Rulers of the Sun 3-Pack MOTU Origins Hands on Review
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The MOTU Origins Rulers of the Sun 3-Pack is hitting Target with a force and we have a hands on review of all 3 figures plus their standard release figures to feast your eyes on!
Leaked back on April 28, 2022, the Rulers of the Sun 3-Pack is finally hitting Target shelves. This is an exclusive set to Target, you can now find these in stores or, if you can catch the preorder on the Target website, you can order it there too! The set comes with the flat top version (which was v2 from the vintage line), a jazzed up version of Pig-Head with some metallic paint apps, like the Mattel Creations Sun-Man, and a brand new figure, Space Sumo so let’s check them out!
This Rulers of the Sun 3-Pack come packed with repaints, a new head sculpt for Sun-Man, and Space Sumo, who will also be getting the Mattel Creations treatment. Pig-Head is the only figure with the metallic paint app so it’s safe to assume that Space Sumo will be getting this treatment when he goes up for preorder!
Rulers of the Sun Box and Art
The box art is always amazing and Roy Juarez did a bang up job creating a cool scene where Pig-Head is on the defensive as he fends off Sun-Man and Space Sumo!
It is great to see the box art sporting the 40th anniversary logo and to see how the colors came out on the box itself.
The digital renders for the art were released back on July 29, 2022 by Roy Juarez, MOTU illustrator extraordinaire. The illustration in the lower right image was a mystery as to where this would be integrated into the set but we now find out that the 3 illustrations are special cards that come with each figure, which you can see below for each reviewed figure.
Sun-Man
Let’s take a look at the main Hero himself, Sun-Man! Compared to Sun-Man version 1, he has more serious head sculpt and a flat-top hair style. Some may say they prefer this head sculpt over the version 1 head. Here again Version 2 comes with the same sun shield, Sword of Light, and signature yellow wings! Chest armor, boots, shorts and red bracers are all the same as version 1. And again, he too closely reassembles his vintage counterpart as you can see from the image below.
Sun-Man version 2 is a direct repaint of Sun-Man version 1 with no special treatments to the paint apps. Just a head sculpt update for this 3-Pack and you have a more serious Sun-Man to take on his arch enemy Pig-Head.
Sun-Man Card
Instead of a mini comic, which came with the standard release, the 3-Pack comes with a thick, cardboard card that is the same size as the mini comic with some special illustrations and writing. Sun-Man’s says:
“Sun-Man’s magical melanin skin gives him unequaled, unlimited, and special super strength. He cannot be cut, burned, bruised, broken, or pierced in his fight for fairness and equality throughout the Universe. Sun Power!”
Head Sculpt
Sun-Man’s head sculpt featured the flat top version and they did a great job giving his hair some style on the sides, the top, and back. The way the hair moves looks likes it’s flowing and we love the way to comes together in the back.
Weapons and Accessories
Sun Man comes with his signature Sword of Light and his shield that features greens, reds, and yellows that tie in with his figure.
MOTU Origins Comparison
Here is a side by side look at the Sun-Man version 1 and version 2 figures! The version 1 figure looks more like an adolescent or the two could be brothers…who knows! If you want to double your pleasure and double your fun, you think of the two figures coexisting in the same universe.
Masterverse Comparison
The Masterverse version of Sun-Man has the same flat top hair style but is WAY more detailed given it is in the 6″ scale.
MOTU Origins Weapons and Accessories Comparisons
The only difference between the version 1 accessories is that they gave Sun-Man’s shield, in this 3-Pack, a shinier paint app for the yellow sun. The Sword of Light appears to be same although if there is a different in the paint app we can’t see it.
Pig-Head
Pig-Head is the nemesis of Sun-Man. Pig Head has an interesting green skin color, boar like tusks protruding from his mouth and a big pig-like snout for a nose. He wears a teal-colored helmet with pink horns, pink wrist bracers, teal colored chest, burgundy chest strap and matching burgundy belt with red accents. This is great to bring variety to the group, as MOTU fans are fond of creature like characters, so he fits in nicely! Again, he too matches his vintage counter-part in classic origins fashion
Pig-Head is a very interesting character in the Rulers of the Sun, as he is the only non-humanoid beast-like creature in the group.
