Micronauts

Micronauts is a North American science fiction toyline manufactured and marketed by Mego from 1976 to 1980. The Micronauts toyline was based on and licensed from the Microman toyline created by Japanese-based toy company Takara in 1974.

Mego discontinued the Micronauts line in 1980 prior to the company's bankruptcy and dissolution in 1982. Years after Mego's demise, other toy companies, such as Palisades Toys and SOTA (State of the Art) Toys, have attempted to revive the toyline. In 2025, Super7 added Micronauts to their ReAction+ toyline.

Description The Micronauts toyline consisted of action figures which were known for their high number of articulation points relative to other toys of similar size and scale in the 1970s. The toyline also included vehicles, robots, playsets and accessories. Many of the Micronauts toys used interchangeable connectors and ports that allowed parts to be transferred and connected between different toys.

History Takara

Takara first released Microman toys in Japan in 1974 as a smaller version of their popular and 1972 Henshin Cyborg (Transforming Cyborg) line. Henshin Cyborg figures were based on Combat Joe figures—which themselves were based on Hasbro's G.I. Joe figures—with their bodies molded in clear plastic, exposing their inner workings and supposed cybernetic parts.

By downscaling their size, Takara sought to create a toyline that would offset the sheer cost of producing a full line of plastic-based figures and related playsets as well as acknowledging that basic living space is limited for most Japanese households. Smaller Microman figures would not only cost less to produce during the energy crisis of the 1970s, but also the line's smaller scale would take up less physical space in a household and thus be more attractive to space conscious consumers in the Japanese market.

In Japan, the Microman figures themselves were marketed as actually being cyborg entities that hailed from a fictional planet known as "Micro Earth" and disguised themselves as action figures while on Earth.

Mego

In 1976, Mego licensed several Microman toys from Takara and marketed the toyline in North America and other countries as Micronauts. During their initial series 1 and series 2 release, Takara produced small quantities of products in Japan before production was officially moved to Mego's facilities in Hong Kong.

While much of the initial Micronaut toyline offerings were simply repackaged versions of Takara Microman equivalents, some items in the Micronaut toyline were original Mego creations that used modified and reconfigured parts from existing Takara toys. For example, the larger, magnetic action figures Baron Karza and Force Commander were re-colorings of the Magnemo Kotetsu Jeeg action figures with newly designed heads. In addition, as the Micronaut line grew in popularity, Mego expanded the line by creating whole new figures from scratch such as the "Aliens" line which included Antron, Repto, Membros, Lobros, Kronos and Centaurus.

The Micronaut toyline sold extremely well for Mego. According to Neal Kublan, Mego's Executive VP of Marketing/Vice President of Mego Research & Development (1972-1980), the line generated more than $32 million in sales for the $110 million company during one period.

After Mego's 1982 bankruptcy and dissolution, the original molds for many of the toys were sold to Hourtoys/M&D Toys for their Interchangables discount toyline, other original molds were sold to PAC Toys for use in their Lords of Light toyline and even Takara produced several series 5 toys for Italian licensee/distributor Gig's i Micronauti line. Additionally, leftover Micronaut toyline stock from Mego's production run was eventually sold for sale/clearance in North America by Lion Rock Limited under the Micronauts name.

Mego Micronaut releases Below is a basic overview list of Mego Micronaut toys with size/scale, release dates and Mego series numbers as well as cross-referenced information connected to the Takara equivalent toys they were based on, Microman and otherwise. This is not meant to be a comprehensive list of all Mego releases/variants but rather a high-level overview of their Micronaut line offerings.

