I blame both Mattel and retailers for the lack of product being available. The common excuse used by retailers always seems to be that there are too many He-Man and Skeletor figures clogging the pegs, but that's just nonsense. I worked for Toys R Us when Power of the Force II came out. We had more Princess Leia and Chewie figures than we could possibly sell, but that didn't stop TRU from continuing to order more Power of the Force II. Any time we got another case of figures in stock, we would take sixteen Princess Leias or Chewies off the peg, then put the sixteen new figures on the peg (it was actually only twelve, since every new case had two more Leias and two more Chewies). The Leias/Chewies would all go in the empty box, I'd write "Princess Leia" or "Chewie" on the box and put it in the back with all the other boxes of these two characters. Occasionally, the pegs would actually manage to run low on Chewie, and I'd restock from the back. Eventually, they all went into a clearance bin and that was the end of it. Every line is going to have some peg warmers, especially if you overproduce characters. That's what clearance sections and discount stores are for.
You'd think that after almost fifty freaking years people in the toy business would have managed to get the hang of this. Their ability not to learn from experience is truly astounding.
That's because back in the 90s, kids still bought action figures, and star wars was massively popular. How many kids do you think are asking for these figures? It's all middle aged men buying this stuff now, and retailers don't want to over buy and end up with "that one figure that doesn't sell" clogging every store. Look at GI Joe, every store I go to has roadblocks out the ass. Or marvel legends, there's always the same 2-3 characters noone buys. The one thing mcfarlane is doing better than everyone else atm is selling and shipping boxes of just one character. So retailers can order boxes of just batman, just superman etc, characters that sell, so they don't get stuck with 20 if the same character from 20 cases.
In my area He-man & Skeletor have been on the rarer side of distribution. I've seen displays crammed full of Battle Cat, Ram-man, and Clamp Champ but next to none of the main hero and villain. I have literally seen more Castle Grayskulls on toy shelves.
@@dariusq8894 Weird. I found the 2020 He-Man and Skeletor figures on the clearance isle of my local Walmart this morning. Not sure why they bothered. When I went to the action figure isle, the pegs were just empty, so they didn't need to clear the space on the pegs for new product.
This line has been a godsend for me as I never had any MotU figures as a child, despite the fact I always wanted them. My parents told me that, by all means, you can have MotU, but that means no more Star Wars, so I stuck with my beloved Star Wars. These Origins figures fit my needs perfectly, although as you mentioned, being able to find them at a decent price is proving quite difficult.
This line has been a godsend for me too...and I did own almost every original figure as a child. My parents got rid of them when I got older and didn't care (and didn't know they did) and years and years later I would find myself thinking about them and wishing I had them again. I collected originals for a brief stint, and as Michael said the repair bench became a prison. I gave up and sold them all about a year or so before Origins hit. When I saw these and realized they had been "fixed" I knew I had to have them. I have to have them ALL. To date I do have them all...even the Powercon stuff. I just hope I can survive the exclusives and keep this collection complete!
@@eightbit1975 That's too bad that your parebts gave away your old toys. My parents kept mine, boxed them up and gave them to me 8 years ago when I moved out west.
While I am a died in the wool "Classics" collector, I totally appreciate how great this "Origins" line is. The compatibility with vintage vehicles and playsets is awesome. As I did not have many vintage vehicles and no playsets, my upgrading to a larger scale left only my falling apart figures and a Wind Raider left lost to time. Classics produced more Vehicles and Playsets than I ever owned as a kid so that was best for me, though missed figures are a wallet busting nightmare. Origins on the other hand, if they can sort out their distribution, is a more cost efficient and durable alternative to my chosen path. Kudos on paraphrasing Max Von Sydow as the King in Conan the Barbarian BTW.
AS a uk transformers generations collector I am getting so tired of US toy shop exclusives as you said they are ripe for damn scalpers and has made getting some figures to expensive for me - looking at you ratchet and lifeline boxset
Collecting the originals is a hell of a lot easier than trying to find the Origins. Using the rubber washer with eye hooks to repair the leg joints works, and goes together fairly quickly.
What I personally like about the origins line, is the fact that is it can co-exist with the originals. Origins can fill in the gaps of the originals, and the originals vehicles and play sets can remain.
Part of me kind of didn't want to continue collecting Origins due to how hard the figures are to find in my area and the bad taste the new Netflix show gave me but how cool these figures look together and realizing He-Man's owner ship is split meaning Netflix isn't making a dime off these it is making me want to get a few more. This video helped me decide that.
What a fantastic video! As a kid, I had damn near every figure, vehicle, etc...As I got into HS, I had them all boxed up in my room. After my 1st semester in college, I went home to get my boxes of MOTU toys because I finally had a place bigger than a jail cell door room and....my dad had sold them all at a garage sale. In his defense, when I moved, i never made mention that I planned on coming back for them. He finally got a return on his investment 😀. So...to whomever hit the mother load of MOTU at a garage sale in Alexandria, LA in the mid 90s, hats off to you!
