I'm a sucker for a tiny cartoony She-Ra figure. Unlike a lot of iconic heroes, She-Ra doesn't get this playful treatment very often. She's had a handful of Funko Pops (2013, 2021a, 2021b, and 2022), a very cool Dorbz, a criminally-scarce Rock Candy, an "unreleased" Eternia Mini, and a recent Funko Mystery Mini. That may seem like a decent list, but He-Man literally has dozens of figures in this aesthetic, so her exclusion from a lot of these lines is very noticeable to me. Luckily, Thrilljoy, the new vinyl collectible company by Brian Mariotti (the former CEO of Funko), has produced a She-Ra vinyl in two scales so far (plus a variant). That's a very strong showing right out of the gate for me. The character selection for Thrilljoy seems a bit random without the clearly defined "waves" of characters belonging to the same license we've come to expect. But that kind of excited me because I immediately dreamed of a Cheetara and Jem to display along with her. Fingers crossed! Let's check out She-Ra below!
UNITING ALL WOMEN OF PLASTIC
Showing posts with label She-Ra. Show all posts
Showing posts with label She-Ra. Show all posts
Monday, August 17, 2026
Thrilljoy Pixl - SHE-RA!
Sunday, August 16, 2026
Thrilljoy Pix - SHE-RA (CHASE)!
I'm still pretty surprised the 40th Anniversary of She-Ra: The Princess of Power in 2025 didn't have more fanfare. There were rumors flying of a ton of Mattel product that unfortunately never surfaced. There were justifiable excuses of tariffs and shipping delays, but I now think they were simply wishful thinking. Still, we got a New Etheria She-Ra, Origins Despara and Shadow Weaver, the Origins Swiftwind set. And the (super expensive) Mondo She-Ra and Swiftwind pre-orders. A surprise for me was this Event Exclusive She-Ra Thrilljoy PIX. I discovered it after coming home from NYCC last year with my newly-acquired Batgirl '66 PIX and curiously Googling the Thrilljoy catalog. I'm not normally a fan of Chase figures, because they typically have a paint deco I don't particularly covet, and I get frustrating with the blind box experience. But in this case I really want the Chase variant (which has a shield) and I was luckily enough to get one on the first try. Finally got a lucky break. Let's check out She-Ra below!
Tuesday, July 7, 2026
Bluey - YOUNG CHILLI (as SHE-RA?)!
Bluey is an extremely popular Australian children's show that ran from 2018 through 2023. It's technically only on hiatus while a movie is in production and will likely return with more full seasons. I've watched quite a few episodes while babysitting and it is a fantastic show. If you ever had a great teacher in your life who could explain heavy concepts to young children without being patronizing or annoying - this show gives that same vibe. It's charming and comforting. I think that kids will learn a lot by watching it, and adults will learn new communication skills from the delivery presented in the show. I'm a fan. There is a Season 3 episode called Fairytale where the sisters Bluey and Bingo are being told a story by their father Bandit about when he met their mother Chilli. The setting of that story is a 1980's Halloween and and 8-year-old Chilli (dressed in a She-Ra homage costume) runs up to a young starstruck bandit to return his hat. It was a great flashback. And now it's a great toy! Let's check out Chilli below!
Thursday, February 5, 2026
New Etheria - DESPARA!
I wasn't expecting to like this figure nearly as much as I do. When the New Etheria Despara was revealed last year, I was lukewarm. I really enjoyed the idea of Despara (because I always thought it was lame that Force Captain Adora looked identical to Great Rebellion Adora). But I was very happy with the Classics and Origins figures we already had. The last thing I needed was a reinterpretation of a reinterpretation (especially when there are so many classic Etherian characters not represented in the line yet). But when I got this figure in-hand and saw and all its versatility, I fell in love. The funny thing is, my least favorite part of the figure is the actual Despara Hordak mask. It looks cheap and doesn't look like Hordak (despite technically being very similar). But on the bright side, there is a great Force Captain Adora look (at least that's how I'm referring to it) with a bat-winged headpiece, as well as a full Adora look. Her hair is a little flat, and her expression is a little vacant, but I'm still obsessed. Let's check her out!
Sunday, November 16, 2025
Masters of the Universe - SHADOW WEAVER!
As 2025 winds down, I won't lie that I have a little disappointment over the She-Ra 40th Anniversary year output. We've had some great releases, and there is still a heavily rumored Glimmer on the way. But I had high hopes for some deep cuts. I wanted Octavia, Peek-a-Blue, Castaspella, and a million others. Perhaps there is a whole lineup of additional POP characters stuck in tariff limbo, but for now I'm trying to be grateful for the one we already have. Shadow Weaver is easily the most iconic villain from the original She-Ra cartoon. She was in 52 episodes and her simple sinister design was hard to forget. I always knew she was a shoe-in for the Cartoon Collection line, but I'm a bit surprised that her head looks the least like her Filmation design than almost all of her previous figures. The shape of the face hole, the overly-pronounced nose sculpt, and the overall hood silhouette just looks off. But the draping cloak and sleeves look incredible. Overall I'm pretty happy with her. Let's check out Shadow Weaver below!
