TOY FAIR 2013 COVERAGE!!!
These images are really small at the moment. I mean, like, tiny. But, I have no doubt that better images will be released very soon.
What we have here are a few early reveals from Mattel from their upcoming Toy Fair display.
I can say one thing (and sadly, only one thing): MANTENNA!!!! AWESOME!!!!
And to the rest I say: whohuhwhat?!?!
Okay, maybe that's not 100% true, but it's at least 80% true. Seriously-- I've never heard of most these characters! And what's more, I could care less about them. This right here is why the MOTU Classics line is dying on the vine and why they have to beg people to please sign up for a subscription every year now. Most people do not know or want most of the characters they produce!
In an attempt to extend the line for many, many years; what they've actually managed to do is kill the interest in it from most of the casual fan. They've created a line for the hard-core MOTU fan instead and Mattel seriously over-estimate how many of those kinds of fans were actually buying the subscriptions.
Let's look at the pics and see what we've got here. I'll try to do a little research on the characters that are less well known...
Here we get our first look at the new Castle Grayskull! While these images are really small, it looks to me like things are coming along on this playset very nicely! I don't sign up for the subscription service anymore (because I don't want to pay for a service that consists of 75% products that I don't want) I did pre-order one of these Grayskull Sets. I can't wait to see some close-ups and-- even better-- a painted version!
Next up is, in my opinion, the best of the lot of the new characters shown, Mantenna! And just check out how they created his four legs-- they're actually four legs! And, even though he has those goofy, popping eyes (but that's what makes him Mantenna, right?), just look at how they sculpted that face! So cool!
Mantenna was definitely one of my favorite MOTU figures as a kid, and one my most awaited figures from the new line. This figure really shows exactly how amazing Mattel can be when they really want to be. Of course, we all can thank the Four Horsemen for that.
Here is a figure that I know a lot of people have been looking forward to (even though it's based on the worst He-Man line of all time), the He-Man from the New Adventures series. We've actually seen a version of this figure already displayed at various conventions last year, but this seems to be the final version which include the armor, helmet and shield as well.
Now we start to move into more obscure territory... This is Batros. You may remember him from the catroon series, or you may not. Anyway, that's where he is from.
I know that Mattel went through a lot of trouble to finally get the rights to do figures based on the original cartoon series, but I'm not sure how much the effort was worth, to be honest. I think that the bulk of the collectors just want figures based on the original toy line and that most of these following figures are just too obscure and end up diluting collector interest in the line.
Anyway, Batros is a villain and Evil Horde member. I do remember him from the cartoon, but I have no interest in owning him as a figure.
Meet Castaspella. She is from the Princess of Power line and also appeared in the She-Ra cartoon series. While this is a somewhat obscure character to me, at least she is from the original POP line and probably well-known to collectors who had the original figures or shared and interest in both She-Ra and He-Man toys.
Looking at this figure, I think that this just might be the most impressive looking figure in the line so far. I love the hair. I'm also glad that they gave her a "spell casting" hand rather then two clenching hands. The reminds me-- I hate the female hands! I can't stand that stupid "thumb's up" look that they have. One thing that Mattel should have done from the beginning is included extra hands with all the MOTU figure and made them swappable for different looks and to hold different weapons. (You know, like almost ALL Japanese figures have!)
Here is another character from the MOTU cartoon series: Shakoti. She is an evil sorceress who does... evil things. I think. Honestly, I can't remember and there's not much info for her on the web. She comes with a little monster guy who I think turns into a large monster by the end of the episode. I'm betting that, somehow, He-Man defeats it in the end, though.
As a figure, once again this is another example of a great figure, but a character I don't care about at all. Do you drop 25-35 bucks (depending on what you order and what tax and shipping is) for a figure that looks cool but you don't care about?
Meet Icer.
Who?????
Icer. You know, from the cartoon.
No. I don't know at all.
Yeah. Me either. But, here he is!
It seems that Icer is yet another character from the cartoon series. As you might have guessed, he was also a villain.
The figure is pretty corny to me, but I do love translucent figures, so at least he's got that going for him.
I'm sure there's much more info-- and better pics (I hope) to come! So stay tuned!
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