I'm just glad I have the memory of growing up in the 80's when you could find pretty much any figure from any toy line even at a local *pharmacy* or gas station. As for Origins, they're definitely not bad, it's just that they don't approach the detail and style of the original vintage to me - and I still prefer the more basic articulation - probably for nostalgic reasons, but they also just have more of a charm. As far as the legs, it's gotten to the point where I can replace a leg band in about 15 minutes and it's not a struggle anymore, which allows my vintage figures to live a new life. It's the only repro part that I let into my collection as it's just indispensable when it comes to saving MOTU figures.
I’m with you in remembering the toys before the cartoon. IMO that was when MOTU was best. The Mark Taylor influence was strong, and the character concepts on point. With a couple exceptions, the line generally went down from there, I feel.
When these were announced, I rolled my eyes, 'cos I knew that *Mattel* were prone to scummy practices regarding _figure availability and pricing,_ but I was truly surprised I could get these in a proper toy shop at all. I grew up with the _2002 He-Man,_ so I have *zero nostalgia* for the '80s classics, but they're so toyetic and aesthetically-pleasing I've honestly thought it'd be nice getting some figures in the old style with modern tooling and the Origins figures delivered that in spades. I'm not the most avid collector, so I really only wanted the basics - *He-Man, Skeletor and Battle Cat* - which are wonderful and I enjoy having them in my collection. I'm currently looking to get *a Teela figure* - just to complete this nice image of "Good Guy, Good Girl, Noble Mount and Vile Villain" that I like about the Sword-N-Sorcery vibes of *He-Man* - but any other characters that I might have gotten on a whim, e.g. Trap Jaw, seem to be thin on the ground. I suppose that's the *Mattel-brand, short-packing scumminess* I was expecting, but I'm not too bothered by it. I just feel bad for those looking to upgrade their old _MotU_ figures and have to go on *a pricey, toy safari hunt.*
I know My opinion will be unpopular, but I actually like the head sculpt on He-Man. I was dissapointed to see that Faker did not come with it and went with the vintage version.
@@__-wm9lu Sorry to hear that. When I have a tough time finding stuff in the wild, I’ll order it online. Had to do that for Teela. Good luck and hope you find those figures.
I don't know, I find the origins figures to be new strangers, posing as old friends. I am certainly willing to resolve, my very rare, repair issues, just to have what I remember as the official, original, presentations from long ago.
You can restore two-bad and Roboto's legs with a good scrubbing , the plastic on the legs brakes down and coats the covering paint, if you spend twenty or so minutes rubbing the plastic oils off you will find the original paint hiding underneath.
For me the best years of the line were 1982-83 and I think with the Wind Raider coming, the origins line will have made everything that released in those years. Maybe also full Battle Ram, an Attak Trak, Talon Fighter, Zoar and Screech and I’ll be happy with those if I end up with nothing else.
Classics is the ultimate Masters of the Universe toyline. A fantastic mix of all eras with great detail. Even vehicles and playsets. It's great to see MOTU back in the spotlight now with so many toys in store, youtubers discussing it and even new media.
Speaking of intentionally destructive play, I bought a bunch of the Origins figures for my nephew, and he and his sister decided they were all Modulok, took them to pieces, and have now lost some of the arms and legs. The toy collector in me cringed hard, did an internal backflip on my brain, and cried.
As much as exclusives suck the company line has been "stores won't carry our product without exclusives" and then in like a year or two they release a slightly modified version of the exclusive figure in the main line anyway. Which I'm honestly fine with. like the Powercon lords of power stuff was different enough from the versions of those characters in the line now, but it allows people who were unable, or unwilling, or who don't care about fancy packaging to eventually get those versions of the characters. Hell my personal plan is to buy a regular panthor, and try FLOCKING it myself, and if that fails, probably get a beat up vintage panthor or battlecat or KO, (Like a properly messed up one, I would never ruin a servicable figure) and just flock that. Also the more I play with them, pose them, look at them, swap heads around and stuff. the more I find myself falling in love with this line. The Articulation is just good enough to do some really fun action poses and barring QC issues the figures seem about as rock solid as the vintage ones were new.
"When the repair table becomes a prison" lolol! Yes, it's not all bread and roses, but I get my same kicks on Origins, and only Origins, for all these reasons. And, I was unforgivably late in the MOTU collections, but for all these reasons, ...I guess I'm not! :D
Origins is the only modern line I’m collecting. I’ve retired from SW, Joe & TF. As much as I enjoy my Classics, this is exactly what I wanted out of a modern Masters line
In your opening you left out #6 a blanket and #7 running around the yard with a stick. Imagine if the toymakers had come up with combining the blanket with the stick. The possibilities are endless.
5:08 the original sculpt for he man looks like it was based off of the books and comics before the show, and the new head before the retro change looked like Mattel wanted to base it more on Filmation. It would have helped if any of the male characters had whites painted in the eyes.
The original He-man head is based on the head of Big Jim . Many parts of Big Jim was later used for Masters ..... the most known are Battle-Cat and Beast man's whip .
