History Main / ToylineExclusiveCharacter

!!Examples

[[folder:Film]]

* ''Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse'': the Phase 1 toylines had a "concept series", detailing what unadapted comic characters would look like in the films.

* The toyline of [[WesternAnimation/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtles1987 the 1987 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles cartoon]] had several figures of characters who never appeared in the cartoon. Some of them were characters exclusive to another continuity (such as Fugitoid from [[ComicBook/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtlesMirage the original Mirage comic book]] and Wyrm from the Archie Comics series ''ComicBook/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtlesAdventures''), while others did not appear in any continuity at all (such as King Lionheart, Halfcourt, Walkabout and Sergeant Bananas).

* The toyline of [[WesternAnimation/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtles1987 the 1987 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles cartoon]] had several figures of characters who never appeared in the cartoon. Some of them were characters exclusive to another continuity (such as Fugitoid from [[ComicBook/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtlesMirage the original Mirage comic book]]), while others did not appear in any continuity at all (such as King Lionheart, Halfcourt, Walkabout and Sergeant Bananas).

* The toyline of [[WesternAnimation/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtles1987 the 1987 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles cartoon]] had several figures of characters who never appeared in the cartoon. Some of them were characters exclusive to another continuity (such as Fugitoid from [[ComicBook/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtlesMirage the original Mirage comic book]] and Armaggon from the Archie Comics series ''ComicBook/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtlesAdventures''), while others did not appear in any continuity at all (such as King Lionheart, Halfcourt, Walkabout and Sergeant Bananas).

** Specialist Trakker is a fascinating case, being an example of a CanonForeigner and a CanonImmigrant. Hasbro, creators of ''GI Joe'', acquired the rights to ''WesternAnimation/{{MASK}}'' when they bought Creator/{{Kenner}} and released a figure of the lead of the series, Matt Trakker, as "Specialist Trakker." While his filecard indicates that he has the same background as his original incarnation, ''MASK'' and ''GI Joe'' likely can't exist in the same universe. He hasn't been used in any ''GI Joe'' media to determine the truth.

* Creator/{{Kenner}}'s ''Super Powers Collection'' contains a few characters not seen in either Franchise/TheDCU or the ''WesternAnimation/SuperFriends'' TV series. Among the new characters are heroes named [[http://www.actionfigureinsider.com/archives/sp/goldenpharoah.html Golden Pharaoh]] and [[http://www.actionfigureinsider.com/archives/sp/cyclotron.html Cyclotron]], as well as an [[Comicbook/NewGods Apokoliptian]] assassin named [[http://superfriends.wikia.com/wiki/Silicon Silicon]].

This trope refers to a character who only appears in toys and merchandise but not the actual work. MerchandiseDriven works exist to sell TheMerch, as you would expect, and characters who have merch are expected to appear in the work itself. But sometimes there are characters who exist only in a work's toyline and not in any media.

When a series is made into toys (or vice-versa), writers must conceive a role for a character to play in the story, and toymakers must have a reasonable amount of merchandise to sell as part of an assortment, thus resulting in several characters never appearing in fiction and only appearing as toys. Alternatively, it may be easier for toymakers to PaletteSwap an existing toy into a new character to keep the line going. [[Wiki/TFWikiDotNet Perhaps someday some writer will love them all.]]

* ''WesternAnimation/TheNewBatmanAdventures'': 20 years after the show finished airing, [[Creator/DCComics DC Collectibles]] began a new series of figures titled ''Batman: The Adventure Continues'', releasing figures of other ''Franchise/{{Batman}}'' characters who never appeared in the Franchise/DCAnimatedUniverse such as ComicBook/{{Azrael}}, ComicBook/{{Deathstroke}}, or [[ComicBook/RedHood Jason Todd]].

** Specialist Trakker is a fascinating case, being an example of a CanonForeigner and a CanonImmigrant. Hasbro, creators of ''GI Joe'' eventually acquired the rights to ''WesternAnimation/{{MASK}}'' and released a figure of the lead of the series, Matt Trakker as "Specialist Trakker." While his filecard indicates that he has the same background as his original incarnation, ''MASK'' and ''GI Joe'' likely can't exist in the same universe. He hasn't been used in any ''GI Joe'' media to determine the truth.

