Whatever Happened to Monchichi?

Growing up in the 1980s holds a special place in my heart. During my childhood, I got a chance to view some of the most popular cartoons and toys during that time period. One of these cartoons was called “Monchichi.” There was also a doll of the same name.

I remember owning the cute little monkeys with a hole in their mouth for their pacifiers. Recently, I was thinking about the Monchichi dolls and wandering whatever happened to them.
Whatever happened to these little monkey creatures? Before I can get into what happened to them, I have always wandered about how did the monkeys get their start.

The very first Monchichi dolls were created by Koichi Sekiguchi Corporation, which is based in Tokyo, during the early 1970s and became very big in terms of production. They are so adorable!
Before the Monchichi cartoons were broadcast in the United States in 1983-1984, the cartoon was shown on Japanese television in 1980. This was due to having a very successful license and the making of these monkey dolls.

Many of us that grew up in the 1980s may also remember the Monchichi cartoons. Although it did not last very long, it still was a very cute series. The plot was that the Monchichis were living above the cloud under the control of Wizzer. They had a very positive outlook on life. But as with any obstacles in life, they were constantly resisting the evilness of Grumplins, who was always attempting to ruin their lives.

It seems that one minute the Monchichis were fighting off evil spirits. The next minute, they just disappeared, as if they packed up their bags and left the entertainment industry—at least in the United States. They went into oblivion, with the exception of the e-Bay auctions in recent years.
However, they are still the phenomenon in their native Japan. These little monkeys continue to be the hot commodity item. In 2005, these dolls were featured in another series. After the year, many children became aware of Monchichi, which caused the sales to skyrocket along with the airing of the television series.

As a thirty-something adult, I am still feeling nostalgic and missing the presence of the Monchichis. They were full of excitement, very cuddly, cute, and great buddies during my ups and downs. This may sound pretty crazy, but if I had a personal message to send, it would say, “come back to the States Monchichis!”


Source:
http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-a-monchichi.htm