4 replies to this topic

[Brickhouse]

Not sure what happened to the M.U.S.C.L.E. license after Super 7 lost it. Anyone know what the plans are the future?

[BaltanII]

None?

The Mattel relationship ultimately seemed to fall apart, thus the Keshi Surprise rebrand on the remaining similar products by Super7. Still bummed to never have found those Street Sharks.

Mattel themselves haven’t made one step in the direction of doing anything for the property and no one in the US is currently touching Kinnikuman. All we got was that Ultimate Muscle Blu-Ray set.

The Kinnikuman anime next year might change things but there’s no guarantee that it’ll result in a Western push and even less a guarantee that love for MUSCLE returns.

[nazgul]

Maybe they come digital as Fortnite skins ... Don’t care about Mattel anymore and don’t like Super7 prices! And Kids today don’t need toys, only WiFi! But there are great people doing great customs, check Youzeegini on Instagram... and more!

[jkaris]

Is there really anything that can be done, Kinnikuman-wise with M.U.S.C.L.E.?

 

Back in the 80s and even the early 90's, you could, because access to the Japanese figures was rare for the west. But since you can get all old and new kinkeshi with ease these days, there doesn't really seem to be a need to import them as a different line.

 

Super 7 had the right idea with getting new properties released as keshi under the M.U.S.C.L.E. name for nostalgia sake. DId they overproduce and burn out that market, or did the market just die out due to other circumstances? We know that if the series was still profitable, they would have continued it.

[BaltanII]

I brought some of that up, but Super7’s deal with Mattel ended and with that the M.U.S.C.L.E. name’s usage. Instead, they created the Keshi Surprise name and packaged figures in individual blind boxes or carded in larger quantities (resembling Bikkuriman and Diener releases). Not sure that any lines are still actively being made, Transformers and Universal Monsters are the last I recall.