If there’s ever been a Ghostbusters toy with which I have a love and hate relationship, it’s Mattel’s 2011 release of the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man. I loved it because it was one of the largest incarnations of tubby soft squeeze that we had seen to date, but the quality control issues that plagued him were a nightmare for both fans and eventually Mattel.
In a new video uploaded to Tested’s YouTube channel, Ghostbusters enthusiast Adam Savage has opened up an old wound, looking at the 20″ marshmallow behemoth in a new mailbag unboxing.
Adam unboxes a surprise mailbag present from a viewer: a massive Stay Puft Marshmallow Man from Ghostbusters! This decade-old foam figure has held up really well for its age, and Adam marvels at its articulation, paint finish, and condition. Thanks to Benjamin for sending this beautiful Stay-Puft Marshmallow Man to add to Adam’s collection!
In the video, Savage is a bit unclear on the figure’s origins, which we should clarify; they did see a release at San Diego Comic-Con in 2011 and later was made available through Matty Collector.
For any fan who picked up this Stay Puft when it was initially released, you’ll likely recall the headache it caused for Matty Collector, as many experienced issues with the figure yellowing almost immediately out of the box. Mattel received so many complaints that in May of 2012, they even began offering refunds for those unhappy with their purchase.
I totally get Adam’s excitement in receiving such a large-scaled Stay Puft toy, especially since it’s his first time seeing it. If you were to remove the quality control issues, the figure is one of the single best renditions of Stay Puft we’ve received, and the foam body provided a soft texture, very similar to marshmallow.
Since 2011, Ghostbusters fans have been given similar scaled Stay Puft Marshmallow Man collectibles, with my favorite being Diamond Select Toys’ 24″ bank. Another notable release was one from Spirit Halloween, which has a striking resemblance to Mattel’s offering.
