Hey there. It’s been a little while. I was on a roll for a bit there until I wasn’t. But, to get back into the swing of things, I thought I’d do something easy. Easy is relative, of course. But this was a much more simple affair than my usual reviews.

I still have another Exosquad/Robotech article coming up. I’ve taken more than 80 photos, I just sort of petered out on writing it. Hopefully posting this inconsequential little thing will help kick me back into gear, as I’ve missed writing and taking photos. October was very busy, and then the holidays came after that. December has been a tough month for me since my mom passed, but I actually did celebrate the usual holidays this year with friends and loved ones– that hasn’t happened since 2021.

I’m doing my best to be back in the saddle, as this silly little website is still important to me.

I didn’t buy a ton of new (or even vintage) toys in 2025, but there were some gems I wanted to highlight. I did have a lot of fun with some new additions to the collection last year, and this post helped remind me that toys are still something I care about. They’ll always be a big part of my life.

Thanks for joining me! Let’s take a look at 10 pieces of plastic junk that will eventually linger in a landfill or contribute to a Texas-sized garbage patch in the ocean long after I’ve departed this mortal coil.

2025 Honorable Mentions

In my last Top 10 post (I skipped 2024), I did an honorable mentions section. I wanted to do that again this year, as there were some neat toys I bought that didn’t quite crack the top 10. But they’re great and they still deserve a few words and a photo.

MOTU Origins Cartoon Collection Frosta (Mattel) – 2025 was a huge year for Masters of the Universe Origins. So huge, in fact, that I kind of went numb to the whole thing. There were crossovers, army builder packs, exclusives, and all sorts of other stuff. I bought a lot of them (more than any other toy line), but I still haven’t opened a lot of them. There’s just so much!

I had to open all of the She-Ra related toys, though. I’m stoked that we got a few members of the Great Rebellion last year, even though I’d like to see more. Frosta is pretty much perfect. She turned out great. She’s not my favorite POTP character, but this Origins release really did her justice. I’m pleased as punch to have her in my collection. I’m sad that Origins seems to be done with She-Ra, as I’d love to see at least Scorpia, Mermista, Glimmer, Seahawk, Queen Angella, Netossa, and Castaspella get the Origins treatment. But we’ll just be grateful for what we have.

ReAction+ GI Joe Snake Eyes (Super7) – I did a whole review of this guy. He’s not perfect by any means, but it’s a delight to finally have a proper purple Sunbow Snake Eyes figure. The details are too soft, some of the sculpting is weird (as Mike T. pointed out, the pistol holster sinks into the leg), and it’s criminally under-accessorized. But still, it’s a purple Snake Eyes, modeled after the cartoon interpretation of the 1985 ARAH figure, and it doesn’t have any weird sculpted lips. I really like this toy.

Transformers Legacy United Deluxe Class G1 Universe Optimus Prime (Hasbro) – I think this toy technically came out in late 2024, but I never saw it for sale until Spring of last year. So I’m counting it. This is my website and there’s nothing you can do to stop me.

This is essentially a budget version of Missing Link Convoy, and it is fantastic. I had the pleasure of playing around with Video Dracula’s Missing Link Prime when he came to visit me in 2024, and it is an amazing toy. This domestic mainline release lacks the full trailer, suite of accessories, and bells and whistles of the Missing Link toy. Legacy G1 Prime is its own thing. But the idea is the same– this is a highly articulated version of that classic, venerable 80s G1 toy. The look is perfect. The weapons are great. The transformation is flawless. I didn’t really buy any other new Transformers in 2025, but I’m really glad I bought this one. Sure, it’s yet another Optimus Prime, but it’s also a transforming robot toy that I just can’t put down.

ReAction+ Micronauts Baron Karza (Super7) – There are only four figures in Super7’s Micronauts lineup so far, but they’re all bangers. Baron Karza is the most recognizable character in the ReAction+ line, and this figure captures his look perfectly. He’s weird, menacing, and a little bit goofy in that beautiful 1970s science fiction kind of way. The black, red, and silver color combo is striking, and he just looks like the ideal evil space overlord. The toy is very fun to play with, despite the fact that it’s under-accessorized (as all ReAction+ figures are). I had a blast equipping it with various GI Joe, Star Wars, and Gundam weapons.

Like G1 Universe Optimus Prime, this is a toy I found myself actually playing around with quite often. And if that’s not a sign of quality, then I’m not sure what is.

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The Worst Toy of 2025

Okay, this toy isn’t even really that bad. It’s certainly not as bad as Super7’s Ultimates Bludgeon, which exasperated me in 2023. Snake Eyes here isn’t so much bad as he’s disappointing. This GI Joe Classified Snake Eyes V4 (figure no. 165) was my first Classified figure and will likely be my last.

