Editing Action figure (section)

=== 1980s–1990s ===
The 1980s spawned all sorts of popular action figure lines, many based on cartoon series, which were one of the largest marketing tools for toy companies. Some of the most successful to come about were [[Masters of the Universe]], [[G.I. Joe]], [[Thundercats]], [[The Real Ghostbusters]] and [[Super Powers Collection]], to name just a few. Early in the decade, the burgeoning popularity of Japanese robot [[anime]] such as ''[[Gundam]]'' also encouraged [[Takara]] to reinvent the [[Microman]] line as the Micro Robots, moving from the [[cyborg]] action figure concept to the concept of the living robot. This led to the [[Micro Change]] line of toys: objects that could "transform" into robots. In 1984, [[Hasbro]] licensed Micro Change and another [[Takara]] line, the [[Diaclone]] transforming cars, and combined them in the US as the [[Transformers: Generation 1|Transformers]], spawning a still-continuing family of animated cartoons.

As the '80s were ending, more and more collectors started to surface, buying up the toys to keep in their original packaging for display purposes and for future collectability. This led to flooding of the action figure toy market. One of the most popular action figure lines of the late 1980s and early 1990s, [[Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles action figures]] were produced in such high quantities that the value for most figures would never be higher than a few dollars. In the mid-1990s, a new Star Wars figure line had surfaced and [[Spawn (comics)|Spawn]] figures flooded the toy store shelves, proving action figures were not just for kids anymore. [[Corinthian Figures]] of [[association football]] players were popular in England during this time. Beginning in 1997, ''[[ToyFare]]'' magazine would become a popular read for mature collectors in providing news and embracing [[nostalgia]] with a comedic twist. And with the gaining popularity of the Internet, websites such as Toy News International would soon offer information on upcoming collectible figures and [[merchandise]].

It was during this time that popular characters were increasingly getting specialized costume and variant figures. [[Batman]] quickly became most notorious for this (i.e. Arctic Batman, Piranha Blade Batman, Neon Armor Batman). Rather than individual characters, these variants would make up the bulk of many action figure lines and often make use of the old figure and accessory molds. Glow-in-the-dark figures and accessories also became popular in the early '90s with lines like [[Toxic Crusaders]] and [[Swamp Thing]].

A 1999 study found that "the figures have grown much more muscular over time, with many contemporary figures far exceeding the muscularity of even the largest human [[bodybuilder]]s" and that the changing cultural expectations reflected by those changes may contribute to [[body image]] disorders in both sexes.<ref>{{cite journal|last=Pope|first=Harrison|author2=Roberto Olivardia|author3=Amanda Gruber|author4=John Borowiecki|date=1998-05-26|title=Evolving Ideals of Male Body Image as Seen Through Action Toys|journal=International Journal of Eating Disorders|volume=26|issue=1|pages=65–72|doi=10.1002/(sici)1098-108x(199907)26:1<65::aid-eat8>3.3.co;2-4 |citeseerx=10.1.1.507.3004|pmid=10349585}}</ref>