Just in time to stuff stockings, action figures shrink this season. No longer just the domain of specialty and import collectors, mass-marketed figures now come in all shapes and sizes – from the hyper-articulated 18” giants to tiny, Lego-esque 1.5” superheroes. Generally, mini-characters stand shorter than five inches. Doll-makers have utilized this format in recent years, and the popularity of Japanese-produced Kubrick collector figures have spurred a similar trend for mainstream boy’s toys. Enthusiasts and completists are typically fans of this category, but many of the children´s companies have found an audience as well. Most of these products are followed into the marketplace by coordinated playsets where the smaller characters can co-exist, battle or simply strike an exciting pose. While mini-figures are often just one iteration of a multi-platform character like Spider-Man or Batman, some characters are only produced in the miniature format, and have found success by betting big on this unconventional and growing subcategory.
Here is a “small” top ten list in random order. 1.) C3: Batman and Justice League (Approx $9.99) by Art Asylum These Block-like figures will save the world through construction sets.
- Asylum has created close to 100 Marvel Minimates. - “The lines will bring the fun and action of construction to the hands of kids and collectors alike,” says Art Asylum’s Adam Unger. - Batman will resemble the comic book version and the Justice League follows the designs of the Cartoon Network TV series.
2.) Lord of the Rings Minimates 4-Pack (Approx $9.99, 4+) by Art Asylum Legolas, Aragorn and the gang from Middle Earth might have shrunk, but they still pack retail power.
- Each 2” figure has fourteen points of articulation. - Lord of the Rings: Return of the King made $1,118,887,224 worldwide at the box office. - The 4-pack’s Frodo figure is translucent, emulating the character’s ring-based powers of invisibility from the films.
3.) 4.5” Gundam Seed Action Figures (Approx $8.99, 8+) by Bandai This highly detailed team comes with plenty of weapons.
- The line is based on Cartoon Network´s Gundam Seed. - 2004 marks Bandai’s 25th anniversary; special marketing and product launches mark the milestone. - 2003´s Battle-Scarred line sold well. The Gundam Pilot Academy and the Collectible Card Game will also launch this year.
4.) Star Wars Miniatures: Entry Pack (19.99, 12+) by Wizards of the Coast (ToyDirectory) Classic characters from “the original trilogy” return , now with retro packaging.
- NPD Group ranks Star Wars #3 in action figure properties based on movies. - The release coincides with the debut of the classic Star Wars films on DVD in September, 2004. - Miniature Luke Skywalker is the #1 early adopter product in Toys & Games (Amazon).
5.) 1.5” Teen Titans Comic Book Heroes (Approx $7.99, 5+) by Bandai Get all six characters at one time; even villains are included.
- The packaging comes with a collectible comic page; fore version combine to make a mini-comic book. - Year over year, the Cartoon Network’s Teen Titans Go! Series increased by viewership 40% among kids ages 6-11. The program also runs on WB kids. - The line exceeded Bandai´s expectations, according to a representative.
6.) The Incredibles 3” Cinema Scene Act 1 ($9.99, 4+) by Hasbro Retired super heroes come in all sizes.
- Three assortments feature with members from the family, lost heroes, and the Incredibles in battle. - The highly anticipated Disney/Pixar animated film debuts November 4, and features the voices of Holly Hunter and Samuel L. Jackson. - The first wave of 18 figures allows children to recreate scenes from the movie.
7.) 3” NFL Football Series 2 (Approx $6.99) by McFarlane Collectors will tackle each other for the scaled down version of their football favorites.
- In 2005, McFarlane will launch 3” series for basketball, hockey and baseball. - McFarlane SportsPicks collections are a leader in the market. - The line features player two-packs like Michael Vick/Shaun Alexander, Jeff Garcia/Terrell Owens, and Randy Moss/Drew Beldsoe.
8.) Valor vs. Venom: G.I. Joe 3-3/4" Figures (Approx $4.99, 5+) by Hasbro The military hero line is still one of America´s favorites.
- 2004 is G.I. Joe´s 40th anniversary. - The line coincides with “Valor vs. Venom,” the first original G.I. Joe DVD feature. - The 3.75” Joe´s also pilot Deluxe Vehicles that fire missiles, make sounds and include a comic book.
9.) Harry Potter Mini Figures (Approx 7.99, 5+) by Mattel The wizard-in-training used his magic powers to shrink his line into a 3.5” version.
- The line comes with mini playsets like Magical Creatures and Potions Class. - Based on “Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban” which is ranked #4 in 2004 box office revenue. - “Azkaban” is the third Potter movie in a planned series of seven.
10.) Lego Knights Kingdom Action Figure (Approx $8.99, 5+) by Lego Five Knights compete for the attention of young consumers.
- The Kingdom line is designed for younger children. - Lego Knights also appear in Bionicle-sized figures in the line and themed playsets. - Over 300 million children have played with LEGOS in the past 40 years, according to lego.com.
TDmonthly’s staff spoke with a number of manufacturers for this article and consulted five online retailers. They researched various articles and Web sites on the subject to obtain background information about the marketplace.
**One to Watch: Stink Blasters B.O. Boys by MEG These smelly 4” figures have left their mark on the toy business.
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