+ Mego Micronaut releases Micronauts (Mego) Microman & equivalent toys (Takara) Name Part# Type Size/Scale Release date Series Name Release date Acroyear 71003 Action Figure 1 Acroyear 2 (A31X) Astro Station 71061 Base-Playset 1 Microman Connig Station Base Biotron 71053 Tron 1 Robotman Crater Cruncher 71031 Vehicle 1 Machine Car #3: Bull Crane Galactic Cruiser 71020 Vehicle 1 MIC-01: Space Buggy Galactic Warrior 71002 Action Figure 1 Super Steel Microman (M22X) Hydra 71021 Vehicle 1 MIC-02: Bulk Lifter Hydro Copter 71051 Vehicle 1 Mecha-Cosmo: Marine Copter Microtron 71050 Tron 1 Micro Robot-1 Mobile Exploration Lab (M.E.L.) 71060 Ship 1 M115 Conning Tower Base Photon Sled 71032 Vehicle 1 Machine Car #4: Super Jet Space Glider 71001 Action Figure 1 Super Steel Microman (M21X) Stratastation 71061 Base-Playset 1 Road Station Base Time Traveler 71000 Action Figure 1 Microman (M10X) Ultronic Scooter 71030 Vehicle 1 Machine Car #2: Auto Buggy Warp Racer 71033 Vehicle 1 Machine Car #1: Formula Z Acroyear II 71015 Action Figure 2 Acroyear (A30X) Andromeda 71006 Magno Figure 2 Magnemo: Panzeroid Baron Karza 71005 Magno Figure 2 Magnemo: Kotetsu Jeeg Battle Cruiser 71054 Ship 2 Micro Base: Transfer Fortress Force Commander 71035 Magno Figure 2 Magnemo: Kotetsu Jeeg Giant Acroyear 71055 Tron 2 Giant Acroyear Neon Orbiter 71038 Vehicle 2 Spy Car #4: Drag Tiger Oberon 71034 Magno Figure 2 Magnemo: Panzeroid Pharoid 71004 Action Figure 2 Microman Command 2 (M16X) Rhodium Orbiter 71036 Vehicle 2 Gōdam 5: Geso Machine Thorium Orbiter 71037 Vehicle 2 Spy Car #6: Jet Mirror Alphatron 71027 Tron 3 Aquatron 71040 Vehicle 3 Spy Car #1: Marine Condor Betatron 71028 Tron 3 Galactic Defender 71016 Action Figure 3 Microman Command 3 (M17X) Gammatron 71029 Tron 3 Micropolis: Galactic Command Center 71072 Deluxe Set 3 Play Build Series: Build Base Micropolis: Interplanetary Headquarters 71071 Deluxe Set 3 Play Build Series: Build Base Micropolis: Microrail City 71073 Deluxe Set 3 Play Build Series: Build Base Micropolis: Satellite Survey Station 71070 Deluxe Set 3 Play Build Series: Build Base Nemesis 71049 Tron 3 Micro Robot-1 Phobos 71056 Tron 3 Robotman Star Searcher 71063 Vehicle 3 Surveyor-1 Antron 71022 ALIEN Figure 4 Deluxe Rocket Tubes 71084 Deluxe Set 4 Hornetroid 71057 Ship 4 Karrio 71080 Carry Case 4 Membros 71024 ALIEN Figure 4 Micropolis: Mega City 71074 Deluxe Set 3.75-inch (9.5 cm) 1979 4 Repto 71023 ALIEN Figure 4 Rocket Tubes 71083 Deluxe Set 4 Solarion 71042 Vehicle 4 Star Defender 71064 Ship 4 Surveyor-3 Taurion 71041 Vehicle 4 Terraphant 71059 Vehicle 4 Ampzilla 71044 Vehicle 5 Blizzard 71013 Tron 5 Blizzard Centaurus 71019 ALIEN Figure 5 Emperor 71011 Magno Figure 5 Magnemo: Kotetsu Jeeg Green Baron 71009 Magno Figure 5 Magnemo: Kotetsu Jeeg Hyperion 71043 Vehicle 5 Timanic NicMachine 2 King Atlas 71007 Magno Figure 5 Magnemo: Kotetsu Jeeg Kronos 71017 ALIEN Figure 5 Lantaurion 71008 Magno Figure 5 Magnemo: Panzeroid Lobros 71018 ALIEN Figure 5 Lobstros 71046 Vehicle 5 Megas 71012 Magno Figure 5 Magnemo: Panzeroid Pegasus 71010 Magno Figure 5 Magnemo: Panzeroid Red Falcon 71014 Magno Figure 5 Death Cross Sharkos 71045 Vehicle 5

