Found these pics in a YJA auction for a magazine from 1972. I don't believe this is the Bullmark factory although the headers do look a little like Bullmarks. This might be a bootleg operation. Can't tell from the small map, but is that China? Also is that Ultraman laying on the ground a bootleg? I also have no idea what the red figures are. If I win the auction I will post a larger scan and see if we can get it translated.
It's looks like a bootleg factory. On the bottom of the title it says something about "Fake Ultramans" And the map is sure not Japan.
Can someone explain why a magazine (and what kind of magazine) would run an article on bootleg toys in 1972?
I Just took another look and it seems I may have been wrong. I zoomed in on the picture and the map actually looks like a part of Japan. It also says" Iwate's Fake Ultraman ...(something)" Under the title and Iwate is I believe a part of Japan. Do you have the link to this auction??? Please let me know where you got it cause it's making me wonder now.
I will pm you a link to the auction. I just ran a translation of the listing and it said that it was located in the agricultural district of Iwate-ken and that the daily wages for the workers was 800 Yen. The magazine is the weekly Morning Sun from July 7, 1972. If you makle any other sense out of the translation, please post.
I just read it, and from what I can make out, there was a counterfeit scandal of the Bullmark figures. They stopped a truck delivering these bootlegs and cleared out the run down factory making these. Which it was located in the Iwate prefecture. Thats where the photo of the Ultraman figure lieing on the ground shows. Thats what I can make out. My kanji skills is not that great yet. But I hope this helps some of you guys. Check your vintages.
Yup, there were a few bootleg makers around back then! But from the picts these look better than the average ones I see.