** Thundercracker from ''Anime/TransformersArmada'' is an interesting case. While the figure's exact decoration did appear in the anime as [[TheStarscream Starscream's]] powered up form, the character did not, aside from an utterance that Starscream's new color scheme looked like Thundercracker. A Thundercracker did eventually appear in the same continuity when ''Anime/TransformersCybertron'' came out, and fans assume that they're one in the same.

** Notably averted following the release of ''Film/{{Transformers}}'' and the toylines that immediately followed it. While normally Hasbro has a standard stable of [[PaletteSwap repaints of characters]] it normally uses, due to the sudden name recognition of certain characters (such as Optimus Prime or Bumblebee), the toys would generally be repainted as [[EnvironmentSpecificActionFigure alternate versions of the same character]] rather than a new character such as Ultra Magnus or Cliffjumper respectively.

* ''Franchise/{{Transformers}}'': Incredibly common; every single toyline ever has characters whose only appearance in fiction is the little bio on the back of their packaging, and even some don't have those. This is often eventually subverted, as later writers love using obscure toyline-exclusive Transformers in media or by retconning them to be existing characters. Of course, the toys are rarely still on shelves meaning these subversions make the original toys much more expensive on the secondary market.
** Chronologically the first example might be the character Enemy, a red and blue recolor of the humanoid cassette Rumble/Frenzy who was released as part of a working radio, but had no fictional appearances for decades.

[[caption-width-right:350:Above; the characters that were actually in the show. Below; the one that wasn't.]]

* ''Franchise/PowerRangers'' loves this trope; many HumongousMecha, forms, Vehicles, weapons, and even Rangers have never left the toy shelves.
** From ''Series/MightyMorphinPowerRangers'':
*** The toyline featured a monster never seen in the show (or any of the ''Franchise/SuperSentai'' series it was based on) called Pythor, an anthropomorphic snake wielding a spear and a shield. Another oddity in the Evil Space Monsters lineup was Steamy Meany, a villain who appeared in ''Series/NinjaSentaiKakuranger'' (where he was named Enraenra) but was never used in ''Power Rangers''.
*** The Pink Shogunzord only exists in the toy line, as ''Kakuranger'', the show Season 3 of MMPR was adapted from, did not feature a Pink Ranger. [[StockFootageFailure This caused a bit of a continuity error in the show]], since the fact that the Shogun Ultrazord was [[OffTheShelfFX filmed by using the toys]] meant that the Ultrazord's left arm would inexplicably change from white to pink depending on the shot.

** The toyline for ''Series/PowerRangersInSpace'' contained a Zord named Silver Titanus, who appeared in neither the show itself, nor ''Series/DenjiSentaiMegaranger'', the Japanese series it was adapted from.

** ''Series/PowerRangersDinoThunder'' has the Phantom Ranger ([[NamesTheSame not to be confused with the character of the same name]] from ''Turbo'') whose body parts came with the figures of the main rangers, giving you an incentive to collect them all.

SubTrope of CanonForeigner. See also EnvironmentSpecificActionFigure where the an existing character's costume is exclusive to a toyline. The polar opposite would be ToylessToylineCharacter where a character exists only in fiction and not in TheMerch..

* The ''Film/BatmanReturns'' toyline included a ComicBook/{{Robin}} figure, despite the film not having Robin anywhere in it.

* ''Franchise/{{Godzilla}}'': The Trendmasters ''King of the Monsters'' ''Godzilla Force'' toyline has Godzilla Force, and its members David Easton, Peter Richards, Margaret O'Brien, and Michael Van Horn, a group of human commandos wearing ''Franchise/PowerRangers''-style helmets, based on G-Force from ''Film/GodzillaVsMechagodzillaII''. Both groups fly a Garuda ship.

