Minfico: Challie

Name of Toy Line: NA
Production Company: Minfico & Muscle Things
Distributor: Muscle Things
Years of Production: 2012
Countries/Regions Available: Worldwide via the Web
Size/Scale: 1.5"
Figure Trade Markings: None
Approximate # of Figures: 1 sculpt (currently)

Details:

Challie is the first of many minifigures that I would like to make under my "company" name Minfico (mini fig company). I've been an avid collector and documentor of minifigures for about 10 years now, and I decided to try my hand at creating one.

You can read a little bit more about his creation in this past MXD entry. A couple weeks ago, the uber talented custom toy molder/caster, Muscle Things offered to cast Challie up and sell him via his website. I jumped at the chance. What you see in this entry is the fruit of Muscle Things' labor.

Of course, not only is the color exquisite, but it's made of his patented, unique plastic material. Here's what I had to say about it in a previous entry:

If you've never held a figure cast in Muscle Things' plastic/rubber, you should. It has an incredibly pleasing memory-foam like action, while simultaneously having the look and feel of MIMP rubber/plastic. Meh, that's a horrible description. Sorry. You really just need to experience it first hand. (The fact that I've managed to talk more about the material than the actual aesthetics of the piece should tell you something about how interesting and unique it is.)

I've also commissioned the equally talented Eric Nilla to create art for a trading card that will be included in any purchases of Challie figs from Muscle Things. See below for a rough draft of Eric's art.





Here's a comparison shot with a piece that heavily influenced my creation of Challie, a mordel; and finally Eric's rough sketch for the Challie trading card.





Related Websites:

Muscle Things Forum

AshuraShine Figure Foto

Toy Line: Brownnoize Productions

Sculpt Name: AshuraShine

Color: Flesh/Pink

Collector's Note: AshuraShine is the creation of Sanjeev of Brownnoize Productions. Over at his blog, Sanjeev explains what Brownnoize is all about:

We want to make products that tap into the aesthetic values and play patterns we developed as children of the 70’s and 80’s. Back then, we were exposed to the most mind-blowing monster flicks, the dopest giant robot cartoons, and most inscrutable Japanese toys. That's the style that speaks to us, so that's what we want to emulate...and of course, share the funk with y'all!

Therefore it makes perfect sense that he brings us AshuraShine; a unique sculpt paying homage to the Japanese franchise Kinnikuman. AshuraShine is a homage to two Kinnikuman characters in particular: Sunshine (himself based on the Sunshine 60 Building in Tokyo, Japan) and Ashuraman (based on the asura, power seeking Hindu deities). See pics below.

Brownnoize teamed up with Muscle Things to cast the figure in a wonderfully textured rubber. AshuraShine is dripping with detail, and Muscle Things managed to capture all of it. The arms and hands of AshuraShine deserve particular praise. Just look at them. Wow.

Sanjeev tells us he's got more pieces in the works. And it seems Mr. Muscle Things is on-board to cast them as well. #woot



Sunshine



Ashuraman

Namakeshi

Name of Toy Line: Namakeshi

Manufacturing and Distribution: Nama Niku, Muscle Things, Marty "THEGODBEAST" Hanson, and Eric Nilla.
Years of Production: 2011-
Countries/Regions Available: Unknown
Size/Scale: 2"
Figure Trade Markings: *
Approximate # of Figures: 5 sculpts, dozens of colorways

Details: Namakeshi are the creations of the Nama Niku webmaster; Nama Niku is an English language website devoted to covering Kinnikuman related news. Kinnikuman is a Japanese property that began as a manga and has since been represented in anime; mini-figure, action figure, vinyl, and designer toy genres; video games; apparel; and more.

In brief, the Kinnikuman story centers on the goofy but super powerful, main character, Kinnikuman (Muscleman) and his struggles against a plethora of equally powerful evildoers. The story is incredibly rich with humor, creativity, originality, and charm. Since their origin in the golden 80's, Kinnikuman and "Kinkeshi" toys have overtly and subtly inspired countless artists and creators.

Mattel's M.U.S.C.L.E. toy line - which many Western collectors will recognize - used some of the sculpts from the Japanese Kinnikuman toy line but discarded the characters and story. While this allowed/forced Western collectors to create their own storyline and characters, we missed out on one of the greatest storylines to ever come out of Japan.

The Namakeshi proudly fall into the category of toys overtly inspired by Kinnikuman. In fact, Namakeshi are "kitbashed" sculpts, meaning they were created by using parts from Kinkeshi sculpts and original sculpture. *Thus in many cases, the original Kinnikuman keshi trademarkings, YSNT, can be seen on Namakeshi.

The author of Nama Niku tells us:

Nama Niku means "Raw Meat" in Japanese, and is a nod to the "niku" (肉) in Kinnikuman combined with the idea of raw/fresh Kinnikuman news.

Most of the figures I come up with are either an homage to something in the Kinnikuman universe, or a shout-out to the term Nama Niku (生肉) itself. For instance, the Meat Grinder is all about the Raw Meat!