Mantaro is the son of Kinniku Suguru and Bibimba, and is the current prince of Planet Kinniku. He is spoiled and prefers to play rather than fight and train. He is a serious lecher and will often try to sneak into cabarets and enjo kōsai cafes (this aspect is toned down in the anime, as he is only 14). After the Hercules Factory he was stationed in Beverly Park where he lived there with Meat
Mantaro is very cowardly and will often hesitate to fight. But when his friends are in trouble or his opponents are fighting unfairly, he musters up the courage to fight. When the fight reaches its climax, he evokes his hereditary Kajiba no Kuso Djikara (Burning Inner Strength) and the Niku Mark (肉マーク) appears on his forehead. He is named after Ultraman Taro (Ultraman + Taro). Because of this, in the early episodes of the anime he is often mistakenly called Kinnikuman Taro (キン肉マン・タロウ).
Because Suguru had his old fight records annulled, Mantaro never knew how great his father was until he met Meat. Mantaro uses his father's old techniques the Kinniku Buster and the Kinniku Driver until he develops his own finishing moves, the Muscle Millennium and the Muscle Gravity.
In the Japanese version of the anime, Mantaro has a habit of adding Muscle (マッスル, Massuru) at the end of certain words and sentences in place of the standard masu (ます). For example, Itadaki-masu (いただきます), a common Japanese phrase said before eating, becomes Itadaki-MUSCLE (いただきマッスル, Itadaki Massuru).
Mantaro's main love interest is Nikaido Rinko, but in both the anime and manga, he lusts after many girls, including Jacqueline Muscle. Both Rinko and Jacqueline are popular pairings for Mantaro.
Names Mantaro is called by (Japanese version)
Mantaro: Kinniku Suguru (Kinniku Clan in general), Chojin Wrestling community
Nisei (Junior): Meat (commonly)
Mantaro-san: Kuan, 20th Century Meat, Arenanda (second movie)
Kajiba no Kuso Djikara (火事場のクソ力,Burning Inner Strength?)
Inherited from his father, it is literally a burning display of power. It is Mantaro's ability to improvise during battle despite his ignorance, last longer than a Choujin with a mere 930,000 power should, and overcome great obstacles. He also seems to be able to sense when a strong Chojin is around. Renamed The Power of Ultimate Muscle in the English dub.
Mantaro places an opponent's neck on his shoulder and grabs their thighs. He then jumps up and lands in a sitdown position, causing damage to the neck, spine, and groin. Renamed "Butt Buster" for the first several episodes of the English dub.
Mantaro grabs his opponent in a front neckbreaker hold, jumps into the air, somersaults, and then performs a standard Kinniku Buster but with the opponent's body facing in the opposite direction.
Mantaro runs up to his opponent and places his head between their legs. He then leaps up, flips the opponent upside down, places his feet on the underside of their arms, and drives them into the canvas.
Mantaro sends his opponent high in the air vertically, then he runs into one of the ring's ropes at a fast speed, sets himself like a slingshot, and then launches himself into his opponent's back headfirst. The front part of his opponent's body is pushed into the opposite side of the ring's ropes, which leaves noticeable marks of the ropes on the opponent's front.
This modified Muscle Millenium was used originally to adapt to having only one ring rope in Mantaro's match with Hanzo. After throwing Hanzo into the air, Mantaro jumped off of the one ring rope left and flew into Hanzo's back like a normal Muscle Millenium. However, with no ropes to crash into, Mantaro tilted his body toward the ground and slammed Hanzo into the hole that he had accidentally formed with his Slaughterhouse Sawblade. The hole was just wide enough that Hanzo's head and thighs stopped the two from falling into the hole. In the anime, Mantaro angled his initial jump off of the rope to be slightly higher, so that when he was over the hole, he would be able to kick off of the rafters over the ring and launch Hanzo and himself downward with similar force as a regular Muscle Millenium.
Mantaro performs a standard Kinniku Buster, but right before hitting the mat he invokes the power of the Kajiba no Kuso Djikara, creating an intense increase in gravity, and flaps the opponent's body outstretched forward, causing their chin to rest on his shoulder. He then clamps their arms with his feet, causing their neck, spine, arms, and legs break and their chest to tear open upon impact.