I’ve done my time with 6”, super-articulated, collector-focused action figures. I’ve amassed and sold two different extensive Marvel Legends collections. I’ve dabbled in Star Wars Black Series, DC Universe Classics, and even higher-end Japanese toy lines like SH Figuarts, Revoltech, and Figma. Over the years, I’ve realized this style (which is very in vogue right now) is just not for me. They have lots of joints, but they’re just not much fun to play with in my opinion.

I heard so much about how amazingly detailed and well-accessorized Classified figures are. Well, this Snake Eyes has the articulation and some of the details down. But the accessories are kind of bad, and the overall execution of the figure is just puzzling. That’s a shame, too, as the 1991 Snake Eyes v4 is my favorite look for the character in the vintage ARAH line. I’ve always loved the design.

In broad strokes, this figure gets it right. But I just don’t think anyone at Hasbro gave a shit enough to stick the landing. Unlike other Classified figures, there isn’t any fun weapon storage. The sword sheath piece is an afterthought and won’t even stay pegged into the figure’s back. The leg holster for the figure’s submachine gun is just a flap that barely holds the weapon, looks bad when the weapon is holstered, and warps the gun if you leave it in there too long. This just screams lazy cash-in, pandering-to-nostalgia release. Well, I fell into the nostalgia trap and Hasbro’s clever ruse worked on me.

This is a competent figure in most regards, but it left a slightly sour taste in my mouth and confirmed that GI Joe Classified is just not the toy line for me. I do not see myself giving it another chance.

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#10 – Mega Man Neo-Metall 6-Pack (Jada)

Speaking of highly-articulated 6” scale collector action figures lines, there are two I currently do buy into, and they both come from Jada Toys. Their Street Fighter and Mega Man lines are exceptions to the rules for me. They’re good, affordable figures that give me everything I’d ever want from these beloved Capcom characters. Do I wish they were smaller in scale? Yes. But they’re so good that I push my biases aside and enjoy them on their own merits.

I’ve wanted a good Mega Man toy line since I was 7 or 8 years old. And there have been plenty of good Mega Man toys (especially Bandai’s domestic offerings in the 90s), but most of them are either expensive or hard to get. Jada’s Mega Man line is affordable, easily available, and very well done. They come out at a snail’s pace, but that’s really the only complaint I have with them.

As much as I love Mega Man and his Robot Master foes, it feels really special when you get a figure of the generic enemies that populate every level of the old video games. The Neo-Metall (Hardhat Guys, as we always called them in childhood) is a dream come true. And you get six of them!

They have ball-jointed feet, so you can balance them on one leg. The hat part can move up, down, and all around. You can even separate the body from the hat to replicate their “I’m just a little hat guy, don’t mind me” look from the game. I can’t imagine anyone ever making a better Neo-Mettal toy. These are just perfect, and they enrich any Mega Man collection they’re a part of. And, even though they were an exclusive release, they were quite affordable and easy to get.

Nice job as always, Jada!

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#9 – WWE Superstars Bret “Hit Man” Hart (Mattel)

I watched a lot of WWF wrestling and played a lot of WWF video games in the 1990s. I still enjoy watching old wrestling PPVs and modern indie wrestling events, but pro wrestling is not one of my main fandoms. Be that as it may, Bret The Hitman Hart (written as “Hit Man” on the toy’s packaging) is my favorite wrestler of all time. I’ve always been captivated by his wrestling style, his persona, his look, and his stage presence.

These WWE Superstars figures use the MOTU Origins core body style and modular body part system, so they’re essentially He-Men in wrestling gear. I loved the Masters of the WWE Universe crossover toy line from the early 2020s, and this line is a natural extension of it. I’ve only bought maybe half of the line’s releases, but I’ve really enjoyed them. They focus on wrestlers I actually know, and they feel like actual toys– something you can play with and bash around. They’re a ton of fun.

This isn’t my favorite look for the Hitman. I much prefer the pink gear and big, mirrored shades. I think Mattel went with this look to differentiate it from the older MOTWWEU release, and I get that, but it’s still not ideal. Mattel also seems to struggle with getting Bret’s likeness just right, but you can still tell who this is just by looking at it. Overall, the figure looks great and the soft goods jacket is very well done.

I’m probably done collecting this line for now, but my little group of wrestlemen would not feel complete without The Excellence of Execution in their ranks.

Special thanks and shoutout to my friend Archivist Prime who sent me this figure (and many others in the line). Without his help, I never would have found any of them.

