Toys / Toy Collecting

What’s Up with Street Fighter Action Figures?

By Hervé St-Louis
March 15, 2008 - 08:00

Collectors of Street Fighter action figures are probably the most patient supporters of an enduring brand that is over 20 years old. A lot of vendors have tried to satisfy their wishes throughout the years, but it seems that very few of them have staying power. Unlike other brands, collecting Street Fighter action figures means that lines will probably not be completed.

One of the first Street Fighter action figure series was by Hasbro. Moulds were based off old 3 ¾ G.I. Joe action figures. Released in 1993 by Hasbro as a subset of the main G.I. Joe line, introduced twelve characters as single packed toys and six who came with vehicles. Hasbro re-introduced the characters in a movie tie-in line for the 1994 Street Fighter live action film. Just like the initial series, some of the 20 characters were variants and some came with remoulded older G.I Joe vehicles and play sets.

Ryu 2.0

Before 2004’s Sota Toys’ first series of Street Fighter action figures, the two Hasbro series were probably the only Street Fighter action figures available for North American audiences and collectors outside of Asia. When Sota Toys introduced its first series of Street Fighter action figures, as part of the property’s 15th anniversary, collectors and old enthusiasts who played the game in the past suddenly were hooked. Sota Toys offered a level of detail and articulation that were on par with popular action figure lines of the times, such as Toy Biz’s Marvel Legends.

In all Sota Toys released four series, of Street Fighter action figures, which each contained five characters. Several non-exclusive and exclusive variants were released, as well as special characters for such events such as the San Diego Comic-con and the Wizard World conventions.  However, the fifth series announced in 2005 whose character line up had been chosen by collectors, never came to be.

Instead, Sota Toys recreated the three most popular Street Fighter characters as new editions with a new line and continued to offer exclusive variants and special editions characters at conventions. Part of Sota Toy’s merchandizing also changed. Instead of distributing all its products through traditional channels, Sota Toys decided to sell its products exclusively online and be the only wholesale distributor for retailers. Other problems such as easily breakable action figures and bootleg versions produced by some of the manufacturers that Sota Toys had worked with in China were also to blame for some of the problems with Sota Toys’s Street Fighter action figures.

Elsewhere a company called Jazwares also introduced Street Fighter action figures. Jazwars has released six characters and three variants. Compared with the Sota Toys products, these lacked articulations and were not as detailed or interesting to collectors. Had these been released a decade earlier, collectors would have loved them. But introducing a lesser product after a very well liked one is not a good strategy. The jazwares’ product was best suited for younger collectors, such as kids. However, Street Fighter is hardly a hit with kids.

Street Fighter by Jazwares

There lies the most pressing problem with Street Fighter action figures. Although recognized by many video game players as a classic, the lack of consistent game releases throughout the years has limited the appeal of Street Fighter to a whole generation of potential collectors. When Sota Toys was introducing its products in 2004, it was competing against Marvel Legends action figures, G.I. Joes, Transformers and several other properties which had stayed in the mindshare of collectors for years through comic books, films and animation.

Even the 2006 Street Fighter Minimate series has been problematic.  Minimates are small action figures that look quite a lot like simplified characters found in Lego and Fisher price toys for toddlers. The second Street Fighter Minimate series has not been released since.

It is unclear how well Street Fighter statues and non movable figures are doing but there are many of them coming from Japanese maker Yamato, Sota Toys and other vendors.

Cammy by Yamato

Collectors of Street Fighter action figures should not give up hope yet. Sota Toys has announced a new series of Street Fighter action figures for May 2008 which will include Zangief, E. Honda, Mika and Dhalism. This new series, called Street Fighter Revolutions may be a reintroduction of some of the action figures previously announced from Sota Toys and never released. Although there is a new branding to this series, it appears that it will be compatible with older Street Fighter products released by Sota Toys.

In the past, Sota Toys has been late and not respected the release date of products. Let’s hope that there will be no more delays and that action figure retailers and collectors will be able to easily order these products from Sota Toys. The more delay there is in new Street Fighter action figures, the less collectors stay interested in them. I am one of them.

Street Fighter Revolution Series 1

Last Updated: August 31, 2023 - 08:12