This is why I sold off my vintage Masters of the Universe figures I kept on having to replace 2 figures a year they became a headache this is some good content nothing but truth and facts
Nice reuse and slight change to the classic CONAN the Barbarian line from Max Von Sydows character King Osric! :) That line is etched in my heart and i qoute it ever so often to myself looking in the mirror.
I felt like your story is my story, I’m a transformers Masterpiece and Macross/Robotech collector mainly, but being that MOTU was the first toy line I collected as a child, this line has been the only MOTU line that has hit me in the feels. Its not been the easiest but I’ve managed to get most of what I’ve wanted in this line so far.
I dream of the days we see a whole end cap full of motu toys like it was 82 to 87. I guess my 45 year old self can never share the joy with my nephews bc let's face it. It'll never happen. Heart breaking! It's entertainment earth and bbts I suppose forever. Damn shame! Ty for another great vid.
I'm still unconvinced any of these exist outside of He-Man, Skeletor, their respective Battle Cats, and the Prince Adam vehicle 2 pack. I've never seen another in the wild, while those 5 are clogging shelves for months.
I feel very much the same way. While I love the vintage figures, trying to find any in good shape or with tight joints and working action features is very difficult. It's also very expensive. Origins is the line that got me into toy collecting. I could finally own a good version of characters I never owned as a kid. They make great display pieces and the creative interchangeable parts allow for some fun customizing.
I got heman and skeletor origins retro play figures and I have to say I like the head sculpt more than the classic ones, I did had them as a kid but later lost them and cant remember why, I also had the 2000s He man and boy do I miss that one.
I've just started collecting this line. I got He-man and Skeletor, Battle Cat, and managed to get the Keldor/Kronos package. Picked up Prince Adam and the Sky Sled today. My issues: lightweight plastic, not nearly as durable. Battle Cats helmet won't stay on and Panthor isn't flocked, he's purple plastic...They won't hold weapons like the old ones, but overall I love this line. Desperately searching for Scareglow and Trapjaw
I only collect a few of those figs I finally found he-man and skeletor (both new versions) yesterday at my toys r us they are really cool love the articulations I want more
Great vid! Born in 81' my only real living memory of He-Man/MOTU is the figures... wgichbi would've had at a VERY young age. This vid pulled back a flood of memories! I remember the leg bands, but never actually remember breaking any incredibly! 🙃 O.O.K 👌🏼💙
I was born in 81 and can remember coming home from primary school getting changed and hearing he man on the TV begin as it was also still shown on TV as repeats for many years long after it ended
Yeah, it's been pretty bad in my neck of the woods with the Origins line as well. I was able to get Wave 1 at my local Walmart after multiple visits but have only seen He-Man, Skeletor and Battle Cat ever since. I've got the whole line that's been released so far minus some of the Power Con exclusives. However, I was able to get the Secrets of Grayskull set on BBTS in that extremely narrow time frame, so I'm thankful for that. When going to my local Target it's basically the same as Walmart but with fewer of the same previously mentioned figures. I've just decided to buy the Waves, etc., on BBTS instead of just wasting time and gas. I know it's not as much fun but would rather save time and money. It is unfortunate that distribution is so screwed up. I figure it has to do with the pandemic crap but have heard there's been issues before hand with certain lines. I guess good luck and happy hunting! Great video as alway Michael! Most of us are feeling your pain for sure when it comes to reliving going to the pegs to get figures.
Wow, the Rise of Evil two pack is on CLEARANCE at my local Target. Talk about wonky!! And btw, terrific Conan reference at the end there. Nice. King Osric would have been proud. :-)
I have fond memories of my MOTU toys from my childhood. I'm a little younger than the OG MOTU fans, as I had mine in the late 80s and early 90s. I keep toying with the idea of buying a few from the origins line, for that nostalgia kick, but I'll never recapture the feeling of being 5 years old and defending Greyskull from Skeletor. Plus I have nowhere to display them, and my wife would no doubt disapprove. And my own child is too young to appreciate. Guess I'm gonna enjoy this line vicariously.
I will also say that the availability proposition of the toy line versus the reality keeps me in the house and shopping online. I almost need a scout party to let me know which local store has the most varied stock (without spoiling it) to motivate me to go out. Hmm... wait... Toy hunting in department stores requires a lot of walking... I need to start walking more... Are you seriously telling me that hunting for toys at retail might actually increase my cardiovascular health? "Pretty thin, Riggs." YES THAT IS THE GOAL. *the above message is brought to you by a lack of caffeine
I am happy that Origins is a good way to give you the old but new toys. I grew up withe the vintage toyline. I am no collector - i simply enjoy watching your vids and pixel dans. For my personal taste the Classics line is the most awesome version and i don't really like most of the imho way too bright colours on the origins line. But ovarall it puts a smile on face to see these cool figures back in stores (and hopefully Mattel produces more consitsent in the future)
Not sure how you keep improving on the already flawless documentary presenter's dialect, Michael, but you've unlocked the "Robert McNeil" level with this production. Have a great weekend!