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#8 – ReAction+ GI Joe Pythona (Super7)

I have lots of gripes about Super7’s ReAction+ figures. They’re too expensive for what they are. Super7 is very stingy with the accessories. The sculpts are too soft. It seems like they release a new version of Cobra Commander and Snake Eyes in every single wave. But boy oh boy, have they released some figures in classic, ARAH-style o-ring form that I never even dreamed I would see.

Pythona is one of those dream figures for me. In 1987’s GI Joe: The Movie, Pythona is the captivating star of the film’s first scene. She infiltrates Cobra Island, using all sorts of horrifying creatures as weapons. She takes out Cobra Troopers, Crimson Guards, electric fences, and steel doors effortlessly, using only her own acid-secreting claws, athletic skills, and gruesome Lovecraftian bio-weapons to confront Serpentor in his locked-down panic room. That’s the kind of thing that leaves an impression on a GI Joe-obsessed child.

This figure isn’t perfect, but it is a pretty nice version of Pythona. I never thought I’d have one at all, so I’m willing to forgive its faults. It does look pretty nice, despite the soft sculpt. For accessories, it only includes the giant gem that she gives to Zartan to ensure his loyalty. It’s a nice enough piece, but I wish she’d included her full cloak or some of the nasty eldritch critters she uses as weapons. The Classified version of Pythona has all of those things, and it’s a stark contrast. Still, I prefer this style of figure over that style, so I’m pretty happy with what I got.

On a funny side note, ReAction+ Pythona’s elbows bend the wrong way, which makes it easier to hold her large gem out in both hands, as if presenting it as a reward. Just use some sticky tack, as she can’t really get a grip on it.

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#7 – MOTU Origins Cartoon Collection Catra (Mattel)

You had to know there would be more Origins Princess of Power figures on this list, right? They’re my absolute jam. POTP contains some of my favorite characters in all of Masters of the Universe, and Mattel released two of them this year. Many of the She-Ra cartoon’s villains never made it to the main MOTU toy line in the 80s, so Mattel is making up for lost time.

Catra did receive a few figures in the vintage POTP toy line and they’re all great. I own a couple of them. They don’t look much like her cartoon counterpart, though, and that’s my preferred design for the character. It’s a striking, iconic design that’s had representation in both the MOTU Classics and MAsterverse toy lines, but never in the vintage-inspired 5.5” scale that Origins does so well.

This Catra looks perfect. They got the look exactly right, with the big cape, adjustable mask, Horde bodice, and long, flowing hair. The colors are vibrant and the face sculpt is incredible. Catra never really used a weapon in the cartoon, so including her cat form (despite it being out of scale) was a wise choice, even if I wish she had a sword. I did buy a replica sword for one of my vintage Catra figures off of eBay a few years ago, though, so Origins Catra might find herself in possession of that weapon very soon.

This is a figure I’d been holding out hope for since the beginning of Origins and, now that it’s finally here, I’m happy to say that it’s everything I wanted and more.

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#6 – ‘Game of Death’ Jinx (LadyJaye Toys)

Most factory custom GI Joe figures are disappointing in one way or another, and this one is no exception. As it turns out, it’s hard to replicate the precision of Hasbro’s venerable fantasy military toy line. Hasbro couldn’t even replicate their own 80s-90s quality when they relaunched the toy line at the turn of the century. Factory custom figures fall victim to many pitfalls– loose joints, accessories they can’t hold or use, poor plastic quality, and bad o-ring pulls. Many of them look quite nice, but they end up being frustrating to pose, photograph, and play with.

Thankfully, this yellow Jinx from LadyJaye Toys only has one major problem instead of several. On both copies of this toy that I own, the elbow swivels are incredibly loose and cannot hold a pose in most positions. It sucks, especially because that’s one of the few joints on a GI Joe figure that I can’t easily fix myself.

But, with this toy, the positives vastly outweigh the negatives. First of all, it’s Jinx! She’s one of my favorite GI Joe characters (and vintage figures), and I’m delighted that a factory custom maker produced so many versions of her. This figure is based on the showstopping yellow tracksuit that Bruce Lee wore in Game of Death and Uma Thurman wore in Kill Bill, with the added bonus of being a nod to Jinx’s (very cool) look from GI Joe: Retaliation. Yellow is a great color for action figures in general, and that goes double for sardonic lady ninjas.

