Alexei Volkov
Masters of the Universe, often referred to as He-Man or MOTU, is a toy series created by the American toy manufacturing company Mattel in the early 1980s. The standard MOTU action figures are 5.5 inches tall and are made of hard rubber and plastic. The majority of the figures have articulation in the neck, shoulders, hips, and waist, and many have an action feature called the battle-action waist. Over the years, more action features were introduced, such as Ram Man's battering ram feature and Kobra Khan's water-spraying feature. Various countries produced figures for the MOTU line, including Taiwan, Spain, Italy, Argentina, Brazil, France, and Malaysia. The figures produced in each country had unique characteristics and variations, with some having plastic heads. For example, the Malaysia line included He-Man with both hard and soft head variants, while Top Toys in Argentina created numerous He-Man variations, including one with a hard plastic head.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Company | Mattel |
| Toy line name | Masters of the Universe (MOTU) |
| Year of release | 1982 |
| Toy type | Action figures |
| Toy size | 5.5 inches |
| Toy material | Hard rubber and plastic |
| Toy articulation | Neck, shoulders, hips, and waist |
| Notable features | "Battle-action waist", Ram Man's battering ram, Kobra Khan's water spraying feature |
| Number of figures produced | Varies by country of origin |
| Notable variants | He-Man (hard and soft head), Faker hard head (small and big feet), Euro Prince Adam (hard and soft head) |
| Country of origin variants | Taiwan, Spain, Italy, Malaysia, Argentina, Brazil, France, India, Greece, Venezuela |
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What You'll Learn
He-Man variants
Masters of the Universe, often referred to as MOTU, is a toy series created by the American toy manufacturing company Mattel in 1981. The franchise has since expanded to include six lines of action figures, four animated TV series, one feature live-action film, and several comic series. The action figures were typically sold separately and packed with a transparent, plastic clamshell on a cardboard backer. Each figure came with a mini-comic and one or more accessories, such as weapons, staffs, and shields. Many of them also included removable plastic armour.
He-Man is the biggest and most popular figure in the Masters of the Universe toy franchise. There were different variations of He-Man over the years, but he always remained the flagship character. He-Man is the alter ego of Prince Adam, the son of King Randor and Queen Marlena, the ruling royal family of Eternia. He-Man is characterised by his superhuman strength and is known as "the most powerful man in the universe".
There are a few notable variants of the He-Man figure. The Malaysia COO (Country of Origin) produced a He-Man variant with both a hard and soft head. The France COO produced seven soft boot figures, including He-Man, Fisto, Man-at-Arms, Jitsu, Triklops, Thunderpunch He-Man, and Battle Armor He-Man. The Spain COO produced the Laser Power He-Man figure, which is one of the most well-known Spain variants.
He-Man's trusted companions include the tiger Battle Cat and the falcon Zoar, which were created by reusing action figure parts from other toy lines. The largest and most expensive playset in the Masters of the Universe toy line is called "Eternia".
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Fisto with lilac katana
Masters of the Universe, often referred to as "He-Man" or abbreviated to MOTU, is a toy series created by the American toy manufacturing company Mattel in early 1981. The standard action figures are 5.5 inches tall and are, with a few exceptions, made of hard rubber and plastic. Many of them also have an action feature, the "battle-action waist". As the figure is twisted at the waist, it would, with the help of a spring, allow the figure to spin back with a "punch".
Fisto, the "heroic hand-to-hand fighter", is one of the MOTU figures. With his giant, spring-loaded fist, he smashes evil! This figure comes with removable armour, either a broadsword or a Katana (Jitsu mould), and has a twisting punch action. Fisto was produced in Hong Kong, Malaysia, Argentina, France, India, Mexico (Aurimat), and Spain. The Spain Fisto can be identified by its soft head, brown hair and mustard (or brown) lips, dark purple tones in the belt, boots and armour, and bright silver fist. The armour is also brightly painted silver, rather than moulded in silver. The Spain Fisto comes in 2 figure variants and 4 sword variants. The first edition Fisto is marked © Mattel. Inc. 1983. HONG KONG, with armour marked © Mattel. Inc. 1983. The fist is larger than the 2nd edition, as it used the Hong Kong mould. The figure's lips are mustard yellow, and the sword is rigid, purple, and marked MALAYSIA.