[[AC:Anime & Manga]]

[[AC:Comic Books]]
* Creator/{{Kenner}}'s ''Super Powers Collection'' contained a few characters not seen in either Franchise/TheDCU or the ''WesternAnimation/SuperFriends'' TV series. Among the new characters were heroes named [[http://www.actionfigureinsider.com/archives/sp/goldenpharoah.html Golden Pharaoh]] and [[http://www.actionfigureinsider.com/archives/sp/cyclotron.html Cyclotron]], as well as an [[Comicbook/NewGods Apokoliptian]] assassin named [[http://superfriends.wikia.com/wiki/Silicon Silicon]].
* Around the time of the first ''Film/{{Hulk}}'' movie, [=ToyBiz=] launched a series called "Hulk Classics" (a companion to their Marvel Legends, Spider-Man Classics, X-Men Clasics and Fantastic Four Classics lines), which featured various characters from across the history of the comic. The major exception was Mecha-Hulk, a [[MiniMecha robotic Hulk piloted by the Gremlin]]. Despite the suit never having appeared in the comics (even though the Gremlin did) Mecha-Hulk proved to be a huge hit with collectors.

[[AC:Film]]

* The Trendmasters ''King of the Monsters'' ''Godzilla Force'' toyline has Godzilla Force, and its members David Easton, Peter Richards, Margaret O'Brien, and Michael Van Horn, a group of human commandos wearing ''Franchise/PowerRangers'' style helmets, based on G-Force from ''Film/GodzillaVsMechagodzillaII''. Both groups fly a Garuda ship.

** Likewise, the most sought after figure from the ''Film/FantasticFour2005'' movie line is the Doombot, a character who didn't even appear in the film (and whose design is totally different in the comics).

[[AC:Live-Action TV]]

[[AC:Toys]]
* Double Trouble from ''WesternAnimation/SheRaPrincessOfPower'' was never featured in the show proper, instead included as a doll in the merchandise though they made an appearance in one comic. Inverted in the reboot where they get a prominent role in season four but aren't part of the toy line.
* Incredibly common in ''Franchise/{{Transformers}}''; every single toyline ever has characters whose only appearance in fiction is the little bio on the back of their packaging, and even some don't have those. This is often eventually subverted, as later writers love using obscure toyline-exclusive Transformers in media or by retconning them to be existing characters. Of course, the toys are rarely still on shelves meaning these subversions make the original toys much more expensive on the secondary market.

[[AC:Video Games]]

** Series 12, which featured hydras, harpies, minotaurs, dryads, and Greek gods
** Series 14, which featured monkeys, lions, demons, and Chinese dragons
** Series 17, which featured scarabs, hippos, scorpions, and Egyptian gods
** Series 18, which featured owls, robots, octopi, sloths, sugar gliders

[[AC:Web Animation]]

[[AC:Western Animation]]
* ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'' has so many toy-only characters it deserves [[Characters/FriendshipIsMagicToylineExclusive its own article.]]
* 20 years after ''WesternAnimation/TheNewBatmanAdventures'' finished airing, [[Creator/DCComics DC Collectibles]] began a new series of figures titled ''Batman: The Adventure Continues'', releasing figures of other ''Franchise/{{Batman}}'' characters who never appeared in the Franchise/DCAnimatedUniverse such as ComicBook/{{Azrael}}, ComicBook/{{Deathstroke}}, or [[ComicBook/RedHood Jason Todd]].
* The ''WesternAnimation/{{Ninjago}}'' set "Temple of Airjitzu" includes two characters, Jesper and Claire, who never appear in the show.

** Specialist Trakker is a fascinating case, being an example of a CanonForeigner and a CanonImmigrant. Hasbro, creators of ''GI Joe'' eventually acquired the rights to ''WesternAnimation/{{MASK}}'' and released a figure of the lead of the series, Matt Trakker as "Specialist Trakker." While his filecard indicates that he has the same background as his original incarnation, ''MASK'' and ''GI Joe'' likely can't exist in the same universe. He hasn't been used in any ''GI Joe'' media to determine the truth.

** The toyline for ''Series/PowerRangerTurbo'' featured a monster called Hammeron that was never used in the show (he was in the Japanese source series ''Series/GekisouSentaiCarranger'' and clips from his episode were used in commercials for the show).

