I feel some serious 友情パワー (Friendship Power) every time I set foot in the Nakano Broadway because of one man... "Micro" Miyakoshi. Not only is Miyakoshi-san a bona fide ユデッキー (Yudekkii), the guy is arguably one of the greatest living Keshi-masters on the planet.
Miyakoshi-san serves as the Director of the Mandarake Microkan, and also acts as the Editor for the famous Mandarake Keshi publication, コンプREX. (Check out the latest issue of to see his genesis in action!)
Talk about Ultimate Muscle - The Nakano Microkan is the #1 Keshi store in Japan
I met Miyakoshi-san a few months back while perusing the halls of the Nakano Broadway. I showed him my prized Kinnikuman collection pics stored on my iPhone, and we have been brothers-in-keshi ever since. He has worked with me countless times online to find Kinkeshi and Kinnikuman items, and I cannot say enough nice things about him.
Micro Miyakoshi displaying some Microkan goods!
The Microkan is hallowed Kinniku ground in my books and has been the stuff of legend for years on English Kinnikuman and M.U.S.C.L.E. message boards and blogs. I am really excited that I was able to secure this interview and really want to thank Mandarake for their kindness and generosity!
Nama Niku: Can you tell me a little about the history of the Microkan?
Miyakoshi: The Microkan is one of the newer additions to Mandarake and opened on February 20th 2003 on the second floor of the Nakano Broadway. At first the Microkan specialized in selling key chains, stuffed animal and other similar type goods but we made a changed and shifted our focus to selling late 80's to late 90's toys such as Kinnikuman SD Gundam, Dragonball etc. This decision really shaped the new direction of the Microkan.
When I started working at Mandarake, only a few items such as Kinkeshi, SD Gankeshi and Dragonball Keshi were sold at the Microkan. I really immersed myself in all things Kinnikuman in hopes of expanding our Kinkeshi section. After this move we started expanding with other Keshi lines and Shokugan (Toys that are packaged with Candy).
We later moved to the 4th floor of the Nakano Broadway on Oct 1st 2005, where I had more time to study and really dive into the world of Keshi. I completely devoted myself to the world of Keshi which lead to the style and feel of the Microkan as you see it today.
Nama Niku: Do you collect Kinkeshi yourself, and if so, what is your favorite figure?
Miyakoshi: I do not have nice Choujin like many customers of Microkan have but I collect Kinkeshi for sure. When I start working at Mandarake, I used to purchase Kinkeshi, and really tried to live around Kinkeshi to gain a feeling and understanding of what they were all about.
My favorite Kinkeshi if I had to pick a mainstream one would be Leopaldon from part 3 of the Scramble for the Kinniku Throne line. This Keshi seems to have a nice stately personality and feels as if he possess an unknown power. In minor Kinkeshi, I like Woodsman from part 7... you could always use him to practice your Kung Fu (lol)
Nama Niku: What is the most exciting item you have come across while working at Mandarake?
Miyakoshi: That has got to be Silver Riki, which is one of the Four Phantom Kinkeshi that were never officially released (by Bandai) for sale. We really did not have any information on this figure but knew that it was one of the phantoms. It seriously showed up out of nowhere and gave me goose bumps when I saw it. It was like the heavens opened and he was just there.
Image Provided by Mandarake
I would also have to say Grader who is also part of the whole Four Phantom Kinkeshi mystery. While I see him fairly often, (I quite like him) as he is sporting a really stylish cloth hood....
Image Provided by Mandarake
By the way, Mandarake is currently buying Silver Riki Kinkeshi for 200,000円 ($2,400.00) - if you happen to have one, please let us know!!!
Nama Niku: Muscle Kinkeshi were made in Japan by Bandai, but distributed overseas by Mattel. There is a lot of mystery in America about how they were made, and why only a limited number of figures were released overseas. In all your Kinkeshi research, have you ever come across any information about M.U.S.C.L.E.?
Miyakoshi: We have not really seen much of M.U.S.C.L.E itself you know. I didn't hear anything about the American version of Kinkeshi until they had been discontinued. This is the same with many other series and types of toys, as the popularity dies down, the items gradually stop selling (and you do not hear about them until after the fact). For me however I'm rather curious about how big the M.U.S.C.L.E. boom was in America at the time.
I really admire the fantastic color variations in the American versions which are missing in the Japanese Kinkeshi line. Crazy colors like purple, neon green and yellow are rather interesting and stimulate my senses. I am also curious about the French version of Kinkeshi (COSMIX) which include dangerous Ninjya molds. The world of Kinkeshi still holds a lot of mysteries...
Sorry I was not much help in that area... My path to Kinkeshi enlightenment still continues... (Miyakoshi has also hinted that M.U.S.C.L.E. may be getting a mention in the next issue ofコンプREX, there is quite a bit of mystery surrounding the M.U.S.C.L.E. exclusive Terri-Bull/Buffaloman sculpt).
Nama Niku: Kinkeshi are quite popular with overseas collectors. What is the best way for people overseas to order from the Microkan?
Miyakoshi: Well, we have the Mandarake Homepage which hosts out Mail Order site however we rarely have any of our Kinkeshi items listed on the website.
If you have specific Choujin that you are looking for, you can send us an
email and we can check to see if we have any in stock. If you are looking for a ton of individual items it might be hard for us to look for everything, but I certainly would like to spread the word all over the world that we are more than happy to help!
(Mandarake English Contact Form)
We also feature a wide selection of Romando, CCP, and other Kinnnikuman figures for sale on our Mail Order site, so please check it out!
(Kinnikuman Figure Page!)
Nama Niku: Lastly, why do you think Kinkeshi are still so popular today?