She also comes with the full suite of vintage Jinx accessories, plus the two butterfly knives from the 25th Anniversary remake of 1989 Snake Eyes v3. She holds and handles all of her weapons very well, and they look great with her. I bought a spare of this figure to use the Super7 unmasked Jinx head (more on that in a minute) with and a separate LJT Jinx figure just for the accessories. I can’t decide if I like the masked or unmasked look more!

This toy has some problems that frustrate me, but it still ended up easily being one of my favorite toys of 2025.

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#5 – Blacktron Renegade (LEGO)

Full disclosure: I’m not even finished building this set yet, but I still know where it ranks and it’s in my top 5. I’ve been savoring this build and taking my time with it. After all, it’s not too often we get a new set that represents the halcyon days of Lego Space. This is, in many ways, a blatant nostalgia grab. But I’ve never come across an original 1987 Blacktron Renegade for a price I’m willing to pay, so I’m elated to have this set. It was a mass retail offering sold at a decent price, too, which is always a plus.

The first iteration of Blacktron was a little bit before my time, but Blacktron was still a big part of my childhood. As a kid, I had the 1989 Space Police Galactic Peace Keeper, which included a Blacktron minifigure, along with a minifigure pack that included another Blacktron astronaut. I didn’t really know that the Blacktron guys were considered criminals and spies and had brilliant ships and bases of their own– I just saw this black-clad spaceman as something special. I often used him as the pilot of a souped up space racer, a super soldier, or a mysterious antihero.

Later on, when I finally got internet access, I learned about Blacktron I. I had some Blacktron II sets growing up, but I never knew there was a prior Blacktron. Though I adored the black, white, and neon green color scheme of BT II, I knew I wanted some of the original sets. Throughout the years I’ve bought an Invader and a couple of Alienators (and converted the Space Police III Lunar Limo into a Blacktron I craft), but I never had a ‘flagship’ piece for my Blacktron collection until now.

I’m really enjoying the build, and I’ll also enjoy modifying it afterwards. I don’t love the “clip and post” connection system that this set and the GWP Blacktron Cruiser from a few years back use for their modular pods. I intend to install the old “Technic post and hole” connection that the 80s Blacktron I sets use for this set and the Cruiser, which will hopefully make them compatible with the old sets, too. It’s a project that I’m very much looking forward to. I love it when a Lego set inspires me to go back and rebuild older models, as that encourages me to actually play with my Lego instead of just admiring it on a shelf. Truly, this is a magnificent set.

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#4 – MOTU Origins Cartoon Collection Shadow Weaver (Mattel)

You had to know this one was coming, right? If you know me, you know that I love Shadow Weaver, which means that I buy basically every Shadow Weaver toy the instant it comes out. I’ve enjoyed every single Shadow Weaver toy, but it’s great to have a nicely articulated version in the 5.5” scale Origins style. I liked the older Super7 retro version and it fits into an Origins collection well enough, but its shiny plastic and limited articulation left something to be desired.

This is pretty much the Shadow Weaver I’ve always wanted. She has all of the articulation she needs, the sculpt is spot-on, and the paint deco hits all of the right notes. She also comes with a pretty nice wand and a book that she can’t really hold (though it does look quite nice), which is pretty generous by modern Masters of the Universe Origins standards.

There’s just something appealing about a sinister, faceless witch that works for an evil galactic empire. Shadow Weaver is a downright scary character, and she seemed much more menacing than most of Hordak’s goofball minions. She was never released in the vintage 80s toy line, so having a proper version of her now is a dream come true. She’s a huge favorite for a reason.

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#3 – ReAction+ GI Joe Jinx (Super7)

Speaking of dreams coming true, 2025 was truly the Year of Jinx. LadyJaye Toys released their version of the vintage Jinx version in a wide variety of flavors, and Super7 also threw their hat into the ring.

When Super7 first started releasing new o-ring GI Joe figures, I said that an unmasked Jinx was at the top of my want list. Well, they delivered that figure within their first year of releases. I love the original 1987 Jinx figure (I had the 90s mail away version as a kid), but I’ve always yearned for a version without the mask, just because I like options. Jinx was a memorable character in the 1987 movie and she spends most of the film not wearing her trademark ninja headwear, so that’s the image I’ve had burned into my mind since childhood.

Super7 didn’t quite knock it out of the park, but this is still a pretty damn good figure. The head sculpt is good (but not excellent), and it’s easily recognizable as Kim Arashikage. The body sculpt is more detailed than what Super7 usually produces, as her clothing features actual creasing and wrinkles instead of being completely smooth. The accessories are the one place this figure really comes up short– the broken-in-half sparring staff is from an important scene in the movie, but Super7 should have at least included a blindfold with the figure, as well.