@@retroblasting Well, it shows. Linguistics is the one branch of English in post-secondary that is still kind of fun for me. Precise diction causes the ears to go: Impressive... MOST impressive. Not sure how many docos you watched while you lived over in England, Michael, but were I Melvyn Bragg, I'd consider myself put on notice. You and Melinda stay safe, please!
Recently target has had another set of exclusives-re-releases of older figures that are harder to find for decent prices. Trapjaw, Orko, Man E Faces, and Scareglow. Definitely helpful for me, who's local target happened to get them multiple times, but it's annoying that they were exclusive.
Nearly exactly my feelings on the subject, save the fact that it is a somewhat-attainable line for someone just starting out, as well as replacing vintage figures.
Beyond just GETTING the toys Origins is a great idea. The exclusives are great...for toy companies but for the fans of these lines or characters it's just making many quit. I myself don't purchase nearly the quantity of toys I did even five years ago. The ones I do purchase are lucky grabs, that while enjoying the product in hand, I actually question the lengths I had to go to to get a current toy at retail or at least justifiable price and effort.
I only had 4 figures from the vintage toys, one of them being Battle Armor skeletor. I'm selling them to buy the origins ones. I'm always taking them from the shelf to play and pose
Good video and great content. Speaking nothing but truth. I truly am so frustrated I only have 15 of the origins characters. Wave 1 was never even available in the county I live in , in Georgia. I hope this changes as I plan to buy all of them. Also plan to purchase Castle Awesome and Mt Fucking amazing if they ever hit retail shelves. Mattel, please ramp up production and re-release the earlier waves again. I crave this toy line and absolutely love the nostalgia it brings me
It is true I think that Ghostbusters was enormously popular, but TMNT had a far more extensive lineup as toys go. There were two major action sets (Technodrome and Sewer sets), lots of Foot and Turtle vehicles, and more figures than I can even remember. Ghostbusters had a second birth when the second movie came out, that much is true.
I've got a cedar trunk full of vintage MOTU figures I haven't opened in 15 years. Last time I opened it, they were in mostly really good shape. I'm scared to open it now...
I hate the crappy distribution of toy lines, especially here in Australia. I can still go into Big W, Kmart, Target etc. and still see the same 3 Power Ranger Lightning Collection figures on sale months after those ones were originally released. I haven't seen any of the other waves of figures in that toy line which I know have been released in other countries. The only shops which seem to get the newer stuff in more consistently are the collectable shops but their prices are usually higher because of their independent status.
I grew up in the early 90's so I missed MOTU the first time around but have always loved the show and the aesthetic of the figures. I can literally buy a full wave of Origins for less than the cost of one not-so great condition vintage figure and mostly get a simulacra of the originals in my display. I absolutely love the Origins line, flawed though it is.
Agree. Origins has become my current favorite toyline. Motu was my second big toyline experience as a kid. It was different and fresh from my first star wars toyline collection experience. Motu Origins did it right. Upgraded the figures where they needed to be upgraded but without loosing essence of the original figure line. Wish gi joe had an origins o-ring line....
I blame both Mattel and retailers for the lack of product being available. The common excuse used by retailers always seems to be that there are too many He-Man and Skeletor figures clogging the pegs, but that's just nonsense. I worked for Toys R Us when Power of the Force II came out. We had more Princess Leia and Chewie figures than we could possibly sell, but that didn't stop TRU from continuing to order more Power of the Force II. Any time we got another case of figures in stock, we would take sixteen Princess Leias or Chewies off the peg, then put the sixteen new figures on the peg (it was actually only twelve, since every new case had two more Leias and two more Chewies). The Leias/Chewies would all go in the empty box, I'd write "Princess Leia" or "Chewie" on the box and put it in the back with all the other boxes of these two characters. Occasionally, the pegs would actually manage to run low on Chewie, and I'd restock from the back. Eventually, they all went into a clearance bin and that was the end of it. Every line is going to have some peg warmers, especially if you overproduce characters. That's what clearance sections and discount stores are for.
You'd think that after almost fifty freaking years people in the toy business would have managed to get the hang of this. Their ability not to learn from experience is truly astounding.
Couldn’t have said it better myself,
That's because back in the 90s, kids still bought action figures, and star wars was massively popular. How many kids do you think are asking for these figures? It's all middle aged men buying this stuff now, and retailers don't want to over buy and end up with "that one figure that doesn't sell" clogging every store. Look at GI Joe, every store I go to has roadblocks out the ass. Or marvel legends, there's always the same 2-3 characters noone buys.
The one thing mcfarlane is doing better than everyone else atm is selling and shipping boxes of just one character. So retailers can order boxes of just batman, just superman etc, characters that sell, so they don't get stuck with 20 if the same character from 20 cases.
In my area He-man & Skeletor have been on the rarer side of distribution. I've seen displays crammed full of Battle Cat, Ram-man, and Clamp Champ but next to none of the main hero and villain. I have literally seen more Castle Grayskulls on toy shelves.
