Madsaki Masters of the Universe Skeletor Mattel Creations Preorder
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The Mattel Creations Madsaki Skeletor goes up for preorder on April 29 2022 at 9am PST in all his neon glory!
Going for preorder soon is the most one of a kind version of Skeletor we have ever seen! Mattel has invited back acclaimed artist Madsaki to continue his MOTU sculpture series. You might remember that, in 2021, Madsaki and Mattel Creations teamed up to create an exclusive Madsaki x Masters of the Universe HE-MAN and BATTLE CAT figures. In his own flair, he put his signature style on the Ultimate Evil of Eternia — Skeletor! According to Mattel, this limited-edition sculpture is a true statement piece featuring the vivid neon color scheme and spray-painted face that defines Madsaki’s style.
This neon bright interpretation of the Lord of Darkness stands at 11.8 inches and is in sharp contrast to any version of Skeletor we have seen before. The unique color scheme features a neon pink hood, chest armor, and havoc staff, which compliments the blue skin really nicely! The neon greens adorn his loin cloth and only 1/2 of his boots, which is a fascinating design direction. The only splash of neon orange is on his loin armor and, surprisingly, all of these colors go very well together. As for the face paint app, we see an open mouth version of Skeletor with some smatterings of neon pinks and runny blacks.
In addition to the figure, you also get a set of prints that are, according to Mattel, are in the ultimate ‘80s style of Madsaki and MOTU, which is based on his on his signature acrylic and aerosol on canvas style) featuring Madsaki’s signature colors and flair. The first print is a classic action scene featuring He-Man and Man-At-Arms squaring off against Skeletor and Beast Man, which can be found on the vintage comic and the second print shows Skeletor attacking He-Man with his special Terror Claws, paying homage to the mini comic that was packed with Terror Claws Skeletor.
If you don’t know the backstory on Madsaki, Mattel provided some information:
Renowned Contemporary Artist Madsaki holds a special place in his heart for Masters of the Universe. When he first moved to America, the OG cartoon helped him learn English while the ‘80s animation helped fuel his artistic imagination.
“It’s filled with my childhood memories of being surrounded by beloved toys, as well as my respect for the culture that has greatly influenced me,” said Madsaki.
His first collaboration with Mattel Creations culminated in this epic He-Man and Battle Cat sculpture that was so awesome, he had to come back for another sculpture.
Mattel Creations
Mattel was very proud to see just how much Masters of the Universe influenced the art of MADSAKI and the artist himself. When he was a young boy, MADSAKI’s family moved him from Japan to the U.S. He watched the cartoons so often that He-Man actually had a hand in teaching him the English language. The bright Day-Glo colors also made an impression on MADSAKI, as evidenced in this collection. When he visited the Mattel Design Center, he was completely overwhelmed and called it a creative wonderland because he was surrounded by all the toys he remembers from his childhood. This partnership was a dream come true for MADSAKI and Mattel.
A graduate of New York City’s Parsons School of Design (BFA, 1996), MADSAKI was born in Osaka, Japan, and raised in New Jersey, USA – experiences between two cultures that formed his aesthetics and personality. While much of MADSAKI’s work centers on his interest in art history and critiquing mass culture with references to slang, movies and manga characters, the artist has recently been exploring more personal, intimate topics. To express this visually, MADSAKI developed a signature style using spray paint as a fine art medium, stemming from the fact that he has never participated in illegal graffiti on the streets. The artist is particularly known for his Wannabie’s series, which at first glance humorously targets old masters, yet their deeper meaning is a reoccurring theme that can be found throughout MADSAKI’s artistic practice – an attempt to use laughter and humor as both distraction and therapy for his internal turmoil.
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Where to Buy
The Madsaki version of Skeletor might give the 200x “disco Skeletor” a run for its money. Speaking of which, this visually loud version of Skeletor goes up for preorder on Thursday, April 29 2022 at 9am PST and will set you back $400! Preorders are found on the Mattel Creations webiste when the countdown timer hits zero!
