Kinnikuman (manga)

The character Terryman is modled after American wrestler Terry Funk. Other charcters modled after real wrestlers were Robin Mask (Bill Robinson), Wolfman (Sumo Wrestler "The Wolf" Mitsugu Chiyonofuji), Beauty Rhodes (Dusty Rhodes), Jean Steamboard (Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat), and Jesse Maivia ("High Priest" Peter Maivia, grandfather of The Rock).

Kinnikuman is the 4th best-selling series in Jump Magazine history.

The series was banned in France for awhile because the character Blocken Jr. was believed to be a "Good-Guy" Nazi instead of a Nazi-themed bad guy wrestler who became a good guy.

The character of Ramenman was so popular that he got his own spin-off manga set in fuedal China called "Fight!! Ramenman". The manga was later turned into an anime with 76 episodes and 3 movies.

The character Wolfman had his named changed to Rikishiman in the anime.

Kinnikuman's girlfriend (and future wife) Bibinba had a reletively small role in the anime and eventually faded into the background. The elderly commentator Tazahama was omitted from the anime completely.

Kinnikuman and the anime based on it spawned a popular line of gumball machine figurines that made it's way to the U.S. under the name M.U.S.C.L.E.

Frequent background character Nakano-san was a parody of the assistant editor at Shonen Jump at the time Kinnikuman was being published.