Tiger Driver Collectibles' Japanese figure thread

With the passage of time, the belts themselves have discoloured to a green hue. This error is due to a cheap gold paint that was prominent in many figures from the era.



UWFI posterboy and shoot fighting legend Nobuhiko Takada has three figures in the HAO line. The third figure is known as Generalissimo Takada; a heel gimmick
Takada used in the HUSTLE promotion.

From his scepter to the gold accents on his hat, this version of Takada is known for discolouration.




Shoot fighting legend Kazuyuki Fujita is probably the best-known discoloured figure from the HAO line.



Like many of the alternate versions, the HAO Collection Great Muta Mech white variant was an online exclusive.

As pricey as this figure is becoming, collectors should examine the figure's colouring; as I have owned several

examples where Muta's white gear have yellowed. This is the result of exposure to sunlight, and plasticizer
leaking from the figure's joints over time; yellowing the figure.



One of my favourite figures has always been the Charapro Jinsei Shinzaki figure. You can pose the Jinsei figure in a walking stance;
or remove Jinsei's staff-holding arm and replace it with the included bonus arm accessory to recreate Jinsei's signature 'Rope Walk
Chop' (also known as 'Old School' to Undertaker fans) technique.



Unfortunately, the cheap gold paint dilemma strikes again; as the gold highlights of Jinsei's staff have discoloured to a dark green.



The most avid of Jinsei/Hakushi collectors will want to look for examples of Jinsei's staff without discolouration.
Though, I myself have never owned one.



KING OF TOY figures were also sculpted by HAO. The green version pictured above actually doesn't exist. They are just
victims of the cheap gold paint fiasco that has claimed the lives of many a Japanese Wrestling figure.



Examples of the actual gold version starting to turn green.


"No...you're a factory error ...no....YOU'RE a factory error!"


Mogura House, the sister brand of Charapro were also notorious for releasing figures that turned green over time.

The above case is the NO FEAR tag team of Yoshihiro Takayama and Takao Omori.



Mogura House's Big Van Vader figure (unmasked ver.) with two discoloured GHC belts.

This figure also had silver writing that read 'VADER TIME', which has darkened over time.



The above case is the single packed Mitsuharu Misawa that is a victim of both a discoloured belt AND leaking
plasticizer.

Some figures just never get a break.




Kenta Kobashi rocking a discoloured belt. The most extreme cases would go from green all the way to black.



This version of Kenta Kobashi was supposed to have blonde hair. I've never seen an original one intact
without the discolouration.



When I first started getting into figure collecting, I was misled by a Japanese listing that stated there exists two versions of the above Dragon Muta.
The standard version is the gold paint Muta (right), while the green version is the variant.

This is not the case; as the green paint version is simply another casualty of discolouration.




When hunting for figures of 'Dangerous K' Toshiaki Kawada; keep in mind that the Charapro version is privy to bubbled paint on
Kawada's boots. Sometimes, the bubbles will be accompanied by leaking plasticizer.


Another awesome figure that has been plagued by plasctizer is the Kokushi Muso deluxe figure by Charapro.



You can see the leaking plasticizer as green accents on Muso's skull necklace. The green goo is also known to leak inside
the packaging as well.

The good news is, the plasticizer can be cleaned off rather easily; just as long as you're comfortable with removing the

figures from their packaging.

My recommendation; especially for HAO figures, is to display them without their packaging. Let them breathe, clean off
any plasticizer leaks, and display them outside of their packaging as originally intended. Keeping some of these figures
is actually worse for them in the long run.

to the ring. The type of antics that sent fans running for their lives!




In 1999, Toukon Shop, one of the official toymakers for New Japan Pro-Wrestling, began their own separate identity as 'Charapro'.

One of the earliest examples of the name change came in the form of the NJPW figure straps.



Of course I had to grab a Great Muta one.

This is also probably the first time Charapro began shrinking down their action figures from the Super Star Figure Collection
to smaller scales.

The company would eventually drop the spelling of 'Charapro' altogether, in a bid to seem more professional, I would imagine.