Far from muscular statues, the sofubi brand Goccodo approaches Hokuto no Ken through caricature and humor. Its in-house mascot, a small chubby character, steps into the shoes of the manga’s warriors across a series called Kigaedakun, literally “the one who dresses up.”
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A mascot in disguise
The concept is simple and clever. Goccodo’s signature figurine dons costumes from the Hokuto no Ken universe, from savior to tyrant, all the way down to the lowliest henchmen. Kenshiro opens the series in 2021, offered in two versions that each reference a different era of the character: a “Denim Jacket” with the jean jacket from the early days, and a “Sunglasses & Black Jacket,” with dark sunglasses and a black jacket from the later period. A helmeted Raoh followed in 2022, unveiled at an exhibition dedicated to the rise of the King of Hokuto.
The highlight of the lineup is the zako. Under the name Kiaidanji, the mascot transforms into a mohican from the King of Hokuto’s army, complete with studded shoulder pads and a spiked crest, those extras that Kenshiro obliterates by the dozens. Two colorways exist: an orange crest and a green crest. These pieces were unveiled at an exhibition entirely dedicated to the series’ minor villains, “the graveyard of henchmen.”
Finding them today
Sold sparingly, through lottery on the Hakaba no Garo gallery’s website in Nakano, at a price of 20,000 yen before tax, these figurines are produced in very small quantities. They then turn up on Yahoo Auctions and Mercari, often above their original retail price, given how limited the runs are. A curiosity for sofubi enthusiasts and fans of tongue-in-cheek humor, a far cry from premium statues, but perfectly in line with the brand’s offbeat spirit.