Pig Head Card
Pig-Head also has a card to go along with him, and it reads:
Banished to the shadows by the Rulers of the Sun, the once handsome but cruel Prince Zegor obsesses over stealing the rays of the First Sun. For wit the harnessed energy of the First Sun, he can rule a galaxy consumed by darkness.
Head Sculpt
Pig-Head features the exact same head sculpt as version 1 but we compare the two below so stay tuned! Pig Head’s head sculpt looks fabulous and matches almost exactly to the vintage figure. He is wearing a teal helmet with light purple-colored horns. He has a very pig like face in a lime green color with a huge snout and tusk coming out of either side of his face. On the right side he has one tusk and on the let there are two. His face has some nice detailed sculpted into it which help bring out the pig-like features in his face. He has piercing yellow eyes with beady little red pupils.
Upper Body
Pig-Head’s chest is made of the standard Origins buck in a teal-colored plastic with the metallic finish. His chest and back design are the simple muscular torso that is common to most of the Origins figures. He is wearing a burgundy-colored spiked chest strap that clasps on the right side. The spikes wrap around the front and back and look just like the vintage Pig Head action figure.
Lower Body
His shorts are interesting as they are of a light-yellow color but look like they have a scaly texture, unlike the loin cloths of the rest of the MOTU gang. He wears teal colored boots with pink furry tops and these were also given the special metallic looking paint app treatment.
Weapons and Accessories
Pig-Head is wielding a teal spiked mace and pink and teal colored shield and both of this accessories have been given a special paint app treatment.
Pig-Head Geared Up
Pig-Head looks great all geared up and ready for battle!
Single Card Release Comparisons
Since this is the second release of Pig-Head, you might be wondering if you should get this 3-Pack so we’ve provide comparison images to help you make a decision.
Head Sculpt
The only difference, aside from the metallic paint app on the helmet, is Pig-Head’s irises seem a lot larger, which is a nice change. The back of the helmet looks great as it reflects the light!
Bracers and Boots
The bracers and furry boots are also the same but you can see how the paint app really pops on the figure.
Skin
Just as Pig-Head’s accessories and MOTU wears got the royal treatment, so did his skin and he looks great!
Weapons and Accessories
The mace and shield also got this special paint app and they even added some extra pink detail in a ring around the middle of the shield!
Space Sumo
Space Sumo is a fairly simple looking character, wearing black chest armor, black belt with green diamond, red shorts, red and teal wrist bracers with the same green diamonds as the belt, and red boots with green toes. He carries a silver ninja sword, which is pretty cool looking.
Space Sumo Card
Space Sumo’s card reads:
“Destiny called an unsuspecting Akira Tanaka, passing down the legacy and powers of the telekinetic hero, Space Sumo. With the combined might, knowledge, and willpower of the greatest fights in history, he protects Trexfixa.
With the official images of Space Sumo revealed back in February 2022, it was a toss up whether he would come with a removable mask but it looks like they added one to match the vintage figure, which is great! All of the Rulers of the Sun heroes comes with the same buck, bracers, waist pieces, and boots and it is really the colors and the chest armor that differentiates them.
Head Sculpt
Space Sumo features and all familiar head sculpt as this is the same head has Sun-Man version two, just a different color.
It’s quick amazing that the figure can look so different with just a skin tone change but he looks great!
Upper Body
Space Sumo’s upper body features a chest harness with a black diamond pattern and a scabbard to hold his sword.
Lower Body
His lower body features a teal, black, and red paint app and uses the same parts as the other Rulers of the Sun figures.
Weapons and Accessories
Space Sumo comes with a silver sword (that might look eerily familiar) and a mask that fits nicely over his head.
If you think you’ve seen this sword before, you are right! It’s none other than Jitsu’s sword but cast in silver. Comes to think of it, there are not many new and unique parts to the Rulers of the Sun line with all of the parts reuse.
Photography Fun
Where to Buy
You can preorder (and purchase) the Rulers of the Sun 3-Pack at Target!
Be sure to check out our MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE SHOP PAGES! You can find links to your favorite retailers for all your favorite MOTU figures all in one convenient place!
