Top 10 Controversial Kids Toys

This transforming toy rendition of the comic book character known as Frank Castle is famous for a very unfortunate step halfway through its change. It turns out that The Punisher packs a lot of heat - in his crotch. Charged with a deadly load, there’s no question as to why this poorly designed action figure didn’t have a long shelf life. Its full transformation, which changes the crotch rocket into a butt missile launcher so that Mr. Castle can take the form of a pistol, didn’t help make this toy any better either.

Scrutinized and parodied at the time of its release, the Oozinator was a Super Soaker that didn’t only shoot water, but also shot a “bio-ooze” that brought dirty thoughts to even the most chaste of people. Conceived by people who we can only assume have never been on the Internet, and with an opening description that reads: “Sneak up on your opponents with a surprise bio-ooze attack,” this infamous contraption famously failed to make kids oozing each other trendy.

We hope this was never designed to actually be intended for children… This doll represents what is probably the least desirable career choice for a parent’s precious daughter. It was packaged in a box that claims the toy goes “round and round” and “up and down” and comes equipped with a disco ball. Little is known about who made this doll and where it was sold, but it was outrageous enough to be blogged about by Perez Hilton, so it had to make our list.

Touting never-before-seen realism, Entertech was a brand of water guns that recreated real life firearms – for kids. Molded in black plastic, with detachable magazine rounds that held the water, the toys were so convincing that they led to unfortunate cases in which law enforcement officers opened fire on children after mistaking the toy for a real weapon. This led the toy manufacturer to voluntarily change to neon colored plastics for their later water pistols.

This early 19th century ragdoll caused a lot of public uproar when it found itself back on store shelves in the early 2000s. Created in 1895, Golliwog was the main character of a series of children’s books that eventually became the name of toys and dolls that resembled it. Nowadays, the doll perpetuates racist stereotypes, reminding us of the caricature of African-Americans in minstrel shows of yesteryear. Amidst the controversy, the public outrage is a positive sign that our society is evolving.

This realistic baby doll went a bit too far with its one very strange feature. The baby was packaged with a halter-top bra with flower-shaped nipples designed for little girls to wear in order to simulate breast-feeding. Unsurprisingly, the toy was unpopular with parents and generally panned, with some critics even claiming it could lead to early teen pregnancy. While it was an attempt to educate little girls on the natural ways to feed a newborn baby, Bebe Gloton just comes off as creepy.

Another case of unfortunate circumstances, this toy was a victim of its packaging. With its spring-loaded right arm placed so Tarzan’s hand would be over its crotch, the Disney toy took a turn for the dirty. Masturbating Tarzan had a short shelf life, ultimately being recalled and repackaged so he would stop touching himself. To make matters worse, the Apeman also featured a button that let out his famous call. Needless to say, this toy in its original packaging is becoming quite the collectible, proving that we humans really do have a one-track mind.

What could go wrong with cross promotion between America’s favorite cookie and one of the most popular toy lines in the world? In 1997, the union saw the release of two Oreo-themed dolls, one Caucasian and another African-American. Unbeknownst to the people at Mattel and Nabisco, “Oreo” is also a pejorative term for “a black person who acts white.” The black version of the dolls was understandably met with outrage, and the racially insensitive model didn’t sell well and so was quickly recalled.

A battery-operated replica of Harry Potter’s broomstick. Yes, we did say “battery-operated.” And no, it did not make the broomstick fly, but it did make it vibrate. For awhile, kids aged 8 and up were playing with a vibrating stick that they could stick between their legs, probably discovering way more about their bodies than they should at that age. Mattel quickly pulled the toy from the shelves, but not before it gained popularity through Internet memes and parody reviews on Amazon.com.

Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions:
- Crazy for You Teddy Bear

Vermont Teddy Bear Co. (2005)

- Gwen Thompson - “Homeless” Doll

American Girl Doll (2009)

- WWF Summer Slam ’99: Road Rage: Al Snow

Jakks Pacific (1999)

- Black Canary Barbie Doll

Mattel, Inc. (2008)

- Lawn Darts (also known as Jarts)

Regent (1980s)

If we’ve learned one thing from this list, it’s that our collective dirty minds will lead to toy controversy and recalls. And so it’s not surprising that this toy, designed to recreate one of the most memorable moments in “The Lion King,” gets turned into a scene from the porn from hell in which Rafiki molests baby Simba. Rumored to be a Disney-related product, little is actually known about its origins. But one thing is for sure; it’s our number one most controversial toy.

Do you agree with our list? Did we miss any controversial toys? For more strange and bizarre top 10s published every day, be sure to subscribe to WatchMojo.com.