The first LEGO minifigure was introduced in 1978.
The 1978 figure was a major redesign of LEGO’s earlier human-shaped play figures. It had movable arms and legs, a cylindrical head, and the simple facial expression now associated with the classic minifigure: two black eyes and a smile. The earliest figures appeared in LEGO’s new play themes, including LEGO Town, Castle, and Space.
A frequent mix-up is the difference between the 1978 minifigure and earlier LEGO people. LEGO introduced larger, less articulated building figures in 1974, and other human-shaped accessories existed before 1978. Those predecessors are historically important, but the poseable figure with the familiar proportions is generally recognized as the first LEGO minifigure.
The design also avoided detailed individual identities at first. Simple faces allowed children to imagine the characters’ personalities and roles. Later decades brought hairpieces, printed clothing, varied skin tones, licensed characters, and specialized accessories. Despite those changes, the basic minifigure body has remained compatible with the wider LEGO building system.