#127 Junk Man (B)

Crushing it

A uniquely visual menace of a figure that was a favorite to many, Junk Man appears a couple times in the Mattel M.U.S.C.L.E. toy series. However, like many who don’t notice his second face on the back of his head much of the distribution market was never aware of his true origins and identity. Which was unfortunate the rebranded toys lost those details but allowed for the new fan base to fill them in with their own imaginations and find out later the depth of all the characters they came to love anyway.

Originally created by a pair of talented Japanese friends who go by the collective name Yudetamago, he’s part of an enormous manga and anime universe known as Kinnikuman that’s still produced in Japan by the same creators and immensely popular still today. With his massive industrial clamp press type appendages and spikes adorning a solid physique it’s easy to guess Junk Man is a brutal antagonist in his appearances.

Concept design emphasizing a living machine built as crushing machinery brought to exaggerated wrestling themed fighting story arcs gives him a trash compactor form for destructive combat. Serving as a mid-tier obstacle competitor providing a cold and menacing character to the scenes while highlighting sheer brutality in matches.

The nostalgic memories who may not have been aware of his original figure in the Japanese keshi toy lines which he’s based may have already included some of his signature moves, only by different names. Including his Vice Hold, or the Junk Crash used to crush his enemies exactly as one might imagine. He appears fighting primary heroes including Terry Man adding a note of relentless pressure from his character to Terry Man’s endurance and determination. Simple in concept, but effective on execution, a fierce combatant in all regards.