Thankfully, she looks good with a full complement of Jinx accessories from LadyJaye Toys (which I purchased just for her). I also bought a second copy of this figure to make an unmasked yellow tracksuit Jinx (see above), just because this is a toy I’ve wanted for so long. ReAction+ Jinx didn’t quite reach her full potential, but I’m very happy that she exists.

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#2 – Void Rivals Zertonian Solila and Agorrian Darak (Hasbro)

I didn’t even know about these toys until my friend Ross told me about them. They came in an SDCC exclusive set with a repainted Transformers Siege Jetfire, which he was nice enough to procure for me at the convention. So thank you, Ross Sewage, because I would not be gushing about these incredible figures without your kindness.

The set includes the first issue of the Void Rivals comic book from Skybound, and it’s the only thing I’ve read of the series. It has a cool Enemy Mine-like setup, so I’ll probably read more of it at some point, and then immerse myself in the rest of the “Energon Universe.” I’m just not quite there yet. That’s a long-winded way to say that I really have no idea who these characters are, but that doesn’t matter because the figures are excellent.

Just look at these cool space weirdos! If you’re into the more sci-fi aspects of GI Joe, then you can’t go wrong with these. They work very well with Star Brigade, Mega Marines, and any other “out of this world” GI Joe figures, vehicles and concepts. They reuse some parts from Hasbro’s aborted o-ring figure relaunch, but that’s fine with me. The old parts work well with the new parts, and these two figures look different than anything else released in Hasbro’s 40+ years of ARAH-style GI Joe lines.

For me, Solila is the winner here. It’s not often we get new female characters, and I love her look and color scheme. I also like her staff weapon, which she wields easily in one or two hands. Darak is no slouch, either, and his little hand blaster is also pretty cool. Beyond looking nice, these are solidly-built figures with good paint. The plastic quality is excellent and they move and pose exactly how you’d expect them to.

These figures came out of nowhere for me, and they ended up being the biggest unexpected pleasant surprise of 2025.

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#1 – ReAction+ Micronauts Microtron (Super7)

Solila and Darak were a surprise, but Microtron was an even bigger surprise. I really enjoyed the first wave of Super7’s Micronauts line, which included Biotron and Baron Karza. At the end of the year, we were treated to another wave. Force Commander was essentially a Karza repaint with a new head (which is true for the vintage line, as well) and Microtron was just a weird little guy that came along with him. I was not aware of the vintage Microtron toy, and a stubby 70s robot with tread legs seemed like an odd fit for a 3.75” scale o-ring toy line, but I was willing to give him a shot.

And I’m glad I did. I owe you an apology, Microtron. I wasn’t really familiar with your game.

The original 1976 Microtron toy was just as much a vehicle as he was an action figure. He towered over the normal Micromen and could seat a figure in his head. This time around he’s been shrunk down to normal figure size, and it somehow just really works. The incredible sculpt by David White (MechaZone) is incredibly faithful to the original toy. It’s gorgeous and just spot-on in every way. This toy features three accessories, a generous amount for any Super7 release, that can attach to his body at the shoulders, chest, back, and… crotch.

The original Microtron featured a penis drill (cue terrible flashbacks to Tetsuo: The Iron Man) and while this toy is shown using the drill as a chest attachment in all photography and marketing materials, you can absolutely attach the drill at crotch level to recreate the original look. Sheer genius. Mr. White, you truly thought of everything!

The ports on Microtron’s body are also compatible with the rocket backpacks from Force Commander and Baron Karza, as well as Biotron’s tank tread backpack, so you can really load him up in all sorts of strange ways. He’s also compatible with most vintage GI Joe backpacks, which allows for all sorts of bizarre and fun play possibilities.

Microtron’s got the looks, the swagger, and all the playability you could ever want. He’s a solid little toy with beautiful silver chrome and triangular tank treads. I went into this thinking that Microtron would just be a silly novelty purchase, but he ended up being my favorite toy of the year. You can expect him to make many cameos in any and all of my future Star Brigade reviews.

Thank you, Microtron, for being the best toy of the year. No one else really even came close.

Signing Off

Thanks for joining me! I’m hoping this post will light a fire under my ass to finish my forthcoming novel-length Robotech/Exosquad review, and then we’ll get back to GI Joe. For the foreseeable future, I plan to alternate GI Joe and non-GI Joe reviews, and I’d ideally like to post twice a month. This has never been just a GI Joe website, but that will still be the bulk of what I write about.

I also want to sincerely thank all of you for your kindness and patience. I know this site is only updated sporadically, but I’m hoping to get a bit better about it.

What were your favorite toys from 2025? Please let me know in the comments!