Lion-O is Super7's BEST figure but isn't even made by them!?

Looking at all the details of Super7's Thundercats figure Lion-O. I'm very surprised at how good this Thundercats toy actually is. But Super7 isn't the original creator of this Lion-O. Join me as I review this Ultimate Thundercats Lion-O and break talk about WHY it is so good.
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#super7 #thundercats #liono

[@TaborDL]

More specifically Lion-O was made by Four Horsemen Studios for Mattel, the same guys who made the Masters of the Universe Classics and DC universe Classics. I don't think they got any farther than Lion-O before the license changed hands. Nowadays Four Horsemen make the Mythic Legions which has a lot of very Masters of the Universe inspired fantasy figures.

[@NostalgiaUnboxed]

Their work with Mythic is absolutely incredible. Mostly just familiar so far with what’s on their site, but my god! Haha

[@tyronleung5276]

They also did the first mirage tmnt toys by neca

[@Chalor.]

Hey, not sure what you mean by the _didn't get any further than Lion-O with Mattel_ thing, since five other ThunderCats were released. Then you had the other two (Jaga & Grune) they sculpted that didn't get released by Mattel. I used to think the Four Horsemen were just four guys (obviously lol), but it's like a straight up contracting company with certainly more than four ppl. I do know they work on way more stuff than Mythic Legions and their other in-house brands.

[@englishman1138]

@@Chalor. didn't they make the prototypes that were then changed for the worse pre production?

[@pmgerard]

Four Horsemen also make the vast majority of Super7's Ultimates. Particularly the TMNT, Toxic Crusaders, Silverhawks, and Thundercats. I think The Worst, G.I.Joe, Transformers, Simpsons, Animaniacs, Disney, and the wrestling figures are made by one or more subcontractor studios. None are made by Super7 sculptors. So the Thundercats sculpts are by the same people who did the Mattel figures. From what I understand, Super7 OR Mattel's workflow goes like this: 1. They want character X. They have some thoughts on how they want it to look. Maybe sketches or photo reference. 2. Four Horsemen sculpt it. 3. It goes off to a factory. In Mattel's case, they have a longterm contract with specific factories. In Super7's case, they have to hunt for a factory with capacity and use different factories because they don't have Mattel's money/contacts. They have tried using Mattel factories but they have a problem with product getting delayed months or even years when they do because Mattel-contracted factories will drop them to do emergency reorders of Jurassic World toys from Mattel. Super7 can't force them to work on their product. So their product gets suspended every time Mattel places an order. So Super7 has been shopping LOTS of other factories based on bids but it's been trial and error. The big problem since 2020 has been that Chinese factories aren't letting Americans in to inspect the process since COVID. Various samples get mailed back and forth until Super7 is happy with a one off sample but they used to actually fly to China regularly to inspect production and make sure it matches the samples they were mailed. They can't do that anymore. So they have to judge factories based on the full production run. They did shelve an entire run of Cheetara that was finished but they can't routinely shelve entire production runs. So now they're watching people's reactions to figures and deciding which factories to keep doing business with. Basically, though, these are sculpted and initially hand painted by the exact same people who did the Mattel figures. Some are made in the same factory. Some aren't. Neither Mattel nor Super7 own the factories but Mattel has more clout with them because they do thousands of times more volume and multi-year contracts whereas Super7 is basically always looking for new factories that take them on as one off gig work. Oh! And the color change Lion-O/Mirror Lion-O/LJN Lion-O is a 100% new sculpt that Super7 commissioned from the Horsemen to look like the Mattel Lion-O. It has pinless joints but the fabric details and proportions and head ball peg are all slightly different because it actually doesn't reuse any parts from the Mattel mold. You might be interested in comparing one of those to the first Lion-O since it's still Super7 and the Horsemen but with zero Mattel involvement. It was made from scratch to look similar without reusing any actual parts.

