#128 Smile Man

His own audience

Another example of a unique and interesting thematically memorable figure from the toy series that personifies creepy and comedic at the same time that the original creators are famous for. Lesser known for his appearances in the manga and anime story arcs of his origins in the Kinnikuman universe created by a creative duo named Yudetamago out of Japan. This multi-faced Brutal Chojin named Smile Man is a visual oddity just waiting for imaginative combat.

An obscure antagonist who embodies the unsettling character concept of multiple permanently fixed menacing smiles to intimidate contenders and add an unpredictable behavior. Using his consistent facial expressions to confuse and bait opponents to quickly shift from passive to ruthless aggression.

While a minor character in the expansive universe his character originates from, his details were lost in the figure selections for the Mattel M.U.S.C.L.E. toy figures which re-used the casts from the Japanese versions called “Kinkeshi” selecting only a fraction of the characters existing. It’s unclear why Mattel chose the rebranding exactly but that didn’t stop the newly introduced fans of the primarily English-speaking markets from enjoying the creative toy series.

The gimmicks that spawned such a diverse manga and anime empire are still immensely popular and produced by the same pair of friends out of Japan now over 40 years later lend to the imaginations of fans worldwide. With identities perhaps not shared between all the markets to where they’re introduced, but that’s a tribute to the imaginations of Yudetamago who mix exaggerated wrestling themes with bizarre and creative character design. Because the fans that find them probably have made up their own with their help.