Category:Action figures

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The term "action figure", seems to have been coined by Hasbro for use with GI Joe dolls (which spawned Action Man in the UK), and entered the popular vocabulary with the release of bubble-packed plastic jointed figures of Star Wars characters, which tended ot be packaged with holdable, interchangable accessories (usually guns, lightsabers, or other weapons).

Attempted definitions

Although the term is often referred to pejoratively and considered as a slightly fake term with no real functionality other than to allow one to refer to "boys toys" while avoiding the word "doll", if one looks at the products referred to by the manufacturers as action figures, a functional definition emerges that is distinct to that of normal dolls: To be an action figure, a toy has to be able not just of taking and holding a pose (which rules out some classes of doll), but has to be able to strike a pose that "catches a moment" of interaction with objects or tools that might occur in the middle of a dynamic action or activity.

The minimum criteria for being an action figure would therefore seem to be having a movable head, jointed arms and legs, and ideally gripping hands that allow the figure to hold a range of accessory items, with extra credit assigned for bonus interactivity features.

Taking the lead from manufacturers (who invented and popularised the term), we would tend not to class a doll as an "action figure" merely because it could wear different outfits, and had posable jointed limbs, but would expect to see a design emphasis on hands - normally some ability to hold tools or other objects, and perhaps even rotatable wrists. With this definition, jointed figures used to dress farmyard scenes would normally not be action figures, and neither would most dolls. However a modern female doll with opposing thumbs able to hold a glass (or power tool, or torch when exploring, or a fighting weapon) would be.

Action figure examples

  • Palitoy Action Man ("Now with Eagle Eye and Gripping Hands!")
  • Lego Minifigure hands are designed to be able to hold a variety of Lego pieces. Minifigures were actually launched as "Lego Action Figures"
  • Star Wars Action Figures (obviously)
  • Playmobil figures have grippy hands, and arms bent at a useful angle to allow the figures to take a variety of "action" poses, such as riding on horses of using a bow and arrow.

Subcategories

This category has the following 8 subcategories, out of 8 total.

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Media in category ‘Action figures’

The following 90 files are in this category, out of 90 total.

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