UofMUSCLE.com – M.U.S.C.L.E. Figures from Mattel

It is strange how intertwined M.U.S.C.L.E. and Imaginext have been on this website. One of the earliest Sociology posts showed Imaginext and M.U.S.C.L.E. figures being played with together. I’ve talked about it in countless Epilogues too. The Imaginext Batman Car is one example, but there are tons of mentions – often sharing the boys’ favorites sets and vehicles. There’s even a Purple #153 gif which used an Imaginext playset.

It was inconceivable that the two brands would ever intersect. That’s why it was so immensely shocking that Imaginext’s 11th wave of figures included two figures inspired by M.U.S.C.L.E. figures. It also included a figure inspired by the #58 Battle Beasts figure and another inspired by the X-Ray Man from Adventure People.

Given my absolute love of both M.U.S.C.L.E. and Imaginext it seems like this would have been an easy purchase. It wasn’t. I feared hating the figure when I had it in my hand. Plus, even though I knew the “secret” bag code to identify the figures, I had never seen the 11th series in stores.

Then, the King of $0.99 Class A auctions, lint-speed stepped in. He offered to send me a set as his “way of saying thank you for the hours I’ve enjoyed reading UofM.”

I was humbled and incredible thankful. But I was still nervous. I fully expected to hate the figures.

My fear was rooted in the Muscleman and Terri-Bull inspired being a two pack. Imaginext had never done a two-pack and I assumed the figures would be produced in a cheaper, thinner plastic. I expected the figures to be neither M.U.S.C.L.E. nor Imaginext. Then I opened the package…

These figures are AWESOME! I was blown away. Fisher-Price saved money by making them unarticulated and casting them in a M.U.S.C.L.E.-like plastic. It made the Imaginext figures as M.U.S.C.L.E.-like as possible.

The two figures looked M.U.S.C.L.E.-inspired, by how do they hold up when directly compared to Muscleman and Terri-Bull?

Perfect. Obviously, because Fisher-Price doesn’t own Kinnikuman, the likeness can’t be a direct copy. But there is no question about the inspiration for these figures.

Even if you don’t like Imaginext figures, you should add these figures to your M.U.S.C.L.E. collection. You will not be disappointed.

It may take a little work to find these figures. I suggest starting at LittleRubberGuys, but you may be forced to use eBay if you can’t find them at retail. Good luck!