ACTION FIGURE
ACTION FIGURE
The world of toys is fickle: trends follow one another and children’s needs change with them. To stay ahead of the curve, toy manufacturers must constantly innovate with new concepts and ideas. This is why the history of Mattel action figures is so fascinating.There are other toy companies that have produced action figures for decades. However, the majority have not survived long enough to see their impact on society grow from generation to generation.
Initially, Mattel began as a small business that produced photo frames and, only secondarily, accessories for dollhouses with moderate success. The turning point came in 1959, when Ruth Handler (co-founder of Mattel) returning from a trip to Europe created Barbie, inspired by a German doll. Barbie quickly became incredibly popular with little girls around the world. She was designed to be the “ideal woman,” with long hair and a shapely figure. In addition to numerous friends, the collection included a wide variety of clothes and accessories – such as cars. Barbie’s popularity led to the creation of a wide variety of products, such as board games, novels, and even a television series.
The birth of Barbie was the beginning of the Mattel toy empire, which began to expand from there until it merged with one of its competitors. This enabled it to become one of the largest toy companies in the world.Some toy lines are so popular that they will be remembered for generations: this is certainly the case with Masters of the Universe, the action figures of characters from the cartoon He-Man. He-Man enjoyed enormous popularity in the 1980s. All children wanted toys to recreate the events they saw on TV: action figures were therefore a perfect gift. They were larger and richer in movement than Barbie dolls, and came with a wide range of weapons and accessories. The popularity of the Masters of the Universe action figures led to the creation of a spin-off cartoon entitled She-Ra: Princess of Power.
Among the most popular action figures in recent times are the Jurassic World movie saga characters. They originated as the reboot of the Jurassic Park line, action figures that had been extremely popular with children. The Jurassic World ones are larger, have authentic colors and realistic textures. They are more complex and capable of more movement than their predecessors. They have more points of articulation and come with a range of accessories-such as weapons and vehicles. They have been such a hit with the public that Mattel convinced them to release them in several special editions. The evolution of Mattel action figures has seen a slow progression, in which the toys have become increasingly sophisticated and rich in detail. These toys have remained popular for decades among both children and adult collectors.
