Masters of the Universe Origins vehicle Roton 22cm

Action figures Masters of the Universe

Highly detailed vehicle from Mattel’s “Masters of the Universe Origins” series, matching the 14 cm tall action figures. The roton is about 22 cm tall with a diameter of also 22 cm and we delivered in a window box.

Note: Packaging illustrations serve only as examples and may differ from the actual packaging in terms of design or language variant.

Masters of the Universe

Masters of the Universe combines sword-and-magic action with futuristic sci-fi technology to deliver powerful adventures. With an iconic legacy and memorable mythology dating back to 1982, Masters of the Universe explores the universal themes of heroism, individuality and personal responsibility while continuing to inspire generations of kids and adults alike.

In the early 1980s, the action figure market was dominated by Hasbro’s G.I. Joe and Kenner’s Star Wars action figures. Mattel’s Big Jim action figure series had failed to establish itself since its introduction in 1971. With Barbie and Hot Wheels, Mattel had persistently successful toy series, but this did not cover the business field of action figures.

Roger Sweet developed a figure called He-Man, about 24 inches tall, superhumanly muscular and sculpted in a battle-ready pose, that could basically be combined with all three themes that action figures were made for: 20th Century Military (G.I. Joe), Science Fiction (Star Wars), and Sword and Sorcery. Mattel finally decided on a combination of science fiction and fantasy.

The size of the figures was reduced to 14 centimetres for the launch in order to keep the retail price of a figure below the psychologically important mark of five US dollars at 4.99 US dollars.

Contrary to earlier assumptions, Masters of the Universe was not planned as merchandising for the fantasy action film Conan the Barbarian.

In its first year (1982), Masters of the Universe grossed $38.2 million in the U.S., well above expectations of seven to 19 million. In 1983 sales rose to $80 million, in 1984 to $111 million, and in 1985 to $250 million. In 1986, the peak was reached with sales of 400 million US dollars in the USA. In 1987, sales plummeted to seven million, leading to the cancellation of the series. The last products were only released in Italy in 1988, after which Masters of the Universe disappeared from toy store shelves worldwide for over ten years.

He-Man and the Masters of the Universe have become part of 1980s popular culture through their ubiquitous presence in the children’s bedrooms of Western industrialized nations.