the difference between an action figure and a doll?

[Extrocomp]

What is the different between an action figure and a doll? I know that the term 'action figure' was invented to sell dolls to boys, but action figures seem to have evolved beyond that. When I look at a toy I know whether it's an action figure or a doll but I can't explain exactly how I know.

Is it that a doll has hair but an action figure doesn't? No, a lot of male dolls don't have hair.

Is it that dolls are 12 inches tall but action figures are 3-7 inches tall? No, there are plenty of action figures that are 12 inches tall.

Is it that dolls have real clothes but action figures have plastic clothes? No, a lot of action figures have clothes, especially the larger ones.

Is it that dolls always have the same goofy smile. No, only Mattel dolls are like that.

Is it that action figures represent violent characters or characters who associate with violent characters? Maybe.

Or is it something about the packaging?


What do you guys think?

 

[Trekker4747]

Dolls you dress up, do hair and play house/family with.

Action figures you put a gun in his hand and send him off to do action.

Yes, "action figure" is mostly a marketing term to sell "dolls" to boys, but the differences between an "action figure" and a "doll" are quite significant.

 

[JonathonWally]

Does Barbie come with "Kung Fu Grip"?

 

[Trekker4747]

Does Barbie come with "Kung Fu Grip"?

The X-Rated one does.

 

[captcalhoun]

action figures aren't just male. cf. Scarlett, Lady Jaye, Jinx, The Baroness, Zarana, Assajj Ventress et al.

an action figure is a toy, not a doll: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toy_Biz_v._United_States

 

[Caligula]

Does Barbie come with "Kung Fu Grip"?

The X-Rated one does.

 

[ManOnTheWave]

It's marketing pure and simple. Barbies are for playing house. Cool Girls are for kicking butt and blowing stuff up. Both are 1/6 scale female figures with soft goods outfits.

 

[Mistral]

I always thought an action figure was anatomically correct while a doll was smooth as a baby's bottom in "those places". Unless the doll is inflatable, of course.

 

[JoeZhang]

Action figures represent the masculine and the external (construction, war, transportation), doll represent the feminine and the home (cooking, cleaning, furniture).

 

[Trekker4747]

I always thought an action figure was anatomically correct while a doll was smooth as a baby's bottom in "those places". Unless the doll is inflatable, of course.

Not to mention has bodily porportions of an absurd man's fantasy.

 

[Kira's Mom]

Every doll history and doll making book I've ever read (and I've read MANY, as I both collect and make dolls) says that a doll is any toy that resembles a human. So there's no real difference. It's just a marketing thing. My dad said that growing up in the 1940s he never played with action figures- he had dolls (soldiers and sailors).

 

[JonathonWally]

I always thought an action figure was anatomically correct while a doll was smooth as a baby's bottom in "those places". Unless the doll is inflatable, of course.

Not to mention has bodily porportions of an absurd man's fantasy.

Woman, Barbie was created by a woman.

 

[Trekker4747]

I always thought an action figure was anatomically correct while a doll was smooth as a baby's bottom in "those places". Unless the doll is inflatable, of course.

Not to mention has bodily porportions of an absurd man's fantasy.

Woman, Barbie was created by a woman.

Yes.

And modeled to be an abusurd man's fantasy woman.

 

[Casi]

I always thought an action figure was something that had "action" capabilities. Like kung fu grip and or kicking or comes with guns or tools or something that is action related. To be honest, nowadays, I don't think we have a lot of actual "dolls" left. We have Barbie...but she's kind of a beast all her own isn't she? The only "dolls" I remember seeing the last time I was at the store were the High School Musical ones. I don't think a microphone really constitues aciton, you know? But then I go over to the boys aisle and see two things that really drove this home for me.

On one side of the aisle, there was an Uhura doll. She was a doll. She was about the size of a barbie, and she was in a box all by her lonesome. Then, on the other side of the aisle, there was an Uhura action figure. She came with a phaser and some other little bits and bobs and came with a fancy "small parts" warning. She was action related. Hence, action figure.

That's just how I always thought of it.

 

[Extrocomp]

Hmm, so the same character can be a doll or an action figure. That really messes everything up. So what was the defining characterstic that made one Uhura toy an action figure and the other, a doll? Not all action figures come with weapons and some can be as tall as a Barbie. Some action figures don't have any accessories at all and plenty of dolls have "small parts".

I've come across a strange phenomenon the other day. Barbie and Ken were in a box disguised as Mulder and Scully. Mulder and Scully are action characters, yet Barbie and Ken are dolls.

The Edward Cullen toy can only be called an action figure, even though it's marketed to girls. It is 7 inches tall, has no hair, has plastic clothes and has a realistic expression.

Here's an idea: if a toy with plastic clothes is always an action figure but a toy with clothes can be an action figure only if it has weapons.

 

[Casi]

Okay. I went ahead and did the obvious thing. Here's what the dictionary says:

Doll-a small figure representing a baby or other human being, esp. for use as a child's toy.

Action Figure-a toy doll representing a person or fictional character known for heroic or superheroic feats

I feel like I'm taking the SATs here. "If all action figures are dolls and some dolls are action figures..." know what I mean?

 

[MeanJoePhaser]

Action figures are essentially poseable toy soldiers (and the like...cops, firemen, heroes, etc). Dolls are evil constructs used to brainwash girls into socially correct behaviour.

 

[Casi]

Action figures are essentially poseable toy soldiers (and the like...cops, firemen, heroes, etc). Dolls are evil constructs used to brainwash girls into socially correct behaviour.

I dunno about all that. Haven't you heard that Barbie's getting a tattoo? Two in fact. One is..unfortunately...a tramp stamp. But the other is almost tasteful.

 

[Kimi3013]

My thinking is that dolls are the ones which you can dress up, as in you can strip and end‘ up with a pile of clothes and a naked person. Action figures you can't strip, as they've got clothes pained onto the plastic body.

That makes things like GI Joe and ActionMan 12" dolls, but you 7" Batman an action figure.

 

[Casi]

Yeah, cause I got to thinking. Before we said that action figures were different because they included non human characters. But that means that barbie now has to be an action figure because of all the fairies, mermaids, horses, pets, and all that jazz.

But I disagree that GI Joe is a doll because he comes with that awsome kick action or kung fu grip which is clearly an action figure quality.