20 replies to this topic

[gilgar]

Got my bid in a couple seconds too late for this auction: http://cgi.ebay.com/...item=5263204428 But my bid was a couple bucks too low anyway, oh well.

The Seller says:

Hasbro prototypes of "M.U.S.C.L.E." action figures. These were issued by Hasbro in the early to mid 80's. There are approximately 90-100 unpainted figures in the bag. They are all the same color and are different figures. Made of soft pliable plastic rubber substance.

In an email, she also told me

My husband bought them from an ex-Hasbro employee who says they are prototypes. I suppose they may have made them and subsequently decided not to produce them. I don't know. The material is soft and pliable NOT like plastic soldiers although a couple of them are harder.

It would appear that Bandai shopped these around before Mattel bought them or Mattel made a higher bid?? She sent a pic and one is definitely a non-muscle kinkeshi sculpt. Interesting, eh?

I had asked her whether she meant a Mattel employee since Mattel sold MUSCLE, here's the picture

Attached Files

•  Muscle_20Guys.JPG   19.23K   110 downloads

Edited by gilgar, 30 September 2005 - 06:07 PM.

[Universal Ruler Supreme]

Does anybody know who spacemonkey is? I see him on there all the time. The sunshine figure in the picture looks like a muscle from the color. I didn't even see this auction. Probably because I don't usually look for muscles under sports memorabilia. This might just be a bag of muscles and kinkeshi mixed together. Even If it is the final price is still good if most are kinkeshi! I hope spacemonkey is a board member.

Edited by Universal Ruler Supreme, 30 September 2005 - 06:49 PM.

[gilgar]

He's Mr T. I sent him a congratulatory pm right after the auction--can't wait to see what he gets. I was under the impression they were all kinkeshi with a slight possibility of them all being regular ol' MUSCLE but the pic convinced me. We'll see soon.

If a couple of them are indeed "harder" as the seller said this could potentially be the source for the Super Rares. Bandai shopped around kinnikuman to several toy companies and gave each a few hundred or so? Most kinkeshi but some of the material that MUSCLE would eventually be made from.

Could be toy companies here were concerned about the durability of the softer figures as they would tear apart easier than the plastic the MUSCLE are made from. It would be really cool if the "harder" figures she mentioned were some super rares (although I'd kick my arse for not bidding higher!)

[jkaris]

They are kinkeshi. But the funny thing is that the Ashuramn in the pic above was the same sculpt as was in one of the commercials.

Who knows, maybe Mr T will get lucky!

[Mr. T]

That would be awesome if there's a super rare!
Of course, I at least hope that they are mostly kinkeshi than muscle.

From what I can tell from the pic in the auction there are two other kinnikuman sculpts. The stereo guy and that dinosaur one.

I'll post pics when they arrive.

[Universal Ruler Supreme]

If a couple of them are indeed "harder" as the seller said this could potentially be the source for the Super Rares.  Bandai shopped around kinnikuman to several toy companies and gave each a few hundred or so? Most kinkeshi but some of the material that MUSCLE would eventually be made from.

Could be toy companies here were concerned about the durability of the softer figures as they would tear apart easier than the plastic the MUSCLE are made from.  It would be really cool if the "harder" figures she mentioned were some super rares (although I'd kick my arse for not bidding higher!)

That's what I was thinking too. I can't believe I missed this auction! I hope you get a whole bunch of super rares Mr. T! According to the auction she is in Florida. Does anybody know of a major toy industry in Florida that may have been down there in the 80's? She may have moved from another state as well. This raises the possibility of the test run theory, but also decreases the possibility of the rares only being released in other countries. That is if they got these in Florida. Keep us posted Mr. T!

Edited by Universal Ruler Supreme, 30 September 2005 - 08:09 PM.

[TOPHER]

That is one really kewl find,you lucky dawg.
Can't wait to see the pics.

