Man-e-Faces

The Leo India Man-e-Faces is a particularly intriguing release. Its strong tendency to color shift over time makes it challenging to distinguish true factory variations from later discolorations.

The arms are often cited as the most notable differentiating feature of the Leo version. While carded examples indicate they were molded in blue originally, loose figures frequently show arms that have shifted to gray or tan. Similarly, the head knob and face highlights, which appear magenta from the factory, often fade or transform into a bright pink tone.

The shorts also show the same instability, shifting toward gray hues. Even the blues on the legs and helmet are prone to variation—ranging from very light to very dark tones—making it difficult to determine whether the factory color was a mid-blue or if all examples have shifted over time.

The mold itself remains consistent across all examples. Every Leo Man-e-Faces carries the © MATTEL INC. 1982 INDIA marking, and comes with the characteristic dark red blaster stamped INDIA.