History EarlyInstallmentWeirdness / Toys

** The line wouldn't find its footing for figure engineering until after the first few waves. This means that despite ''Marvel Legends'' later becoming famous for its immensely posable figures, some early entries like Toad, [[Comicbook/AntMan Goliath]] and Film/{{Daredevil}} were noticeably lacking in the articulation department. Some of the larger characters like [[Comicbook/TheIncredibleHulk Hulk]] and [[Comicbook/FantasticFour The Thing]] also came with bendable fingers, a gimmick that was quickly discarded.
** The early figures came packaged with highly detailed, diorama-like display bases, usually depicting some sort of recognizable location or vehicle from the Comicbook/MarvelUniverse (such as Comicbook/GhostRider's motorcycle, a destroyed Sentinel, or . The display bases were eventually phased out in favor of the Build-a-Figure concept, wherein each toy in a wave would come packaged with a piece needed to complete a special bonus figure.
** One of the most striking differences was the general lack of movie characters in the early years of the line. While a select few films like ''Film/{{Blade II}}'', ''Film/ThePunisher2005'' and the aforementioned ''Daredevil'' received a single ''Marvel Legends'' figure each, the general trend was for [=ToyBiz=] to do separate movie lines that featured the same sculpt and articulation style used in ''Legends'', but without actually labelling them as such. This meant that the big Marvel movies of the early 2000s like ''Film/SpiderMan2'', ''Film/X2XMenUnited'', ''Film/{{Hulk}}'' and ''Film/FantasticFour2005'' did not have any presence in ''Marvel Legends'', with the line instead focusing almost exclusively on comic book figures. When Creator/{{Hasbro}} took over the line in 2007, they did some ''Marvel Legends'' figures for ''Film/XMenTheLastStand'' and ''Film/SpiderMan3'', but generally stuck to [=ToyBiz=]'s strategy of focusing on comic figures instead. However, starting with ''Film/IronMan3'' in 2013, they completely threw out that idea and began integrating characters from the Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse, with most subsequent Marvel movies usually getting their own dedicated wave of ''Marvel Legends'' figures.

* Whoo-boy, Gunpla (Franchise/{{Gundam}} plastic models) have evolved tremendously since the early days. The earliest 1/144 scale Gunpla, released in 1980 were of a single color (you had to paint these suckers) with some articulation with the 1/100 and 1/60 scale not faring as well. Also, the intended way of putting in beam sabers back into their sockets? Breaking the blade. 1/100s would be mostly colored by the time ''Anime/MobileSuitZetaGundam'' launched and it wouldn't be until the launch of the Gunpla for ''Anime/MobileSuitGundam0080WarInThePocket'' that we would have stickers for certain areas. During the early days of the High Grade Gunpla the beam sabers would still be one single-colored piece of plastic resembling the blade and hilt (or even worse, blade, hilt and hand holding it) with certain rare models, like the early Rick Dias and RX-78 Gundam having the modern day two piece blade-and-hilt. Don't expect the two-piece to be standard issue until the release of the G-Armor + Gundam set.

* The first three dolls of the [[Toys/AmericanGirlsCollection American Girl line]]--Samantha, Kirsten, and Molly—were originally released with pale white muslin bodies that sharply contrasted with the head and limbs. To hide this, all their clothing was made high to the throat and with sleeves and skirts (and underpants) long enough to cover this up. This changed in 1991 when Felicity was released; the lower necklines of the Revolutionary/Colonial Period meant that the company could not keep the body covered, so they changed the main cloth body to better match the skin tone of the limbs which is how it's since stayed.

* The first three dolls of the [[Franchise/AmericanGirlsCollection American Girl line]]--Samantha, Kirsten, and Molly—were originally released with pale white muslin bodies that sharply contrasted with the head and limbs. To hide this, all their clothing was made high to the throat and with sleeves and skirts (and underpants) long enough to cover this up. This changed in 1991 when Felicity was released; the lower necklines of the Revolutionary/Colonial Period meant that the company could not keep the body covered, so they changed the main cloth body to better match the skin tone of the limbs which is how it's since stayed.

