Konno Sangyo

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KonnoSangyo Logo.png
Konno Sangyo
Founded: 1970
Headquarters:
Sumida, Tokyo, Japan

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Konno Sangyo Co., Ltd. / Konno Industries[1] (今野産業株式会社, Konno Sangyō Kabushiki Gaisha), currently K's Works Co. Ltd[2][3] (株式会社ケーズワークス, Kabushiki Gaisha Kēzuwākusu) is a toy manufacturing company, founded in 1970 in Tokyo, Japan, by Japanese bussinessman and inventor Akihisa Konno[4][5] (今野 明久 , 1937 – 2016[6]).

The company is known for pioneering[7] Japanese Gashapon industry (introduced in the 1960's by Ryuzo Shigeta[8][9] / 重田 龍三 a.k.a Gacha-gacha Ojisan / “the Grandfather of Gashapon”, a former entrepreneur, and his brother Tetsuo Shigeta[8][10] / 重田 哲夫, responsible for helping start Penny Shokai Co. Ltd[11] / 株式会社ペニイ商会, currently Penny Inc. / 株式会社ペニイ, the first gashapon vending machine company in Japan, on February 17th, 1965[12][13], as a division of Pittsburgh-based Penny King Co．Ltd, a.k.a The Penny King Company, after its President Mr. Lester O. Hardman[14][15][16] sent them a gum ball vending machine) as one of the largest manufacturers and suppliers of capsule toys[17][18][19] in the 1970's (the company worked with a monk who specialized in temple carvings[20][21], 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 (ギャラクシーハンガー).

Mr. Akihisa Konno (今野 明久) in 2007, President and Founder of Konno Sangyo Co. Ltd
Konno Sangyo Co. Ltd headquarters[4][22], in Sumida, Tokyo (June 2013)

Gallery

  • K's Works Co. Ltd logo

  • 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)

  • Mr. Akihisa Konno (今野 明久) in 1995

  • "The Roots of Gashapon" 1995 JP documentary, featuring Mr. Akihisa Konno (今野明久) and Mr. Ryuzo Shigeta (重田龍三)

External links

References

  1. ↑ http://randomhoohaas.flyingomelette.com/bomb/merch/keshi.html
  2. ↑ http://galaxy-hanger.tokyo/html/company.html
  3. ↑ http://galaxy-hanger.tokyo/shopbrand/ct9/
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 File:KonnoSangyoMagazineArticle BreakMax JP 2004-03.pdf
  5. ↑ https://japangachagachalab1965.com/2019/11/25/ガチャガチャ功労者に感謝！/ (archive.today)
  6. ↑ https://ameblo.jp/gachagacha1965/entry-12146314900.html
  7. ↑ https://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2017/08/19/lifestyle/gachapon-tracing-evolution-japans-colorful-toy-capsules/#.W8hS8mhKjIV
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 http://www.icity.or.jp/usr/sdr01103/with-boren.jpg
  9. ↑ http://www.icity.or.jp/usr/sdr01103/los-cablecar.jpg
  10. ↑ http://www.icity.or.jp/usr/sdr01103/with-broter.jpg
  11. ↑ http://www.icity.or.jp/usr/sdr01103/P-asahi.htm
  12. ↑ http://www.penny.co.jp:80/about/about02.html (Wayback Machine: 2013-06-23 02:39)
  13. ↑ http://www.penny.co.jp:80/about/about03.html (Wayback Machine: 2013-06-24 02:49)
  14. ↑ File:L.O. Hardman.jpg
  15. ↑ http://www.icity.or.jp/usr/sdr01103/P-sono2.htm
  16. ↑ https://books.google.pt/books?id=HA4EAAAAMBAJ&pg=PT98&lpg=PT98&dq=L.O.+Hardman+the+penny+king+company&source=bl&ots=Zw8xHOoP74&sig=i3rxvtnVEXQwzP-949WXL5UZRVg&hl=pt-PT&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjKndCAkJzeAhVLyqQKHS1lDSoQ6AEwAHoECAEQAQ#v=onepage&q=L.O.%20Hardman%20the%20penny%20king%20company&f=false
  17. ↑ File:Super7 US 08.pdf, page 13
  18. ↑ https://www.behance.net/gallery/1729933/Capsule-Toys-(A)-2008-2011
  19. ↑ http://irurei.blog97.fc2.com/blog-entry-3159.html
  20. ↑ http://blog.livedoor.jp/gargamel/archives/50372910.html
  21. ↑ http://www.gachapontoys.com/tag/konno-industries/ (Wayback Machine: 2018-10-18 13:42)
  22. ↑ https://ameblo.jp/gachagacha1965/entry-11917901384.html
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