In a relatively short 18 months, I we have gotten 9 Elita-1 figures from Transformers One. I think that has got to be a record for any female character in film-related merchandising blitz. Even a major character like Black Widow in the MCU would be lucky to get maybe five figures for a movie. But for some reason Elita-1 hit the jackpot. It's especially surprising considering she was excluded from the first few waves of movie merchandising. I honestly thought the main figure would be a Burger King toy. Boy was I wrong. I was unaware that toy company ThreeZero made 1:12 scale figure. I thought their product was solely in the high-end 1:6 scale market. And while this figure was at a much higher price point than I would typically pay for a 5" non-transforming Transformer, I was super curious and I wasn't disappointed in the quality at all. She is perfectly sculpted, features 46 points of articulation (according to the promotional material... I didn't count), and heavy die-cast parts. Let's check out Elita-1 below!
UNITING ALL WOMEN OF PLASTIC
Showing posts with label Die-Cast. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Die-Cast. Show all posts
Sunday, March 1, 2026
Sunday, August 24, 2025
M&Ms - GREEN, MS. BROWN, and PURPLE!
Earlier this year I was obsessively stopping into all my local FiveBelow stores (I have more than 25 locations in a 15-mile radius, including the flagship store, so this is no small endeavor). There have been a lot of small collectibles that are either exclusive-to, or easiest-to-find-at, FiveBelow. At the time I was obsessive hunting the Easter deco Strawberry Shortcake and Rainbow Brite CheeBee figures from TLS Toy, and I stopped in my tracks seeing this Jada M&Ms series. I had picked up the two larger 4" Green and Brown figurines (with hopes that the third Purple would eventually be made), when I saw these smaller inexpensive ones with the whole lineup, including the new (2022) Purple character. This purchase made me so happy, especially since I didn't know these figure existed. (FYI, the Purple and Blue seem to be shortpacked with only one per case). I would still love to see a Purple in the 4" line or Hollywood Rides, but I have a hunch this is all we will see. Luckily she looks great. Let's check them out below!
Saturday, August 23, 2025
M&Ms Spokescandies - MS. BROWN!
Ms. Brown was introduced to the M&Ms Spokescandies lineup in a 2012 Superbowl add. She was only the second female introduced since the creations of the modern characters eighteen years prior in 1994. She is notable for being a serious "Girlboss", being the tall non-nut character, and for being the only with an accessory (her glasses). I was surprised that she was voiced by a notable celebrity like Vanessa Williams. But then I researched and realized that Orange was voice by Owen Wilson, Jon Lovitz voiced Red, and John Goodman and J.K. Simmons voiced Yellow. Among many lesser-known but notable voice actors and comedians (like Mel Blanc and Amber Ruffin). This 4" Jada Metalfigs figure was released in 2023, soon after the third female, Purple, was introduced. I was very excited at the notion of getting three animation-perfect of these characters (I have this internal mantra of "three makes a collection"). But unfortunately a 4" Purple has yet to be produced. Let's check out Ms. Brown below!
Friday, August 22, 2025
M&Ms Spokescandies - GREEN!
I remember when the Green M&M Spokescandy debuted in the late 90s. I loved that there was finally a female element in the wildly popular M&M commercials. (Plus green is my favorite color, both in my daily life but also in my M&M consumption). But the weird thing is that she was super sexualized right from the start. The male characters had a goofy Monsters Inc "Mike and Sully" banter, but Green was shown sauntering down the street fielding cat-calls of "mmmm.. I'd like a piece of that", lying seductively on a carpet, drawing attention to her mouth, and even stripping out of her candy shell (that last one might have been fan-made). Thankfully, she eventually became more that just a "sexy character" with witty brazen comebacks and being a voice of reason among the boys. And my fondness for her grew. I honestly wouldn't have ever picked up this diecast figurine for my collection if not for the introduction of the female Brown (2011) and Purple (2022) characters. I love a triad. Let's check out Green!
Monday, December 11, 2017
Star Wars Elite Series - ROSE (and BB-8)!
The Disney Store Elite Series Star Wars figures are pretty great. I wasn't sure how in-depth they'd get with character selection or if they'd take effort to make improvements as the line progressed. Well both of those quandaries were answered in the affirmative. There has been an interesting assortment of characters (all from the modern films however) and all the small gripes I had about the first few figures have been eliminated. Now I wish they would create a similar Marvel line. Even if it was just based off current movie properties, it would be a fun line to collect. I don't know much about this new Rose character yet, but considering the amount of merchandise she's already getting, and especially considering all the different outfits she's been seen in, I'm assuming she's a pretty big deal in the The Last Jedi. I'm excited to see her role, although I have no plans to see the movie until the 25th. It's going to be torture to be waiting and avoiding all the spoilers, but I'll survive. Let's check out Elite Rose below!