@@dariusq8894 Weird. I found the 2020 He-Man and Skeletor figures on the clearance isle of my local Walmart this morning. Not sure why they bothered. When I went to the action figure isle, the pegs were just empty, so they didn't need to clear the space on the pegs for new product.
That final shot slow swap is subtle art.
This line has been a godsend for me as I never had any MotU figures as a child, despite the fact I always wanted them. My parents told me that, by all means, you can have MotU, but that means no more Star Wars, so I stuck with my beloved Star Wars. These Origins figures fit my needs perfectly, although as you mentioned, being able to find them at a decent price is proving quite difficult.
This line has been a godsend for me too...and I did own almost every original figure as a child. My parents got rid of them when I got older and didn't care (and didn't know they did) and years and years later I would find myself thinking about them and wishing I had them again. I collected originals for a brief stint, and as Michael said the repair bench became a prison. I gave up and sold them all about a year or so before Origins hit. When I saw these and realized they had been "fixed" I knew I had to have them. I have to have them ALL. To date I do have them all...even the Powercon stuff. I just hope I can survive the exclusives and keep this collection complete!
@@eightbit1975 That's too bad that your parebts gave away your old toys. My parents kept mine, boxed them up and gave them to me 8 years ago when I moved out west.
While I am a died in the wool "Classics" collector, I totally appreciate how great this "Origins" line is. The compatibility with vintage vehicles and playsets is awesome. As I did not have many vintage vehicles and no playsets, my upgrading to a larger scale left only my falling apart figures and a Wind Raider left lost to time. Classics produced more Vehicles and Playsets than I ever owned as a kid so that was best for me, though missed figures are a wallet busting nightmare. Origins on the other hand, if they can sort out their distribution, is a more cost efficient and durable alternative to my chosen path.
Kudos on paraphrasing Max Von Sydow as the King in Conan the Barbarian BTW.
AS a uk transformers generations collector I am getting so tired of US toy shop exclusives as you said they are ripe for damn scalpers and has made getting some figures to expensive for me - looking at you ratchet and lifeline boxset
Very well written. This line is like an amazing love letter being delivered by a stupid postman.
Collecting the originals is a hell of a lot easier than trying to find the Origins. Using the rubber washer with eye hooks to repair the leg joints works, and goes together fairly quickly.
What I personally like about the origins line, is the fact that is it can co-exist with the originals. Origins can fill in the gaps of the originals, and the originals vehicles and play sets can remain.
Love the modern origins line and the blue carded cartoon collection. Modern day bliss!! ❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤
Great video sir! Thank you!!!
Part of me kind of didn't want to continue collecting Origins due to how hard the figures are to find in my area and the bad taste the new Netflix show gave me but how cool these figures look together and realizing He-Man's owner ship is split meaning Netflix isn't making a dime off these it is making me want to get a few more. This video helped me decide that.
Bonus points for the King Osric from "Conan" homage!
Came straight to comments as soon as I heard that to see if anyone noticed. Lol. Awesome!
@@salvadorgomez9699 yeah, that was pretty well placed
What a fantastic video! As a kid, I had damn near every figure, vehicle, etc...As I got into HS, I had them all boxed up in my room. After my 1st semester in college, I went home to get my boxes of MOTU toys because I finally had a place bigger than a jail cell door room and....my dad had sold them all at a garage sale. In his defense, when I moved, i never made mention that I planned on coming back for them. He finally got a return on his investment 😀. So...to whomever hit the mother load of MOTU at a garage sale in Alexandria, LA in the mid 90s, hats off to you!
I'm just glad I have the memory of growing up in the 80's when you could find pretty much any figure from any toy line even at a local *pharmacy* or gas station. As for Origins, they're definitely not bad, it's just that they don't approach the detail and style of the original vintage to me - and I still prefer the more basic articulation - probably for nostalgic reasons, but they also just have more of a charm. As far as the legs, it's gotten to the point where I can replace a leg band in about 15 minutes and it's not a struggle anymore, which allows my vintage figures to live a new life. It's the only repro part that I let into my collection as it's just indispensable when it comes to saving MOTU figures.
4 years old or not, it was still a nice listen on my drive home from work. You still look and sound the same🤘🏼
I love The Origins line this is how you do a modern classic
I’m with you in remembering the toys before the cartoon. IMO that was when MOTU was best. The Mark Taylor influence was strong, and the character concepts on point. With a couple exceptions, the line generally went down from there, I feel.
Ah.. the days before Orko and Prince Adam, when imagination and the miniature comic books that came with the figures were all we needed.
I am built tough but, I must admit, I started coming apart at the 40 year mark too. Great video as always.
Literally my favorite channel on UA-cam.
When these were announced, I rolled my eyes, 'cos I knew that *Mattel* were prone to scummy practices regarding _figure availability and pricing,_ but I was truly surprised I could get these in a proper toy shop at all.
I grew up with the _2002 He-Man,_ so I have *zero nostalgia* for the '80s classics, but they're so toyetic and aesthetically-pleasing I've honestly thought it'd be nice getting some figures in the old style with modern tooling and the Origins figures delivered that in spades.
