Is Zarana (G.I. Joe action figure) Discontinued? What Happened?
Fate: The color-change feature was dropped in the 1990s because the plastic wore out too easily. Zarana is still part of the G.I. Joe toy line today, but the newer versions look different from the original 1986 figure.
Zarana came out in 1986 as part of the G.I. Joe toy line. She was Zartan's sister and a member of the Dreadnoks, a tough biker gang that worked for Cobra. She had a punk rock look and came with her own gear.
The cool thing about her was the same trick her brother Zartan had. Her plastic skin changed color when you took her outside into the sun. It turned a bluish color. You could hold her up and watch it happen in a few seconds. Kids who already had Zartan knew exactly what to expect, and kids who saw it for the first time thought it was amazing.
Together with Zartan and their cousin Zandar, Zarana was part of a group of three figures that all had the color-change skin. In the mid-1980s, those three toys were something kids really talked about.
By the 1990s the color-change plastic was gone. It wore out too quickly and was hard to keep looking right, so Hasbro stopped using it. Zarana kept showing up in the toy line with a new look but the same character.
Newer Zarana figures have better detail and can move in more ways than the original. But the 1986 version is the one people remember most because of that color-change skin.
Timeline
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Late 1980s
- The three color-change figures (Zartan, Zarana, and Zandar) become some of the most talked-about toys in the G.I. Joe line. Kids show off the color trick everywhere.
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1986
- Zarana comes out with plastic skin that changes color in the sun, just like her brother Zartan. She comes with her own gear and a punk rock look. She completes the color-change group with Zartan and Zandar.
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1990s
- The color-change plastic gets dropped because it wore out too easily. Zarana keeps getting made but as a regular figure.
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2000s–present
- New Zarana figures come out over the years with better detail and poseable joints. The 1986 original is the one toy collectors look for as part of the color-change group.
Frequently Asked Questions
What happened to Zarana (G.I. Joe action figure)?
The color-change feature was dropped in the 1990s because the plastic wore out too easily. Zarana is still part of the G.I. Joe toy line today, but the newer versions look different from the original 1986 figure.
When did Zarana (G.I. Joe action figure) close?
Zarana (G.I. Joe action figure) closed in 1990s (feature retired). The color-change feature was dropped in the 1990s because the plastic wore out too easily. Zarana is still part of the G.I. Joe toy line today, but the newer versions look different from the original 1986 figure.
Is Zarana (G.I. Joe action figure) still in business?
Zarana (G.I. Joe action figure) has been discontinued or significantly changed. The color-change feature was dropped in the 1990s because the plastic wore out too easily. Zarana is still part of the G.I. Joe toy line today, but the newer versions look different from the original 1986 figure.
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