Glossary Part 3

Here is the third in my ongoing glossary series.

Action Features (aka gimmick)

Action features, more commonly called gimmicks in Japan, are interesting things a figure can do, beyond be posed or equipped with accessories.  Many lines used them extensively, either all sharing one gimmick, such as Transformers, or using a different one on almost every figure, like Masters of the Universe.  I'm only listing one relevant to modern adult collecting here.

"Lifelike" Action Features

Light-Up.  A simple gimmick, a light-up feature is when a switch on the toy "lights up" and electronic light.  This can really add life to a figure, making it seem much more real, despite being inanimate.  My limited edition Robot Damashii Gundam 00 Qan[T] actually has a blacklight emitting base, while the figure itself is blacklight reactive.  This creates quite a spectacular effect.

Sound Effects.  While uncommon in collector toys, some figures emit sounds or sayings when you press a button on the figure.  This breathes life into the figure by making it appear as if the toy was alive enough to speak or make sounds.

Moving part.  Many figures, especially in the 80's and early 90's has part thatmoved automatically under certain conditions.  Squeezing the legs of a Super Powers Batman, for example, would cause his arm to perform an uppercut punch.  Other examples include: being able to fire a spring-loaded missile, using a rip cord to spin around or even walking (often through the use of wind-up techniques).  These types of features usually come at the cost of poseability or realism.

Toys-to-Life.  I touched on this in a previous Glossary, but this is technically an action feature.  This is when a toy can interact with an electronic medium, such as video games, like amiibo.  I suppose old 80's TV-interactive toys, like Captain Power, count as well.

"Technical" Action Features

Transforming.  The aptly named Transformers line of toys pioneered this gimmick, and continue to master it into today.  I don't have any official Transformers, but I really enjoy a transforming toy.  That fact that action figures can be posed in many ways multiplies its appeal (at least, to me) over a static figure.  There's just more ways you can display it.  Transforming gimmicks take this to the next level.  Ultimately, a transforming a toy is just posing it in an extremely different pose.  You get multiple figures in one, increasing the toy's potential while saving shelfspace!

Combining.  These are toys that are initially separate, but can combine into a larger figure.  Combining figures share many of the benefits of transforming toys.  Like transforming toys, they multiply the potential of a figure, giving you many more ways to pose and display them.

Interchanging Parts.  One of my favorite gimmicks, interchanging parts gives you a whole new level of customization and pose potential.  This is when the parts of some figures, for example, the cockpit pods of my ES Gokin Aestivalises, can be switched between multiple figures.  You can take the pod of the ground-type Aestivalis and place it inside the air-type, and visa versa.  With toylines that have multiple ways of interchanging, you can really explode a figures potential for customization.