Roboto thumbnail 1
On display

Roboto

Action Figure
1985 (manufactured)
Artist/Maker
Mattel, Inc. (manufacturers)
Place of origin
Taiwan (manufactured)
United States (designed)

1. Action figure, moulded plastics, formed to represent a robot with blue arms, red upper legs, silver boots, purple lower torso, grey head with red 'jaw' and a clear plastic body. In the body are multi-coloured gears and cogs. When the body is twisted at the waist; the gears move and the 'jaw' goes up and down. The right hand is in the form of a silver club or axe and the left hand is red.

2. Pincer attachment, silver moulded plastic, marked '9021-2069'

Object details

Categories
Toys & Games
Character Merchandise
Play
Object type
Action figure
Parts
This object consists of 2 parts.

  • Figure
  • Pincer
Titles
  • Roboto (manufacturer's title)
  • Heroic Mechanical Warrior (manufacturer's title)
  • Masters of the Universe (series title)
Materials and techniques
Injection-moulded plastic, elastic stringing
Plastic
Elastic
Injection Moulding
Brief description
Roboto; figure; Taiwan; 1986-7
Physical description
1. Action figure, moulded plastics, formed to represent a robot with blue arms, red upper legs, silver boots, purple lower torso, grey head with red 'jaw' and a clear plastic body. In the body are multi-coloured gears and cogs. When the body is twisted at the waist; the gears move and the 'jaw' goes up and down. The right hand is in the form of a silver club or axe and the left hand is red.

2. Pincer attachment, silver moulded plastic, marked '9021-2069'
Dimensions
  • Figure height: 140mm
  • Figure width: 100mm
  • Figure depth: 60mm
Production typeMass produced
Marks and inscriptions
'© MATTEL INC 1984 TAIWAN'
Gallery label
(01/07/2023)
Masters of the Universe figures
Collected by Jermaine Dacas, aged 10–14

What we collect and own says something about us and our lives. Anything we group together can be a collection.

Over four years, Jermaine spent his pocket money on nearly sixty figures from his favourite TV programme. He acted out his own stories with them, as well as scenes from the show.

Manufactured by Mattel
1983–87
Hong Kong, Taiwan and Malaysia
PVC and other plastics
Given by Jermaine Dacas
Museum nos. B.41 to 45, 47, 48, 51, 53, 54, 58 to 61, 65 to 68, 70, 73, 75, 77, 80 to 82, 85 to 87, 89-1994

[Young V&A, Imagine Gallery, This is Me, long object label]
Credit line
Given by Jermaine Dacas
Object history
Bought by the donor between 1983 and 1987. Mr Dacas was born 17/10/73 and saved his pocket money to buy the toys. He played with them and created his own dramas for the characters.
Production
Roboto was part of the fourth wave of Masters of the Universe figures, released in 1985.
Subjects depicted
Robots
Warriors
Collection
Young V&A Collection
Accession number
B.67:1, 2-1994

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Record createdApril 17, 2000
Record URL
https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O36311/roboto-action-figure-mattel-inc/
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