It's been a few days since the last review in my Masters of the Universe Origins mini marathon of exclusives but today I'm finally getting around to the third and final of the 2021 PowerCon exclusives: The Maniacal Maniacs two-pack with Faker and Dupli-Cat. While Faker was just released in the standard Origins line, this version is designed to look like the Leo Toys Faker variant, released in India in 1987. That's cool, but it's not the selling point of the set. That would be Dupli-Cat, a new robotic feline mount for Faker. Dupli-Cat is another cool example of the new ideas that have been springing up in Origins in 2021 which have been radically improving the line overall. This set was created for PowerCon 2021 and was sold through their site as well as through Big Bad Toy Store and Mattel Creations. It was the first of the exclusives to sell out on Mattel Creations when the PowerCon sets were released and I ended up getting mine through BBTS. Funny story: A week or so ago my daugher and I were discussing the symmetry of MOTU characters (Fisto and Jitsu, Tri-Klops and Man-E-Faces, etc.) and my daughter Adora said: "They should give Faker a blue and orange cat." I was very excited to tell her that her idea was in fact a reality and was on the way as we spoke. Ready for some fantastic mechanical menace? Then join me after the break...
Articulation: Swivel/hinge tail, swivel hips, swivel/hinge knees, hinged beck, balljointed head, and a hinged jaw.
Accessories: Saddle and 2 mechanical claws.
Non-Scalper Price: $60
Comparison:
The Packaging:
* The Maniacal Maniacs come packaged in a window box within a standard cardboard mailer with some art on it. I love how Origins uses these mailers as they seem so reflective of a bygone era of toys. The figures are nicely displayed and the art is incredible.
The Packaging:
* On the back of the packaging is a huge image of Faker on Dupli-Cat facing off against Flying Fists He-Man (who is coming to Origins soon). There are also some cool images of Snake Mountain and the Horde Witch, a figure I always hoped we'd get in Masters of the Universe Classics. Maybe we'll see her in Classics at some point?
* When you remove the armor you can see the control panel hidden underneath. This isn't a sticker like the vintage toy but a printed detail like on the MOTU Classics figure. It looks quite sharp with lots of little colored doodads and such.
* Like the standard Faker, this Faker uses the updated vintage styled He-Man head and not the Origins
head from the series 1 He-Man with longer hair and the more extreme facial
expression. The only difference here is that there's what looks like a domino mask over his eyes. This is another element of the Leo Toys Faker and it definitely makes Faker looks a bit more frightening.
* Faker comes with the Alfredo Alcala inspired Power Sword from the
early minicomics but molded in orange. The handle has been redone from the first appearance of this sculpt in Origins so
it's easier to hold than the handle.
* Dupli-Cat mostly uses the same molds as the Origins Battle Cat and Panthor figures but with a new head. It's a pretty good sculpt that definitely retains the look of the vintage toy but with slightly better muscles and fur. I like the yellowish stripes, too. It definitely makes for a very unusual look.
Adora says: "I like how the lines for Dupli-Cat are in the exact same places as Battle Cat.
* Since he uses the same body as the previous cats, Dupli-Cat has the same articulation. You can have some fun with this one, especially
with his mobile head, tail, and legs. It's still weird that there aren't any ankle joints but everything else works nicely and Dupli-Cat feels solid and durable.
* It wasn't until I actually got this guy in hand that I realized he had a completely new headsculpt. I guess from images I had seen I just thought he had silver paint on the standard cat head. The head is new, though, and shows off mechanical features in and around his face and mouth. Dupli-Cat has a functional jaw, too.
* On his back, underneath his saddle, Dupli-Cat has a control panel as well. It's a cool nod to Faker's chest panel and looks similar, but different. The design kind of looks like an old VHS tape, doesn't it?
* Dupli-Cat's saddle is the same as the other saddles but molded in a metallic orange, like Faker's armor. It's quite bright and fits on his back nicely. You can put Faker on here with ease.
* Rather than a helmet Dupli-Cat comes with some really wicked looking mechanical claws. They pop on and off but do stay on very securely, so no worries about them just falling off in the middle of battle. These are really cool and I do wonder if we'll see them again as some point down the road. Maybe for a 200x styled Battle Cat or Battle Lion?
The Negatives:
* My only negative here is that the Skeletor harness just doesn't seem
to fit properly on the figure. It seems a little small. You can close the snap but
it'll pull loose shortly afterwards on its own. I had this same problem with the standard figure, too.
I was trying to think of any other parts they had lying around that could have worked, like Roboto's arms or something.
ReplyDeleteAnd yes, we've had four cats in the line now so I don't see them redoing the leg articulation any time soon, but even just improving the legs on a future release of either the 200x Battle Cat or Battle Lion would be welcome.