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Masters of the Universe (MOTU) The Original Series

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Masters of the Universe, often referred to as “He-Man” or abbreviated “MOTU”, is a toy series created by the American toy manufacturing company Mattel in early 1981. The franchise has since generated a variety of products including, but not limited to, six lines of action figures, four animated TV-series, one feature live-action film, as well as several comic series.

The action figures were in most cases sold separately and packed individually with a transparent, plastic clam-shell on a cardboard backer. Each figure came with a mini-comic as well as one or more accessories, such as weapons, staffs, and shields. Many of them also came with removable plastic armor. The back of the card backer had pictures and names of other Masters of the Universe figures available at the time. In some cases, certain figures were packed and sold together as a gift set or versus set.

Released alongside the action figures were also many vehicles, creatures, play sets, and a number of accessory packs. Some of these were battery operated. All figures, beasts, vehicles and play sets were available in the United States, with a few exceptions. Certain figures, such as the 12 inch Megator and Tytus, were produced in Italy and distributed in Europe only.

The standard action figures are 5½ inches tall and are, with a few exceptions, made of hard rubber and plastic. The majority of the action figures have articulation in the neck, shoulders, hips and waist. Many of them also have an action feature, the “battle-action waist”. As the figure was twisted at the waist it would, with the help of a spring, allow the figure to spin back with a “punch”. Over the years, more action features were introduced with new figure releases, such as Ram Man's battering ram feature and Kobra Khan's water spraying feature.

The early series action figures consisted of only two differently molded chests, one pair of shorts, and three sets of arms and legs. The action figures' parts were subsequently mixed-and-matched in different colors for new figures. As the toy series progressed, more new molds were created and integrated into the toy line, but both body parts and accessories were often used multiple times for different figures.

Mattel not only re-used action figure parts to create new figures for the series, but they also used figure molds from other toy lines to make creatures like He-Man's trusted companion, the tiger Battle Cat and the falcon Zoar.

The play sets, vehicles, and creatures came in various sizes and price ranges, and many of them had one or more action features. The largest and most expensive play set was the “Eternia”, which is today the most sought-after play set in the Masters of the Universe toy line. The vehicles also varied in size and complexity, from the small Roton with its rotating saw blade, to the large, battery operated, walking Spydor.

In the mid-to-late 1980s, the interest for Masters of the Universe had started to wane, and the last wave of toys was released in 1987 in the United States (1988 in certain parts of Europe). Inspired and motivated by the overall success of the series, the He-Man franchise was revived by Mattel only two years later, with the 1989 release of a new toy series called “He-Man”.

 

12 Inch Action Figures

Megator
Europe Exclusive

Tytus
Europe Exclusive

Accessories

Beam-Blaster & Artilleray

Cliff Climber

Jet Sled

Megalaser

Scubattack

Slime Vat

Stilt Stalkers

Thunder Punch Ammo

Tower Tools

Weapons Pak
In Stock

Basic Figures

Battle Armor He-Man

Battle Armor Skeletor
In Stock
Beast Man
In Stock
Blast-Attak
In Stock
Buzz-Off
In Stock
Buzz-Saw Hordak
In Stock
Clamp Champ

Clawful
In Stock
Dragon Blaster Skeletor

Dragstor
In Stock
Evil-Lyn
In Stock
Extendar

Faker

Fisto
In Stock
Flying Fists He-Man

Grizzlor (darker brown)

Grizzlor (lighter brown)
In Stock
He-Man
In Stock
He-Man (Wonder Bread)
Mail-Away Exclusive

Hordak
In Stock
Horde Trooper
In Stock
Hurricane Hordak
In Stock
Jitsu
In Stock
King Hiss
In Stock
King Randor

Kobra Khan
In Stock
Laser Power He-Man
Europe Exclusive

Laser-Light Skeletor
Europe Exclusive

Leech
In Stock
Man-At-Arms
In Stock
Man-E-Faces
In Stock
Mantenna
In Stock
Mekaneck
In Stock
Mer-Man
In Stock
Modulok
In Stock
Mosquitor

Moss Man
In Stock
Multi-Bot

Ninjor

Orko
In Stock
Prince Adam
In Stock
Ram Man
In Stock
Rattlor
In Stock
Rio Blast

Roboto
In Stock
Rokkon
In Stock
Rotar
In Stock
Scare Glow
In Stock
Skeletor
In Stock
Snake Face
In Stock
Snout Spout
In Stock
Sorceress

Spikor
In Stock
Sssqueeze
In Stock
Stinkor
In Stock
Stonedar
In Stock
Stratos (blue)
In Stock
Stratos (red)
In Stock
Sy-Klone

Teela
In Stock
Terror Claws Skeletor
In Stock
Thunder Punch He-Man
In Stock
Trap Jaw
In Stock
Tri-Klops
In Stock
Tung Lashor
In Stock
Twistoid

Two Bad

Webstor
In Stock
Whiplash
In Stock
Zodac
In Stock

Collector's Cases

Collectors Case

Jumbo Collectors Case

Creatures

Battle Bones

Battle Cat
In Stock
Bionatops
In Stock
Mantisaur

Monstroid

Panthor
In Stock
Screeech
In Stock
Turbodactyl

Tyrantisaurus Rex
In Stock
Zoar
In Stock

Meteorbs

Astro Lion

Comet Cat

Cometroid

Crocobite

Dinosorb

Gore-Illa

Orbear

Rhinorb

Tuskor

Ty-Grrr

Movie Figures

Blade

Gwildor

Saurod
In Stock

Playsets

Castle Grayskull
In Stock
Eternia
In Stock
Fright Zone

Point Dread & Talon Fighter
In Stock
Slime Pit

Snake Mountain

Vehicles

Attak Trak
In Stock
Bashasaurus
In Stock
Battle Ram
In Stock
Blasterhawk

Dragon Walker
In Stock
Fright Fighter

Land Shark
In Stock
Laser Bolt

Night Stalker

Road Ripper
In Stock
Roton
In Stock
Spydor

Stridor
In Stock
Wind Raider
In Stock