Slime (toy)

Last updated

Slime
Green Slime.JPG
TypeNovelty toy and stress toy
Company Mattel
Country United States
Availability1976–present
Materials Guar gum, PVA glue
SloganGooey, drippy, oozy, cold 'n clammy [1]

Slime is a toy product manufactured by Mattel, sold in a plastic trash can and introduced in February 1976. [2] It consists of a non-toxic viscous, squishy and oozy green or other color material made primarily from guar gum. [3] Different variations of Slime have been released over the years, including Slime containing rubber insects, eyeballs, and worms.

Contents

The late 1970s also introduced a Slime Monster board game; the object of the game is for the player to avoid having their game piece slimed on by a foot-tall plastic monster with slime oozing from its mouth. Other toy companies have produced their own slime, such as Hordak's Slime Pit playset as part of the Masters of the Universe toys in the 1980s and Ecto-Plazm play gel [4] sold with selected figures in Kenner's Real Ghostbusters toy line. Playmates Toys' Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles figure line introduced a Retro-mutagen slime sold in containers and included with playsets. [5]

While the substance is non-toxic, it is extremely difficult to remove from soft furnishings.

Chemical components

The main components are the polysaccharide guar gum, and sodium tetraborate. As an alternative to the polysaccharide, other alcohol-group containing polymers (such as polyvinyl alcohol) may be used to a similar result. These non-polysaccharide polymer products are more often referred to as flubber. Due to its ingredients, leaving the slime outside its container could cause the slime to dry or get stuck in fabric or one's hair. [5]

Cultural impact

Slime has expanded into other franchises such as Masters of the Universe , Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles , and Ghostbusters . The Masters of the Universe slime features Hordak, an antagonist from the series. Created by Kenner, Ghostbusters slime has different colors of slime due to the added food coloring, and it has been featured in action toys and a playset. For the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, the slime is called Retromutagen Ooze, a reference to how the turtles were made. The slimes were later added to toy sets. The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles slime line is made by Playmate. Slime use has expanded to various Nickelodeon game shows, including Super Sloppy, Double Dare and the Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards, [5] though the composition and history differs from that of the toy slime.

Toxicity scare

In 2018, Which? reported that eight out of eleven slime lines from Amazon contained boron levels that exceeded European Union safety standards. [6] Slime uses borax, a compound of boron, to give itself a gelatinous texture. Parents were warned that excessive exposure to boron can cause skin irritation, diarrhoea, vomiting and cramps. [7] However, according to Snopes , claims about slime's carcinogenicity, reproductive toxicity, and neurotoxicity were either false or unlikely to matter in the concentrations available to consumers and through their typical routes of exposure. [8]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Guar</span> Species of flowering plant in the bean family Fabaceae

The guar or cluster bean, with the botanical name Cyamopsis tetragonoloba, is an annual legume and the source of guar gum. It is also known as gavar, gawar, or guvar bean. The genus name Cyamopsis means bean-like. The specific name is from Latin: tetragōnoloba meaning four-lobed.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Guar gum</span> Vegetable gum from the guar bean, Cyamopsis tetragonoloba

Guar gum, also called guaran, is a galactomannan polysaccharide extracted from guar beans that has thickening and stabilizing properties useful in food, feed, and industrial applications. The guar seeds are mechanically dehusked, hydrated, milled and screened according to application. It is typically produced as a free-flowing, off-white powder.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, commonly abbreviated as TMNT, is a media franchise created by the comic book artists Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird. It follows Leonardo, Donatello, Raphael and Michelangelo, four anthropomorphic turtle brothers trained in ninjutsu who fight evil in New York City. Supporting characters include the turtles' rat sensei, Splinter, their human friends April O'Neil and Casey Jones, and enemies such as Baxter Stockman, Krang, and their archenemy, the Shredder.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Polyvinyl acetate</span> Adhesive used for porous materials

Polyvinyl acetate (PVA, PVAc, poly(ethenyl ethanoate)), commonly known as wood glue, PVA glue, white glue, carpenter's glue, school glue, or Elmer's Glue in the US, is a widely available adhesive used for porous materials like wood, paper, and cloth. An aliphatic rubbery synthetic polymer with the formula (C4H6O2)n, it belongs to the polyvinyl ester family, with the general formula −[RCOOCHCH2]−. It is a type of thermoplastic.

Slime or slimy may refer to:

<i>Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze</i> 1991 film by Michael Pressman

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze is a 1991 American superhero film based on the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles characters created by Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird. Directed by Michael Pressman and written by Todd W. Langen, it is the sequel to Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1990) and the second installment in the original Turtles film trilogy. It stars Paige Turco and David Warner, with the voices of Brian Tochi, Robbie Rist, Adam Carl, and Laurie Faso. Resuming from the events of the first film, the Shredder returns at command of the Foot Clan for revenge on the Turtles. When he learns the secret behind the Turtles' mutation, he becomes more dangerous than ever. The film reveals the origins of Splinter and the Turtles and introduces two new villains, Tokka and Rahzar. Unlike the first film, the Turtles mostly fight bare-fisted, to tone down the violence.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bebop and Rocksteady</span> Comics character

Bebop and Rocksteady are a fictional duo of a mutant warthog and mutant rhinoceros that have made appearances as characters in various media releases of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles franchise. The two characters are henchmen who follow the orders of the franchise's chief antagonist, Shredder, the leader of the Foot Clan. Their names are both derived from genres of music: bebop is a style of jazz, while rocksteady is a Jamaican music style, a precursor to reggae.

