Review – Masters of the Universe Tri-Klops Figure

After the Masters of the Universe Tri-Klops Micro Bust (review here) it felt right to pull out this tiny Tri-Klops Figure that was released by Mattel in 2002. A tiny, micro statue with a single point of articulation, this is a cute addition to a Masters of the Universe toy collection but it is by no means one of those must-own items that you need to rush out and find. In fact, unless you trip over it you can basically forget that this even exists.

2.75-Inches of Tri-Klops

I said it was tiny, and at 2.75-inches tall this is almost a gaming miniature more than it is a toy or statue. I guess the articulated waist moves it from the statue column to the toy column, but this honestly has no purpose in life but to sit on a shelf. Mine’s now in the living room with other Masters of the Universe toys (a classic Castle Grayskull is the centerpiece) but it’s so small, and alone, that if it wasn’t on the shelf I don’t think I’d really miss it.

Sculpt

Clean, dynamic, but not all that detailed, this micro Tri-Klops is decent but not amazing. The face has really rough details but the armor and the tiny Doomseeker look great. The rocky base is kinda dull, and in general the figure’s sculpt is okay. It looks better from a distance than under close examination and on the shelf it looks just fine.

Paint

Very minimal paint apps, with some sloppy spots here and there. (See the right shoulder in the pics.) This is obviously a mass-market toy release and not a high-end collectible because the paint app feels rushed. Again, it looks okay from a distance but don’t look too closely at the toy.

Closing Thoughts

I snagged this cheap at a flea market (I haggled with the dealer and basically got this free), and the only way I’ll buy any more of the figures in this series is if I can find them for a buck or two. It’s okay, but the flimsy plastic used for the sword (notice how it is curved), simple sculpt, and rough paint all come together to make it something that is a toy you can miss unless you’re the most insane of Tri-Klops fans.

The waist articulation is effectively worthless — in fact, the Doomseeker prevents the articulation from even being fully useful since the Doomseeker blocks the arm in one direction — and this has no value except to sit on my shelf with the other Masters of the Universe toys.

Yeah, it’s just okay and not great.

Philip Reed is kinda tempted to now review the Masters of the Universe Classics Tri-Klops action figure. It would be kinda dumb because there are so many reviews of the toy online, but he finds a weird sense of fun in the idea of reviewing three versions of the same character in a row.