The Micronauts toyline consisted of 3.75-inch tall (9.5 cm) action figures which were known for their high number of articulation points relative to other toys of similar size and scale in the 1970s.
[1][2] By downscaling their size, Takara sought to create a toyline that would offset the sheer cost of producing a full line of plastic-based figures and related playsets as well as acknowledging that basic living space is limited for most Japanese households.
[10][11] In 1976, Mego licensed several Microman toys from Takara and marketed the toyline in North America and other countries as Micronauts.
[21] Facing these issues, Palisades developed the Series 2 figures which utilized other, more reputable factories in China, but ended up losing more money than expected.
[25] In September 2006, SOTA president Jerry Macaluso said "the retail environment for collectibles is in the gutter right now", and many stores wishing to order the "Micronauts: Evolution" line were going bankrupt.
[citation needed] He noted that the Palisades line "disaster…had a huge negative effect", with retailers rejecting SOTA’s upcoming series.
In June 2016, Hasbro announced the special release of a limited edition Micronauts Classic Collection toy set.
The set included three Micronaut characters: Galactic Warrior, Pharoid and Orbital Defender and featured packaging artwork by artist Ken Kelly.
In January of 2025, Super7 announced their ReAction toyline would include the first new Micronauts figures since Hasbro's 2016 limited edition Toyfair set.
[31] In November 2009 during an "Investor Day" event held at Hasbro's headquarters in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, Hasbro's VP of Global Designs, Brian Chapman, announced the company's re-introduction of the Micronaut toyline and hinted that director J. J. Abrams’ Bad Robot was in negotiations to produce a film based on the Micronauts property.
[32][33] In March 2013, Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick mentioned they were working on a screenplay and the film was on Paramount's list of possible productions.
Wernick said that they wrote a couple of drafts with Bad Robot and their script was deviating from the comic, but described the adaptation as "cool and different".
[36] Several writers such as Michael Chabon, Brian K. Vaughan, Nicole Perlman, Lindsey Beer, Cheo Coker, John Francis Daley, Jonathan Goldstein, Joe Robert Cole, Jeff Pinkner, Nicole Riegel and Geneva Robertson-Dworet joined the writers room in April 2016.
[41] In 1998, AGE, Annex Entertainment, Gribouille and Kaleidoscope Media Group planned to produce a Micronauts animated series starting with a five-part miniseries to air on the Sci Fi Channel in Fall of 1998, followed by a syndicated 26 episode Micronauts animated series for 1999, with action figures and a Marvel tie-in comic announced.