* The mini-comics included with the first few waves of ''Franchise/MastersOfTheUniverse'' action figures painted a very different mythos than that which would be established later by the DC comic books and the animated series. He-Man didn't have a secret identity and was a Literature/{{Tarzan}}-esque jungle man rather than the prince of Eternia, and he predominately used his axe in combat - the Power Sword was merely a {{Macguffin}} that could be used to unlock the door of Castle Greyskull. He-Man and Skeletor each owned one half of it, and they were fighting over the complete sword, an idea that was quickly abandoned in later media. It's also worth noting that He-Man (even in the comics, after some of the other more well-known elements were established) spoke in YeOldeButcheredeEnglishe from time to time, of all things. The Castle itself was presented as more of a prize that all the characters wanted to claim for themselves rather than a base of operation for He-Man. Even Skeletor was given a very different origin story - the first mini-comic explicitly states that he comes from a race of skull-faced beings from another dimension and that he wants to conquer Eternia for his people, while every portrayal of the character after [[WesternAnimation/HeManAndTheMastersOfTheUniverse2002 the 2002 reboot]] has used the story that he was originally an ordinary Eternian sorcerer whose face was burned off in an attack with an acid vial GoneHorriblyWrong.

** With regards to the sets: originally sold under the LEGO Technic title as opposed to having its own, the sets were built around certain action-based gimmicks and put a lot of emphasis on the importance of collectible items, like masks. Their gear structures were at times complicated to build, and the figures suffered from limited articulation and very blocky aesthetics. A stark contrast to the modern, highly articulated, streamlined and skinny (and at times organic-looking) action figures that come with projectile weapons instead of collectibles, and are easier to build.

* ''Franchise/{{Bionicle}}'':

* The first three dolls of the [[Franchise/AmericanGirlsCollection American Girl line]]--Samantha, Kirsten, and Molly—were originally released with pale white muslin bodies that sharply contrasted with the head and limbs. To hide this, all their clothing was made high to the throat and with sleeves long enough to cover this up. This changed in 1991 when Felicity and the lower necklines of the Revolutionary/Colonial Period meant that the company changed the main cloth body to better match the skin tone of the limbs, which is how it's since stayed.

* Toys/SHFiguarts in the beginning was very different. The figurines only had the bare minimum of accessories to mess with, usually a couple of hands and a weapon. Compare the original S.H. Figuarts figurine of Series/KamenRiderBlackRX, which only had a few hands, his Revolcane and a ball-joint system which make it look like he was wearing UnderwearOfPower, to his Renewal version, which not only fixed the ball-joint system to make it more show-accurate, but also gave it multiple hands and the ability to mimic having Black RX pull out Revolcane from his belt. Figuarts from the ''Franchise/PrettyCure'' series also show the vast difference - compare the sparse options involving the ''Anime/YesPrettyCure5GoGo'' characters and the glut with the ''Anime/HeartcatchPrettyCure'' figures.

* The first three generations of Toys/BeanieBabies had much plainer designs and no cutesy poems in their tags. Generation 4 introduced the poems or birthdays, and the toys' designs started to become gradually more varied throughout generation 5 onward. It was also at this point that the fad took off in full force.

* The original ''Franchise/MyLittlePony'' toys were only what are now called "Earth ponies". It wasn't until Year 2 that pegasus, unicorn, and sea-ponies were introduced. Likewise, the ponies were on a sliding scale of anthropomorphic early on but [[AnthropomorphicShift eventually]] began learning toward being more humanoid.[[note]][[Franchise/MyLittlePonyGeneration4 "G4" incarnation]] or not.[[/note]]

* The original ''Franchise/MyLittlePony'' tales were only what are now called "Earth ponies". It wasn't until Year 2 that pegasus, unicorn, and sea-ponies were introduced. Likewise, the ponies were on a sliding scale of anthropomorphic early on but [[AnthropomorphicShift eventually]] began learning toward being more humanoid.[[note]][[Franchise/MyLittlePonyGeneration4 "G4" incarnation]] or not.[[/note]]

* The original ''Franchise/MyLittlePony'' tales were only what are now called "Earth ponies". It wasn't until Year 2 that pegasus, unicorn, and sea-ponies were introduced. Likewise, the ponies were on a sliding scale of anthropomorphic early on but [[AnthropomorphicShift eventually]] began learning toward being more humanoid.[[note]][[Franchise/MyLittlePonyGeneration4 "G4" incarnation]] or not.[[/note]]

