Guide Colors | |
|
= B. Bonanno Guide Class
= B. DeMars Guide Grade
| |
| Sold in | |
Part & Tree Info | |
| Part | |
| Tree | |
| Same part & tree figures | |
Manga / Story | |
| Alt Names | |
| Origin(s) | |
| Affiliation(s) | |
The claw
Easily the most popular figure from the M.U.S.C.L.E. toys affectionately dubbed “The Claw” as a menacing and bizarre character who most introduced by way of the Americanized Mattel line didn’t know his actually identity as Sneagator Shotai in this form. He actually appears in multiple of his tricky shape-shifting forms in the series, but this is the form that became the most memorable among the Millions of Unusual Small Creatures Lurking Everywhere.
His origins are actually from the expansive Japanese manga and anime franchise that remains immensely popular known as Kinnikuman, as a recognizable antagonist character. Debuting in the Golden Mask story arc as a member of the Six Devil Knights who fights the primary hero Kinnikuman for the stolen Golden Mask in the first match.
The characters name is a mix of “sneaker” and “alligator” that reflects his odd design characteristics that includes direct imagery with common basketball sneakers and a reptilian alligator type form in most of his shapes he shifts between. With his claw form especially notable concealing his face until an opponent can cause him enough anguish to reveal it. A gimmick of transformation that although goofy in appearance plays a serious role as the harsh trainer of the Seven Devil Chojin group.
The form is only unleashed when Sneagator presents as a sneaker with the base of the claws wrist appearing as an ankle, when the sneaker exterior is removed the dinosaur style foot / claw emerges as a disguise for raw crushing attacks. With signature moves included as his different shape-shifting forms with each having their own unique combat advantages.
His weapons of choice revolve around deception and sneaky tricks against his opponents. While although the purple variant from the Mattel line is the only one with some real rarity, his figure is often embellished in pricing that reflects a “nostalgia tax” by fans who keep his popularity high.
The nickname of the “Claw” though primarily comes from the westernized adaptation for the M.U.S.C.L.E. toy lines as fans had to craft his identity for their own. Either way, he’s a nostalgic piece of creative figure design we all still love today.