Palisades Toys

In 2002, Palisades Toys acquired the rights to manufacture a new line of Micronauts toys from Abrams Gentile Entertainment, LLC, the company which was formed in the aftermath of Mego's collapse to retain and manage Mego's licensing contracts, rights and deals. This licensing agreement was done by Palisades under the assumption that the original manufacturing tooling and molds from the 1970s Mego toyline were still available. When Palisades discovered the manufacturing tooling and molds were not available, it turned to the Micronaut/Microman collector's community to donate vintage toys so Palisades could create new molds to replicate the figures. Most of the Palisades reissues were Mego Micronaut figures based on Takara designs, but several original alien designs from the original Mego toyline (such as Repto, Membros and Centaurus) were included in the line as well.

When initial manufacturing of the Palisades figures was completed and the new, retro line shipped to consumers and stores, many figures were found to have defective or broken parts caused by manufacturing practices followed by the first Chinese factory. Many consumers who returned defective merchandise were inadvertently given defective replacements by Palisades.

Facing these issues, Palisades developed the Series 2 figures which utilized other, more reputable factories in China, but ended up losing more money than expected. As a result, retailers were wary of carrying the new Micronauts toyline, which resulted in the abrupt cancellation of a third series which was already in development. The whole series of events contributed to Palisades' bankruptcy in 2006.

Palisades Toys Micronaut releases Below is a basic overview list of Palisades Toys Micronaut toys with size/scale and release dates. This is not meant to be a comprehensive list of all Palisades Toys releases/variants but rather a high-level overview of their Micronaut line offerings.

+ Palisades Toys Micronaut releases Name Type Size/Scale Release date Series Acroyear Action Figure 1 Baron Karza & Andromeda Action Figure 1 Membros Action Figure 1 Force Commander & Oberon Action Figure 1 Time Traveler Action Figure 1 Space Glider Action Figure 1 Battle Acroyear Action Figure 1.5 Radioactive Membros Action Figure 1.5 Space Commander Action Figure 1.5 Time Traveler Medic Action Figure 1.5 Centaurus Action Figure 2 Emperor & Megas Action Figure 2 Galactic Defender Action Figure 2 Pharoid Action Figure 2 Red Falcon Action Figure 2 Repto Action Figure 2

SOTA Toys In January 2005, SOTA (State of the Art) Toys unveiled plans for a collector's toyline called "Micronauts: Evolution" which would be a redesign of the Micronauts figures presented in a slightly larger size. Concept art was released and prototypes displayed at the 2005 Toy Fair, with a projected release of late 2005. The figures appeared at the 2006 San Diego Comic-Con.

The initial series was planned to include renditions of Lobros, Baron Karza, and Space Glider. Plans changed to an online-only box set of all three characters, available on SOTA's website as smaller figures.

In September 2006, SOTA president Jerry Macaluso said "the retail environment for collectibles is in the gutter right now", and many stores wishing to order the "Micronauts: Evolution" line were going bankrupt. He noted that the Palisades line "disaster…had a huge negative effect", with retailers rejecting SOTA's upcoming series. Macaluso hoped to release the line in 2007 before SOTA's license expired, and considered funding it himself but the line was never produced.

Proposed SOTA Micronaut releases Below is a basic overview list of proposed SOTA Micronauts releases. Since no products were actually produced this is simply a high-level overview of their proposed Micronaut line offerings.

+ Proposed SOTA Micronauts releases Name Type Figure size/scale Release date Series Baron Karza Action Figure 1 Lobros Action Figure 1 Space Glider Action Figure 1

Hasbro

In 2016, Hasbro released a limited edition of Micronauts Classic Collection toy set, which included three Micronaut characters: Galactic Warrior, Pharoid and Orbital Defender and featured packaging artwork by artist Ken Kelly. The set debuted at San Diego Comic-Con.

Hasbro Micronaut releases Below is a basic overview list of Hasbro Micronaut toys with size/scale and release dates.

+ Hasbro Micronaut releases Name Type Size/scale Release date Galactic Warrior Action Figure Orbital Defender Action Figure Pharoid Action Figure

Super7