I'm not the most avid collector, so I really only wanted the basics - *He-Man, Skeletor and Battle Cat* - which are wonderful and I enjoy having them in my collection. I'm currently looking to get *a Teela figure* - just to complete this nice image of "Good Guy, Good Girl, Noble Mount and Vile Villain" that I like about the Sword-N-Sorcery vibes of *He-Man* - but any other characters that I might have gotten on a whim, e.g. Trap Jaw, seem to be thin on the ground. I suppose that's the *Mattel-brand, short-packing scumminess* I was expecting, but I'm not too bothered by it. I just feel bad for those looking to upgrade their old _MotU_ figures and have to go on *a pricey, toy safari hunt.*
Ya the origin line does kinda hit the sweet spot, especially for collectors from the 80s.
Excellent video my friend !!! You hit on every aspect of my frustration with these figures and the joy of trying to collect this new toy line !!!!
Origins is the best line out there since the original ones
3:21 BEWARE MER-MAN and his DREADED SWORD OF BABY CORN
I know My opinion will be unpopular, but I actually like the head sculpt on He-Man. I was dissapointed to see that Faker did not come with it and went with the vintage version.
These figures have been fun to hunt for. For the most part I’ve come across all of them at my local stores.
@@__-wm9lu Sorry to hear that. When I have a tough time finding stuff in the wild, I’ll order it online. Had to do that for Teela. Good luck and hope you find those figures.
@@__-wm9lu Bummer.
@@__-wm9lu I’m also in Canada, I’m not a Heman collector but I’ve seen a lot of this line on cards at EB games. Give them a try, good luck!
I don't know, I find the origins figures to be new strangers, posing as old friends. I am certainly willing to resolve, my very rare, repair issues, just to have what I remember as the official, original, presentations from long ago.
Older He-Man quads, arms, pecs and abs way more shredded.
I love the Origins line. It’s one of my favorite toy lines ever talk about bulletproof. Haha
Loved that King Osric bit at the end
I really like the Orgins Orko design. Mattel got the size proportions and color of the hat totally right. He looks just like the Filmation cartoon.
Loved line juxtaposition from perhaps the best line in "Conan the Barbarian".
Great video. I still have my sealed MOTU collection. Best toys ever!
When you make less than the demand,...you kill the demand! Remember Nintendo classic edition!
Much like the NES Classic, Mattel is dealing with a...chip shortage? Yeah that's it a chip shortage...
The keldor two pack is a peg warmer at target now
I had no idea those leg joints on the vintage MOTU figures broke overtime. I can see how the origins line is a nice substitute.
Those og sculpt’s are amazing.
So much heart ache. This man is a true collector.
Very well said. I enjoyed watching this.
You can restore two-bad and Roboto's legs with a good scrubbing , the plastic on the legs brakes down and coats the covering paint, if you spend twenty or so minutes rubbing the plastic oils off you will find the original paint hiding underneath.
I love the origins line of MOTU, infact I just found Webstor this morning at my Target store
Ah poor Merriman, i caved started buying some origins figures! Great video Michael!
For me the best years of the line were 1982-83 and I think with the Wind Raider coming, the origins line will have made everything that released in those years. Maybe also full Battle Ram, an Attak Trak, Talon Fighter, Zoar and Screech and I’ll be happy with those if I end up with nothing else.
Classics is the ultimate Masters of the Universe toyline. A fantastic mix of all eras with great detail. Even vehicles and playsets. It's great to see MOTU back in the spotlight now with so many toys in store, youtubers discussing it and even new media.
Speaking of intentionally destructive play, I bought a bunch of the Origins figures for my nephew, and he and his sister decided they were all Modulok, took them to pieces, and have now lost some of the arms and legs. The toy collector in me cringed hard, did an internal backflip on my brain, and cried.
Wonderful episode as usual micheal
As always, great video...👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼
Awesome He Man collection
As much as exclusives suck the company line has been "stores won't carry our product without exclusives" and then in like a year or two they release a slightly modified version of the exclusive figure in the main line anyway. Which I'm honestly fine with. like the Powercon lords of power stuff was different enough from the versions of those characters in the line now, but it allows people who were unable, or unwilling, or who don't care about fancy packaging to eventually get those versions of the characters. Hell my personal plan is to buy a regular panthor, and try FLOCKING it myself, and if that fails, probably get a beat up vintage panthor or battlecat or KO, (Like a properly messed up one, I would never ruin a servicable figure) and just flock that. Also the more I play with them, pose them, look at them, swap heads around and stuff. the more I find myself falling in love with this line. The Articulation is just good enough to do some really fun action poses and barring QC issues the figures seem about as rock solid as the vintage ones were new.
Thanks for the video. I totally agree with you 👍👍👍👌
"When the repair table becomes a prison" lolol! Yes, it's not all bread and roses, but I get my same kicks on Origins, and only Origins, for all these reasons. And, I was unforgivably late in the MOTU collections, but for all these reasons, ...I guess I'm not! :D
Origins is the only modern line I’m collecting. I’ve retired from SW, Joe & TF. As much as I enjoy my Classics, this is exactly what I wanted out of a modern Masters line
In your opening you left out #6 a blanket and #7 running around the yard with a stick. Imagine if the toymakers had come up with combining the blanket with the stick. The possibilities are endless.