Miyakoshi: I think that the popularity of Kinnnikuman is due to the warmth and character of the figures which is something that we no longer see in this day and age. Also, the story still continues in Nisei which is a testament to the power of the Kinnikuman story. All these factors coming together I would say is the reason for the popularity continuing.
There are also so many Kinkeshi items in all sorts of colors to collect. Kinkeshi are cheap enough that kids can purchase them with their allowance money, and it is really a fun hobby. The figures themselves feature high quality molding jobs, which are just amazing. You really have to collect Kinkeshi to get a true feeling for what they are all about.
Microkan Information:
We are constantly updating information via the Mandarake website and Twitter, so please check it out!
The Microkan also sells コンプREX/Comp Rex which is a publication dedicated to all things Keshi.
Comp Rex is available via mail order, so please pick it up if you do not already have it. The next issue of will be all about Kinnikuman, so please keep an eye out for it☆★
Nama Niku: At this point I would really like to thank Mandarake and especially Micro Miyakoshi for taking the time the time out of his busy schedule to speak with me.
There is an incredible article about the Four Phantom Kinkeshi and other rare Kinkeshi in Vol 1 of コンプREX. While I believe this issue is out of print, there still may be a copy of two kicking around the Microkan.
Mandarake's English website is extremely easy to use and they accept PayPal! Please enjoy the original Japanese interview as well!
Nama Niku: ミクロ館の歴史について教えてもらえますか？
宮越: ミクロ館はまんだらけの中でも比較的新しい部類の店舗で, ２００３年２月２０日に中野ブロードウェイの２階にオープンしました。
始めはキーホルダー・ぬいぐるみなどグッズ系の販売中心でしたが, キン肉マン・ＳＤガンダム・ドラゴンボールなど８０年代後半～９０年代 後半くらいの玩具販売にシフトチェンジし、今のミクロ館の方向性が決まりまし た!!
そして私が入社して、始めはキン消し・ＳＤガン消し・ドラゴンボール消しゴムなどがポツポツと展開されていましたが、キン肉マン修行を行いキン消しの拡大!! 取り扱い消しゴム・食玩のジャンルを増やしていきました。
その後、２００５年１０月１日に４階に移転して、ジックリ消しゴムを勉強・研究する時間が増えました。そこで日々の消しゴム修行打ち込み、今の消しゴム中心スタイルが確立されました!!
Nama Niku: 宮越さん自身もキン消しを集めていらっしゃいますか？
もし集めていらっしゃるようであれば、
お気に入りのフィギュアはなんですか？
宮越: キン消しはミクロ館のお客様ほどナイスな超人は持っていませんが、買ってはい
ますよ♪入社した頃は良く購入していて、消しゴムと暮らしてキン消しの気持ち学びとっていました。
お気に入りのキン消しは、王道だと王位パート３のレオパルドンは好きです♪堂々とした風格がナイスで、未知の力を感じさせてくれます♪マイナー所ではパート７ 木木人も良いですね☆功夫修行には欠かせません!!
Nama Niku: まんだらけで働いていて出会った、
一番興奮したアイテムはなんですか？
宮越: やはり未発売キン消しで幻の４体のシルバーリキですかね。定かな情報もなく幻とされていたのに、現物がいきなり買取にきて鳥肌が立ちました！
まさに神降臨です★そして、幻の４体でも一番遭遇率の高いグレダーもかなりシビレました!!なかなかオシャレなクロス頭巾です☆
ちなみにシルバーリキは買取２００，０００円なので、お持ちの方はお待ちして
おります♪
Nama Niku: Muscleキン消しは日本のバンダイ社が作ったものですが、
マテル社によって海外では販売されています。
キン消しはどのように作られたのか、
どうして限られた数のフィギュアしか海外では発売されなかったの
か、
などアメリカではキン消しに関するミステリーがたくさんあります
。宮越さんのキン消しリサーチの中で M.U.S.C.L.E.に関する情報を聞いた事はありますか？
宮越: M.U.S.C.L.E自体ほとんど入荷しないですね。アメリカ版キン消しの販売が終わっ
たのも、情報を聞いた事はないですね～。シリーズ物の常で、人気と共に徐々に終了したのではないでしょうか？と言っても、当時のアメリカでのキン肉マンブームがどれだけのものだったのかが、むしろ気になります★
しかしあの日本にはないファンタスティックなカラーバリエーションは、いつも
憧れます♪紫・黄緑などマッドカラーが感性を刺激します。あと危険な忍者造形入りのフランス版キン消し[COSMIX]も気になります♪ 世界のキン消しはまだ謎だらけだ～!!!!!!
お役に立てずすいません。。。キン消し修行の旅は続く‥‥。
Nama Niku: キン消しは海外のコレクターの中ではとても人気があります。
海外に住んでいる方が、
にミクロ館から注文する良い方法はありますか？
宮越: そうですね～。まんだらけのホームページには通販サイトもありますが、キン消しはほとんど掲載していませんね。
もしキン消しで欲しい超人などが決まっていれば、当社宛てにメール頂ければ在庫確認致します！
あまり多いのは厳しいですが、世界に羽ばたければ嬉しいのでお気軽にご連絡下さい★
あと浪曼堂・ＣＣＰなどその他のキン肉マンフィギュアは通販ページにも掲載している
のでチェックして下さい☆
Nama Niku: 最後にキン消しはなぜ今でも人気があると思われますか？お忙しい中ご協力ありがとうございました。
宮越: 当時のキン肉マンブームと今のフィギュアにはない無彩色の温かみ・そして２世まで続いているキン肉マンという作品のパワーが、現在でも人気の理由だと思います★またキン消しはラインナップが多く・色バリエーションもあり、
子どものお小遣いで買えるのも魅力で、収集するのが楽しいですよね♪♪ 造形も１体１体のレベルが高く素晴らしいです★この感動は集めるしかありません!!!!!