[@ArcStriker]

Thundercats Ultimates have actually improved over time with Super 7, wave 2 onward have pinless joints, great paint applications, and the plastic quality is on point (Grune was initially a huge dissapointment with stupidly loose leg joints but I fixed with floor polish which should NOT have been required). There are complaints about Tygra, but mine was pretty nice after removing the weird gold paint wash (his colors are accurate in Season 2 cartoon where they changed from season 1). This line is actually my favorite at the moment, Thundertank is my most anticipated collectible!

[@NostalgiaUnboxed]

I’m glad you are enjoying the whole line. That tank is going to be insane! Who even has the space?! 😂

[@ArcStriker]

@@NostalgiaUnboxed Great question, I measure it about the size of a queen size pillow so maybe it will join my bed so I can keep it close :) In reality though I am thinking of a dedicated shelf on the wall angled at ~30 degrees so as to show it off...

[@NostalgiaUnboxed]

@@ArcStriker angled is a great idea and should take up less space as well. Worse case you have a Thundertank Car Bed

[@rickestricky1368]

Wow, I literally just picked this up from a toy show today. This is my first ever Super7 figure. I’m glad you gave Lion-o such high praise 😅

[@NostalgiaUnboxed]

Haha, I think this is certainly a better figure to start with. It’s so much better then my first Super7 experience (Robin Hood)

[@patrickmcgavin2245]

I believe the book is called the book of omens.

[@NostalgiaUnboxed]

Correct! Thanks

[@LaserPants]

I discovered your channel watching the NERDIE Awards yesterday. I like your review style. Subbed!

[@NostalgiaUnboxed]

Oh, awesome! Thank you so much!!

[@patrickmcgavin2245]

The only original thundercat I don't have is Tygra. That's only bc I was going to one week it was $55.00 then when I was about to buy him, all of a sudden Tygra shot up to $145.00. idk why Tygra's the only one to shoot up in price. After seeing that I was like F that, I'll wait till he's at a reasonable price.

[@NostalgiaUnboxed]

Dang, that's crazy

[@supersonico9364]

After much consideration I noticed this guy looks a lot like Tobey McGuire with glasses and a beard

[@NostalgiaUnboxed]

You’ll be happy to know I customized my Tobey Maguire Spider-Man head from SHFiguarts to look like me. Lol

[@EpykkDyzastur]

I'm new and loving this channel!

[@NostalgiaUnboxed]

Oh thank you so much!

[@AndresDavidCalvache]

Glad you like this line! One of my favorites! Def get the mumra!

[@NostalgiaUnboxed]

He is coming soon! Heard good things!

[@Chalor.]

Cool man, which one? You got the Mattel one, the Super7 slightly changed up version, the glow-in-the-dark one...and of course the big ass Mumm-Ra the Ever Living version. Always had a soft spot for lil' hunched over decrepit Mumm-Ra cause I gathered all the required crap to send away to get the mail-away one from back in the day. Looking back, what a gamble all of that shit was. All those envelopes traveling around at any given moment with cash in 'em. And then the hope that someone's actually going to go through the trouble of opening up yours, then all the logistics with having the figure mailed to you. So man, in retrospects, I majorly applaud all those adult slave laborers that had to do all that.

[@resurrekt7338]

17:50. 😂 Lion-O just couldn't keep that pose another second!!

[@NostalgiaUnboxed]

Lol

[@moescatobotcollects]

I need to get this guy one day he looks glorious

[@NostalgiaUnboxed]

He really is! #ThanksMattel

[@moescatobotcollects]

@@NostalgiaUnboxed I have the Mattel version still but the paint apps on the super 7 version is so much better.

[@NostalgiaUnboxed]

@@moescatobotcollects watched some reviews of them being compared and you’re right

[@OfThePeopleForThePeople]

So I had the idea to spend £21.99 on a boba fett figure from hasbro, I thought it looked like a pretty cool figure to go on the shelf anyway it got delivered and it is soooo small so when I put it on the shelf you can hardly even see it so I'm probably not gonna buy from them again the promo shots on amazon made it look so big lol. 😂

[@NostalgiaUnboxed]

Is it smaller than the normal Hasbro figure of 6"?

