For Those Who Came In Late …… A Brief History Of The Micronauts

The Original Microman/Micronauts

The Micronauts is The English version of the Japanese toy line Called Microman That was made by Takara (TOMY in the UK) since 1974 These were imported into the UK under Airfix (Mego in the US)between 1978 and 1980. The line Consists of a range of 3.75 inch Action Figures, Vehicles and Accessories.

These action figures were know for their high amount of articulation compared to other contemporary 3.75 inch action figures who had on average 5 points of articulation. The original Microman figures were shrunk down from the original Henshin Cyborg line of 8 and 12 “ dolls produced by Takara in 1972, but seeing a market for play sets and vehicles for the line it was shrunk down to a smaller scale and Microman was born. one of the unique features of this line was that the toys were meant to be the actual size of the cyborg creatures they were meant to represent, and were disguised as toys (Marvel would later use this Idea in their version of the Micronauts comic and have them emerging from the Microverse). These figures and vehicles also had parts and Accessories that could be interchanged with each other the most notable of these for may kids was the Mobile Exploration Lab (MEL) and all of the combinations it afforded you to make.

 

 

The New Era

The original Line continued until 1984, and then ended, but in 1998 Takara produced a whole new series of Microman toys, These new Microman Toys were divided into two Distinct lines the Replica Microman Line and The Magne-Powers Line. The Replica Line was distinctly aimed at collectors and Fans of the Original Microman Toys and was made up of reissues of the original line along with exclusive colour variations. The Magne-Powers Line was aimed at kids with all new toys and an all new story line and this also saw the Microman Anime Series.

Micro Man Video

Even with the Animated series The New Microman Line only achieved a Mild success with kids and was even less well received by collectors and older fans, as the line moved into the early 2000’s Takara Found it’s self in Financial Trouble and reduced the new line to a dozen products and cancelled the expensive anime show and the manga, and by 2001 the line had been shelved for the second time.

Although the replica series was still being sold it was in a much more limited scale and mostly through Takara’s E-Hobby Shop. Then in 2003 Takara decided to test the Waters again and released new Microman Figures, this time aimed more squarely at fans and collectors, the “imaginatively” titled Microman 2003. in the late 2000’s Takara did expand the line of Microman figures it include licensed properties Such as batman(Comic and Movie versions). Superman (Comic and Movie versions), Godzilla, Alien vs. Predator, Street Fighter, Evangelion and Kinnikuman

Also In 2004 Takara Released a line of Microman Figures Called Material Force. These Were Blank Microman figures which consisted of both Male and female Bodies moulded in various coloured Plastic and came with a variety of Interchangeable hands and were presumably aimed at the Custom Making Figure sector.

with this brief History Completed those of you who may not have come across the Microman/Micronaut Figures can Have a grasp of where I am coming from with my concept of creating an 8” Micronaut Time Traveller.