[[AC:Anime & Manga']]

** The Pink Shogunzord from ''Series/MightyMorphinPowerRangers'' only exists in the toy line, as ''Series/NinjaSentaiKakuranger'', the show Season 3 of MMPR was adapted from, did not feature a Pink Ranger. [[StockFootageFailure This caused a bit of a continuity error in the show]], since the fact that the Shogun Ultrazord was [[OffTheShelfFX filmed by using the toys]] meant that the Ultrazord's left arm would inexplicably change from white to pink depending on the shot.
** The toy line for ''Series/PowerRangersInSpace'' contained a Zord named Silver Titanus, who appeared in neither the show itself, nor ''Series/DenjiSentaiMegaranger'', the Japanese series it was adapted from.
** As mentioned in the Live-Action TV section, the Titanium Ranger from ''Series/PowerRangersLightspeedRescue'' did not exist in ''Series/RescueSentaiGoGoFive''. Adding to that, the Titanium Ranger had a toy-exclusive Zord called the Titanium Land Crawler, which did not appear in either TV show.
** ''Series/PowerRangersDinoThunder'' has the Phantom Ranger (not to be confused with the character of the same name from ''Series/PowerRangersTurbo''), who's body parts came with a different ranger, giving you an incentive to collect them all.

** The Pink Shogunzord from ''Series/MightyMorphinPowerRangers'' only exists in the toy line, as ''Series/NinjaSentaiKakuranger'', the show Season 3 of MMPR was adapted from, did not feature a Pink Ranger. [[StockFootageFailure This caused a bit of a continuity error in the show]], since the fact that the Shogun Ultrazord was [[OffTheShelfFX filmed by using the toys]] meant that the Ultrazord's right arm would inexplicably change from white to pink depending on the shot.

[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/toyline_exclusive_character_2.png]]

[[quoteright:350:[[Series/PowerRangersDinoThunder https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/toyline_exclusive_character.png]]]]
[[caption-width-right:350:Above; the characters that were actually in the show. Below; the one that wasn't.]]

'''Anime & Manga'''

'''Comic Books'''

'''Film'''

'''Live-Action TV'''

* ''Franchise/PowerRangers'' loves this trope, many HumongousMecha, forms, Vehicles, and even Rangers have never left the toy shelves.

* The ''Series/PowerRangersDinoCharge'' toyline had a few exclusive Zords that didn't appear in either the TV series or its [[Series/ZyudenSentaiKyoryuger source material]] -- the latter justifying it by saying that the "auxiliary" dinosaurs lost their physical form in the battle against the BigBad at the end of the dinosaur era.

'''Toys'''

'''Web Animation'''

'''Western Animation'''

** Specialist Trakker is a fascinating case, being an example of a CanonForeigner and a CanonImmigrant. Hasbro, creators of ''GI Joe'' eventually acquired the rights to ''WesternAnimation/{{MASK}}'' and released a figure of the lead of the series, Matt Trakker as "Specialist Trakker." While his filecard indicates that he has the same background as his original incarnation, ''MASK'' and ''GI Joe'' likely can't exist in the same universe. He hasn't been used in any ''GI Joe'' media to determine the truth.

'''Video Games'''
* ''VideoGame/{{Minecraft}}'': Many of the collectable mini-figures include animals or creatures that never appear in the game. Notable examples include:
** Series 12, which featured hydras, harpies, minotaurs, dryads, and Greek gods
** Series 14, which featured monkeys, lions, demons, and Chinese dragons
** Series 17, which featured scarabs, hippos, scorpions, and Egyptian gods
** Series 18, which featured owls, robots, octopi, sloths, sugar gliders
** Many of the themed series feature Steve, Alex, and villagers in costumes and armors that do not appear in the game, such as Chinese masks, Egyptian armor, hazmat suits, and gladiatorial armor. Additionally, Series 8 consisted of various original human characters, each representing different biomes.

** The Pink Shogunzord from ''Series/MightyMorphinPowerRangers'' only exists in the toy line, as ''Series/NinjaSentaiKakuranger'', the show Season 3 of MMPR was adapted from, did not feature a Pink Ranger.

** As mentioned in the Live-Action TV section, the Titanium Ranger from ''Series/PowerRangersLightspeedRescue'' did not exist in ''Series/RescueSentaiGoGoFive''. Adding to that, the Titanium Ranger had a toy-exclusive Zord called the Titanium Land Crawler, which did not appear in either TV show.[[StockFootageFailure This caused a bit of a continuity error in the show]], since the fact that the Shogun Ultrazord was [[OffTheShelfFX filmed by using the toys]] meant that the Ultrazord's right arm would inexplicably change from white to pink depending on the shot.