Way back in the early days of the deluge of Masters of the Universe Classics figures, you could be guaranteed at least one figure a month, if not two. In a way I both do and do not miss those times. I do miss the near constant injection of MotUC goodness throughout the year, but I do not miss anything about Mattycollector, from the high shipping rates for a single figure to the “sell-outs” that were never really sell-outs to begin with.
This isn’t to say that Super7’s tenure with the brand has been perfect, but there are noticeable improvements, and all the little positives—the ability to preorder entire waves all at once being a main one—continue to make MotUC one of the more enjoyable if less omnipresent toylines I buy. It’s just going to be a long wait between toys.
Today I’m going to be taking a look at two of the Filmation styled figures. Veebee and I will be splitting up duties through the week, so come back later to check out his thoughts on the remaining Filmation figures, and for our takes on the Classics-styled figures.
For many, the Filmation aesthetic is either appealing or off-putting. There are cartoon purists who are finally getting the figures they’ve wanted for three decades, while there are Classics purists who scoff at the lesser detail. There are many who want the Filmation figures run through what has been referred to as the “classicizer,” requiring additional elements to the base animation-styled aesthetic. Where you stand on any of these issues is down to personal preference. For me, I have been enjoying the cartoon styled figures immensely. I realize that they are, for the most part, stripped down versions of figures I may already have, but that’s part of the appeal for me. It’s a different take, a different style, and something about it pushes all the right buttons for me. I don’t really have a “shelf,” so I don’t have a need for everything to fit in. To me, MotU is MotU.
Up first, we’re going to be looking at Man-E-Faces. I’ve already gone on record stating that Man-E-Faces might be the greatest toy concept ever. Being able to switch a simple science fiction action hero into either a monster or a robot with the twist of a dial never failed to entertain.
This figure streamlines the overall design of Man-E-Faces. It features the mandatory symmetricality of the cartoon designs—necessary for the cel-flipping utilized as a cost cutting method—and a simplistic familiarity. Unlike the second figure I’ll be tackling, this is unmistakably Man-E-Faces, just stripped of all the extraneous elements that could complicate a smooth animation process.
Man-e-Faces features the standard MotU articulation scheme of single jointed knees and elbows, with the additional elements of hinged wrists and Marvel Legends styled ankle swivels. I love these additional elements, and wish they had been incorporated into the line from the start.
With Man-E-Faces, the faces are the main element, and each man…monster…robot face is sculpted very nicely, capturing the feel of the original toy and the cartoon design. They are much more minimalist when compared to the original toy, but still evoke the same feel.
The major difference between this version and the original Classics version is the absence of a dial on the top of his head. In one sense, I kind of like the look of it. That big purple dial has always been the one concession to the “action feature” of the figure, and to be honest I don’t really miss in when it’s not there. I don’t mind it being there, because it can easily be considered just another tech element to his suit, but I don’t miss it when it’s gone. However, without the dial, you have to get in there and turn those heads manually, and doing that is when I start missing the ease of the dial.
Overall, I am an absolute sucker for Man-E-Faces as a character, and I loved this figure. As far as quality control issues, I had zero problems with him. He was flawless right out of the package.
As for accessories, he came with…way more than I was expecting. Despite having watched the cartoon within the past five years, I had absolutely no clue where any of these weapons appeared. With some digging, I found this informational picture from James Eatock that describes it better than I could. 
Very cool to get these one-off weapons from the cartoon.
Up next is Tung Lashor. Where Man-E-Faces is instantly recognizable as who he’s supposed to be, Tung Lashor is one that received a radically different design when he appeared on the She-Ra cartoon, as you can see:
Due to this, he could easily be a completely different character if you wanted him to be. My stupid suggestions are: Tongue-Tied, Wicked Tongue, Flicklick or my personal favorite “French Kissy McSlobberknocker.”
Tung Lashor is not quite as exciting a figure as Man-E-faces, mainly because he wasn’t Man-E-Faces. Basically, if you’re shooting pictures for two figures and one of them isn’t Man-E-Faces, then the second figure is going to pale in comparison to the first. So really, it’s not Tung’s fault, he’s just a victim of serpentstance.
Good night everyone!
Moving on…Tung Lashor’ hips were frozen, which gave me ragememories of Matty figures, but a quick stay in the freezer and two hasty cracks put him back in business. Tung is a fine figure once freed, with a couple of issues. First, he comes with two heads: one with tongue in, one with tongue way way out. Swapping his heads terrified me. They were far too tight, and I was worried about that neckpeg ripping right off with the head. I’d suggest a little heat, or even opening up the opening a bit.
The second issue was the tongued head was so tight once I got it on that it didn’t want to turn. It felt as if the peg was going to do that thing where it turns white and then twists right off. I ended up using a little bit of oil, and it still didn’t want to cooperate. There’s hugging the peg and then there’s hugging the crap out of the peg. I don’t know if this is widespread or if I just got one with super-tight heads, but be cautious.
Otherwise, Tung is a perfectly fine figure, he’s very colorful, with a bunch of colors that somehow all work together. I’m a fan of colors and colorful characters, so he really does stand out.
For accessories, he comes with a rocket pack that pegs onto his back easily, and a small laser pistol. I’m assuming this pistol actually belongs to him and isn’t supposed to go to someone else. Again, I have watched She-ra within the past five years but can’t remember one way or the other. Unfortunately, I could not get the stupid thing in his hand. The grip was way too wide. I’m sure I could force it, but I didn’t want to stretch out his hand. I don’t really need him to have a weapon anyway since he has his tongue. Imagine how many wars could be averted if everyone said “I don’t need a weapon, I have my tongue!”
Indeed.
Despite the small issues, I was still overall very happy with these two figures. I never thought I’d need a proper “Filmation line” for these characters, but having them in hand I love the simplified aesthetic and can’t wait to expand the lineup.
Come back throughout the week for more reviews!