A redesigned MOTU line was released in 2002 by Mattel. The action-figure designers were Four Horsemen Studios. The new range became known informally as 200X. The odd name seems to have stuck.

Everything about the new toys was grossly exaggerated in a weird manga-like style. It’s clear that some effort went into the designs but they looked awful. A huge mistake was to cast them in poorly articulated poses.

The quality was mediocre with flimsy parts and weak action mechanisms. They weren’t quite toys and they weren’t quite statues – they occupied a no-man’s-land somewhere in between which was rather unsatisfactory.

Another mistake was to release a large number of variants of the main characters – sometimes with nothing more than new paint schemes. With a few exceptions, the figures were dull. The line ground to a halt.

The toys nevertheless did have enthusiastic fans. For some, this incarnation of the MOTU was a welcome refresh. I felt the line was a huge disappointment. I own a small number of 200X figures which are shown below.

HE-MAN

MOST POWERFUL MAN IN THE UNIVERSE

He-Man was poor for a number of reasons. Reinventing the hero of the line as a teenager was a questionable decision. The figure’s head protrudes at a weird angle on a stalk-like neck. And the weapons are plain daft.

SKELETOR

OVERLORD OF EVIL

An unconvincing version of Skeletor with a strange pin-like head and an odd button-activated punch mechanism in the right arm which looks more like an underarm tennis serve than a warrior’s thrust.

STRATOS

HEROIC WINGED WARRIOR

An underwhelming interpretation of Stratos. The concept of extending the wings from those giant wrist bracers is peculiar. The shoulder articulation seems pointless. A missile can be fired from his jetpack.

TRAP JAW

EVIL MECHANICAL MENACE

The intention to give Trap Jaw a more intricate design than his Vintage version was understandable, but the designers clearly took it too far. The head is strangely small. The belt looks more like a skirt.

BUZZ-OFF

[UNTITLED]

Buzz-Off is one of the better 200X figures. The reinvention is actually quite imaginative while retaining enough elements of the character. But again we have a pose that severely limits the toy’s playability.

WHIPLASH

[UNTITLED]

This chunky version of Whiplash has a decent sculpt which is more dinosaur than crocodile. The tail flicks out sideways when the button is pressed into his side. He thankfully looks more like a toy than a statue.

BATTLE SOUND HE-MAN

[UNTITLED]

A cheap looking He-Man variant whose action feature is an awful sound chip which shrieks “I have the power!” when a button is pressed. The shiny armour looks like some sort of hideous disco costume.

KELDOR

THE BIRTH OF SKELETOR

Keldor was a limited-edition release. It was the first time the character was made into an action figure. He just looks rather glum. Alternative heads illustrate his painful transformation into Skeletor.