Wednesday, September 24, 2025
Princess of Power - DESPARA!
One of my favorite things to arise from the modern Masters of the Universe stories was the introduction of Despara. While not a wholly new concept, the name and costume of this character are a welcome reimaging to one of the glaring issues (in my humble opinion) with the original She-Ra, The Princess of Power cartoon. We all know that an infant Adora was kidnapped by Hordak from Eternia and raised in Etheria to become a powerful Captain in the Evil Horde. But when we met Adora in this role, despite having the cool title of "Force Captain Adora", she looked and acted identical to the pleasant and pretty member of the Great Rebellion we followed for the rest of the series. I always thought this was a missed opportunity to give She-Ra a wicked side. Well, more than 20 years later, DC published a digital MOTU comic that reimagined Adora as the evil Despara, complete with a mask resembling her abductor "father" Hordak. This was actually a more extreme redesign than I imagined, but I really like it.
Friday, September 12, 2025
She-Ra the Princess of Power - HUNTARA!
I'm typically not a huge fan of one-off brutish characters in 80s cartoons, but in Huntara's case I make an exception because I like her purple skin and her design origins. There is a adventure cartoon trope where a new character arrives on the scene and is duped by the bad guys into think the main hero is actually the enemy. The episodes always pan out the same.. with patience, reasoning, and communication winning the day (plus a new hard-won ally for the hero and a thwarted villain). I think this plot existed several times in She-Ra, but the episode "Huntara" from November 1985 definitely seems to have made the most lasting impression. Huntara comes from the warrior planet Silax and is greeted by the deceitful Hordak upon her arrival and convinced that She-Ra is a great scourge to Etheria. She appears very different from other Princess of Power characters with a punk Road Warrior vibe. My favorite tidbit is the writers described her as a "Grace Jones type" and she does indeed resemble the 80's icon.
Thursday, September 11, 2025
She-Ra the Princess of Power - CATRA!
As much as I've been loving these Masters of the Universe and Princess of Power import figurines from Altaya, there always has to be a least favorite in the bunch. The prize-holder of of that esteemed position is Catra. I love this character. I love her design, I love her power, and I'm even quite fond of her incessant purring. This figurine, however, has a really odd pose. I feel like it's intended to look strong and impactful, but the position of her hands and her slightly stooped-forward position looks awkward. Also her face doesn't quite look right (it's definitely good, but all the other figures have been near perfection). And finally her angled placement on her stand is just odd and makes her stand out from the other figures in the series in a bad way. All the others are facing forward, but her staring off to the left screws up my display. It's such a first-world series of complaints I know, but I'm still happy to add another Filmation Catra to my collection, even with all her quirks. Let's check her out below!
Wednesday, September 10, 2025
She-Ra the Princess of Power - SCORPIA!
There is something about Scorpia from the original 1985 She-Ra: Princess of Power cartoon that makes her stand out to me as one of the greats. Namely, she is the only prominent character with beastly characteristics (that all the male Horde and evil Warrior members take for granted). Yes, I know Octavia is pretty monstrous, but she only appears in two short episodes. Meanwhile Scorpia appears in fifteen with her signature snapping claw hands, whipping scorpion tail, and absolutely horrible voice. Realistically, I acknowledge that she is an idealized woman with a few gimmicky add-ons, but in a universe where "pretty" was seemingly a prerequisite, Scorpia stood out as being badass and awesome (awesome looking... I still can't stand her voice all these years later). My fingers are crossed for a Cartoon Collection figure reveal of her soon (her image has been featured on packaging and the upcoming Sting-Or figure has a great scorpion tail). Maybe an NYCC debut? Let's check out Scorpia below!
Thursday, August 7, 2025
She-Ra the Princess of Power - GLIMMER!
She-Ra: The Princess of Power (1985-1987) was full of iconic female characters. The diversity of personalities, powers, and color palettes was frankly a little overwhelming. But one of the most steadfast and recognizable characters to me was always Glimmer. Glimmer was the daughter of Queen Angella and the Princess of Bright Moon. Before Adora defected from the Horde and arrived in the Whispering Wood, Glimmer was the leader of the Rebellion (but she quickly deferred to Adora's military prowess). In true 80's fashion, her "light" power was represented in dozens of different ways - from emitting blinding flashes to invisibility to flight (almost all the characters exhibited omega-mutant level powers if you paid attention). Glimmer was a constant presence in the cartoon as She-Ra's (best?) friend and a formidable warrior. She would appear in about half the episodes, but it seemed like more. This Altaya figurine perfectly represents her animated look. Let's check out Glimmer below!