<i>Toxic Crusaders</i> 1991 animated series on Syndication

Toxic Crusaders is an American animated series loosely based on The Toxic Avenger films. It features Toxie, the lead character of the films, leading a group of misfit superheroes who combat pollution. This followed a trend of environmentally considerate animated series and comics of the time, including Captain Planet and the Planeteers, Swamp Thing, and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Adventures, as well as animated series based on R-rated properties like RoboCop and Police Academy. As this incarnation was aimed at children, Toxic Crusaders is considerably tamer than the films it was based on, although it contained adult-oriented jokes that would go over most children's heads.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ryan Brown (comics)</span>

Ryan Brown is a comic book writer and artist and toy designer best known for his work on Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and the animated series Wild West C.O.W.-Boys of Moo Mesa.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Steve Lavigne</span> American comic book illustrator (born 1962)

Steve Lavigne is an American comic book illustrator best known for his lettering and coloring on the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles title for Mirage Studios. He is the creator of Cudley the Cowlick, Sgt. Bananas, and Stump and Sling.

<i>Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles</i> action figures Action figures based on the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

Action figures based on the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles franchise have been produced by Playmates Toys since 1988. Staff artists at the Northampton, Massachusetts based Mirage Studios have provided conceptual designs for many of the figures, vehicles, and playsets and are credited on the packaging of the products they created.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Playmates Toys</span> Hong Kong toy company

Playmates Toys Limited is a Hong Kong toy company. The company was founded in Hong Kong in 1966 by Sam Chan Tai-ho as Playmates Industrial, manufacturing dolls for other companies. In 1975, Playmates began marketing their own line of pre-school toys, and in 1977 opened an American subsidiary in Boston. Another subsidiary was founded in California in 1983; in 1984 the company went public.

The Ghostbusters franchise consists of American supernatural comedies, based on an original concept created by Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis in 1984. The plot follows a group of eccentric New York City parapsychologists who investigate and eliminate ghosts, paranormal manifestations, demigods, and demons. The franchise expanded with licensed action figures, books, comics, video games, television series, theme park attractions, and other branded merchandise.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Flubber (material)</span> Type of gelatin

Flubber, Glorp, Glurch, or Slime is a rubbery polymer formed by cross-linking of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) with a borate compound. Slime can be made by combining polyvinyl-acetate-based adhesives with borax.

Mirage Studios was an American comic book company founded in 1983 by Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird in Dover, New Hampshire. The company was best known for the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (TMNT) comic book series and the subsequent franchise it has spawned.

<i>Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles</i> (IDW Publishing) Ongoing American comic book series

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is an ongoing American comic book series published by IDW Publishing. Debuting in August 2011, the series is part of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles media franchise created by Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird and was the first new comic incarnation of the Turtles to debut after the franchise's sale to Nickelodeon in October 2009. It is the fifth comic book series in the franchise's publication history and serves as a reboot of the franchise's story and characters, including those originating in media from outside the original Mirage comics.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is an American animated television series developed by Ciro Nieli, Joshua Sternin, and Jennifer Ventimilia for Nickelodeon, based on the characters created by Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird. The series begins with the Turtles emerging from their sewer home for the first time, using their ninjutsu training to fight enemies in present-day New York City. The series ran in the United States from September 28, 2012, to November 12, 2017.

<i>Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles</i> (2014 film) 2014 superhero film directed by Jonathan Liebesman

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is a 2014 American superhero film based on the characters of the same name created by Peter Laird and Kevin Eastman. Directed by Jonathan Liebesman and written by Josh Appelbaum, André Nemec, and Evan Daugherty, it is a reboot of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles film series. The film stars Megan Fox, Will Arnett, William Fichtner, Danny Woodburn, Abby Elliott, Noel Fisher, Jeremy Howard, Pete Ploszek, and Alan Ritchson, with the voices of Johnny Knoxville and Tony Shalhoub. The plot follows the Turtles, who, with the help of their new ally April O'Neil, face the evil Shredder and his Foot Clan, as well as protect their New York City home.

Turtles of Grayskull is an upcoming American comic book limited series written by Tim Seeley, drawn by Freddie Williams II and colored by Andrew Dalhouse. It will be published by Dark Horse Comics on September 25, 2024. The series features a storyline that crosses-over Mattel's Masters of the Universe with Paramount/Nickelodeon's Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

References

  1. ↑ Engber, Daniel (2016-07-18). "Will Ghostbusters Bring Back the Glory Days of Slime?". Slate . Archived from the original on 2020-10-18. Retrieved 2020-10-18.
  2. ↑ SLIME, ser. no. 75/198,386 (filed November 15, 1996), reg. no. 2,206,408 Archived 2013-04-04 at the Wayback Machine (December 1, 1998) (noting date of first use in commerce as February 18, 1976). United States Patent and Trademark Office. Accessed March 10, 2018.
  3. ↑ Katz, David A. (2005). "Guar Gum Slime" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 2017-03-29. Retrieved 2024-04-19– via Chymist.com.
  4. ↑ "Real Ghostbusters Ecto-Plazm!". x-entertainment.com. Retrieved 2017-12-09.[ permanent dead link ]
  5. 1 2 3 Wilson, John (22 March 2016). "Slime: A History of Mattel's Grossest Toy Plus Tips on How to Make Slime!". Completeset. Archived from the original on 27 August 2018. Retrieved March 22, 2016.
  6. ↑ Fox, Hannah (17 July 2018). "Children's Toy Slime on Sale with up to Four Times EU Safety Limit of Potentially Unsafe Chemical". Which? . Archived from the original on 20 May 2022.
  7. ↑ "Parents Warned over 'Toxic' Slime". BBC. 17 July 2018. Archived from the original on 17 July 2023. Retrieved 17 July 2023.
  8. ↑ Kasprak, Alex (20 March 2017). "Does the "Slime" Craze Bring Serious Health Risks?". Snopes . Archived from the original on 17 July 2023. Retrieved 17 July 2023.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.