japanese figures fit perfectly with the Hasbro WWF and Galoob WCW lines making many dream matches...or displays...possible.

Of course the five inch figures were just one style.  Large figures, small figures, "big head" figures, and even 3 3/4 inch G.I. Joe-esque figures were released of stars from across the span of puroresu.  While some may argue that many of these pieces were more statues than figures, the attention to detail and quality craftsmanship place these at the top of any collection.

One interesting thing that I have come across in collecting Japanese figures is the reactions of the stars when seeing these pieces.  Dory Funk Jr. and Scott Norton were unaware that figures of themselves even existed.  Although the individual licensing rights are listed on the bottom of the back of the cards of many of the figures, perhaps the rights were attained in deals that the stars themselves were unaware of.

Over the past couple of years the figures have unfortunately ceased production.  With the popularity of wrestling on the decline in Japan, this did not come as much of a surprise.  When Jakks conceived their TNA line follow-up to the WWE Classic Superstars line, rights to New Japan Pro Wrestling figures were acquired.  The NJPW version of Hulk Hogan was ultimately the only figure to come from this deal, but at least the NJPW logo was included on the packaging.

As in America, action figures were just a tip of the iceberg as far as wrestling merchandise in Japan.  Publications chronicling wrestling far surpass those in other countries due to the aforementioned mainstream appreciation that the sport achieved there.  From newspaper coverage to the famous Weekly Gong magazine, Japanese wrestling publications are abundant and a lot of fun to collect.  Many of the magazines include coverage of American wrestling as well, often providing a different look at events well known to many of us.

Video games, trading cards, plush toys, and of course tons of recorded media are all just as treasured in puroresu collecting as action figures.  VHS tapes of Japanese wrestling shows were among the top traded wrestling shows of the 1990's due to quality of matches and talent involved.  Games like Fire Pro Wrestling are often considered the best wrestling video games which, like the action figure lines, included stars from a wide spectrum.

When it comes down to it, the figures remain king.  Prices for almost all of the figures have risen since their initial release and continue to be discovered by new collectors.  At the height of their release, some online stores would take pre-orders for some of the figures due to the process of importing the items.  While the prices were higher than domestic equivalents even then, in retrospect they seem rather low compared to the secondary market numbers now.

Here is only a small sample of this great, and often overlooked, aspect of wrestling action figure collecting.  I'm sure that we'll revisit the topic in the future on the blog, and to see many more of these figures and loads of other great memorabilia, "Like" and check out the galleries on our Facebook Fanpage.

Ichiban!

Jakks Returns To Yesteryear

No one can argue that Jakks WWE Classic Superstars line changed the wrestling memorabilia world forever. From turning fans who otherwise had never purchased a toy into collectors to bringing new autograph signing bookings to stars simply because they now had a "Classic," the impact of the line will be felt for years to come.

After the announcements that Mattel would be producing WWE figures and Jakks doing likewise for TNA, many collectors wondered just what would happen to the Classic Superstars. Sadly, due to a barrage of cancelled figures, the line went out with a whimper. The last series of figures was barely released beyond online retailers.

Spring forward to the present and both Mattel and Jakks are tackling the "Classic" genre in their own way. I've already reviewed several of the Mattel WWE Legends figures. Now, Jakks returns to the vintage ring with Legends of the Ring.

Included in the first series is Sting, Hulk Hogan, Jeff Jarrett, Kurt Angle, and Kevin Nash. Scott Steiner was scheduled to be the sixth figure, but did not make it past the prototype stage. Many are still hoping to see this figure produced down the line, as it would've made an excellent companion to the Classic Superstars Rick Steiner figure.

Each figure represents the star in attire from earlier in their career. While Hogan, Sting, and Jarrett are all from very early in their careers, Angle and Nash simply appear as they did just a few years ago in TNA.

It should be noted that aside from the Nash figure, there is no mention of TNA on the front of the packaging. Instead, the Sting and Jarrett figures feature the NWA logo and the Hogan and Angle figures feature the New Japan Pro Wrestling Logo. The inclusion of these logos mark the first time New Japan figures have been marketed in the United States on a mainstream level and only the second time that the NWA logo has appeared on action figure packaging. (To see the oft-forgotten first time, please refer to this earlier entry.)

Although there is plenty of TNA saturation on the back of the packaging, I enjoy the fact that the line is officially only "Legends of the Ring." It would've been a cool touch had the WWE Classic Superstars line had alternate logos such as WCW or ECW on their packaging.

The packaging design itself is attractive as well. I'm not entirely sure if it's the design of the figures, packaging, or price point ($11.99 each at Toys "R" Us), but I don't feel as if I'm paying for the packaging as I've felt with the Mattel Legends line at a whopping $14.99 each. While it may not be quite as regal as the Classic Superstars packaging, there aren't any annoying "star points" just waiting to be bent, either.

The only downside to the packaging is the use of real photos of the stars on the right side similar to several figures in the first Classic Superstars series. The photos used are current, therefore not matching four of the five figures in the line.

The figure designs speak for themselves. If you're familiar with the Classic Superstars or any of the Jakks "Ruthless Aggression" style figures for nearly the past decade, then there will be no surprises here.

I've been outspoken about how I feel the Mattel figures are rather slim and stiff. Wrestling is a larger than life business, therefore any merchandise should be representative of that. Jakks fills these need.

Without a doubt, the most popular figure from this line will be Sting. This is the first figure of the classic "surfer" Sting look in exactly ten years. This is also the only one announced thus far. Sting was a highly requested figure in the Classic Superstars line that was unable to be produced for a variety of reasons. The Stinger is here in all of his colorful pre-nWo glory.

Only produced once before in action figure form (in the early 1980s Popy line from Japan), Hulk Hogan in the outfit he wore in New Japan Pro Wrestling will most likely be the second most popular. Clad in a black robe, the only accessory in this series, the figure is one of the most striking representations of The Hulkster to come along in some time. Tan from head to boots, the incredible face sculpt is actually borrowed from Jakks Rocky action figure line from a few years ago. Considering that Hogan portrayed Thunderlips in Rocky III around the time he was appearing in Japan, the choice was a no-brainer.

The other three figures will have their individual fans but will not be as sought after as Sting and Hogan. While Nash sports the short-haired look from early in his TNA run, Angle is not very different from his final Jakks WWE figures.

Jeff Jarrett is arguably the most controversial figure of the line. While many have complained that the figure is plain and boring, I feel that it is a perfect representation from early in Jarrett's career. The figure would look great flanking either of the Jerry Lawler Classic Superstars figures for a taste of great vintage Memphis wrestling. I will add that I would not mind seeing as much of a "Double J" Jeff Jarrett figure that could be produced while still avoiding trouble with trademarks.

Longtime readers can easily predict my verdict here--I love these. While I'd love to see more varied characters, the line is off to a great start. The second series, slated for release late this year, includes Jeff Hardy, Samoa Joe, AJ Styles, Andre the Giant, Jim Cornette, and the very first figure of Terry Taylor. While Hardy, Joe, and Styles, clad in their early TNA attires, will be popular with new fans, Taylor and Cornette are the ones you'll most likely see reviewed in these pages first. The Rooster returns to the barnyard!

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