* ''{{Bionicle}}'':
** With regards to the sets: originally sold under the ''LEGOTechnic'' title as opposed to having its own, the sets were built around certain action-based gimmicks and put a lot of emphasis on the importance of collectible items, like masks. Their gear structures were at times complicated to build, and the figures suffered from limited articulation and very blocky aesthetics. A stark contrast to the modern, highly articulated, streamlined and skinny (and at times organic-looking) action figures that come with projectile weapons instead of collectibles, and are easy as heck to build.
** Storyline-wise: imaginative setting but a painfully basic, linear plot, focusing mostly on the [[MonsterOfTheWeek monster of the year]] and [[GottaCatchThemAll collecting the current items of importance]]. No secretive organisations or scheming murderers, barely any sci-fi but a lot of talk about mystical prophecies and legends, and the character personalities are little more than stereotypes. Almost the exact opposite of what it has turned into since the beginning -- numerous, decidedly non-straightforward and non-generic plotlines, but in exchange it is very hard to get a sense of atmosphere due to all the differently-toned stories and the constant shifting between settings.

* The mini-comics included with the first few waves of ''Franchise/MastersOfTheUniverse'' action figures painted a very different mythos than that which would be established later by the DC comic books and the animated series. He-Man didn't have a secret identity and was a {{Tarzan}}-esque jungle man rather than the prince of Eternia, and he predominately used his axe in combat - the Power Sword was merely a {{Macguffin}} that could be used to unlock the door of Castle Greyskull. He-Man and Skeletor each owned one half of it, and they were fighting over the complete sword, an idea that was quickly abandoned in later media. It's also worth noting that He-Man (even in the comics, after some of the other more well-known elements were established) spoke in YeOldeButcheredeEnglishe from time to time, of all things. The Castle itself was presented as more of a prize that all the characters wanted to claim for themselves rather than a base of operation for He-Man. Even Skeletor was given a very different origin story - the first mini-comic explicitly states that he comes from a race of skull-faced beings from another dimension and that he wants to conquer Eternia for his people, while every portrayal of the character after [[WesternAnimation/HeManAndTheMastersOfTheUniverse2002 the 2002 reboot]] has used the story that he was originally an ordinary Eternian sorcerer whose face was burned off in an attack with an acid vial GoneHorriblyWrong.

* The original ''MyLittlePony'' tales were only what are now called "Earth ponies". It wasn't until Year 2 that pegasus, unicorn, and sea-ponies were introduced. Likewise, the ponies were on a sliding scale of anthropomorphic early on but [[AnthropomorphicShift eventually]] began learning toward being more humanoid.[[note]][[MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic "G4" incarnation]] or not.[[/note]]

* The original ''MyLittlePony'' tales were only what are now called "Earth ponies". It wasn't until Year 2 that pegasus, unicorn, and sea-ponies were introduced. Likewise, the ponies were on a sliding scale of anthropomorphic early on but [[AnthropomorphicShift eventually]] began learning toward being more humanoid.

* The mini-comics included with the first few waves of ''WesternAnimation/HeManAndTheMastersOfTheUniverse'' action figures painted a very different mythos than that which would be established later by the DC comic books and the animated series. He-Man didn't have a secret identity and was a {{Tarzan}}-esque jungle man rather than the prince of Eternia, and he predominately used his axe in combat - the Power Sword was merely a {{Macguffin}} that could be used to unlock the door of Castle Greyskull. He-Man and Skeletor each owned one half of it, and they were fighting over the complete sword, an idea that was quickly abandoned in later media. It's also worth noting that He-Man (even in the comics, after some of the other more well-known elements were established) spoke in YeOldeButcheredeEnglishe from time to time, of all things. The Castle itself was presented as more of a prize that all the characters wanted to claim for themselves rather than a base of operation for He-Man. Even Skeletor was given a very different origin story - the first mini-comic explicitly states that he comes from a race of skull-faced beings from another dimension and that he wants to conquer Eternia for his people, while every portrayal of the character after the 2002 reboot has used the story that he was originally an ordinary Eternian sorcerer whose face was burned off in an attack with an acid vial GoneHorriblyWrong.

Apart from the story, the first toys also had a bizarre feature called "mutant masks" -- basically, every bigger figure had two faces or heads: one robot-face and one based on some kind of animal (not always on the one that the toys actually transformed into). This concept was done away with when the show, due to the limitations of CGI, gave each character only one face.

