We’ll wrap-up a month of toys and merch with a look at some nameless, non-property-based ninja toys from the 80’s. Wind-up toys sold in subway stops or off swap-meet blankets, supermarket tchotchkes, vending capsule minatures, even cake-toppers – these are the sorts of cheap plastic ninja we all had dozens of back in day.
Well, they may have been positively verminous during the ninja craze, but much fewer people took the time to collect such non-licensed toys, and they are actually a lot harder to come by today than their counterpart from GI Joe, Chuck Norris or Rambo action figure lines.
This 3-4" rubber figurine in the classic 'Kosugi Flying Kick Pose' is somewhat of a mystery. I keep thinking he's supposed to be mounted on some sort of stand, or attached to some other accessory, however there are no holes or sockets of any sort.I'm rather shocked there's actually a manufacturer, production date and supposed 'line' cited on the back.This wind-up bouncing horse has neither a manufacturer or date, certainly from the 80's although you still see these things in Chinatown - once tooled up, these generics tend to be prolific for decades. I can just see this same sculpt redone in primary colors during the Power Ranger boom.
I bought these both in the 80's and last month! The 5" friction-powered bike clearly has a conventional helmeted racer that has been 'shinobi-fied' with a quick hooded cloth tunic and sword.
This 2" figurine with vinyl kimono has a spring clip torso that when squeezed opens the arms and lets the figure 'hug' an antenna or cubicle divider or whatever. No date or company again, but certainly 80's.