Thursday, July 31, 2025
She-Ra the Princess of Power - MADAME RAZZ!
I can freely admit that, historically, my least favorite part of She-Ra: The Princess of Power was Madame Razz. I just never appreciate the comic relief elements in cartoons. These characters were a staple of the genre in my youth. My peers loved them, but I found them unbearably irritating. That said, I acknowledge she is iconic to the series and any line-up of POP characters would seem incomplete without her. My second admission is that the phrase "Oh, dearie my!" is permanently in my verbal repertoire when I'm feeling goofy (read: intoxicated), even if no one gets the reference. I have purchased quite a few of these Spanish Altaya figurines (all 17 females and a handful of the men), and Madame Razz was notable for being the only one that arrived broken. Luckily it was a clean break; the bottom of her feet off the base. But the extra effort I had to put into repairing her oddly enough made me more attached to the kooky old broad. Let's check out Madame Razz below!
Tuesday, July 22, 2025
She-Ra the Princess of Power - KOWL!
It's a very rare thing for me to post a review for a male figure on this website. I buy a fair amount of male characters. (Lately I feel like I'm picking up two Batmen per month). But I like to keep this space dedicated to the ladies. My first exception was The Shape of Water Amphibian Man, simply because I loved him. And now I make an exception for Kowl, mostly because he is such an iconic and steadfast presence in the She-Ra: The Princess of Power cartoon. Kowl is seemingly a mashup of an owl and a koala with Dumbo-esque ears. He has an almost royal sensibility and highbrow wit... balanced with cowardice in the heat of battle (most of the time, at least). Although Madame Razz is the actual "Orko" of the series, Kowl hovering around the main characters always mirrored Orko's presence more than she ever did for me. And randomly, my friends and I have a (pointless) inside joke where we try to mimic the "...and Kowl" part of Melendy Britt's opening monologue. It's fun. You should try it. Let's check out Kowl below!
Monday, July 21, 2025
She-Ra the Princess of Power - SHE-RA!
This She-Ra figurine is the item that sent me down the rabbithole of the Altaya Masters of the Universe Figurine Collection. I had been spying the Teela and Evil-Lyn that were released earlier in the line, but I have an abundance of those two characters in my collection and the secondary market import prices were prohibitive. But when this She-Ra was announced I knew I was a goner. The pose is perfectly iconic to me. Some of these figurines strongly resemble the large PopCultureShock MOTU Statue line (which are stunning pieces), but I actually prefer the pose and design of this little plastic version over that large polystone statue I always coveted. By the time I found a decently-priced eBay seller who combined shipping, Altaya had already announced Dree-Elle and Shadow Weaver and I knew this collecting endeavor would last for years (And it did, 2021-2025). I kind of hope they have a legacy like Eaglemoss and keep resurfacing with supplemental sub-lines. Let's check out She-Ra below!
Thursday, July 10, 2025
She-Ra the Princess of Power - SHADOW WEAVER!
In my humble opinion, Shadow Weaver was the character that made She-Ra the Princess of Power (1985-1987) such a great show. The heroes in the Great Rebellion were all great. But, objectively, the were all pretty girly with pastel colors and toyetic (doll-like) features. The main antagonist was Hordak, who I really appreciated because he attracted the male He-Man audience. (If Hordak was more powerful that Skeletor, than She-Ra must be taken seriously, right?) But with such a female-centric show, the female villains were going to be the focus for the hardcore fans. Most of these villains were bumbling caricatures. The voices alone made them silly, let alone the many botched schemes throughout the series. But standing right by Hordak's side, and appearing in nearly every episode, was Shadow Weaver, the creepy and powerful spellcaster who provided a sharp contrast to all the pastel heroes and incompetent villains. She balanced the abundant stereotypes and leant a strong cool factor to the show.
Tuesday, July 8, 2025
She-Ra the Princess of Power - GRANITA!
Granita has always been one of my favorite deep-dive MOTU/POP characters. She only appeared in two episodes of She-Ra the Princess of Power as a member of the Rock People, but her otherworldly appearance and wonderful color scheme made a lasting impression on me. As a former art student, I was obsessed with Complimentary Colors and the way certain color pairings would "pop." But my least favorite was always red and green. I couldn't see the pair without thinking it was something related to Christmas. But I eventually realized that pastel versions of those same colors had the same effect without the connotations. So Granita with her two-hued green and two-hued pink opened up a whole new world of color theory for me. When I have a toy of her in a MOTU/POP lineup, eyes my instantly go to her. It's interesting that she was included in this Altaya figurine line (of 77 pieces) over more popular characters like Frosta or Castaspella, but I'll take her gladly. Let's checkout Granita below!
