Man-at-Arms

SUMMARY:

Man-at-Arms, the “masters of weapons,” was produced in Taiwan, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Mexico (Aurimat), Venezuela, Argentina, Spain, India, and France. This figure has a removable harness, leg armor, arm armor, and a mace weapon. Like most vintage figures, it has a twisting punch action. 

The Los Amos Man-at-Arms is characterized by intense blue helmet and belt colors, vibrant yellow highlights in the helmet, and pale, dark green skin tones. All accessories are marked Hong Kong and range from dark to medium orange, depending on the variant. The Los Amos MAA accessories are opaque and more rigid than Taiwan or Hong Kong MAA accessories as well.  

The Aurimat Man-at-Arms was released in the first year of the Los Amos del Universo production (1984). The figure uses the Hong Kong molds and is marked © Mattel. Inc. 1981, while the accessories are all marked HONG KONG © Mattel. Inc. 1981. The weapon is marked HONG KONG. The accessories on the first release are an intense dark orange, and the right hand has a ridge for better weapons handling. 

Two years later (1986), the torso mold was updated, and it now says © Mattel. Inc. 1981 MEXICO. The figure no longer has a ridge in the right hand, and the accessories are now a lighter orange, yet they still retain the same HONG KONG © Mattel. Inc. 1981 markings.

The Los Amos (1984) release MAA can sometimes be confused with the Hong Kong MAA at first glance. You can quickly tell them apart by closely examining the color differences. Intense blue helmet vs. pale blue HK helmet, dark pale green body vs light green body on the HK, etc… The markings on the HK MAA say Mattel Inc. 1983 (as opposed to 1981 on the Los Amos), and it has no hand bump. Another key difference is that Los Amos Man-at-Arms are soft heads. The Hong Kong MAAs are hard or semi-hard heads. 

DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS:
1. Pale green skin tones
2. Dark red boots
3. Intense blue helmet, vibrant yellow highlights in the helmet
4. Hand callus on the first release

1984 RELEASE:
(Hand ridge, intense orange accessories)
MARKED: © Mattel. Inc. 1981
HARNESS: HONG KONG (Batch no. 11)
ARM ARMOR: HONG KONG (Batch no. 10)
LEG ARMOR: HONG KONG (Batch no. 12)
MACE: HONG KONG (Batch no. 9)

1986 RELEASE:
(No hand ridge, lighter orange-yellow accessories)
MARKED: © Mattel. Inc. 1984 MEXICO
HARNESS: HONG KONG (Batch no. 11)
ARM ARMOR: HONG KONG (Batch no. 10)
LEG ARMOR: HONG KONG (Batch no. 12)
MACE: HONG KONG (Batch no. 9)