Konno Sangyo
From Sega Retro
Konno Sangyo | ||
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Founded: 1970 | ||
Headquarters:
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Konno Sangyo / Konno Industries[1] (今野産業株式会社), currently K's Works Co. Ltd[2][3] (株式会社ケーズワークス) is a toy manufacturing company, founded in 1970 in Tokyo, Japan, by Japanese bussinessman and inventor Akihisa Konno[4] (明久 今野).
The company is known for pioneering[5] Japanese Gashapon industry (introduced in the 1960's by Ryuzo Shigeta a.k.a Gacha-gacha Ojisan, a former entrepreneur, and his brother) as one of the largest manufacturers and suppliers of capsule toys[6][7][8] in the 1970's (the company worked with a monk who specialized in temple carvings[9][10], which hand carved wooden prototypes exclusively for Konno Sangyo Co. Ltd) before the industry was completely revolutionized in 1977 with the entry of a toy giant, namely, Bandai.
In 1992 the company manufactured a set of Keshigomu (消しゴム) collectible miniature PVC action figures, distributed by Sega in Japan, as part of its Salad Juu Yuushi Tomatoman (サラダ十勇士トマトマン, TomatoMan and the Knights of the Salad Table) series of toys.
In 2014 Konno Sangyo Co. Ltd left its old headquarters, which was demolished, relocating to a nearby building, where it maintains a small office, selling its products exclusivelly through its sales website Galaxy Hanger.
Gallery
K's Works Co. Ltd offices in Sumida, Tokyo (April 2018), just a couple of meters away from the place where Konno Sangyo Co. Ltd headquarters was located, now occupied by a block of apartments (in the background, to the right)
External links
References
- ↑ http://randomhoohaas.flyingomelette.com/bomb/merch/keshi.html
- ↑ http://galaxy-hanger.tokyo/html/company.html
- ↑ http://galaxy-hanger.tokyo/shopbrand/ct9/
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 File:KonnoSangyoMagazineArticle BreakMax JP 2004-03.pdf
- ↑ https://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2017/08/19/lifestyle/gachapon-tracing-evolution-japans-colorful-toy-capsules/#.W8hS8mhKjIV
- ↑ File:Super7 US 08.pdf, page 13
- ↑ https://www.behance.net/gallery/1729933/Capsule-Toys-(A)-2008-2011
- ↑ http://irurei.blog97.fc2.com/blog-entry-3159.html
- ↑ http://blog.livedoor.jp/gargamel/archives/50372910.html
- ↑ http://www.gachapontoys.com/tag/konno-industries/ (Wayback Machine: 2018-10-18 13:42)