Monday, September 25, 2017
Star Wars Elite Series - REY (JEDI TRAINING)!
I am really growing quite fond of the the Disney Store exclusive Star Wars: Elite Series die-cast action figures. I'm sure they don't sell a fraction as well as the similarly scaled 6" Black Series toys from Hasbro, but that doesn't seem to stop them from being produced. I got scared when I saw a ton of Elite figures (mostly Rogue One) on clearance for just $5.99 earlier this Summer, but sure enough they still pushed out a Last Jedi line for Force Friday. I hope the line stays successful because I would love a Leia or two and some Ewoks, if not a whole slew of Expended Universe female Jedis. (Also, I think a Marvel line like this would sell like hotcakes). This Rey figure is a major improvement over the Force Awakens version. The face in particular looks a thousand times more like Daisy Ridley then the first figure. I wonder if they are using the same new face-scanning techniques that Hasbro is now employing. Whatever they're changes have been, it's working. Let's check out the Elite Series Rey below!
Monday, May 15, 2017
Star Wars Die-Cast - REY & CAPTAIN PHASMA!
I have a real fondness for 1:28 scale figures. They remind me of the 80s so much: DinoRiders, M.A.S.K., Starriors, Air Raider, Jayce and the Wheeled Warriors, StarCom, there's probably more but I forget. It was a unique scale at the time and I ate it all up. So fast-forward to a couple weeks ago when I was in San Franciso for work and stopped into the Super7 store (and spent wayyyy too much money). My favorite discovery were the diecast miniature Force Awakens figure from TakaraTomy. I have lots of tiny figures, and lots of diecast figures, but aside from my Eagle Force Goldie Hawk, these are my only combination of the two. So far the only females are Rey and Captain Phasma. But with so many Rogue One figures in the set, I'm sure we'll see a Jyn Erso eventually. Not to mention the matriarch Leia. I'll be keeping my eyes peeled for more now that I know they exist, but in the nature of most imported toys, I'm sure any future figures will totally sneak up on me. Let's check out Phasma and Rey below!
Monday, January 23, 2017
Jada Metals - Suicide Squad - HARLEY QUINN!
I'm very aware that most of my readers do not like the Jada Metals figures at all, but I still maintain that the tiny 2.5" ones are really cute. Now that they seem to be readily available in the new Funko sections at Walmart, you can go check them out for yourselves (Especially the Batgirl figure, she's my favorite). These Suicide Squad Harleys were on my radar since summertime, but I wasn't really planning on getting them until I saw them last week on the shelves. Now I'm just hoping they scale down all the cool Marvel ladies into this scale. I would love a Lady Deadpool and She-hulk at the very least. It's painful for me to pass on all the cool 4" character I see in the stores, but I'm steadfastly holding out for the smaller size. I think the Harleys in this Suicide Squad line are especially fun because they made multiple original variants. In the 2.5" series, the domino-masked and ponytailed hybrid is weird but cool. I'm excited to see what else they show at Toy Fair. Let's check out the Harleys below!
Wednesday, December 14, 2016
Jada Metals - WOMEN OF DC - Series 01!
I love getting obsessed over a new collectible. Especially when they are abundant and inexpensive. I mentioned in my Spider-Gwen review last week that I was really turned off by the larger 4" scale Jada Metals figures. They showed up in all the stores earlier this year for the BvS and Civil War movies and I honestly wasn't tempted at all. But then I saw the booth images from SDCC and I discovered that all it takes is 40% decrease in size to completely capture my attention. I had the exact same reaction to Mez-Itz. The full-sized ones didn't appeal to me whatsoever, but the Mini Mez-Itz have become a major favorite of mine. These 2.5" Metals retail for about $5 and seem to have perfect paintjobs. It's also a great gimmick to release multiple color variants of each sculpt right off the bat. I'm in no way planning on being a completist with this line, but I can tell the temptation will be strong. So far I'm thrilled and I can't wait to see what comes next. Let's check out the first Women of DC 2.5" line below!
Thursday, December 8, 2016
Jada Metals - SPIDER-GWEN!
