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Review of Snout Spout
Masters of the Universe Classics action figure

Mattel
Date Published:
Written By:
Overall Average Rating: 3.5 out of 4

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MOTUC Snout Spout action figure by Mattel

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Introduction

I'm always amused by really silly, obvious names that some people come up with for characters. Let's face it, George Lucas is the master of this, but the various product managers for Master of the Universe have been plenty guilty as well.

Case in point, this month's Masters of the Universe Classics release is 'Snout Spout'. Yea, he's an elephant with a snout...that he uses as a spout, since he's a firefighter.

I'm not a big fan of the old series, but he seems to be fairly unique to me, being a male character that is NOT a warrior by trade. As a cyborg with a mechanical elephant head, he puts out fires by spraying water (stored on his back in a red pack) through his large nose.

The 80's toy actually had a water spraying feature, but that's been dropped here. Hose Nose was the November release from Matty Collector, where he cost you the usual $20 plus shipping. He's sold out now, but you can pick him up at a couple places online, listed in the Where to Buy section.

Up next on December 15th is Demo-man and the Wind Raider. Mark your calendars now to avoid the embarrassment of explaining to your fellow MOTU geeks how you forgot all about it.

MOTUC Snout Spout action figure by Mattel

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Packaging - ***1/2
Nothing new here, but why mess with something that works? The retro style packaging looks great, keeps the figures safe, and doesn't block too much of the view. There's the usual bio info on the back as well, for those interested in this guy's back story.

MOTUC Snout Spout action figure by Mattel

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Sculpting - ***1/2
We know full well that the Four Horseman can do great anthropomorphic elephants, but this time around it's a mechanical head sculpt, not an animal one.

That doesn't slow down the FH from doing another great job, bringing out the various mechanical parts nicely, including the rivets and connectors. Something about the design is very 80's to me, and yet it's a huge improvement over the original.

The snout is a softer rubber, allowing the wire inside to bend and hold positions. Yea, it's a tad phallic. Okay, it's a lot more than a tad, and if you display this one at work, expect the other 'adults' to have great fun putting it in awkward x-rated poses for you to find.

Both hands are sculpted to hold the accessories and work well, and the figure stands great on his own. Remember, these are close to a 7" scale, with Spout coming in just over that mark.

MOTUC Snout Spout action figure by Mattel

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Paint - ***
There isn't a ton of paint work here, but the few details that are added are generally good.

The eyes are particularly clean, and the yellow and black striped combination makes me think of the signs you see in industrial workplaces.

While most of the work is decent, there's a bit more slop on the black rivets than I think is necessary, pulling the score down a bit.

Articulation - ****
The body has the same articulation we've seen with every MOTUC figure - ball jointed shoulders and hips, pen elbows, knees and ankles, cut wrists, boot tops and waist, and an ab crunch. The costume does not restrict these joints in any way, and while rocker feet would be a nice addition, what's here works extremely well.

I'm bumping him up slightly this time due to two factors. First, his ball jointed neck has an exceptional range of movement this time, with lots of tilting in every direction. Even with the heavy trunk, it holds most positions.

Which brings us to the trunk - the bendy trunk. The soft rubber has a wire inside, allowing you to get it into a variety of poses. Thank God for that, since it's the only way to break free from the rather phallic look of the nose.

It's also worth noting that his ears move forward and backward slightly. It's not a deal maker or breaker, but it is a nice extra touch.

MOTUC Snout Spout action figure by Mattel

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Accessories - ***1/2
Remember, this guy is a fire fighter, and his accessories are intended to save more than slaughter. Ironically enough, he can also use them to kick Skeletor's ass.

He has his fireman's ax, complete with a U shaped end on the handle. This can be used to trap an opponent's hand in battle, or as a brace to hold up and aim his big nose. Kid's are more likely to find it useful in the former context. The sculpt is great, but the basic silver color with no additional paint work is a bit disappointing.

He also comes with his own mini version of the jaws of life. These can be used to pry open car doors, lift heavy timbers...or more likely, clamp around the neck of a member of the Evil Horde.

The red backpack and gray harness are also removable, so counting them as additional accessories wouldn't be out of reach. Mine also came with a large sticker sheet, outside of the normal package but inside the mailer box. I'm assuming they all came with this, and it might be useful for your display depending on how you have things set up.

MOTUC Snout Spout action figure by Mattel

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Fun Factor - ****
Masters of the Universe Classics are fun toys - well made, sturdy, great sculpts, excellent accessories, everything you want in an action figure. It still never ceases to amaze me that these are some of the very best toys (not collectibles) being produced by Mattel right now, and kids will never see them.

Value - **1/2
I've grown less annoyed by the $20 price tag on these, but that might just be because they are wearing me down over time. The two accessories plus the cool bendy trunk make up a bit for it this time around.

MOTUC Snout Spout action figure by Mattel

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Things to Watch Out For -
While the bendy trunk seems pretty sturdy, I'd still take a little care. I remember breaking the wire in plenty of bendy toys when I was younger (I'm looking at you, Major Matt Mason!), and with enough posing I bet it could happen here too.

Overall - ***1/2
I wasn't a big fan of the silly looking Leech, but this animal cyborg gets back to what I consider the best design elements of the series. Starting with the basic body, the FH have created an interesting and unique character that fits in well with the mythos of the series. Even when you see these guys on the shelf, Snout Spout is going to be a stand out.

Score Recap (out of ****):
Packaging - ***1/2
Sculpting - ***1/2
Paint - ***
Articulation - ****
Accessories - ***1/2
Fun Factor - ****
Value - **1/2
Overall - ***1/2

MOTUC Snout Spout action figure by Mattel

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Where to Buy 
Matty Collector was the place to pick this guy up originally, but you have a couple options now:

- is selling him for $32.

- or you can search ebay for a deal.

Related Links -
I've covered lots of MOTUC figures:

- seems like just yesterday that I reviewed the October release of Icarius.

- prior to that was Leech, who didn't do a whole lot for me.

- the large Megator was a bit more to my liking, and similar to him is the giant Tytus.

- other figures include Clawful, the Faceless One, CatraSy-KloneKing Hssss, VikorBuzz OffGrizzlorRobotoGygorChief CarnivusWhiplashOrko, Count MarzoShe-RaOptikkEvil-LynMoss ManTrap JawAdoraScare glowTeelaMan-at-armsHordak, ZodacFaker, Mer-man, Stratos, WebstorTri-klops, and starting out with He-man, Skeletor and Beastman together in one review.

- I also covered Battle Cat and  Panthor, the big kitties.

- check out the cool MOTUC Display stands.

- I've also looked at the cool custom swords and shields you can get from SpyMonkey Creations.

You should also hit the Search Reviews page, in case any other applicable reviews were done after this one was published.

Discussion:
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MOTUC Snout Spout action figure by Mattel

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This product was purchased for the review by the reviewer. Photos and text by Michael Crawford.

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