NJPW WRESTLERS

Corinthian collaborated with Japanese toy manufacturer and distributor Epoch to create a range of figures of the Professional Wrestlers of NJPW (New Japan Professional Wrestling)

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Outside of the football figures, this is by far my absolute favourite set of figures, not just because I am a huge wrestling fan but the figures themselves are such wonderful sculpts and of the highest quality, which was always the case when Epoch was involved.

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The set consists of 13 different figures but only 9 different wrestlers, as 3 have 2 different versions and there is also a ultra limited chaser figure to collect!

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Tiger Mask (real name Satoro Sayama) is nothing short of an icon in Japan and revered in the highest regard within the sport of professional wrestling and his figure is instantly recognisable. Due to his god like status, the decision was taken to make a Chaser version of him, which has him on a red base, finding this chaser version is incredibly difficult.

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Those who watched WCW in the mid 90's; and during the Monday Night Wars, will remember the next 2, Jyushin Thunder Lyger (Keiichi Yamada) and Great Muta (Keiji Mutoh). Both Muta and Lyger are legends in Wrestling and still performing today (2021) with Lyger also appearing on WWE NXT in 2020.

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Great Muta was released with Red face paint and an alternate version of him wearing Gold face paint, with the Red face paint being the most recognised version of him, just a shame he was not sculpted with green tongue from having blinded his opponent with his poison mist.

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Thunder Lyger was done in his iconic Red, White and Blue outfit in wave 1, while the wave 2 version has him in a Silver, Red and White outfit.

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Antonio Inoki was done with a Red towel and a Blue towel around his shoulders, this was a very easy re paint figure to release, with the Red towel version forming part of the initial wave released in August of 98, while the Blue towel came out in wave 2 in mid 1999.

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Riki Chosyu,Tastsumi Fujinami, Shinya Hashimoto, Kensuke Sasaki and Masahiro Chono all had just one figure released.

 

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All 13 were released as single blisters, with the blisters being slightly taller than a standard Corinthian blister, however no collector cards or collectors leaflet were produced.