Kinniku Clan Special Back Drop (キン肉族スペシャルバックドロップ,,Kinniku-zoku Supesharu Bakku Doroppu?)
This technique was used to defeat Dialbolic (Tel Tel Boy) (in the manga) and was actually used accidentally. Mantaro started out using a high angled double-arm suplex, but couldn't manage it with the amount of blood he had lost, so instead he managed to flip around Tel Tel Boy and perform a high angle tiger bomb instead, which became known as the Mantaro Bomb.
Mantarou's Best Stretch (マンタロー一番搾り,,Mantarou Ichiban Shibori?)
The Mantaro's Best Stretch or Muscle Stretch in the English dub (or ridiculously named the Stocky Locky for the anime) is a fairly simple, yet effective submission hold which was first used against Checkmate. Mantaro starts out with an Indian deathlock, which crosses the opponent's legs so that one ankle falls into the pit of the opposite knee and has the wrestler position his own leg between them, so that he faces the opposite direction and both of the opponent's legs are stuck in those positions. Next, Mantaro reaches back, as if to apply a sickle hold by simply grabbing the opponent's head. Instead of doing just that, Mantaro elevates the opponent's body by leaning forward and pulling them into a kneeling position. This technique is really more like a kneeling neck-breaker than a sickle hold, but the manner in which the two are applied are similar. It should also be noted that this move is used as a prelude to the Kinniku Buster in the match against Dead Signal and is also used as part of the Iroha Hell Tour.
Iroha Hell Tour (イ・ロ・ハ地獄巡り,,I-Ro-Ha Jigoku Meguri?)
Of the many reality-challenged moves in Kinnikuman and Kinnikuman: Nisei, this one is one of the more unbelievable ones. Mantaro created the move in order to one-up Clioneman's X-Y-Z Crash and he ultimately won with it. This technique starts with Mantaro throwing his opponent up into the air and jumping after them, crashing his head into the small of their back to form the kanji: I (seen from the two lines made by Mantaro's body and the opponent's). Then Mantaro applies his Muscle Stretch to form the kanji: Ro (seen from the slightly rounded square that the two bodies make). Lastly, Mantaro rolls backwards over his opponent while rotating his body so that his legs are draped over their shoulders and grabs their wrists, pulling them back to arch the opponent's back enough to hook his feet behind their ankles to form the kanji: Ha (seen from the upside down v formed by the opponent's legs in this hold). This entire sequence is done in mid-air and the final part is held while Mantaro drops to the ground with the opponent (called the Kid Muscle Death Drop in the English manga). This was renamed the Alphabet Soup de Loop in the English anime.
A counter technique Mantaro used against Clioneman. When Clioneman was using his Convex Lens Body, Mantaro used this move by using octopi he found in the water to squirt ink into Clioneman and darken his lens.
Another counter technique Mantaro used against Clioneman. After using the Octopus Ink Shower, Mantaro used a backflip kick to shatter Clioneman's lens-like body.
Mantaro Heel Drop
Mantaro delivers a powerful heel drop to his opponent's head.
Muscle German
First used against The Rigany, Mantaro basically performs a normal German Suplex, but into the corner post of the ring.
A counter technique Mantaro used against Lone Bone Cold. When Bone Cold used his Nasty Gimlet, Mantaro wrapped his legs around one another and spun in the opposite direction to effectively defeat his foe's move.
In his fight with Wash Ass, Mantaro used this technique by taking a cut section of rope and wrapping it around Wash Ass so that his toilet lid was wrapped closed.
A one time move used against Constellation. Mantaro shattered Buffaloman's General Stone with a kick and knocked the pieces into Constellation's face; forcing him to change into a different constellation.
A tag technique done with Chaos. Mantaro and Chaos each take an opponent. While one performs a Kinniku Buster on his foe, the other performs a Kinniku Driver on his. With the one performing the Buster descending and the one performing the Driver ascending, they "dock" when the Buster performer sits on the other's shoulders. They then drive into the canvas, affecting both opponents.
