1981 Japanese Popy Pro Wrestling Cards - Antonio Inoki

Wrestlemania weekend is upon us and I thought I'd share a few vintage Japanese puroresu "pro wrestling" cards of Antonio Inoki.  Arguably the most famous Japanese pro wrestler out there, Inoki was able to bring pro wrestling to the mainstream in Japan...much like Vince McMahon did in the United States.  This 17-card set of Popy cards from 1981 famously features Hulk Hogan's rookie card as well as an early Andre the Giant card.  They came inserted in blister packs along with vinyl figures, but nowadays they are extremely hard to find.  Does anyone else collect these?

1981 Japanese Nameneko "Perlorian" Cat Cards

I posted this over at A Pack To Be Named Later as well since it was so fun. 

What the heck?  Like a train wreck, it is hard to divert your eyes.  These are Japanese cat cards from 1981.   Both Fuji and Billy have done write ups as well on similar cards.  The idea started in Japan in the early 1980s and is known as Nameneko (Licking Cat) which Topps carried over to the States in 1983.  This is a taba pack from Japan with 30 different card envelopes attached.  This particular set seems to be called (マスコット).  Typically taba packs are hung from the ceiling in candy shops with the envelopes being sold on an individual basis for a few yen.  You would pay and pull off an envelope from the pack.  If you happen to get a "winner" card, it entitled you to another pull or other prize the shop owner had available.  This taba pack still has its 30 individual envelopes.  Can I resist and pull only one envelope to see what cards are inside?  Grab a can of Asahi Super Dry and some Tylenol as this could be painful.....

I think the left picture depicts a high school cat being too-cool-for-school.  It looks like the back of this taba pack had a sample card affixed, but someone stole it.  Dang cat burglars......  You can see the string that is used to hang the pack from the ceiling.

Here is one of the envelopes I pulled.  I couldn't resist and pulled three of them.   A cool cat along with his high school girlfriend? in her school-girl outfit.  Back in the 1980s, that skirt went down to the ankles....now they barely reach mid-thigh.  I love the sunglasses and Walkman-type radio.

Oh boy, a great shot of the girlfriend? waving her boyfriend off to school.  Your eyes do not deceive you, that cat is getting ready to light up.  I doubt you will see that image in the 1983 Topps set.  I have to pull another envelope...>> '/\' <<

Here is the ID card of "Tanaka- the Family Cat".  Does your family know you are messing around with a chain-smoking tabby?  Alright, one more.....

The Japanese equivalent of the "Benjamin"....making it rain!

Two of the three cards have this for the back.  I'll have to look around to see if any of these Nameneko sets are checklisted.  Maybe this is the New Looks set.  I'll have to poke around to see if there are additional sets.

These cards are slightly smaller than a standard trading card and have a laminate covering.

1981 Daichi Pharmaceutical Calendar Card - Ozeki Chiyonofuji

I don't often come across cards or ephemera that have sumo wrestlers advertising commercial products.  There just weren't that many that I know of and not a whole heck of lot of wrestlers were using their likeness to promote products.  When I came across this card issued by Daichi Pharmaceuticals, I knew it was something I needed to pick up.  For ￥100, it made it an even better deal....in fact, I paid many times more in fees and shipping than the actual card itself. 

This card was issued right in the middle of 1981 when Chiyonofuji was on the brink of promotion to the rank of Yokozuna.  He was the hottest thing in sumo and would carry the sport throughout the 1980s until the Hanada brothers took the reigns in the early 1990s.  It appears this particular card was issued with a product call Patex, a compression support of ankles, elbows, and other joints...hence the fact that Daichi issued it.  The back has a 6-month calendar from September 1981-February 1982...an interesting calendar span.  I've done other searches for additional cards, but it appears this is the only card.

I'll get this inserted into the next edition of my book.  Not sure what I'll categorize it as yet.