* The mini-comics included with the first few waves of ''HeMan'' action figures painted a very different mythos than that which would be established later by the DC comic books and the animated series. He-Man didn't have a secret identity and was a {{Tarzan}}-esque jungle man rather than the prince of Eternia, and he predominately used his axe in combat - the Power Sword was merely a {{Macguffin}} that could be used to unlock the door of Castle Greyskull. He-Man and Skeletor each owned one half of it, and they were fighting over the complete sword, an idea that was quickly abandoned in later media. It's also worth noting that He-Man (even in the comics, after some of the other more well-known elements were established) spoke in YeOldeButcheredeEnglishe from time to time, of all things. The Castle itself was presented as more of a prize that all the characters wanted to claim for themselves rather than a base of operation for He-Man. Even Skeletor was given a very different origin story - the first mini-comic explicitly states that he comes from a race of skull-faced beings from another dimension and that he wants to conquer Eternia for his people, while every portrayal of the character after the 2002 reboot has used the story that he was originally an ordinary Eternian sorcerer whose face was burned off in an attack with an acid vial GoneHorriblyWrong.

* The mini-comics included with the first few waves of ''HeMan'' action figures painted a very different mythos than that which would be established later by the DC comic books and the animated series. He-Man didn't have a secret identity and was a {{Tarzan}}-esque jungle man rather than the prince of Eternia, and he predominately used his axe in combat - the Power Sword was merely a {{Macguffin}} that could be used to unlock the door of Castle Greyskull. He-Man and Skeletor each owned one half of it, and they were fighting over the complete sword, an idea that was quickly abandoned in later media. It's also worth noting that He-Man (even in the comics, after some of the other more well-known elements were established) spoke in YeOldeButcheredeEnglishe from time to time, of all things. The Castle itself was presented as more of a prize that all the characters wanted to claim for themselves rather than a base of operation for He-Man. Even Skeletor was given a very different origin story - the first mini-comic explicitly states that he comes from a race of skull-faced beings from another dimension and that he wants to conquer Eternia for his people, while every portrayal of the character after the 2002 reboot has used the story that he was originally an ordinary Eternian sorcerer whose face was burned off in an attack with an acid vial GoneHorriblyWrong.

* The mini-comics included with the first few waves of ''HeMan'' action figures painted a very different mythos than that which would be established later by the DC comic books and the animated series. He-Man didn't have a secret identity and was a {{Tarzan}}-esque jungle man rather than the prince of Eternia, and he predominately used his axe in combat - the Power Sword was merely a {{Macguffin}} that could be used to unlock the door of Castle Greyskull. He-Man and Skeletor each owned one half of it, and they were fighting over the complete sword, an idea that was quickly abandoned in later media. It's also worth noting that He-Man (even in the comics, after some of the other more well-known elements were established) spoke in YeOldeButcheredEnglishe from time to time, of all things. The Castle itself was presented as more of a prize that all the characters wanted to claim for themselves rather than a base of operation for He-Man. Even Skeletor was given a very different origin story - the first mini-comic explicitly states that he comes from a race of skull-faced beings from another dimension and that he wants to conquer Eternia for his people, while every portrayal of the character after the 2002 reboot has used the story that he was originally an ordinary Eternian sorcerer whose face was burned off in an attack with an acid vial GoneHorriblyWrong.

* The mini-comics included with the first few waves of ''HeMan'' action figures painted a very different mythos than that which would be established later by the DC comic books and the animated series. He-Man didn't have a secret identity and was a {{Tarzan}}-esque jungle man rather than the prince of Eternia, and he predominately used his axe in combat - the Power Sword was merely a {{Macguffin}} that could be used to unlock the door of Castle Greyskull. He-Man and Skeletor each owned one half of it, and they were fighting over the complete sword, an idea that was quickly abandoned in later media. The Castle itself was presented as more of a prize that all the characters wanted to claim for themselves rather than a base of operation for He-Man. Even Skeletor was given a very different origin story - the first mini-comic explicitly states that he comes from a race of skull-faced beings from another dimension and that he wants to conquer Eternia for his people, while every portrayal of the character after the 2002 reboot has used the story that he was originally an ordinary Eternian sorcerer whose face was burned off in an attack with an acid vial GoneHorriblyWrong.

** According to a quote from the story writer, this initial weirdness was one of the key reasons why the line didn't receive a movie at its debut. The first year's story was apparently stuck in an indecisive middle-point between the early and bizarre "''[[WorkingTitle Doo Heads]]''" concepts and what it eventually settled on.