Wednesday, May 28, 2025
New Etheria - SHE-RA!
Ever since the 1987 movie Evil-Lyn figure came out in 2023, I have had my fingers crossed for the William Stout cinematic concept art for She-Ra (who was unfortunately cut out of the script). I knew this was a pipe dream, but I would still be vocal about it everytime there was speculation about SDCC or NYTF reveals. However, that itch was kindof scratched when this New Etheria She-Ra was revealed a few months ago. The New Eternia (and now New Etheria) sub-line of MasterVerse featured more realistic fantasy-inspired designs. There is really no connection to the William Stout concepts and this figure, but this stylized cinematic-looking She-Ra is a great consolation. My only fear is that this and Hordak will be the only New Etherian characters. Teela in the New Eternia line is due this Summer (along with Kobra Khan), but there isn't much known beyond that. This She-Ra figure is really great in person and really shows off the potential of this line. Let's check her out below!
Wednesday, November 27, 2024
Masters of the Universe - SHE-RA!
Back in 2020 when the Masters of the Universe Origins line started, I was very excited that the third female character released would be She-Ra (in the form of a Power-Con exclusive). While this figure was great (as was the later retail release with sculpted hair), but the vintage toy design of She-Ra just never packed the same nostalgic punch for me as the Filmation version. This Cartoon Collection spinoff of the MOTUO line has been thrilling for me. Just when I think that I don't want another MOTU product to collect, they make this oddly perfect blend of vintage toy construction with animated stylings. She-Ra is the third female character they've made and I love them all. Plus the Catra and Frosta I have preordered look great. Up until now, the best vintage-style Filmation She-Ra was from the Super7 Vintage Collection, but I think this new Mattel Cartoon Collection version has that beat. I can't wait to see who else they might tackle. (Queen Marlena would be a dream). Let's check out She-Ra below!
Wednesday, April 19, 2023
POP Funko - SHE-RA (GOLD)!
I'm not usually a sucker for metallic repaints. I tend to like bright saturated colors that mimic animation or comics, and metallics often dull that vibrancy. However, I've found it interesting that when it comes to She-Ra, I definitely prefer her "metal" pieces to be painted metallic gold rather than a literal translation of the orangey-mustard color from the screen. This recent repaint of the POP! Retro Toys She-Ra is a perfect example. The original release from 2021 had cartoon-accurate mango-orange armor, but in execution the color just blended in too much with the yellow of her hair and the light tone of her skin. But this WonderCon 2022 exclusive repaint looks so much better. The intended contrast and weight of the armor is there and is very impressive. This Pop came with the expensive LoungeFly/Funko exclusive She-Ra backpack. The bag is very cool and high quality. I was hesitant to make such a large purchase (I got her slightly cheaper on eBay) but I think it was worth it. Let's check out She-Ra below!
Wednesday, January 11, 2023
Princess of Power Masterverse - FROSTA!
The Masterverse line from Mattel continues to surprise me. One of the earliest obscure character leaks last year was Frosta. This figure was shown on secret product lists and was even accompanied by a super low-res photo. This was before Catra was mentioned and before She-Ra was anything more than a teaser about the "possibilities" of the Masterverse line. So seeing Frosta so early was both confusing and exciting. "Confusing" because she didn't seem like an obvious choice for the first Princess of Power release. But "exciting" for exactly the same reason... this line wouldn't be shying away from 2nd-tier characters. Of course, by the time she rolled out to stores, she would be the third POP character which makes a lot more sense. Frosta really stood out in the original she-Ra cartoon for her stark blue coloring and her memorable elemental powers. She was also known for aggressively hitting on He-Man, to much comic effect. It's hard to rank my favorite POP characters, but she's definitely up there for me.
Monday, September 5, 2022
Princess of Power Masterverse - SHE-RA!
Sometime around late-Spring/early-Summer 2021 Mattel announced the Masterverse line. Most of the initial product was focused on the Revelation cartoon, but when showing packaging concepts, they showed and empty She-Ra box with the Princess of Power logo. I was stoked that the Etheria characters would be seeing a retail release. And honestly, the fact that we were shown Catra and Frosta before She-Ra only fueled my excitement. But I'm glad that She-Ra was the first one to be officially released. In many ways, she is the best She-Ra figure in my collection. But in other ways, the articulation and proportions seem rushed. The joints aren't disguised at all. And the elbows, knees, and shoulders remind me of old-school Marvel Legends (i.e. they offer the expected articulation, but have a gangly feel and are very difficult to pose in a natural look. But don't get me wrong, I'm still obsessed with this figure. In fact, I can't wait to get a second one so I can display all the alternate accessories. Let's check her out!
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