Tuesday, April 16, 2013

Mini M.U.S.C.L.E. charms




One of the coolest things I ever remember getting out of a toy vending machine were mini, rubber, translucent colored charms of M.U.S.C.L.E./Kinnikuman figures. The top photo above shows a few that I got in the late-'80s out of a machine in a bowling alley. They originally had little loops for hanging on the tops of their heads, but I tore them off as a kid. My favorite is the coral-colored mini Iwao. I have a memory of seeing a clear blue one in the machine too, but it was at the top and I only got to spend a few quarters so sadly I never managed to get it.

Fast forward more than a decade later, and while browsing eBay I find more of the same type of charms, except glow in the dark and with more characters (as shown in the second and third photos). I was lucky enough to win the auction, and these little guys have held a place in my collection ever since.  I count 10 different sculpts, but I wonder if there were additional characters turned into mini charm form.

Has anyone else ever come across these?

1 comment:

  1. Hello I have a small collection of these m.u.s.c.l.e figures from childhood, today i found them accidentally on ebay. If you like to see them, tell me how can I send the pictures to you?


    Hassan Yousefi.

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