[@OfThePeopleForThePeople]

@@NostalgiaUnboxed oh now that you say that I actually didn't look at the size I an idiot for perspective it's like the size if an average mans fumb meh atleast the details fine

[@BatmanEightnine]

I just don’t get how Super 7 justifies their $55 price point with pinned joints, single joints, sloppy paint, loose joints and limited articulation in general. Even though this looks better than their newer stuff, it still doesn’t seem worth $55 to me. Maybe $35.

[@NostalgiaUnboxed]

Totally agree! Have you watched the last few minutes of this one? I think the answer to why this one is good may be because it wasn’t them.

[@BatmanEightnine]

@@NostalgiaUnboxed they still manufactured it though right? I know Mattel did a run before super 7 got the license but I thought those were in different packaging. I know the Four Horsemen sculpted this but they still sculpt for S7 to this day. They didn’t actually manufacture the figure. Maybe I’m wrong but that’s always been my understanding of this line. I’ve followed it for a while because they look beautiful. Just have a hard time bringing myself to pay that $55 price tag for figures based on Mattel bucks lol.

[@NostalgiaUnboxed]

@@BatmanEightnine no idea who manufactured it. Would be very interesting to see. The rest of Super7 seems to be manufactured in a different place altogether, because this feels so much better. Different types of plastics or molds? I don’t know

[@Sparkykelly1]

I had both Lion-o and Tygra from Mattel. They were still carded but I just never bothered opened them so gave both a friend who is a massive Thundercats fan, and he loves them both. My issue with this fig is the alternative gauntlet. They look odd compared to the cartoony looking fig.

[@NostalgiaUnboxed]

So the alternative gauntlet is the smooth one that Super7 made. The realistic version came with Mattel. It’s a super odd choice to have a real looking one with an animated design. Glad you could help your friend out! Very kind

[@Chalor.]

Mattel never made a Tygra. They only produced seven ThunderCats. So not sure which one you're referring to, but pretty sure it's the Bandai 8" scale Lion-O and Tygra. Those were the only two they made in that line.

[@Sparkykelly1]

@@Chalor. I had to go back and check my pics. It was the Bandai figs. Still cool cooking figs. But less detailed than the Mattel ones. Weird they only made two 🤷🏻

[@nicolasgregory7207]

I'm quite a bit late on this video but I collect the Masterverse line and I absolutely LOVE Mattel's sculpts and articulation so I'm not surprised when you said they made that Lion-O. For me the Masterverse line is pinnacle when it comes to hiding pins and stuff though I know some people aren't fans of the thigh cuts. It doesn't bother me much. They've come a long way from when this figure was made.

[@NostalgiaUnboxed]

Never too late! Thanks for watching. I think it’s a nice figure and definitely wish they could have finished the line because their pricing was much better

[@redboone1509]

Never knew til the other day but Toybiz was going pinless with arms and legs in the 2001. It's a shame that alot of companies still do pins

[@NostalgiaUnboxed]

Wow, that’s older than I expected

[@resurrekt7338]

Lion-O sure loves staring at that book cover!! 😅

[@NostalgiaUnboxed]

A great story

[@ricardomachado6792]

I think all the Lion-Os came without plastic bags. Cause mine came without to . But all the other figures came with plastic bag. The sculpt is made by 4horseman , Super7 just reused the molde from Mattel.

[@NostalgiaUnboxed]

The bag thing is interesting. I wonder why that happened. They always crush it with sculpts

[@TheToyOdyssey]

Bryan Flynn said they’ll revisit the TC lines down the road with pinless joints.

[@NostalgiaUnboxed]

That would be great!!

[@DeAngryDan]

Honestly I think his body shouldn't be identical to He Man,he shouldn't be as bulky

[@NostalgiaUnboxed]

That’s very fair

[@diegogutierrez366]

Man this is a cool figure. Yes if they can go backwards but make it better. If that makes sense then it might be worth the pricetag they put on these. Hey love the double camera when your open ring and looking at the figure 👊🏽

[@NostalgiaUnboxed]

Thank you!! Trying to find more ways to utilize the third camera, but we’ll get there. Lol I can believe how great this figure is compared to Robin Hood

[@jamievaughn1485]

What were those stands you were using? They looked so good for crazy posing.

