I normally do not buy cheapo knockoff toys.
But then again, this toy was never released as an actual Transformers toy in America, only in Japan. Plus it is a Tanuki. Those mischievious shape shifters (ooohhhh a Transformer that turns into a transforming animal!) of Japanese folklore and Mario games.
You may also recall my obsession with them from earlier posts. This one too.So I had to own it.
They replaced the clock on the original toy with a zen symbol of yin and yang, which suits me fine, it makes him look more like the Tanuki statues you see in Japan. The fact that he has a saké bottle and a promissory note for his drinking bill furthers the Tanuki statue look.
What is funny about the changes to the knockoff is that they decided to paint his tanuki scrotum white and red. Perhaps someone thought this made them stand out less, by looking like robotic parts. I think it just makes him look like he has red signal lights as testes. If they had just painted them brown (or black like the original toy) I doubt most Americans would have even thought they were anything other than part of his torso, and not balls. Do'ah! (I guess they were not that concerned with selling a toy with a bottle of booze though?)
All I need to do now is make him a small hat, because he is going to sit as my kitschy "Saké Guardian" for the kitchen.