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Bootleg MUSCLEs

What discussion of M.U.S.C.L.E.s would be complete without bootlegs? Bootlegs are unlicensed rip-offs of M.U.S.C.L.E.s usually found in bubble gum machines or dollar stores. Often bootlegs are direct rip-offs, taking the same mold as M.U.S.C.L.E.s. They are easy to distinguish from authentic M.U.S.C.L.E.s since they are usually made of crappier and flimsier quality plastic/rubber. Also, they are usually less detailed and smaller than legitimate MUSCLEs. Additionally, most bootlegs are missing the Y/S*N*T trademark. Despite their horrible quality, bootleg collecting is pretty fun. Some bootlegs are so bad that they're cool.

Shown here is the cyborg Muscleman bootleg, found in a bubble gum machine at Toys 'R' Us a few years ago. It turns out that this figure's mold was actually part of the Kinnikuman toy line. According to John Morey:

"Kinnikuman had to have his arm replaced before the fight against Neptuneman and Big the Budo. Even though the new arm looked normal, there was a part where Budo magnetized himself for no apparent reason. Kin's arm was also magnetized, and all of that metal junk attached to it in the shape of a key so he could slow down the approaching aliens (long story)."

These are some bootlegs I've been able to find that are direct rip-offs from original M.U.S.C.L.E. molds. Some scans include the figure's MUSCLE counterpart (the MUSCLE is on the left, while the bootleg is on the right).



Above we see a bootleg of the ever-elusive Light Bulb Guy, who was modeled after a Japanese Kinnikuman figure!


Thorg isn't technically a bootleg, although he looks like one. He's actually from a Fist of the North Star toy line. (I just made up his name for the MUSCLE Archives Page 4.)

Alien Wrestler is a line apparently found in dollar stores. The packaging shows a horrible representation of Muscleman, with six figures available in the pack. Most of the figures you can see are just direct rip-offs of M.U.S.C.L.E.s (specifically numbers 97, 101, 138, and 148). However, one seems to be a mold not seen in the M.U.S.C.L.E. line. This ghost-looking guy was actually a figure in the Kinnikuman line that was not brought over to the American line.