Action Figurines or Action Figures are one of the most famous collectibles especially in franchises that revolve around series.
Collecting these figures have already been around for quite some time. It all began when Stanley Weston made a new line of toy called G.I. Joe. The toys were referred to as G.I. Joe’s because during World War II, soldiers were called G.I.’s or G.I. Joe’s. Most people say that G.I. stands for “General Issue” or “Government Issue.”
In the 1960’s, Hasbro’s Don Levine coined the term Action Figures to differentiate Hasbro’s G.I. Joe’s from dolls which were appropriated to girls back then. Together, Levine and Weston invented the line of G.I. Joe action figures.
G.I. Joe’s had changeable clothes and came in 4 different types which represent the four branches of the military: Action Soldier (Army), Action Marine (Marines), Action Pilot (Air Force) and Action Sailor (Navy).
Due to its popularity, one of Hasbro’s competitors, Mattel, released its own line of action figures, Major Matt Mason, an astronaut figurine. Major Matt Mason became a big deal because it featured clothing inspired by NASA prototypes along with items, miniature vehicles, and playsets that make it even more appealing.
After the initial surge of figurines came the Anime Figures. Anime is a genre of animated series and/or movies that originated from Japan. Due to the rise of its popularity, many characters were later manufactured as Figures.
After the G.I. Joe figurines, the superhero action figures emerged by a company called Mego who brought superheroes into the scene during the early 1970’s and completely dominated the market. Characters like Batman, Wonder Woman, and Spiderman dominated the figurine scene.
Of course, action figurines aren’t limited to the series niche, there are some figures that are produced for franchises such as the Wizard of Oz, Harry Potter, and so much more. One of the earliest franchises to sell its characters as figurines is Star Wars. A small company called Kenner manufactured the figurines and has proven to be a big hit.
Contrary to its American counterparts, anime figurines are typically stationary, statue-like; they seldom have movable joints. This is because they are more on the aesthetic, “display-only” feel rather than being played with.
A well-known anime franchise that uses figurines is Gundam. Gundam is a franchise of Mechs, but what makes them very appealing is its assembly. Gundam lets its customers build the Gundam from scratch using parts that they can assemble then giving them the choice of applying stickers or painting the figures to add that final touch.
One of the most popular figurine brands out there right now are Funko Pops. Funko Pops feature both anime and American movie and series characters. Another popular line of figurines are WWE figures, featuring wrestlers and wrestler sets.
Figurines aren’t limited to characters; miniature vehicles are also considered as figurines and are very sought out for car enthusiasts.
Today, there are a variety of figurines being sold in the market; the rarer they are, the more expensive they get. Limited edition figurines are sold for a hefty buck, but they can’t compare to the price tags of their predecessors.
Collectors today want a piece of the history of figurines, early 70’s figurines can range from $50 up to $2,000 if they are still in a mint condition.
The impact of figures in collection culture can’t be ignored because it’s a very versatile product. If there’s a character in a franchise, it’s possible to make a line of figurines named after them.