"What daring! What outrageousness! What insolence! What arrogance!
... I salute you."
5:08 the original sculpt for he man looks like it was based off of the books and comics before the show, and the new head before the retro change looked like Mattel wanted to base it more on Filmation. It would have helped if any of the male characters had whites painted in the eyes.
The original He-man head is based on the head of Big Jim .
Many parts of Big Jim was later used for Masters ..... the most known are Battle-Cat and Beast man's whip .
I never pass up an opportunity to quote Max von Sydow's Conan speech when it's applicable to a situation.
This is why I sold off my vintage Masters of the Universe figures I kept on having to replace 2 figures a year they became a headache this is some good content nothing but truth and facts
Well said! I’ll be along for the ride!
Nice reuse and slight change to the classic CONAN the Barbarian line from Max Von Sydows character King Osric! :)
That line is etched in my heart and i qoute it ever so often to myself looking in the mirror.
I felt like your story is my story, I’m a transformers Masterpiece and Macross/Robotech collector mainly, but being that MOTU was the first toy line I collected as a child, this line has been the only MOTU line that has hit me in the feels. Its not been the easiest but I’ve managed to get most of what I’ve wanted in this line so far.
I dream of the days we see a whole end cap full of motu toys like it was 82 to 87. I guess my 45 year old self can never share the joy with my nephews bc let's face it. It'll never happen. Heart breaking! It's entertainment earth and bbts I suppose forever. Damn shame! Ty for another great vid.
I'm still unconvinced any of these exist outside of He-Man, Skeletor, their respective Battle Cats, and the Prince Adam vehicle 2 pack. I've never seen another in the wild, while those 5 are clogging shelves for months.
This was a really good episode, Great Job.
Another comprehensive video. Thanks, Michael.
Micheal you are on point brother!!!
I feel very much the same way. While I love the vintage figures, trying to find any in good shape or with tight joints and working action features is very difficult. It's also very expensive. Origins is the line that got me into toy collecting. I could finally own a good version of characters I never owned as a kid. They make great display pieces and the creative interchangeable parts allow for some fun customizing.
I got heman and skeletor origins retro play figures and I have to say I like the head sculpt more than the classic ones, I did had them as a kid but later lost them and cant remember why, I also had the 2000s He man and boy do I miss that one.
People: they don’t make toys like they used too
Me: shows all the darth mauled g.I. Joes and he man figures
I've just started collecting this line. I got He-man and Skeletor, Battle Cat, and managed to get the Keldor/Kronos package.
Picked up Prince Adam and the Sky Sled today.
My issues: lightweight plastic, not nearly as durable. Battle Cats helmet won't stay on and Panthor isn't flocked, he's purple plastic...They won't hold weapons like the old ones, but overall I love this line.
Desperately searching for Scareglow and Trapjaw
Always love your takes on issues.
Spot on.
I only collect a few of those figs I finally found he-man and skeletor (both new versions) yesterday at my toys r us they are really cool love the articulations I want more
once again great vid RB
Great vid! Born in 81' my only real living memory of He-Man/MOTU is the figures... wgichbi would've had at a VERY young age. This vid pulled back a flood of memories!
I remember the leg bands, but never actually remember breaking any incredibly! 🙃 O.O.K 👌🏼💙
I was born in 81 and can remember coming home from primary school getting changed and hearing he man on the TV begin as it was also still shown on TV as repeats for many years long after it ended
Yeah, it's been pretty bad in my neck of the woods with the Origins line as well. I was able to get Wave 1 at my local Walmart after multiple visits but have only seen He-Man, Skeletor and Battle Cat ever since. I've got the whole line that's been released so far minus some of the Power Con exclusives. However, I was able to get the Secrets of Grayskull set on BBTS in that extremely narrow time frame, so I'm thankful for that. When going to my local Target it's basically the same as Walmart but with fewer of the same previously mentioned figures. I've just decided to buy the Waves, etc., on BBTS instead of just wasting time and gas. I know it's not as much fun but would rather save time and money. It is unfortunate that distribution is so screwed up. I figure it has to do with the pandemic crap but have heard there's been issues before hand with certain lines. I guess good luck and happy hunting!
Great video as alway Michael! Most of us are feeling your pain for sure when it comes to reliving going to the pegs to get figures.
Wow, the Rise of Evil two pack is on CLEARANCE at my local Target. Talk about wonky!! And btw, terrific Conan reference at the end there. Nice. King Osric would have been proud. :-)
Another amazing video!
The delivery of that last line, Max Von Sydow would be proud. 👏
I have fond memories of my MOTU toys from my childhood. I'm a little younger than the OG MOTU fans, as I had mine in the late 80s and early 90s.
I keep toying with the idea of buying a few from the origins line, for that nostalgia kick, but I'll never recapture the feeling of being 5 years old and defending Greyskull from Skeletor. Plus I have nowhere to display them, and my wife would no doubt disapprove.
