Yesterday I versed you on the coolness of Poochie. Today we revisit Monchhichi, also by Mattel. Monchhichi, which is said to mean "happiness" in Japanese, were first developed in 1974. The dolls didn't hit stores in North America until about 1979. This makes sense since I remember being around 7 years old when I first discovered them. Monchhichis were adorable little monkeys - a boy and a girl. The commercial jingle would stick in my head -- I recall running around the school yard singing, "Monchhichi, Monchhichi! Oh so soft and cuddly" over and over again. I remember having plastic Monchhichi figurines, much like Smurfs, although I only had a few -- had to keep my loyalty to Smurf collecting.
There was a Hanna-Barbera produced animated Monchhichi series, although I don't remember it--maybe it aired at the same time as Strawberry Shortcake? Who knows. I do know that I would love to have a Monchhichi today. Hello eBay?!
View the vintage commercial if you dare--the song will be in your head all day long!
Seriously.....I still have mine! No kidding either! I also love the Monchhichi sooo much...that I gave my 2yr old her very own one. They sell them at Target now!
ReplyDeleteMine was the boy puppet. I got her the girl doll.
Thanks for sharing!
I just started singing the Monchhichi jingle and my brother announced he now hates me.
ReplyDeleteGood times.
Those things are creepy. Looks like a baby Land of the Lost monkey.
ReplyDeleteYes target and hot topic have em
ReplyDeleteOne of the few things I don't have in my kiddos treasures. Probably because my first three were boys and my daughter was born last.
ReplyDeleteThat has to be one of the coolest toys I've seen.
ReplyDeleteI would have loved that as a kid.
I would still love it now.
How in the world did those make into and out of the market without my awareness?
ReplyDeleteHow funny! I knew this had to be coming soon; yesterday, as soon as I saw Poochie, I started singing the Monchichi song in my head! (Great minds think alike?)
ReplyDeleteWe loved Monchichi! My little brother had hair so similar that we said the toy was modeled after him!
oh my gosh, this is soooo funny! There are some men who have hair like the Monchhichi and when I see them, I always say that guy looks like a monchhichi and 1 friend of mine is the only person who knows what I mean. Finally, another person who knows what a monchhichi is!!! :-)
ReplyDeleteThat song!!!!! I thought I would never hear it again. I couldn't resist watching the clip. Now I shall have to medicate myself to get the jingle out of my head.
ReplyDeleteSorry- this one always kind of creeped me out. It's annoying that sometimes that darn song plays in my head. I did like the Smurfs though. My brother and I had some of the little figures.
ReplyDeleteI love monchichi although I never had one. We'd swing on our tire swing, around and around, getting sick from being so dizzy, and our brains were stuck on that song! What a memory! Thanks!
ReplyDeleteI had never heard of this before! They do look a little weird. Although Pop Ems were weird also but I loved mine. Come to think of it, half the toys I had would have creeped me out today.
ReplyDeleteOMG!!! People at work call me a Monchhichi!!! The art directors at my agency even photoshopped my head on a doll. Not releasing that photo ever!!!
ReplyDeleteHoly cow. Were you living in my parent's basement?! Another beloved friend from my childhood. Oh Monchhichi how I loved you...and loved saying your name. Great, now I'm going to spend the rest of the day saying it. Monchhichi. Monchhichi! Monchhichi.
ReplyDeleteI never saw those. Of course, I was a thousand years old in 1979, so maybe I just wasn't at the right age??
ReplyDeletei think i had one of those. they freak me out
ReplyDeleteOMG...I wanna see the pic Copyboy won't release!!!
ReplyDeleteI totally remember Monchhichi! I can still remember the stupid jingle that went with it, too! AAACK...now it's in my head!!!!
Absolutely forgot about these! You're right, I don't dare listen because my first thought was I just remember a song that played over and over again :)
ReplyDeleteThese things scare the pants off me! I actually saw a couple of them in Target the other day and couldn't believe they brought them back!
ReplyDeleteOh my gosh I love Monchhichi!!! I had all the books and I still remember the birthday one! Came by to follow you back, thank you so much for visiting me!
ReplyDeleteHA! I remember I girl I grew up with had one of these and her dad made her throw them out because they supported evolution (????) How funny is that?!?!?!
ReplyDeleteHa... as a child, I despised both Monchichi AND Poochie, particularly the songs. I don't have to click the link to know how they go. "Monchichi, Monchichi. Oh, so soft and cuddly..." "Poochie... Poochie is here!!"
ReplyDeleteMy little bro used to taunt me by running around the house, singing these songs at the top of his lungs. "Monchichi" was also an all-purpose insult/derogatory term at our house.
I think I must have been too old for this. I think when you were playing with monkey children, which I think they're cute, I'd already graduated to the roller skating rink and kissing boys who would grow up to be homeless.
ReplyDeleteIf you don't understand that one, check out my comment on your roller skating rink post.
Really cute doll, though.
I still have all of my old Monchhichis as well as new ones. They sell them at Claires and other stores now.
ReplyDelete"I love you momchhichi" was the part of the commercial i remember most and I actually say that to all of my pets and my husband as a term of endearment.
fromlazytolady.blogspot.com
My sister had a Monchhichi! Was the Monchhichi's hair soft? For some reason, I don't remember their hair having a soft texture....
ReplyDeleteOh my gosh. When I saw your title, the song started going through my head. I know that one so. well. Funny stuff.
ReplyDeleteI sing that song All. The. Time. Cuz I'm cool like that. My mom wouldn't buy me one as a kid. :(
ReplyDeletei don't remember these either!!!
ReplyDeleteTotally must have aired during Strawberry shortcake OR Rainbow Bright...
Ya know, this post should NOT make me mad, but it does.
ReplyDeleteKnow why?
Cuz you said you had Smurf figures.
When I was 6, in 1983, I ASKED for Smurf figures for my birthday and EVERYONE in my family, mom, dad, grandparents, EVERYONE, told me that they didn't make them. And now I know, they did. Oh the crap they are gonna get the next time I see them! Well. Okay, the grandparents are dead, but still, I could go yell at the headstones. Morbid.
Also. I saw a Smurf toy town thingy at Kmart the other day. Or Target. I don't know. Grr.
Several months ago we were in Target and I saw the Monchhichi, and my jaw literally hit the floor. I picked it up, and was loving on it, and my 4 year old looked at that monkey like it was totally ghetto:(
ReplyDeleteI haven't thought about monchichis in over twenty years. But I saw the title of your blog and immediately started singing the theme song. GET OUT OF MY HEAD COMMERCIALS!
ReplyDeleteOMG, what great timing - I never had one of these, and the other day, one of my friends referred to Brad Pitt as "looking like a Mon Chi Chi." I asked, "What's that?"
ReplyDeleteAnd you answered!
Ummmmmm....I am a little scared right now...
ReplyDeleteI had a Monchichi as a child. I want to get them for my kids. I don't know about you Easter Coasters but Target here in the West sells them for like $12.
ReplyDeleteMy brother and I had these, and I remembered their ad song even before I watched the video!
ReplyDeleteI so remember these and the song!
ReplyDeletethose are so funny looking.
ReplyDeleteHoly Lord.
ReplyDeleteI too had not thought about Monchichi's for years. I do have to say though, about the song, we got some for Christmas one year and I was acting like an ass and rocking back and forth screaming that song at the top of my lungs, rocked back and hit my head on the coffee table and had to go get stitches.
Curse you, Monchichi song.
i love that song,,,,,memories
ReplyDeleteYES!
ReplyDeleteI had one!!!!