The French Fisto comes with 2 different sword variants. The first is a standard, fairly rigid broadsword marked FRANCE, and the second and much rarer variant is the Purple Katana (Jitsu mould). The Katana has no COO, and just has numbers. Other characteristics of the French Fisto include huge biceps, a unique light silver fist mould that has only been seen with Spain Fistos, and a particular tan body colour only seen with France figures. The France Fisto with Katana has been controversial, with many doubting it ever came with a Katana. However, it has been found in enough collections and featured in enough advertisements that collectors now accept its authenticity.
In addition to the standard Fisto figure, there are some notable variants. One of these is the Fisto with lilac Katana, produced in Spain. Another variant is the Fisto with dark katana, produced in France.
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Kobra Khan Camuflado
The Kobra Khan Camuflado figure stands out with its gold and black spray scheme, although the distribution of these colours varies across different figures. Some figures feature more gold throughout the body, while others have gold limited to specific areas like the belt, boots, and claws. The legs of certain figures are predominantly black. All Camuflados share certain characteristics, such as a reedition torso mould with square arm pegs, a gold belt, gold boots, and the snake men symbol on the chest. They also feature a similar three-spot black khamo motif on the front and back of the torso and a distinctive face with cheek spotting that resembles a map of Mexico.
Over time, the figure evolved, and both common legs and common arms were introduced, although not used simultaneously. The Kobra Khan Camuflado is a highly desirable figure for collectors, with its unique appearance and limited production in Argentina, making it a standout variant in the MOTU toy line.
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Taiwan figures
Masters of the Universe, often referred to as "He-Man" or "MOTU", is a toy series created by the American toy company Mattel in 1981. The franchise has since expanded to include various products, such as multiple lines of action figures, animated TV series, films, and comic series.
The MOTU action figures were typically made of hard rubber and plastic, with articulation in the neck, shoulders, hips, and waist. Many of them featured a "battle-action waist" mechanism that allowed the figure to spin back with a "punch" when twisted at the waist.
Taiwan produced the very first Masters of the Universe releases, including the original 8-back figures: He-Man, Skeletor, Mer-Man, Beastman, Stratos, Teela, Man-at-Arms, and Zodac. A total of 22 figures were sold by Taiwan, including the Special Edition He-Man, also known as Wonderbread, which was a promotional giveaway.
The early Taiwan He-Man figures had distinct characteristics, such as a dark orange belt, brick-red boots and loincloth, and dark gray accessories. They also featured a "belly button," which was later removed from the mold starting in 1983. The shields of these figures had mold numbers inside them, and the early accessories had a bluish-gray colour, which transitioned to dark flat gray for later pieces.
In terms of variants, the Taiwan figures included both tall and short necks, with some having a Taiwan stamp on the head. The initial soft-head figures were imports marked with "Taiwan" until head production shifted to Argentina, where the Taiwan marking was removed. The hair colour of these figures could vary from orange to yellow.
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Malaysia figures
Malaysia was a major supplier of Masters of the Universe figures, also known as "He-Man" figures. A total of 33 figures were produced in Malaysia for both the American and international markets. Malaysia figures are typically characterised by a high-quality mould and paint applications and include many of the final wave 5 and 6 releases.
Some of the notable Malaysia figure variants include He-Man (both hard and soft head), Faker hard head (both small and big feet), and the Euro Prince Adam (both hard and soft head). Other notable variants include Fisto with a dark katana, Clawful with an orange mace, Webstor with a big head, and Prince Adam with a big "Santa Claus" belt buckle.
The Masters of the Universe toy series was created by the American toy manufacturing company Mattel in early 1981. The franchise has since generated various products, including six lines of action figures, four animated TV series, one feature live-action film, and several comic series. The action figures were typically sold separately and packed individually with a transparent plastic clamshell on a cardboard backer. Each figure came with a mini-comic and one or more accessories, such as weapons, staffs, and shields. Many of them also included removable plastic armour.
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Frequently asked questions
The MOTU figures with plastic heads include He-Man, Faker, and Prince Adam.
Yes, there were some variations in the plastic heads of the MOTU figures. For example, the He-Man figure had both hard and soft head variants. The Faker figure had a plastic head with both small and big feet variants.
Yes, there were several notable variants of these figures. For example, the He-Man figure had over 15 variations, including different head sizes and body proportions. The Prince Adam figure had a "big head" variant, as well as a Santa Claus belt buckle.
The plastic-headed MOTU figures were produced in various countries, including Taiwan, Argentina, Malaysia, Italy, and Spain. Each country had its own unique variations and production techniques, contributing to the diverse range of MOTU figures available worldwide.
