One of the most surprising and enjoyable (for me at least) revelations in the movie Lightyear was the introduction of Darby Steel. I can admit that from the promotional images and early toy reveals, I completely thought this was a male character. But, no, Darby is a cranky and cantankerous ex-con who has a Suicide-Squad-style agreement to shorten her sentence by joining Izzy and the Junior Zap Patrol. For the majority of the movie she is wearing the hodgepodge dented and reclaimed armor that the rest of the resistance group are wearing (not the most visually appealing design for my collection). But by the end of the movie, she gets the full Star Command Space Ranger uniform - and thankfully she got a toy in this look. I never saw this figure in stores, but she was readily available online. Darby's specialty (i.e. criminality) in the movie was her MacGyver-like ability to turn anything into an explosion. She's so fun and unexpected for a saccharine Pixar property. Let's check out Darby Steel below!
UNITING ALL WOMEN OF PLASTIC
Showing posts with label Pixar. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Pixar. Show all posts
Wednesday, March 1, 2023
Lightyear 5" - DARBY STEEL!
Sunday, February 19, 2023
Lightyear 12" - IZZY HAWTHORNE!
My final Lightyear post for this week. Thanks for humoring me as I had a serious backlog and was suddenly inspired by Black History Month to finally open and photograph all these Izzy and Alisha toys. (There will be a Darby post at some point in the future). I mentioned before that the 12" Alisha figure was my favorite of the entire product line. And while this Izzy figure isn't my favorite design, I love that she is the same scale as my favorite Alisha so she's not so lonely in the display. Additonally, there may or may not be a 12" figure of Izzy in her Star Command Space Ranger design coming. It's kind of blanked out on Amazon and Entertainment Earth has her listed with an ever-changing release date. It could easily me a simple swap of this Jr. Zap Patrol head with the Alisha body, but the solicit pics show full Buzz Lightyear wings. I guess time will tell if it ever gets released. In the meantime, I'm very happy to get at least one 12" figure of Izzy in the line (actually there are two.. see below). Let's check out Izzy below!
Saturday, February 18, 2023
Lightyear 5" - IZZY HAWTHORNE!
It's amusing to me that my favorite part of the Lightyear movie is when Izzy finally donned the Space Ranger uniform at the end. I think a childhood full of shows like He-Man and Voltron that dangled transformation sequences in front of us as the pinnacle of awesomeness has effected my adult perceptions. Without any advance knowledge, I knew that Izzy, Mo, and Darby would get official uniforms eventually (these toys weren't shown until well after the movie debuted) and I watched the entire movie in hopeful anticipation of a simple costume change. The second wave of the Crystal Grade series (I think it was exclusive to Walmart) finally gave us a single poseable figure of Izzy in this design. There was a cumbersome action-feature-laden version and several included in large multipacks, but this was the most readily available. I keep finding new products every time I Google and it's honestly a little overwhelming. Still waiting on an Alpha Class in this design, but oh well. Let's check out Izzy!
Friday, February 17, 2023
Lightyear 6" - IZZY HAWTHORNE!
An interesting thing about collecting a variety of different products from a certain toyline, especially when all produced by the same company, is that you can really see a diversity in quality. I actually think all the Lightyear products have been of good quality. Not a single piece is something I would write off as junk. But what does stand out from this comparison is Mattel's more premium product offering, the Alpha Class line. Right away, the scale is impressive. While all the cheaper, playable figures are in a 5" scale, this line is 6" which instantly has more appeal to the collector community since it matches the scale of the most popular toylines. The packaging is more display-ready (for those that like that), the articulation is greatly improved, and the accessories are detailed and smart. My highest indicators of toy quality though are paint application and the plastic itself. This Izzy is constructed with very durable high quality plastic with an impressive texture and paint to match. Let's check out Izzy below!
Thursday, February 16, 2023
Lightyear 5" - IZZY HAWTHORNE!
Izzy Hawthorne is the main female character in Lightyear. As the granddaughter of Buzz Lightyear's former partner, Alisha, the time-displaced Buzz finds a touchstone in the young rebel leader. Izzy was leading a ragtag trio of cadets (along with Mo and Darby) on a perilous mission to destroy a large cruiser containing Zurg's robot warriors when Buzz appeared and joined the fight. When I first saw Izzy's armor, I had mixed feelings. I expected everyone in the classic Star Command uniforms, but I could tell from the merchandising that this post-apocalyptic rusty-colored armor would be the Izzy's primary outfit. I didn't love the design at first, but I eventually realized that it reminded me of Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind. Not a specific character persay, but rather a general feel. Especially the rivets on her shoulderpad and her Ohm-like helmet. It may be a stretch, but the correlation got me over my initial disappointment and made me really appreciate this look. Let's check out Izzy below!
Wednesday, February 15, 2023
Lightyear 5" - ALISHA HAWTHORNE!
