Gachapon Series 6
By Professor Terry
You may look at the title of MMMM this week and think “What is Gachapon?” They are essentially vending machine figures released in Japan.
This is the 6th series of Gachapon figures released by Bandai this year, each one coming bi-monthly, the month a Kinkeshi Premium Volume isn’t released. I actually keep these in a seperate container to my Premium releases even though the flesh colors are identical in color and material. There are 2 reasons I keep them separate:
#1 – The Gachapon series has paired figures. I personally don’t like paired figures and I definitely don’t want them mixed with my Kinkeshi Premium
#2 – In this series, every figure comes in 3 different colors. Flesh, Red & Blue. I feel I should keep them together
If you disagree with me, I’d love to hear your comments. Actually, if you agree with me too. It would be nice to have all the flesh ones together in particular if Bandai have released them for this purpose. None of the Gachapon figures have been released as Kinkeshi Premium, they are all different sculpts. Although each set has 6 figures, I’ll stick with singular figures here.
This particular series has 4 different singular figures. I’ll start with the obvious one, the new Claw sculpt! Yes, a new sculpt. I do not like it better than the M.U.S.C.L.E. sculpt.
However, it seems to me more true to it’s origins. This figure we all know as The Claw in not actually a hand. The figure is meant to be a foot of Tyrannosaurus Rex. That is its true form.
This figure looks to me to be more like its true form and less like a hand and for that I’m happy. I’m so happy in fact I bought a custom painted one from Japan. It has a great paint job. I really wish I had that kind of talent. I have no painting talent. The other point of note on this figure is that the base has a hole in it. For those familiar with SD Kinkeshi, it’s similar. Like it’s meant to be a pencil topper. Pretty cool pencil topper! I don’t think I would do that though.
The second figure here is Kinnikuman in Robin Mask’s armour. It’s a reproduction of M.U.S.C.L.E. #141, which is my favorite Kinnikuman in the M.U.S.C.L.E. line. This one certainly isn’t as good as the original. I’m really really glad there has been a new one released though. I would have liked to see Kinnikuman more “beefed up” if that makes sense.
The third is Hell Missionaries, this is the entrance gear the Neptuneman Tag Team wear to the ring. That is very cool and I instantly like this figure, much better than the original Kinkeshi version. I can see why the original figure wasn’t chosen to be part of the M.U.S.C.L.E. line even though it’s an early part Kinkeshi figure. I’m going to assume it’s because he looks like a wrestler that’s a part of the KKK. That hood on his head bears resemblance to me and that’s a shame. What’s also weird about this figure is that he also has a small hole on the base. Not nearly big enough to use as a pencil topper.
The last figure is familiar to all M.U.S.C.L.E. collectors and that is The Ninja. It’s just okay. The worst part about this though is that THIS was the figure chosen to be the painted chase figure! Not only is there 1 instead of 2 chases, the worst figure by far in the set was chosen. This is one instance where I wish Kinnikuman was chosen. I would cringe at another Kinnikuman but this one is IMO better than the other Kinnikuman chase figures. I think it is too much to ask for a Claw painted chase, hence why I bought a painted one. I’m also sure the Japanese collectors feel the same way as I’ve seen a number a different painted Claw figures selling there. Lots of different artists have painted a figure.