Story
Prehistory
Mantaro is born to "The Legend of All Legends" Kinnikuman, the 58th King of Planet Kinniku, and his queen Bibinba. However, because Kinnikuman had his records annulled after becoming king, Mantaro is unaware of how great his father truly is until he meets Meat. Mantaro is trained by his father for most of his early childhood, but as Kinnikuman becomes increasingly busy ruling Planet Kinniku, his old friend Ramenman is brought in to finish Mantaro's basic training. Despite of all of this, Mantaro grows up into a very spoiled, lazy, and cowardly prince (however, the fact that he was raised during peace times could also be a factor).
Hercules Factory
d. M.p Arc
HF Second Year Replacement Matches
After Mantaro had defeated Checkmate and the d.M.p (along with some help of Terry the Kid), peace was restored once again. After which, Mantaro and his group had become apparently lazy and frequently took time off to relax while skipping training. Vance McLadd, had become furious of the absence of the four Hercules Factory graduates and demanded why the four were repeatedly missing (in the english manga, Gorgeous Man stated that they were sick). When Vance found them, he had enough of their antics and had decided to have a tournament between the lazy four graduates (Mantaro Kinniku, Gazelleman, Terry the Kid, and Seiuchin) against the new graduates (Scarface, Jade, Clioneman, and Death Signal better known as Road Rage in the english dub).(more to come)
Kajiba no Kuso Djikara Challenge
Choujin Olympics: The Resurrection
Poison Six Pack (Anime Only)
After the Chojin Crown prelims are finished, a group of Akugyou Chojin, known as the Poison Six Pack, kidnap Rinko, Keiko and Tamaki. Tag Team matches are held around the base of Mount Fuji, with the girls used as hostages, held in a floating jester head.
In both matches, Mantaro plays a key role in helping his team mates. In the first one, when Terry the Kid is under Dazzle's gaint eye trance, Mantaro uses feces to cause Kid to break out of his trance. When Kid and Jade knock out Dazzle and The Protector, Mantaro makes an attempt to catch the falling Tamaki, but misses. In the second match, Mantaro uses a spanking gesture to make Gazelleman clue into Puri-Puri Man's weakness. Mantaro also makes an attempt to save Seiuchin's mother and sister, but fails after almost drowning. After the last two members of the Six Pack are revealed, Mantaro vows to rescue Rinko in the next match.
Mantaro is teamed up with Kevin Mask in the last match of the Poison Six Pack. Kevin Mask defeats The Cyborg but is twenty-one seconds out of the ring, leaving Mantaro alone to deal with Baron Maximillion. At first, due to the Baron's skinny body, Mantaro thinks the match will be a cinch, however, using magic to avoid Mantaro's attacks, the Baron gains the upper hand, until Meat tells Mantaro to catch the Baron before he reappears again. Mantaro does this, and makes the Baron turn into his second form. As Maximillion pummels Mantaro, Kinniku Suguru appears to encourage Mantaro to fight on, and uses Rinko as encouragement, such as saying she is his future wife. Powering up, Mantaro starts to win, until Maximillion turns into his last form. After using the finishing move, Baron Tornado Bomb, Mantaro has seemed to have lost, but starts to fight again. Suguru says he's Sleep Fighting, and by reflexes, reverses Max-a-Million's moves. His teammates, Rinko, Keiko and Tamaki, along with the entire spectators, cheer on Mantaro. In Mantaro's mind, Mantaro is sitting with the spirits of The Ninja and Mince, who convince him to keep fighting. Fully powered, Mantaro defeats the Baron with the Muscle Millennium. However, the jester head explodes, sending Rinko flying over the edge of Mount Fuji's crater. Mantaro chases after her, using a massive fart to catch up to her.
With Rinko saved thanks to the help of his friends, Mantaro works up the courage to ask Rinko for a kiss. Rinko is about to kiss him, but places Nakano-san in front of her, making Mantaro kiss him instead. Rinko's whispering is drowned out by the jester head exploding, and Mantaro tries to make Rinko repeat herself.
Demon Seed Arc
While Mantaro is recovering from his loss to Kevin Mask at the Choujin Olympics, Reborn Ashuraman and the Demon Seed separate Meat's body into six pieces. Their aim is to use the parts to revive General Terror, but Mantaro can win them back by defeating the Demon Seed members. His first match is against 4D fighter The Constellation, who had already defeated Legend Buffaloman with ease. Mantaro has a hard fight against Constellation's 4D powers. He eventually sets him up for the Muscle Millennium, but Constellation is able to escape it. Mantaro begins to give up, but his No. 1 fan Kuan encourages him and cheers him on all in a manner similar to Meat, and he regains his power. He then defeats Constellation with an incomplete Muscle Gravity.
