Action Figure Spotlight: Megalon (Trendmasters, 1996)

 

Today, we continue our in-depth look at the three hardest-to-find Trendmasters action figures, with Megalon.  We all know there was a tendency in the 1990's to bulk up action figures (see: Baragon), and certainly no one ever saw Megalon take this wide, Masters-of-the-Universe pose in his own film (if he even physically could do that), but looking at the figure from the perspective of hindsight, he's still kind of wonky.  The immediate thing that stands out about him is his strange coloring, whereas the actual kaiju is, well, brown.  Very brown, in fact:

In fact, the tiger-stripe motif is the only thing that breaks it up, and on bad prints of the film (which are legion), he looks like a blob.  Although it's easy to make fun of 90's action figures, it's sort of understandable why Trendmasters tried to brighten him up a bit.  I always wondered if the green was to accentuate his insect-ness (is that a word?), even though we are getting dangerously close to  "grasshopper" territory here.  

I wonder, if you repainted this figure brown (please don't), if it would look more like his film counterpart.  

Mmm...maybe.

Of course, we would have to do something about the enormous, inaccurate tail...I forgot to say this in Baragon's post, but all three of the final GODZILLA WARS figures were going to be reissued in the failed Doom Island line (carded and without sound features this time), wherein most of the reused figures received a black wash, which accentuated their sculpts.  Megalon, though, did get repainted, but somehow got intensely more green, like you slid the contrast over:

It reminds me of the time period in the 1990's where every toy had the word "cyber" in front of it.

Remember, also, in the 90's, when packaging action figures in dramatic poses became more of a thing? Then, you'd open the figure, and find it really couldn't stand in any other position, if at all! Megalon has some of that problem.  He stands, but only because of the giant tail we mentioned.  Other than that, he just isn't very posable at all.  He pretty much is relegated to the one position, looking down.

But, in fairness, I guess that's true about most of the other figures in this line, from Godzilla on down.  A figure like this would've really benefitted from some knee joints, and probably swivels as well.

This loose example I used to own is missing the wings, so here is a rare photo showing this figure's back, where the most artistic license was taken. The film Megalon does indeed have a tail, just a stumpy one:

All in all, a firmly middle-of-the road action figure: a solid 5 out of 10 in design, but a 9 out of 10 in rarity.  

So far, in my re-appraisals of these last three figures, it's my least favorite of the group.  I'm surprised to say it, but we will look at my favorite next time!