#11 M.A.S.K. – DYNAMO with BRUCE SATO/ LIFTER (1987)

M.A.S.K. (or Mobile Armored Strike Kommando) is, like in any other action figure series, a group of heroes that saves the world each day by fighting a mysterious terrorist organisation called VENOM. One of the most interesting things of this collection is that these heroes do not have superpowers, but very special masks. Masks have many different features: they shoot laser beams or arrows, produce anti-gravity fields, high frequency waves to paralyze the enemies, or provide sonar and radar utilities to see though walls, or detect possible menaces. The masks are so important, that the characters change their names when they are wearing them.

Stealth mode: Off-road vehicle

Another interesting fact of this collection is that the characters have very different personalities and backgrounds. Even the names are very well selected…

Today I wanted to talk about one of M.A.S.K.’s characters: Bruce Sato (or Lifter when his wearing his mask). To this extent, I have chosen one of the two vehicles he usually drives: the Dynamo. In cartoons and comics, he usually drives the Rhino, the big truck released in the first wave. A second version of Bruce Sato was available in the 4^th wave (1987-1988) with the Dynamo. Bruce could also be purchased in the two-figures-blister or in the adventure pack: “Rescue Mission” with the mask “Grasshopper”.

Bruce Sato/Lifter and clone

According to his biography, Bruce Sato works as a toy designer. Inside M.A.S.K. organisation he is a mechanical engineer and design specialist. He is also the right hand of Matt Tracker, what means, he’s the second in the command line. He is of Japanese origin and for this reason uses many proverbs and riddles that not all his colleagues understand.

Like the rest of the boxes from the 4^th wave, the figure came with a “clone”, which is exactly the same figure but in some translucent color.

Defense mode: Helicopter and Kart

Dynamo’s stealth mode is an off-road vehicle, while in defense mode is a small helicopter and some kind of kart. Under the nose of the helicopter is hidden a “fusion bomb”, which is often missing.

FACTS and FIGURES:

• Name: DYNAMO with BRUCE SATO
• M.A.S.K. (Wave 4)
• Year: 1987
• Company: Kenner (U.S.A.)
• Size of the vehicle: 5’’ or 13 cm
• Size of the figures: 2½’’ or 6,5 cm