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The 1980s brought a big change to Saturday Morning Cartoons: shows based directly on toys! What was so special about 80s toys? Find out here!
- Jim Henson’s Muppet Babies. Released: 1984. The Muppets are one of the most beloved groups of characters in entertainment history. And whether we’re talking about the cartoon or the many great movies the Muppets appeared in, creator Jim Henson blended sharp comedy writing with an unforgettable cast of characters.
- Inspector Gadget. Released: 1983. For those of you too young to remember, Inspector Gadget was a trench-coat-clad policeman who was half-man, half-cyborg.
- The Care Bears. Released: 1985. What little girl wasn’t in love with these happy, kind and furry characters? Before hitting the Saturday-morning cartoon circuit, The Care Bears started off as characters found on greeting cards.
- G.I. Joe. Released: 1984. Joe is one of several cartoons from the ’80s on our list that was inspired by a beloved toy. First released in the 1960s, the toy line, which featured small plastic soldiers representing the major branches of the military, was turned into one of the most popular ’80s cartoon shows, running until 1986.
- I. Joe Was A Redesign of A Classic 1960s Action Figure
- 9 The Gobots Actually Came Before The Transformers
- 8 Transformers Were The True Robots in Disguise
- 7 Centurions Features Designs from Comic Book Legends
- 6 He-Man Toys Were Released Before The Cartoon Series
- 5 The Care Bears Began on Greeting Cards
- A.S.K. Was A G.I. Joe-Transformers Hybrid
- 3 Jem Was Hasbro's Answer to Barbie
- 2 My Little Pony Was Not The Creator's Original Concept
- 1 The Adventures of Teddy Ruxpin Went Beyond The Talking Toy
In 1963, Hasbro introduced G.I. Joe. The 12-inch action figure was an answer to the popularity of Mattel's Barbie. Through the '60s and '70s, the character and his allies remained popular. However, by the early 1980s, Hasbro realized they needed a reboot of the line. Thus, the debut of the G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero line. Now 3.75 inches in hei...
When it comes to the world of transforming robot toys, the iconic Transformersweren't the first to be released to the American public. That title is owned by Tonka's GoBots. Based on action figures produced in Japan, these became sentient robots in the U.S. instead of the original mecha-piloted creations. The corresponding series, Challenge of the ...
The Transformersis one of those rare toy lines and cartoons franchises with enormous legs. Introduced to the U.S. market in 1984 by Hasbro, Optimus Prime, Megatron, Bumblebee, and Starscream have become iconic characters to several generations of mass media enthusiasts. The line has continued through the 21st century. RELATED: 10 Retro Cartoons Tha...
In the 1980s three giant toy manufacturers produced action figures. Mattel and Hasbro were the first two. Kenner was the third and, perhaps, the most popular. After all, it was the company licensed to sell Star Wars-related figures and vehicles. In 1986, the company produced a sci-fi-superhero hybrid line called the Centurions. They were a trio of ...
It took a few years for He-Man and the Masters of the Universe to become an animated reality for Mattel. However, when the first season was released in weekday syndication by Filmation, the toy line had already garnered a huge following. The main characters, superhuman He-Man and evil Skeletor came out in 1981. They were shortly joined by the heroi...
The Care Bearsdidn't initially debut as toys. Instead, when introduced in 1981, the concept was based on greeting cards from the American Greeting Cards company. RELATED: 10 Most Iconic Saturday Morning '80s Cartoons, Ranked They weren't released as plush toys until 1983 through a partnership between Parker Brothers and Kenner. An animated TV speci...
Kenner's line of M.A.S.K. figures and vehicles had serval similarities to G.I. Joe and the Transformers. The main characters, part of the Mobile Armored Strike Kommand, battled a terrorist organization called V.E.N.O.M. They did this with the use of specialized costumes and helmets for the drivers of transforming vehicles. For instance, a Camaro na...
Hasbro had a lock on young male consumers in the mid-1980s with their G.I. Joe and Transformerslines. However, young girls weren't interested. They focused their attention on Mattel's ever-present Barbie. So, the competing toy company invented their own multiple-movement female figure to compete. The result was Jem. By day, she was a record company...
Recently, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic created a sensation for a new generation of viewers and consumers. Some of them were adults that remembered the first release of the Hasbro toys. The thing is, when initially released, their concept was different. RELATED: Toy Story: All Of Andy's Toys You Can Actually Buy In Real Life Illustrator Bonni...
When Teddy Ruxpin was released in 1985 it became the best-selling toy for two years straight. The reason for this was its technology. The animatronics used to move Teddy's mouth and eyes along with a pre-recorded story were amazing for 1980s audiences. Like other toys of that time, Teddy Ruxpin got his own syndicated animated show. The Adventures o...
- Rich Keller
10 Cartoons from the the 1980s That Were Based on Toys © Provided by MovieWeb. In the 1980s, toy manufacturers looked to target a whole new audience by going after kids who had no money,...
- DINOSAUCERS (1987) In a story as old as time, four teens meet a heroic intergalactic group of anthropomorphic dinosaurs named Dinosaucers and join their ages-old war against a group of evil anthropomorphic dinosaurs known as the Tyrannos.
- THE CENTURIONS (1986) You would think a series that utilized the talents of comic book legends Gil Kane and Jack Kirby for concepts and design work would be amazing, especially if it, also, featured episodes written by none other than Gerry Conway.
- COPS (1988-89) Not to be confused with the 1989 reality show of the same name, “COPS” tells the story of a futuristic group of super-cops that protect Empire City from “Big Boss” Babel and his gang of CROOKS.
- DENVER THE LAST DINOSAUR (1988) “Denver the Last Dinosaur” was about as ‘80s as the 1980s could get. Featuring a group of California teens that discover and hatch the last dinosaur egg, these kids teach the dinosaur, Denver, all the best parts of life in the ‘80s, like skateboarding and wearing super cool sunglasses!
ThunderCats. One of the greatest cartoons of the 1980s of course had its own comic book, allowing us to experience the further exciting adventures of Lion-O and his fellow feline chums.
Jan 19, 2024 · In the early ‘80s, Mattel Toys got the Marvel Comics license. They wanted their upcoming action-figure line to have a big comic book event to push it, so Mattel, after doing focus groups on...
