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 recognize with their freckled 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 irresistabe cuteness or the fond memories they bring back.  Or perhaps it's the message of love that they have conveyed for over 30 years.