Catching Back Up With Bandai's Kinkeshi! Premium Vol. 7+8!

In the last blog update, in some tongue-in-cheek fashion, I dunked on a particular hobby for sharing customer space with keshi mini-figures, despite their presence having no impact on sales or popularity.  If someone told me keshi was out of fashion and on the decline, I would be hard-pressed to believe them.  At this moment, there are two enormous pillars of keshi power standing, spanning across the world, undaunted by opinion and sales trends.  In the west, you have Super 7, as well as an endless selection of talented independent artists.  In the east, and today's topic, there is Bandai and their revitalization of Kinkeshi.

It's almost been two years since I first covered Bandai's new project with the classic Kinnikuman Kinkeshi franchise, and who could have ever guessed it would continue this far so strongly?  At a time where things were caught in neutral gear for a bit, when keshi was concerned, westerners looked to the east just at the right time to see Bandai's announcement of re-sculpting classic 80's Kinkeshi mini-figures with a few new additions sprinkled here and there.  These premium sets instantly became the must-have items, with sales number something Super 7 must have looked at once or twice before they considered relaunching their versions of video game and movie MUSCLE.

Currently, Bandai is taking preorders in September for the 8th Premium set, which is a staggering number, even when you don't consider the number of new gatchapon sets that have released along side the celebrated volumes.  On one hand, who could have guessed Kinkeshi would be back in the driver's seat again, but when you look at the quality of the work within each set, it's not in the least bit surprising why it was so popular when it first debuted.

Despite my busy schedule off the blog, I am taking a look at Volume 7 and 8 now, and I have to say how much I regret not returning any sooner.  Volume 7 looks unbelievable, with maybe the most unique and bizarre line-up yet, with the newest set having a ton of favorites that I recognize from earliest keshi memories.

Absolutely knocking it out, still, years beyond their first announcement.  If you're interested in preordering a set for yourself, follow the link below.

http://p-bandai.jp/item/item-1000127785/

Kinkeshi Avalanche! Gacha Series 4+5! Premium 5+6! Noir!

Happy New Years, everyone!

I do want to apologize again for being largely ghost-like in 2017, and I hope posting like this is a good sign for things to come for 2018.  Honestly, although I think I brought this point up briefly in a previous post, I feel I could have done a little better last year, especially near the tail-end of it all.  The fact of the matter is: I could have, but being so absent from the scene for so long, it was increasingly harder to find the perfect spot to jump back in, although a hundred of hundred people will tell you there is no perfect spot, just jump in whenever.  Be that as it may, missing a laundry list of convention news and releases, from all the new products coming from Super 7, down to all the independent work I wanted to cover, it added the problem of coming back with now the extra question of why.  What could possibly shake me out of this hiatus if the stuff that just whizzed by my head couldn't?  That was the question that circled in my head, although I figure now it's a silly one to really consider a moment of thought.  That's the stupid thing about stupid thoughts.  You can throw some bad food in the trash or a bad drink down the drain and that's that, but a poisonous thought can keep coming back, haunting you with its broken logic and unreasonable demands, breaking down your common sense until you finally give in.  Assuredly, that's something of a over-dramatic look at it all, but I'll tell you one project that isn't missing one step: Bandai and Kinkeshi.  And what they are doing, just might be the boot to the ass I was looking for.

Last April, I covered Bandai's Premium Kinkeshi Volume 3 Set, but since then, they have exploded in new products, for both serious collectors and newbies with just a few coins in the pockets.  Missing the news and release of their new Gachapon series, which appear to be a micro set of new sculpts, exclusively found in Japanese vending machines, they have expanded that, or at least working on expanding, to Series 4 and 5, that look to hearken back to the wrestling move posed heroes and villains.  There appear to be some added surprises in there as well, so keep your coins close.

But if you're the sort that has a little more than loose change, you might be more interested in the Premium sets releasing sometime in the near-distant future.  Sadly, Series 4 came, went, and was shipped to happy customers, without so much of a mention from me, so for that, I'll have to go back and check out what I missed.

Moving forward, however, Bandai released some images showing off a few new series to the ever-expanding awesome resurgence of Kinnikuman and Kinkeshi.  For one made and released just for someone like me, the "Noir: The Best" set seems to be a re-release of some of the favorites from previous sets, just for those who have been hiding under a rock, but now in a cool dark-grey colorway.  Pretty awesome stuff for us clueless collectors, as well as completionists who now have a new colorway to add to their collections.


But I wouldn't be calling this a Kinkeshi Avalanche if it was really just that.  As partially-spoiled above, Bandai is also working on the release of both Premium Volumes 5 and 6.  Aiming to come out during this winter, and possibly the next couple months, these guys are home-runs after home-runs.  It's absolutely amazing to see how well these guys are looking and how thriving their comeback has been.

Keep an eye on the link below for more information on release time and price, as well as any more surprise releases, because of this is just the first of the year.  What else does Kinkeshi have planned for 2018?

http://p-bandai.jp

Bandai Reveals Kinnikuman Kinkeshi Vol. 3 For Preorder!

Welcome back everyone!

With the brand new revitalized Kinkeshi Volume 1 reaching the hands of pre-ordered customers in the past week, Bandai announced Premium Volume 3 is up for pre-order now!

For those who somehow don't know (hey, it's cool, welcome aboard), Kinkeshi is arguably the grand daddy of keshi mini-figures and late last year they announced that the classic line from the 80's would see a return with new figures and new resculpts of old favorites.  This being the third announcement brings great news, as fans across the world have signaled the desire for this line to continue on.  It's great to see such a success story in both the keshi business and the keshi community.  In times like these, it's always healthy to have a little artistic coming together.

