Updated August 17, 2022 5.6k votes 1k voters 74.8k views
List Rules
Vote up the most troubling toys.
Whether you played with them as a kid or collect them as an adult, toy action figures bring up intense nostalgia and sometimes become highly collectible. Because of their broad appeal, it's no surprise that more than a few action figures have come under scrutiny over the years.
Take a look through this list of action figures, spanning from the 1980s through the 2020s, and let us know which ones you think are the most controversial.
Austin Powers Was Too ‘Horny’ To Be Sold In Toys 'R' Us
In 1999, a mom in Atlanta, GA, was appalled when her 11-year-old daughter asked her what "horny" meant while they were at a Toys "R" Us. The girl had come across an Austin Powers doll that uttered the spy's famous catchphrase, "Do I make you horny, baby? Do I?" As it turns out, these dolls were only meant to be sold in record stores and novelty shops rather than to children.
Toys "R" Us said a mistake had been made and quickly pulled the dolls, which only wore underwear and had the signature hairy chest, from toy shelves.
'Breaking Bad' Action Figures Came With Their Own Crystal Meth
A Florida mom started a Change.org petition to have Breaking Bad action figures removed from Toys "R" Us stores in 2014. The Walter White and Jesse Pinkman action figures both included a blue crystal that was believed to be a representation of the crystal meth made on the show.
Bryan Cranston jokingly tweeted about the petition, "I'm so mad, I'm burning my Florida Mom action figure in protest."
A ‘Tarzan’ Toy Looked Like He Was Pleasuring Himself
"Rad Repeatin' Tarzan" came with a special feature that made his right arm rapidly move up and down. Because of the angle and closed shape of the action figure's hand, it looked like he was just trying to have some private time.
The toy was even featured on The Ellen Show to poke fun at its unfortunate design.
Black Widow Was Replaced By Captain America For A Toy Set Based On A Scene Only She Was In
When Hasbro released its line of action figures for Avengers: Age of Ultron in 2015, fans were quick to notice the absence of Black Widow. One toy set featured the airplane that Black Widow launches out of while riding a motorcycle, which was based on a popular scene from the movie.
However, the Hasbro version featured Captain America riding the motorcycle, even though he didn't appear in the scene. Both fans and critics saw Black Widow's erasure as sexist.
‘Star Wars: The Force Awakens’ Toys Didn’t Include The Main Character, Rey
When action figures were released for 2016's Star Wars: The Force Awakens, fans immediately noticed that main character Rey was nowhere to be found. Hasbro had reportedly been told not to make a Rey action figure, since boys are less likely to play with female action figures.
Hasbro tried to smooth things over by saying a Rey action figure would have led to spoilers for the film.
Toys 'R' Us Sold Serial Killer ‘Dexter’ Action Figures
Toys "R" Us was criticized in 2010 for selling an action figure based on the title character from the TV show Dexter. The toy included an apron, bloody gloves, and a handsaw, which critics said was too violent for children.
Toys "R" Us pointed out that the box clearly said the toy was "18+" and sat on a high shelf out of children's reach.
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