I really wasn't sure if I was going to be a big fan of these Diecast Jada Toys Metals. I historically always avoided static figures without articulation. Then Funko came along and obliterated that restriction. I didn't love the Suicide Squad, Batman vs Superman, or Avengers Metals that have shown up in stores this year. But most of that had to do with the scale and the exaggerated proportions. Then I saw this 4" scale Spider-Gwen in GameStop on Black Friday, all I knew is that I wanted her. Her crouched position hides the things I don't like about the line. (Note: I don't know why I don't like this scale, but I love the 2.5" Metals - review of all the DC girls coming soon!) I really hope the Marvel line also comes in the 2.5" scale eventually - I could get seriously hooked on those little guys. This larger Spider-Gwen is pretty sweet. The only things I would change would be to hide the seam on her right shoulder and to have her coloring be a little less neon pink and a little more magenta. In the pictures the color looks typical to Gwen, but in person it is a few shades off and it's noticeable. Let's check out the Metals Spider-Gwen below!
Sunday, October 30, 2016
Star Wars Rogue One - Elite Series - JYN ERSO!
I'm glad to see that the Disney Store Star Wars Elite Series is going strong. There's a something special about 6-7" scale diecast action figures. I loved the Bionic Six figures in the eighties. They were built similar to GIJoes, but the weight of the metal was indescribably impressive. There are lots of unarticulated metal figures in the collectible market, but the full true metal action figure is a rarity. I highly suggest checking them out in person, if nothing else than for the heft. The availability of this Disney Store Exclusive Elite Series is so much better this time around. The Force Awakens line was kind of hard to come by. Maybe that was because the anticipation leading up to that film was greater than Rogue One, but I think it has something to do with the fine tuning of the production and distribution. The Star Wars and Marvel section of the store are always well represented these days. Maybe they'll venture into diecast Marvel figures next! I'll be keeping my eyes peeled. Let's check out Jyn Erso below!
Thursday, December 17, 2015
Star Wars Elite Series - REY!
As I type this, there are thousands of geeks sitting in the theatre getting their first glimpse at The Force Awakens. I'm not going to get a chance to see it until next week at the earliest, but I'm still super excited. I watched a bunch of cast interviews this afternoon on YouTube and they made me really curious about the character Rey. Based on some of J.J. Abrams' and Carrie Fisher's comments, it sounds as if Rey is the focal point of the film. Of course, most people know the truth of that by this point, but I'm still in the joyous speculation phase. This Elite Series figure eluded me for many months after I missed her on Force Friday. I felt like a crazy person calling my Disney Store every Monday after they got their shipments in. That never panned out, but one day I randomly stopped in a different location and she was the lone figure sitting on the shelf. Things always seem to work out one way or another. Let's check out the Elite Series Rey in detail below!
Sunday, September 6, 2015
Star Wars Elite Series - CAPTAIN PHASMA!
I'm finally getting excited about Star Wars: The Force Awakens. I tend not to get hyped about movies until the week before I see it. But then a friend suggested we do Force Friday for all the midnight openings. It was fun. The shelves were ripped bare in about ten minutes in wonderful geeky glory. We went to ToysRUs and Target. I bought a couple items, but I was mostly there as a spectator. But then the next morning I started getting texts telling me that there were Disney Stores exclusives that I didn't know about. Best thing was that they had a 6" Captain Plasma. I was able to snag one in the first store I hit. (Then I traveled to my other two local stores to try to find Rey, but with no success). Not much is known about Captain Phasma so far. But we know she leads the First Order Stormtroopers, she's clad in unique metallic armor, and she is played by Gwendoline Christie from Game of Thrones fame. She's getting a Hasbro 6" figure in Black line, but this figure is an early treat. Let's check her out!
Saturday, February 2, 2013
Vintage Goodness: The Women of BIONIC SIX!
It's amazing how well a family theme can work in a superhero genre. The Fantastic Four and Power Pack have proven that it's a recipe that can work, yet somehow it's rarely ever explored. The Bionic Six is yet another of the great 1980's toy-centric cartoon properties. The general premise is that the Bennett family (Mom Helen, Dad Jack, Biological kids Meg and Eric, Adopted son J.D., and foster kid Bunjiro) are all exposed to dangerous alien radiation and must undergo bionic enhancements to save their lives. This treatment gives them each unique super-powers and inspires them to form a superhero team, the Bionic Six. The main villain, Dr. Scarab is the brother to Professor Amadeus (who had infused the Bennett family with their bionic enhancements). LJN is a company that had some of the coolest licenses in the mid-80s: ThunderCats, TigerSharks, Photon, Dungeons & Dragons, etc, etc. They definitely did a fantastic job with their Bionic Six line. Let's check out the figures below!
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