And my own child is too young to appreciate. Guess I'm gonna enjoy this line vicariously.
I will take any original VINTAGE toys over new ones. I do not care if they have flaws.
I will also say that the availability proposition of the toy line versus the reality keeps me in the house and shopping online. I almost need a scout party to let me know which local store has the most varied stock (without spoiling it) to motivate me to go out.
Hmm... wait...
Toy hunting in department stores requires a lot of walking... I need to start walking more...
Are you seriously telling me that hunting for toys at retail might actually increase my cardiovascular health?
"Pretty thin, Riggs." YES THAT IS THE GOAL.
*the above message is brought to you by a lack of caffeine
I am happy that Origins is a good way to give you the old but new toys. I grew up withe the vintage toyline. I am no collector - i simply enjoy watching your vids and pixel dans. For my personal taste the Classics line is the most awesome version and i don't really like most of the imho way too bright colours on the origins line.
But ovarall it puts a smile on face to see these cool figures back in stores (and hopefully Mattel produces more consitsent in the future)
Great content, as always. Thanks RB. This is the only modern line I am doing right now also.
Not sure how you keep improving on the already flawless documentary presenter's dialect, Michael, but you've unlocked the "Robert McNeil" level with this production. Have a great weekend!
HAHA - Many takes while actively listening to each syllable as I say it.
@@retroblasting Well, it shows. Linguistics is the one branch of English in post-secondary that is still kind of fun for me. Precise diction causes the ears to go: Impressive... MOST impressive. Not sure how many docos you watched while you lived over in England, Michael, but were I Melvyn Bragg, I'd consider myself put on notice. You and Melinda stay safe, please!
Recently target has had another set of exclusives-re-releases of older figures that are harder to find for decent prices. Trapjaw, Orko, Man E Faces, and Scareglow. Definitely helpful for me, who's local target happened to get them multiple times, but it's annoying that they were exclusive.
Nearly exactly my feelings on the subject, save the fact that it is a somewhat-attainable line for someone just starting out, as well as replacing vintage figures.
Beyond just GETTING the toys Origins is a great idea. The exclusives are great...for toy companies but for the fans of these lines or characters it's just making many quit. I myself don't purchase nearly the quantity of toys I did even five years ago. The ones I do purchase are lucky grabs, that while enjoying the product in hand, I actually question the lengths I had to go to to get a current toy at retail or at least justifiable price and effort.
I love the Conan analogy at what poetry 😎
Mikle the second wave never came to are stores
I love the play on the Old King's Lament from Conan...Well done..."Once a Great and powerful Northman like my lord now old and sodered.."
I only had 4 figures from the vintage toys, one of them being Battle Armor skeletor. I'm selling them to buy the origins ones. I'm always taking them from the shelf to play and pose
Good video and great content. Speaking nothing but truth. I truly am so frustrated I only have 15 of the origins characters. Wave 1 was never even available in the county I live in , in Georgia. I hope this changes as I plan to buy all of them. Also plan to purchase Castle Awesome and Mt Fucking amazing if they ever hit retail shelves. Mattel, please ramp up production and re-release the earlier waves again. I crave this toy line and absolutely love the nostalgia it brings me
Ghostbusters was more of the bracket than TMNT. Everyone these days forgets how enormous that toyline actually was.
It is true I think that Ghostbusters was enormously popular, but TMNT had a far more extensive lineup as toys go. There were two major action sets (Technodrome and Sewer sets), lots of Foot and Turtle vehicles, and more figures than I can even remember. Ghostbusters had a second birth when the second movie came out, that much is true.
Excellent video from the start to the conclusion.👍👍👍
I've got a cedar trunk full of vintage MOTU figures I haven't opened in 15 years.
Last time I opened it, they were in mostly really good shape.
I'm scared to open it now...
Rise of evil is a shelfwarmer everywhere i go.
I hate the crappy distribution of toy lines, especially here in Australia.
I can still go into Big W, Kmart, Target etc. and still see the same 3 Power Ranger Lightning Collection figures on sale months after those ones were originally released.
I haven't seen any of the other waves of figures in that toy line which I know have been released in other countries.
The only shops which seem to get the newer stuff in more consistently are the collectable shops but their prices are usually higher because of their independent status.
I grew up in the early 90's so I missed MOTU the first time around but have always loved the show and the aesthetic of the figures. I can literally buy a full wave of Origins for less than the cost of one not-so great condition vintage figure and mostly get a simulacra of the originals in my display. I absolutely love the Origins line, flawed though it is.
Yep I got my original he-man figures from Howard brothers… I remember getting castle grey skull for Christmas and I was one happy little boy..
Great video!
Agree. Origins has become my current favorite toyline. Motu was my second big toyline experience as a kid. It was different and fresh from my first star wars toyline collection experience. Motu Origins did it right. Upgraded the figures where they needed to be upgraded but without loosing essence of the original figure line. Wish gi joe had an origins o-ring line....