Editing Action figure (section)

=== 1960s–1970s ===
The term "action figure" was coined by [[Hasbro]] in 1964, to market their [[G.I. Joe]] figure to boys who refused to play with [[doll|"dolls"]], a term primarily associated as a girl's toy. (A similar toy named [[Johnny Hero (figure)|Johnny Hero]] was introduced by Rosko Industries for Sears in 1965, but was known as a "Boy's Doll" since the term action figure had not gained widespread usage at that point.) G.I. Joe was initially a military-themed 11.5-inch figure proposed by marketing and toy idea-man Stan Weston. It featured changeable clothes with various uniforms to suit different purposes.

In a move that would create global popularity for this type of toy, Hasbro also [[licensing|licensed]] the product to companies in other markets. These different licensees had a combination of uniforms and accessories that were usually identical to the ones manufactured for the US market by Hasbro, along with some sets that were unique to the local market. The Japanese had at least two examples where a Hasbro licensee also issued sublicenses for related products. For example, [[Palitoy]] (in the UK) issued a sublicense to [[Tsukuda]], a company in Japan, to manufacture and sell Palitoy's [[Action Man]] accessories in the Japanese market. [[Takara]] also issued a sublicense to Medicom for the manufacture of action figures.

Takara, still under license by Hasbro to make and sell G.I. Joe toys in Japan, also manufactured an action figure incorporating the licensed GI Joe torso for Henshin Cyborg-1, using transparent plastic revealing cyborg innards, and a chrome head and cyborg feet. During the oil supply crisis of the 1970s, like many other manufacturers of action figures, Takara was struggling with the costs associated with making the large {{frac|11|1|2}}-inch figures, So, a smaller version of the cyborg toy was developed, standing at {{convert|3+3/4|in}} high, and was first sold in 1974 as [[Microman]]. The Microman line was also novel in its use of interchangeable parts. This laid the foundation for both the smaller action figure size and the transforming robot toy. Takara began producing characters in the Microman line with increasingly robotic features, including Robotman, a {{convert|12|in|adj=on}} robot with room for a Microman pilot, and Mini-Robotman, a {{convert|3+3/4|in|adj=on}} version of Robotman. These toys also featured interchangeable parts, with emphasis placed on the transformation and combination of the characters.

In 1971, [[Mego Corporation|Mego]] began licensing and making American [[Marvel Comics|Marvel]] and [[DC Comics|DC]] comic book superhero figures, which had highly successful sales and are considered highly collectible by many adults today. They eventually brought the Microman toy line to the United States as the [[Micronauts]], but Mego eventually lost control of the market after losing the license to produce ''[[Star Wars]]'' toys to [[Kenner]] in 1976.<ref>[https://figurereview.com/the-history-of-the-action-figure/ Action Figure History] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181108065657/https://figurereview.com/the-history-of-the-action-figure/ |date=8 November 2018 }} actionfiguresbuff-jon.com. Retrieved on 2-26-10.</ref> The widespread success of [[Kenner]]'s Star Wars {{convert|3+3/4|in|adj=on}} toy line made the newer, smaller size figure with molded-on clothing the industry standard. Instead of a single character with outfits that changed for different applications, toy lines included teams of characters with special functions. Led by Star Wars-themed sales, collectible action figures quickly became a multimillion-dollar secondary business for movie studios.

From 1972 to 1986 there was a famous line of [[Big Jim (toy line)|Big Jim]] action figures produced by [[Mattel]].