[@NostalgiaUnboxed]

Obitsu stands on Amazon. They are great for the price!

[@joec1060]

Hey, where'd you get that double clip stand lol? I need some

[@NostalgiaUnboxed]

Obitsu stand on Amazon. Great for the price and you can change the size and layout

[@gemininosaga]

I’m still thinking about getting it, since I got the mirror Lion O (the red one) and is pinless and I think the Lion O from Hook Mountain is also pinless, but we already have two regular Lion Os so I don’t know.

[@NostalgiaUnboxed]

Never too many Lion-Os I guess. Haha

[@LowellLucasJr.]

I got my hands on the lovely cheetara! If you haven't done a review on her yet, I'd recommend her highly! ❤

[@NostalgiaUnboxed]

If I can get ahold of her I will!! Glad you love it!

[@roah251]

I would say the “MUMMRA “ the ever living is the best one so far. You have to get that figure and do a review on that one ☝🏽

[@NostalgiaUnboxed]

That’s good to know! It will likely be on the next shipment in from my friend

[@AuthorFaizKing]

Actually, most of their ThunderCats figures are on par with Lion-O, with a few exceeding him. Grune, however, has the worst hip joints but he's an exception. I would be very curious to know how you would rate Mumm Ra, Jaga, Slithe, Monkion, Lynx-O, and so forth...

[@NostalgiaUnboxed]

I’ll review whatever I can get my hands on! Haha. Mmmm-ra was recorded yesterday, so that will eventually be available

[@PapiShank]

Which version is this, 1 or 2? And which version do you like best?

[@NostalgiaUnboxed]

I believe it’s version 1? I don’t even remember now what the difference was either. Haha. I forget my own videos after a week 😂 I’m sorry

[@SuperMarioBrosIII]

@@NostalgiaUnboxed Mirror Lion-O has pinless joints and ditto for Jaga. Speaking of Jaga... Ghost Jaga is coming soon from Super 7. 🤗🙏👍🙋

[@NostalgiaUnboxed]

@@SuperMarioBrosIII crazy!

[@MrKrushgutz]

Lion-O looks nothing like the cartoon version from the face

[@NostalgiaUnboxed]

Too realistic or what?

[@VIP-Princess]

Love the shirt where did u get it?

[@NostalgiaUnboxed]

Maybe Old Navy

[@jamesestrada82]

I’m looking to buy this action figure, and was wondering if anyone can tell me the difference between Version 1 & Version 2… Can’t find any info online.

[@NostalgiaUnboxed]

I have no idea

[@BlakeGildaphish76]

After seeing your Mumm-Ra review, i was compelled to give the series a try. i remember watching it with my dad in the 80s, but he was always more into it than i. i will say that i have always found the character designs attractive, especially now. The Thundercats figures that were released in recent years are gorgeous. True to the series. i'm still not into the actual show. i enjoy looking at it, but i'm not really watching it. .. Does that make sense to anyone?

[@NostalgiaUnboxed]

Makes total sense! I’m in the same boat minus having a dad that was worth mentioning hahaha

[@BlakeGildaphish76]

@@NostalgiaUnboxed i’m sorry

[@chrishaletattoos]

Makes me wonder if Mattel did the MOTU classics sculpts. The elbow pins are the same on the heman figure… hmmm

[@NostalgiaUnboxed]

Very interesting! If the figures aren’t crap then probably Mattel 😂

[@masonj4779]

Yes mattel did motu classics. Thundercats were done by mattel years ago. Super7 continued the line after mattel stopped. 4 horsemen studios did the sculpts for motu classics and thundercats.

[@dannycruz5446]

Either version of Lion-O was okay but, hes a little too stubby and squat (legs should be a little longer, hes supposed to be 6'7" in the cartoon),the paint on the belt is among the sloppiest ive seen for a mass produced figure & the colors are not as saturated as they are in super 7's promo pics (and in the cartoon). I think the later releases (with Slythe, Monkian and maybe Jaga being standouts) were superior.