[Soupie]

Best case scenario, there are several typically non-MUSCLE sculpts made of MUSCLE plastic in that bag! If those non-MUSCLE sculpts happen to be SHA, BHS, DM, or DE, we may be on the way toward solving the SR mystery.

However, we can't ignore the fact that at least two of the SHA owners report buying the figure in a store.

In that case, it might mean that once Mattel won the bid, they did a test market run of their own to consumers. Yet this still does not explain why the SRs did not make the cut, especially DE and DM.



I have an idea! Maybe SHA and BHS were part of the test market run to consumers, and were removed because of the small parts, and thus have benn found in packaging.

While DE and DM were merely test market figures given to companies by Bandai, thus:

1) There are far fewer of them, and

2) They will never be found in MUSCLE packaging.

But... there's also a strong possibilty that this seller has found a good way to sell regular Kinnikuman Kinkeshi and MUSCLEs for a real good price!

[Mr. T]

Bootlegs!!! All Bootlegs....





j/k

No US super rares though... but they are mostly kinkeshi.

Here's the break down:

8 US m.u.s.c.l.e.s.

57 US release kinkeshi

18 Japan release kinkeshi sculpts

13 posed kinkeshi sculpts

I'll post pics in a little bit.

[Universal Ruler Supreme]

That's what I thought. Oh Well! Maybe next time. Although I would like to see the non US sculpts. They still could have been promotionals though. That might be why there are only 8 Muscles in the bunch. Like Gilgar said to show what the figures would be like molded in a different more durable plastic. Still a good find and a nice price considering that kinkeshi can pull more than 5 bucks a piece or better.

[Mr. T]

Alright, here's some pics.
The top line is regular US muscles.



Japanese Non-US sculpts.



And posed figures.

[jkaris]

Well, you definitely got more than you paid for! Good score man!

[Universal Ruler Supreme]

They look a little dirty, but you got some great non muscle sculpts in there! Awesome!

[Mr. T]

They look a little dirty

Actually they're quite pristine. I think it might just be the lighting.

[Beligerant1]

The images arent working for me, whats the link?

[Mr. T]

The photobucket site is down.

[TOPHER]

Well, you definitely got more than you paid for! Good score man!

Ditto,....drooling,a flesh Bimbina.

[gilgar]

Ditto,....drooling,a flesh Bimbina.

Down boy, down!

Dammit! still haven't seen them--Photobucket's blocked at work

Hey, did you ask anymore about the Hasbro connection? If they still know the Hasbro guy maybe he can provide some info on MUSCLE origins such as if the line was offered to Hasbro.

[Universal Ruler Supreme]

It probably wasnt. During the mid-eighties Mattel entered into a partnership with Bandai. While I dont know who initiated the relationship, I would actually guess Mattel. They were probably the larger company. Because there was a deal between the two companies I doubt that individual toys (e.g., MUSCLE) were shopped around to various companies (e.g., Mattel).

Bandai and Mattel were somewhat tight to begin with were they not? I had thought that they made a lot of swaps during the late 70's with certain toy lines. Didn't Bandai buy out POPY or something, then rerelease Shogun Warriors and other similar lines through Mattel? Am I wrong? I might be, cause I am having a hard time remembering right now so correct me on anything. I could have it totally whacked up.

Edited by Universal Ruler Supreme, 06 October 2005 - 08:17 AM.

[Soupie]

Because there was a deal between the two companies I doubt that individual toys (e.g., MUSCLE) were shopped around to various companies (e.g., Mattel).

I agree.

I think it is more likely this guy found some Kinkeshi Kinnikuman and thought, "What the hell are these soft rubber guys?"

"Oh, they must be prototypes!"

Furthermore, the inclusion of the freaky looking Kinnikuman Head in the lot also leads me to believe these are just simply Kinnikuman Kinkeshi with no special purpose. I doubt Bandai or Mattel would have considered including the head for American production.

Besides, which part did that come from? There were only 306 Kinnikuman available at the time MUSCLEs were produced.

Edited by Soupie, 13 October 2005 - 05:50 AM.