Displayed in the new set, are a lot of familiar faces, looking good as hell, but there's some new wrestlers entering the ring for the first time too.  One catching my attention the most is the USB flash-drive character, who also seems to be catching more eyeballs than just mine.  The studio behind the Kinkeshi revival also seems to have something of a soft spot for the modern mutant man.  He's certainly strange as hell, but that's part of the charm.

For more information, check out the link below, and as always, thanks for checking in.  In the next few months, I'll be having some baby news.  It's crazy to imagine it, but it's almost time.  Coming upon the last lap.

http://p-bandai.jp/item/item-1000114076

Bandai Reveals Kinnikuman Kinkeshi Vol. 2 For Preorder!

Seriously, people, the hits just keep coming!  And I'm glad, because what better way to end a year of some keshi hotness but with some... "'Yuge. Very 'yuge news. Trust me, it's gonna' be 'yuge," news.  Sorry, I think in all this excitement my brain was cut off of oxygen there for a second.  Regardless of health and mental conditions, the keshi world was shaken once more by Bandai fireworks.

Exactly one month ago, frantic MUSCLE fans will remember the bombshell of Kinkeshi coming back with revisited and re-sculpted classic mini-figures.  It was called Vol. 1, with the promise of more, and I am here, likely last in line, to tell you Vol. 2 has been revealed in all it's glory and ready for preorder!

Visit my previous write-up for all the gushing about this brand and my excitement for this series, but you can also tell, with just one look above, these guys are legit.  Sculpted by the son of the man who sculpted the original classics, they carry the legacy created decades ago.

Words just really don't express how awesome this event all is.  For something to have arguably fathered and started everything we associate with keshi mini--figures and a keshi community for them so many years ago, to come back with new breath and vigor, pass the torch to new brilliant minds, with the fortune to have the blessings of the past.  It may be silly, but I can recognize not every fandom will experience this and I can be thankful for being this lucky.

In many past posts, I've suggested any production initiatives were great efforts to increase the keshi community.  Any new line or relaunch or redesign has the chance of catching a new generation and a new collection of fans to appreciate this toy format.  Does anyone else feel Bandai and Kinkeshi could be a tidal wave of that?  What will come of all this?  Lend me your thoughts and comments below!

And of course, for more information and to preorder this set, visit the link below!

http://p-bandai.jp/item/item-1000110350/?spec=pc41&cref=501251177&click_recom=1

"Perfect Large Numbers" Rekindles Kinnikuman Volume 1!

Hey, welcome back, K-Droppers.  I've got some seriously huge news to share with you, but first I have to do some housekeeping for a quick sec.

Before I get into anything, I do want to express my serious thanks to UraHameshi for all the new pictures, graphics, and the new beautiful banner.  She's a young talented artist that I met on the LittleRubberGuys toy forum and she's been nothing but professional and total joy to work with.  I seriously suggest you to check out more of her work, whether that's more of her graphic design, her crafts, or her videos on Youtube, and show some support for independent artists doing there thing.

Dragoste Art
http://dragosteart.wixsite.com/store
Shendijiro & Ura
https://www.youtube.com/user/Shendijiro/videos

Also, speaking about the LittleRubberGuys toy forum, I do want to credit both NamaNiku and BrockenmanJr for blowing this story wide open, earlier this afternoon.  Without their help, I think a lot of us would be very excited to see some of these images, but be quite confused to what any of it meant.  I've said it before, but it's worth repeating, this is why being a part of a toy forum or some sort of community is so important to your hobby, and why, if you haven't already, you should consider finding one that fits your needs and join.

LittleRubberGuys Toy Forum
http://www.littlerubberguys.com/forums/

Alright, let's jump right into this!  Hot damn, this is some really exciting news, so much so I'm finding it a little harder to find the point of entry.  I'm not sure where to begin, so please excuse the whiplash from bouncing back and forth.

Kinnikuman is regarded, if not completely legitimate, the grandfather of keshi mini-figure brands.  At least in the view of the American keshi collector, which could be very different to the say Japanese one, Kinnikuman took their wrestling characters off of their manga pages and anime episodes, and began making small, single-molded, mini-figures in various colors of unpainted rubber in the 1980's.  As far as the keshi west is concerned, this was the genesis of the trend and beloved toy brands like Monster In My Pocket only rode on the popularity created by it's predecessor and expanded on the niche for collectible pocket-sized figures in the early 1990's for American children.  The rest is pretty much in the story books.  Kinnikuman had a good run with numerous sets, even an Ultimate Muscle one that wasn't so bad.  Monster In My Pocket did as well, as did many other companies, keeping the keshi torch bright, but when you think of classic, old-school, toy lines and series from days long gone, you really think something new and different will be coming up next.  You wouldn't suspect something like Kinnikuman to burst back to life like a phoenix, but maybe that's why the reveal was extra exciting.

I unfortunately don't read the books, but from sources, I am gathering the manga is in midst of a story arc called 'Perfect Large Numbers', and to celebrate, classic Kinnikuman mini-figures molds are being revisited and re-sculpted into a new set and possible series of sets.  But it's just not a new HD version on an old classic, but as classics are getting redone, there will be a handful of new characters as well, all done by the son of the original 80's Kinnikuman sculptor!





Preorders on this first series seems to be up or coming up very soon, and I have to say, I, for one, will be all over this.  Something as special as a new running Kinkeshi toy line is something I thought I'd never see.

Who else is completely hyped over this!?

Kinnikuman Kineshi Volume 1
http://p-bandai.jp/item/item-1000106367/