Monchhichi t-shirts!
The idea for Monchhichi was
first developed in 1974 by Japanese toy company owner, Mr. Koichi Sekiguchi.
After noticing cute "little girl" dolls in Germany, his vision was to create a
cuddly, fuzzy doll that would reinforce the message of love and caring to
children everywhere. He soon came up with the Monchhichi, an adorable little
monkey-like creature with plastic faces, hands, and feet, and bodies made from
brown plush fur. Often sold as a set of twins, Monchhichis
were easy to recogize
with their frecked faces and little button noses. Early Monchhichis had blue
eyes, but in 1985, production of brown-eyed dolls began.
Shortly after Monchhichis were
introduced to the public, they enjoyed increasing popularity. So much so that
new Monchhichi products and accessories were introduced. In 1976, a line of
clothing for the plush monkeys was launched, called the "Boutique Monchhichi".
Now children had several clothing options for their dolls, and could dress their
Monchhichi however they wanted. Because of their skyrocketing success, versions
of the Monchhichi were soon available in European countries as well. Although
the dolls were the same in appearance, they were sold under different names. In
France, for instance, they were known as "Kiki", and in England they were called
"Chic-a-boo". Though the name was altered in these countries, the basic message
of the Monchhichi - love and happiness - was still conveyed. A wide range of
Monchhichi t-shirts, stationery, and other accessories were also manufactured.
The Monchhichis were soon
introduced in the United States, when Mattel brought forth their own line of the
dolls. They were highly successful in the late 1970's and early 80's, and in
1983, a cartoon about the little monkeys made its debut. The theme song
proclaimed, "Way up in the trees live the Monchhichis!", and children were
introduced to Moncho, Kyla, and the rest of the clan. The show was produced by
Hanna-Barbera and showcased Monchia, the happy forest where the Monchhichis
lived. The Monchhichis were happy and carefree until the dismal Grumplins, led
by evil leader Horgg, tried to threaten their happiness. Luckily, the
Monchhichis' resident wizard (suitably named "Wizzar") was always there to save
the day with his magic spells and words of wisdom. The basic plot of every
episode was that good always outweighs evil, which keeps with the message that
Sekiguchi intended the Monchhichis to portray. Although the dolls were quite
successful, and can still be found today, the cartoon did not produce the same
measure of acclaim. It aired on ABC for just one season before being canceled.
Toy enthusiasts and children
of the 80's still find the Monchhichis very appealing, and the toys and
accessories are often deemed as quite collectible. There are a number of
possibilities for this. It could be their irrisistabe cuteness or the fond
memories they bring back. Or perhaps it's the message of love that they have
conveyed for over 30 years.