After the first fight Mantaro is too exhausted to continue, but luckily Hanzou, Ilioukhine, and Barrierfreeman arrive to fill in for him. Mantaro watches from the sidelines (along with Rinko, Kid, Seiuchin, Gazelleman, Check, Jade, Jacqueline, and later, his father Kinnikuman) as one by one they all defeat their opponents but still end up dying (for different reasons). During the tag between the Blood Evolutions (Kevin Mask and Scarface) and The Demolitions (Reborn Ashuraman and Voltman), Mantaro watches for a way to defeat Ashuraman's Ultimate Ashura Buster. After the match ends and Scar is killed, a rematch is set with Mantaro teaming up with Kevin as The Botchan's (ザ・坊ちゃんズ,The Botchan's?). They are given a few days to train for the fight, so Mantaro trains with Kid, Seiuchin, and Gazelleman. Unfortunately, he is unable to discover a way to defeat the Ultimate Ashura Buster.
The day of the rematch comes and Kevin and Mantarou enter the Demon Womb, fighting in a ring atop hundreds of Choujin corpses, including the fallen Idol Choujin. As the fight gets underway it soon becomes a handicap match against Voltman. Eventually they are able to defeat Voltman with their combo technique the Niku→Lap. Kevin saves Meat's right leg but then passes out from exhaustion, falling out of the ring and to his death. Mantaro is upset that Kevin has died but is relieved that another piece of Meat has not been added to General Terror. But then Ashuraman cuts off his own leg for General Terror and is given a metal prosthetic leg. As the fight continues, Mantaro still can't find a way to defeat the Ultimate Ashura Buster, but when Ashuraman's past is revealed he becomes shaken up enough that Mantaro gains an opportunity to defeat him with a Complete Muscle Gravity. He then puts Meat back together and revives his fallen comrades with the Reborn Diamond.
Ultimate Choujin Tag Arc
One day, while he is supposed to be sparring with the other Idol's, Mantarou daydreams about being beat up by Kinnikuman and Terryman. Later, he is one of the 8 Time Warp Choujins and travels back in time to the days of the Legends (right after the Dream Choujin Tag Arc conclusion) in order to save Robin Mask from being killed and, by extension, Kevin Mask from being erased from time. He is initially made part of Barrierfreeman's Team 3, in charge of finding the Time Choujin's horns. Mantarou stumbles across the horns after Kid smacks a dirty magazine out of his and Barrier's hands. As they are boarding the timeship, Mantarou tries to smuggle all of his toys and junk food, but Meat and Gazelleman reduce his luggage to the essentials. On the ship, Kid puts him on trash duty but soon sends him outside to remove a headstone (believed to be Chaos') from blocking the flight path. Before going back inside, Mantarou takes out a pack of sauce and writes The Kevin Mask (ケビン・マスク号,,Kebin Masuku Go?) on the side of the ship.
Upon arrival in 1983, Mantaro and Terry stop Lightning and Thunder from killing Robin, but immediately arouse suspicion from Kinnikuman and the other Legends. During the confusion, the Time Chojins try to kill Robin with the Death Watch Branding. While rushing to save Robin, Mantarou accidentally bumps Alisa (Robin's wife) into the Tag Trophy, causing her to bounce off and fall into the Death Watch Branding. Lightning takes advantage of this and thanks Mantarou for the "support", further convincing the Legends that the New Generation are evil. When the Ultimate Choujin Tag Tournament is announced, Mantaro tries to team up with Kid as the New Century Machineguns, but he refuses. After Seiuchin joins with Neptuneman, Mantaro is the only one without a partner. With help from 20th Century Meat, he learns of a legendary hero who protects the earth from Akugyo Chojin while the Legends are settling into retirement. This man is alive and living in Japan today (1983), but before they can learn his name, Mantaro unknowingly uses the page about him in the Choujin Encyclopedia as toilet paper. (more to come)
