Skeletor has my favorite sculpt in the MotU Classics line so far. To start with, his proportions and general silhouette are quite pleasing to the eye. He looks lean and mean, somehow avoiding the "chunky" look of He-Man even though the basic parts are the same. The muscle groups are sculpted in an exaggeratingly big manner that befits the classic style without totally abandoning reality, and it works perfectly. There are a lot of attractive smooth lines on this figure, whether it be the spikes coming out of his forearms or the cut of hit boots. The sharp points and soft curves all look great. You'll find some intricate details like the straps on the side of his boots, rivets on his chest straps, wrinkles on the bottom of his feet, and veins in his hands that wouldn't be missed if they were gone, but add some real flair since they're included. It's nice to know that attention has been paid on this figure's sculpt with the inclusion of this small details. His loincloth armor and chestpiece are both well sculpted in a kind of Roman style, with creases in the leather and a nifty design on his shoulders. I would've liked to see some texture on the "armor" parts of this outfit, but it's not a terrible deficit. This figure's hands are both sculpted open, though only one is really made to hold his accessories, the other is more open in a "balling up magic" kind of way. This works since he has a harness on his back to hold his sword while he's grasping his staff. On the accessories note, Skeletor's sword is identical to He-Man's, and he also includes another half power sword piece as well. The big bad accessory for Skeletor is his staff, which is sculpted stupendously well, the skull on top particularly detailed and attractive. As good as his staff is, the real highlight in this sculpting show is Skeletor's head, which the Four Horsemen just knocked out of the park. This thing not only looks exactly like everyone's ideal Skeletor, but the details are just superb. There are tiny creases and dents in the skull, his teeth are individually routed out to perfection, and the eyes are set creepily deep. There isn't an expression per se, and that's precisely how it should be, a cold neutral stare that equates to the Evil Lord of Destruction's vile machinations.
Sculpt Score: 10 / 10
Skeletor's paint isn't quite perfect, but simply because there isn't a lot of it. This toy relies almost completely on molded colors instead of paint, and it doesn't look terrible. His body is cast in this very light blue, and it's an excellent color choice that's perfectly complemented by the dark purple of his clothing. The few painted details there are: his toe claws, chest emblem, straps on his boots, and dots on his armor, are all applied pretty well. The biggest paint contribution besides his face is this smooth dark purple wash that brings out the muscle tone in his body. It's pretty light in some areas (legs and arms) and gets heavy in others (feet and abs), but despite this inconsistency, I think it looks pretty good. It prevents him from looking too toylike and "plastic-like". The face is again the strongest point in this category, because there is such a grasp on detail and variation here. I think his face is actually molded in the darker green, with the yellow painted on, and it just looks great. The yellow is applied very roughly to give the face a lot of texture and bring out the shape of the skull. The teeth are bright yellow, and the spaces inbetween are painted with a dark brown to make the teeth pop out visually. His deep eye sockets are dark with red ovals painted in, so as to look like the red eyes are almost floating within the skull. This face is as good as I could have hoped for. The only real downfall to Skeletor besides the simplicity in paint is that there are a few spots with slop. His ab crunch is starting to rub, as well are his shoulders.
Paint Score: 9 / 10
Skeletor is the first MotU Classics figure I've had without weak leg articulation, and you'll see his score boosted because of it. I don't know if he's a change in the problem, I just lucked out this time, or maybe got a bad batch of the last two figures, but I'm glad to see the improvement. Because of his all-around tight articulation, he can hold a lot of poses the other two figures can not, and he looks good in all of them. I think the articulation is blended into the sculpt well, even the ball hips look okay hidden behind the loincloth. Every joint worked smoothly on the first turn and is still holding up, and it's a good thing, because Mattel or their customers couldn't afford broken figures at this price point. Skeletor's joints are limited in their range of movement in a few spots, entirely because of his costume. The hips can't really move forward and his shoulders can't extend upward all the way, but it's not a huge problem. It just limits some desired poses. He has the somewhat standard Mattel 6" articulation model, except that he has swivels at the hips and calves, instead of mid-thigh, which is a much more attractive alternative. His head has a nice full motion range that can offer some funny or quizzical looks and his ab crunch isn't limited by the harness. Overall, Skeletor's movement options are a huge step up from the previous two figures I've reviewed.
Articulation Score: 9 / 10
Skeletor is to He-Man as the Joker is to Batman or donuts are to chubby kids, a true enemy. No toybox or display is complete without the main villain, and skeletor is just that. Although I was too young to hit Masters of the Universe in its day, I did somehow have a classic Skeletor figure, and I loved it even then. As such, this toy has a big nostalgia effect for me, and probably even more for others out there. That alone is going to make him fun to own, but when you start to consider his great articulation, beautiful sculpt, collection of accessories, and cool packaging, the fun really starts to add up. There's nothing particularly upsetting about the figure and he merges classic and modern styles perfectly. You'll be hard pressed to find a more enjoyable figure if you're a MotU fan, and even if you're not, Skeletor will work his way into your heart. The only negative things here are some posing problems that might come up from his limited articulation and paying the hefty price tag for this guy.
Fun Score: 9 / 10
Everything in life has a weakness, and value is Skeletor's. Although this figure is fantastic in every category, he's still not worth this outrageous price. At $20 plus whatever you have to pay for shipping (around $8 if you order him alone), he's about $12 more expensive than equally well made figures of the same size. If you turn to NECA or Mezco Toyz, you'll see figures of similar quality that are much cheaper. He's a well made and durable feeling figure that includes three sizable accessories and comes in nice packaging, but it still isn't enough. He's slightly more valuable than the previous figures in the line, solely because he doesn't suffer from articulation issues and benefits from a generally higher production quality standard. Skeletor is probably reserved for the big collectors or die-hard Masters of the Universe fans, although if you have the money, you won't be disappointed.
Value Score: 7 / 10
Summary
10 - Classic styling, attractive proportions, great unbecessary details, accessories look good, face is spot-on.
9 - Not a lot of paint here, face is splendid, some nice detail applications, like the body wash, a few slop and rub issues.
9 - Plenty of different points, fun to pose or play with, doesn't interfere with appearance of sculpt, a few movement limited spots.
9 - The nostalgia factor is strong, fun articulation, fun accessories, beautiful sculpt for displays, price is painful.
7 - Too expensive compared to other figures, great quality, attention to detail, good packaging, includes accessories, durable and sturdy, nothing is broken.
Overall Score: 89 / 100 - This is a Great Toy
Skeletor is a superbly well made figure with a beautiful sculpt, strong paint, and solid articulation that's only weakness is a poor value.
P.S. This could be the figure I'm giving away this month, just leave a comment for a chance to win (if it's the one).
-The Articulated One
