Action Figure Height Ratios: A Brief History

A popular question posted on Entertainment Earth’s FAQ page is: “Some of your items don’t have a height but say things like ‘1:6 scale’ or ‘1.10 scale.’ What do those numbers mean?” Known as the height ratio, you will see this on listings for items such as action figures and statues on Entertainment Earth, as well as most toy-collecting and toy manufacturing websites. It is based off what is considered the typical height of an action hero, which is six feet. So, for example, a six-foot-tall action figure would have a 1:1 ratio.

In the world of toy collecting today, the 1:12 scale size (6 inches) is considered the most desired action figure height among collectors. Todd McFarlane is said to prefer the 1:10 ratio (7 inches) in order to best show the detail in his exquisitely sculpted action figures.

While this may seem fairly standard and unsurprising now, believe it or not the evolution of the action figure and how we define it has come a long way since it’s humble beginnings in the 1960’s.

Photo courtesy of Lofty Marketplace

In the Beginning…

According to ArtPubiklaMag.com, the term ‘action figure’ was coined by Hasbro executive Don Levine in 1964. It was used to distinguish boy toys from girl toys, which were referred to as ‘dolls.’ Some would argue that Barbie was technically the first action figure, since she has articulated arms, legs, waist, and head, but others would argue that she is a doll because she was made specifically for girls.

Most toy collectors consider G.I. Joe to be the first true action figure because of this boy toy/girl toy distinction. When they debuted in the 1960’s, G.I. Joe action figures were twelve inches high, articulated, and wore cloth clothing (which again sparks the action figure/doll argument, because technically cloth clothing is a doll trait). Later there were even Joes with flocked head and facial hair. Four different Joes represented each sector of the U.S. military: Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines.

G.I. Joe was a hit with male children across the nation, spawning the creation of other action figure toy lines such as Major Matt Mason line which was astronaut themed, as well as TV and movie-based toys such as Star Trek and Planet of the Apes.

Toy manufacturing company Mego jumped on the action figure bandwagon in the early 1970’s. By producing action figures for franchises such as DC Comics, Mego dominated the action figure market for a majority of the 1970’s.

Then along came Star Wars.

Photo courtesy of Simplemost

The Franchise That Defined an Industry

To say the Star Wars movies were popular in the late 1970’s and early 1980’s a gross understatement. Due to their massive popularity, the idea of creating toys based off the movies was a no-brainer, and toy company Kenner was the lucky manufacturer of this still-popular toy line.

The figures were 3.75 inches tall - much smaller than what Hasbro and Mego were producing. So in a world where we usually equate ‘bigger’ with ‘better,’ why did Kenner chose to manufacture a smaller figure? The reason is purely economic: during this time the cost of oil, the main ingredient for the creation of plastic, was skyrocketing. In order to make their toys affordable, Kenner had to keep costs down.

Other toy companies at the time, such as Hasbro, followed suit, producing 3.75-inch G.I. Joe figures. It was then that their enemy, C.O.B.R.A., was also introduced in 3.75-inch form.

Photo from the Sears Christmas Wish Book 1985

The Decade of Decadence

As the 1980’s progressed and the economic state of the U.S. evolved, the race was on to produce appealing and innovative action figures that would capture the attention of the buyer in this new, lucrative industry.   

Instead of simply articulating limbs, heads and waists, toy designers began finding new ways to put the ‘action’ in action figures. From projectile hands to rotating ‘battle damage’ chests, the competition between toy lines for the next new and innovative toy became fierce. The sizes of the figures began to vary again as well, as toy manufacturers experimented with different scales to determine what most appealed to their child audience.

More toy manufacturers entered the scene around this time: Hasbro was lucky to snatch up the Marvel franchise for toys and then later, Transformers. Playmates was responsible for the phenomenal Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle action figure line that collectors of all ages go crazy for. Manufacturers continued to add more and more intense detail to their toys as they competed with one another, making the 1980’s an exciting time to be a kid indeed.

Toy Lines Galore

To date, there have been dozens upon dozens of different action figure toy lines launches over the decades. The evolution is distinct: they began as large, ‘realistic’ characters to ones that are smaller, more detailed, and more fantastic.

With the hobby of toy collecting still going strong and not showing any indication of slowing down, we can expect to see toy manufacturers continue to outdo each other – or even just outdid what they created in the past. We can probably also expect to continue to see the 1:12 and 1:10 ratio heigth being produced, as it seems to not only have the best value for toy manufacturers to keep their products affordable, but it also provides just enough real estate for designers to sculpt the next perfect toy.

Do you agree that 1:10 and 1:12 are ideal action figure ratios? Or do you prefer bigger or smaller figs? Let us know in the comments below!