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Mego Micronauts toys

Contributed by Florian Hardwig on Aug 18th, 2021. Artwork published in
circa 1976
.
    The Interchangeable World of Micronauts catalog, 1976.
    Source: www.flickr.com Mikey Walters. License: All Rights Reserved.

    The Interchangeable World of Micronauts catalog, 1976.

    The logotype and packaging design for Micronauts is one of the more prominent in-use examples of the Yagi typeface series, apart from its use in modified form for the logos of Sega (1976) and CNN (1980). From Wikipedia:

    Micronauts was a North American science fiction toyline manufactured and marketed by Mego from 1976 to 1980. The Micronauts toyline was based on and licensed from the Microman toyline created by Japanese-based toy company Takara in 1974.

    While the names of the action figures, vehicles and other accompanying items are set in Yagi Double, the Micronauts logo is based on the solid Yagi Bold, in yellow on black, with an added motion blur effect. Several of Yagi’s alternate glyphs were used to link letter pairs, and unnecessary joining strokes in N and U were removed. When used in black and white – and also in some other applications – the logo is set in Yagi Double, with alternates, but without further edits. Antique Olive is the brand’s main text typeface. It serves for the slogan “The Interchangeable World of the”, but also for descriptions and other typography on the boxes.

    Micronaut Phobos box, 1977.
    Source: www.ebay.com ZapWow. License: All Rights Reserved.

    Micronaut Phobos box, 1977.

    Micronauts Microtron box (top), 1976.
    Source: www.flickr.com Mikey Walters. License: All Rights Reserved.

    Micronauts Microtron box (top), 1976.

    Micronauts Giant Acroyear box, 1977.
    Source: www.ebay.com finding_fun. License: All Rights Reserved.

    Micronauts Giant Acroyear box, 1977.

    Micronauts Galactic Cruiser box, 1976.
    Source: www.ebay.com ft88. License: All Rights Reserved.

    Micronauts Galactic Cruiser box, 1976.

    Micronauts Stratastation box, 1976.
    Source: www.ebay.com wheeljackslab. License: All Rights Reserved.

    Micronauts Stratastation box, 1976.

    Micronauts Neon Orbiter box, 1977.
    Source: www.ebay.com ft88. License: All Rights Reserved.

    Micronauts Neon Orbiter box, 1977.

    Micronauts Thorium Orbiter box, 1977.
    Source: www.ebay.com ft88. License: All Rights Reserved.

    Micronauts Thorium Orbiter box, 1977.

    Micronauts Pharaoid box (front), 1977.
    Source: www.ebay.com misb_only_collector. License: All Rights Reserved.

    Micronauts Pharaoid box (front), 1977.

    Micronauts Pharaoid box (back), 1977.
    Source: www.ebay.com misb_only_collector. License: All Rights Reserved.

    Micronauts Pharaoid box (back), 1977.

    Micronauts Andromeda instruction sheet, 1977, with text set in .
    Source: www.ebay.com bella-koonia. License: All Rights Reserved.

    Micronauts Andromeda instruction sheet, 1977, with text set in Helvetica.

    Micronauts Baron Karza box, 1977.
    Source: www.ebay.com christini_9. License: All Rights Reserved.

    Micronauts Baron Karza box, 1977.

    Micronauts Force Commander box, 1976.
    Source: www.ebay.com christini_9. License: All Rights Reserved.

    Micronauts Force Commander box, 1976.

    Micronauts jigsaw puzzle, Biotron vs. Giant Acroyear, 1978.
    Source: www.ebay.com boonsart. License: All Rights Reserved.

    Micronauts jigsaw puzzle, Biotron vs. Giant Acroyear, 1978.

    Micronauts jigsaw puzzle, Baron Karza, 1978.
    Source: www.ebay.com boonsart. License: All Rights Reserved.

    Micronauts jigsaw puzzle, Baron Karza, 1978.

    Micronauts Hydro Copter instruction sheet, with text set in .
    Source: www.ebay.com nordev. License: All Rights Reserved.

    Micronauts Hydro Copter instruction sheet, with text set in ITC Avant Garde Gothic.

    Micronauts Betatron box, 1978.
    Source: www.ebay.com aurorasjs. License: All Rights Reserved.

    Micronauts Betatron box, 1978.

    Micronauts Oberon box (front), 1978.
    Source: www.ebay.com ft88. License: All Rights Reserved.

    Micronauts Oberon box (front), 1978.

    Micronauts Oberon box (back).
    Source: www.ebay.com ft88. License: All Rights Reserved.

    Micronauts Oberon box (back).

    Micronauts Rocket Tubes box, 1979.
    Source: www.ebay.com poochpucker. License: All Rights Reserved.

    Micronauts Rocket Tubes box, 1979.

    Micronauts Hornetroid box (front), 1979.
    Source: www.ebay.com milnerm. License: All Rights Reserved.

    Micronauts Hornetroid box (front), 1979.

    Micronauts Megas box (front), 1981.
    Source: www.ebay.com toyluvin-neonboy. License: All Rights Reserved.

    Micronauts Megas box (front), 1981.

    Micronauts Megas box (back), 1981.
    Source: www.ebay.com toyluvin-neonboy. License: All Rights Reserved.

    Micronauts Megas box (back), 1981.

    Typefaces

    • Yagi Double
    • Yagi Bold
    • Antique Olive
    • ITC Avant Garde Gothic
    • Helvetica

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    1 Comment on “Mego Micronauts toys”

    1. The original design was referenced in the 2016 reissue, see this previous contribution:

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