[@NostalgiaUnboxed]

I need to get my hands on the other releases. He certainly isn’t as saturated as he seems on camera. Super7 promo pics are like ordering a hamburger from McDonald’s. The picture is nothing like what you actually get. Haha!

[@SuperMarioBrosIII]

@@NostalgiaUnboxed 🍔🍟🥤🥧

[@NostalgiaUnboxed]

@@SuperMarioBrosIII wut

[@stoptominate]

The giant joint pins are def one of the weakest link of this figure. That's insane, I had no idea it was a remake from Mattel so lame lol.

[@NostalgiaUnboxed]

Yeah, it’s crazy! I can forgive the pins since it’s Mattel, but I can’t forgive the laziness of Super7

[@stoptominate]

@@NostalgiaUnboxed I'm probably gonna end up reselling my super 7 fig 😵

[@NostalgiaUnboxed]

@@stoptominate get rid of all Super7 lol

[@stoptominate]

@@NostalgiaUnboxed haha yep!!!🎄🎄🎄🎄

[@kalobhunt9001]

Dang I haven’t noticed anyone else’s having the seems so bad and noticeable. Maybe that isn’t a wide spread problem super 7 seems like they got lazy really quick.

[@NostalgiaUnboxed]

Yeah, I’m sure it’s just a random bad one, but it’s pretty rough. Haha

[@bravestarr1987]

Ya these figures are pretty good. The later ones are kinda “meh” but then when they started getting in to the waves with larger characters like Slithe and Mumm-Ra I was really impressed with those guys. So, it’s hit and miss. Tygra is a shit show. lol

[@NostalgiaUnboxed]

I wonder if Mattel had molds and stuff for waves that they didn’t make before sending everything to Super7. I need to get my hands on a bad and great Thundercat! Thanks for the comment!

[@bravestarr1987]

@@NostalgiaUnboxed I think the only ones Mattel made were Lion-O, Panthro, Devil Priest Mumm-Ra, Jackalman, Pummyra, and the Thunder kittens but those were SDCC exclusives. If you wanna compare good and bad, keep the Lion-O and grab a Tygra.

[@NostalgiaUnboxed]

@@bravestarr1987 I gotta send this back to my friend, but I have heard so many bad things about Tygra

[@SuperMarioBrosIII]

@@NostalgiaUnboxed Invisible Tygra is coming soon exclusively at BBTS! 😉🙏👏🕵

[@kalobhunt9001]

Yes the thundercats have to hands down be there best line. Idk why they nail thundercats so good but they do. Have you seen the thunder tank they are making looks amazing

[@NostalgiaUnboxed]

That thing is massive! Who has that kind of space?? Haha I hear lots of awful things about Tygra, so I would love to get my hands on a full collection to see everything

[@kalobhunt9001]

@@NostalgiaUnboxed yes and very expensive

[@dark5cythe545]

Thats a mattel figure. duh.

[@NostalgiaUnboxed]

Unfortunately! I was really thinking Super7 pulled off a nice figure. Nope

[@EpykkDyzastur]

@@NostalgiaUnboxed Some of the Super 7 stuff looks good (from afar). It’s another one of those companies that you really wanna like their product *cough.. Hasbro*, but if you have specific tastes, they’re probably not going to meet your expectations. *Hack… Hasbro! Ahem.*

[@NostalgiaUnboxed]

@@EpykkDyzastur man, if that’s not exactly how I feel. Haha

[@masonj4779]

There are 2 versions of this lion-o figure. The first was done by mattel years ago. The quality was so much better. Super7 took over the license after mattel stopped and like everything else with super7 the quality went to crap. This figure in the review is the super7 edition and is a far lesser quality figure than the mattel counterpart. And yes I have both so……..

[@NostalgiaUnboxed]

Interesting. I watched a couple reviews after I recorded mine to see what the “version 1” was. They often compared it to the Mattel version with little differences

[@SuperMarioBrosIII]

@@NostalgiaUnboxed The eyes for example on the Matty versions were a little bigger! 👁

[@miragexl007]

Got it. Curious. I have Mattel and wondered about this. Like the acc. But mam 50 bucks