Yet another Lightyear toy product that only showed up at Kohl's. When I first learned of this figure set I didn't know much about the movie yet and didn't realize Izzy and her Grandmother Alisha were different characters. All I knew is that I was obsessed with this woman in the Star Command suit (and in some promotional material she was just referred to as Commander or Cadet Hawthorne, further confusing me). But by the time I learned more and finally saw the movie, my favorite part was the Grandmother/Granddaughter generational dynamic between the two female leads. Of course they don't share any scenes, but their individual relationships with the time-skipping Buzz are the heart of the movie. This two-pack features their struggles on the wild planet of T'Kani Prime where they are constantly attacked by living vines and aggressive insects (and subsequently stranded). I love when an antagonist in a film or show is unbridled nature so I really appreciate getting these accessories. Let's check out Alisha below!
Tuesday, February 14, 2023
Lightyear 12" - ALISHA HAWTHORNE!
One of my favorite tropes of modern character creation is when an established male design is applied to a new female character. The Buzz Lightyear costume debuted in the first Toy Story movie way back in 1995 and is probably the last design I expected to be applied to a female character, but 27 years later we get the movie Lightyear and a ton of characters wearing the classic Space Ranger uniform, including three prominent females. This 12-inch-scale figure of Alisha Hawthorne is my favorite figure of all the Lightyear products. It is well articulated, a perfect likeness of the animation model, and very playable. The downfall was that she was next to impossible to find. Only a few weeks ago (roughly 8 months after the theatrical release) did she seem to show up in wide distribution at places like Walmart and Target. Before that, she only sporadically appeared in places like Kohls. If you're going to add any single Lightyear figure to your collection, this should be the one. Let's check her out below!
Monday, February 13, 2023
Lightyear 6" - ALISHA HAWTHORNE!
Lightyear was an interesting movie. Of all Toy Story characters that I would want to see an entire animated universe developed for, I never would have guessed that Buzz Lightyear would be the one to see. Back in 2000 he had an animated series called Buzz Lightyear of Star Command that I understand had a decent following (I reviewed the Mira Nova Happy Meal toy from that show). So I can understand the precedent for producing a full-fledged theatrical movie based off the character. My favorite part of the movie was the Grandmother/Granddaughter roles of Alisa Hawthorne (Uzo Aduba) and Izzy Hawthorne (Keke Palmer). The trailers already spoiler this aspect, but Buzz spends time in a world where time proceeds differently and returns to find his world has moved on. In place of his trusty partner, Alisha, is her feisty granddaughter, Izzy. Both really great characters that each had tons of product made. I'll be reviewing seven in the next seven days. Starting with Alisha in her Commander uniform.
Sunday, July 3, 2022
Monsters, Inc - CELIA!
This 7" Pixar line from Mattel is unexpectedly awesome. I say unexpectedly because I don't typically buy figures from genres that aren't superhero or sci-fi. Sure, I've seen and enjoyed every Pixar movie so far, but I can honestly say I've never finished a film saying "oh man I need action figures of these characters." But when this line started hitting the shelves last year I was really intrigued at the quality and scale of the figures. Especially at the price point of roughly 10 dollars per figure (so 20 for this 2-pack). The first one I bought was Merida from Brave, followed by a few Incredibles. Then I realized they paired well with my Toy Story 4 Bo Peep figure. I didn't know how many others I would buy, but then I saw this amazing Celia figure from Monsters, Inc. I love odd characters with alien-like features, and her cyclops eye, medusa hair, and octopus legs always thrilled me. Even in this Pixar-specific line, she is not a character I ever expected to see, but I'm ecstatic that she was. Let's check out Celia below!
Thursday, June 24, 2021
Disney/Pixar's Brave - MERIDA!
I rewatched Brave before this review because I hadn't seen it since 2012 and I only had fragmented memories. I remember her wild red hair (especially how well it was animated). I remember all the scenes being saturated in green like an Alfonso Cuarón film. And did the mother transform into a bear or something? (or was that Brother Bear?) I definitely needed to give it another viewing. The movie holds up well. I actually enjoyed it more this time than the first go-round. Merida is a classic anti-princess. She rejects the formalities and privileges of her birthright and instead prefers adventure. Her real rebellion kicks off when she enters the contest of princes vying for her hand in marriage and defeats them all to become her own suitor, and this sets up the main conflict of the movie between traditional mother and rebellious daughter. And, yes, there is indeed a bear transformation. I always love a fiercely independent character - especially if she's an archer. So Merida was a must-have. Let's check her out below!
Wednesday, June 23, 2021
The Incredibles - ELASTIGIRL & VIOLET!
I have a lot of mixed feelings about The Incredibles. When I first saw the film back in 2004, I walked out of the theatre thinking that Disney blatantly stole the plot of The Watchmen. This wasn't a new concept for me. I thought Kimba the White Lion and The Christmas Toy clearly "influenced" Lion King and Toy Story. The flipside to my initial criticisms is that I adore Brad Bird (Iron Giant is one of my favorite animated movies, right up there with Studio Ghibli). And if he claims he never read Watchmen, I 100% believe him. So then I had to watch it again with an open mind, which was difficult because I had a stubborn sort of grudge about it. But I did enjoy it, and I liked the sequel without any hesitation. I never really considered adding Incredibles actions figure to my collection, but when I stumbled across this Pixar line in Target earlier this I just had to get them. They are an interesting scale, decently articulated, and amazingly sculpted. Plus they're inexpensive. Let's check out Helen and Violet below!
Friday, July 3, 2020
An Assortment of Non-DC Comics IMAGINEXT!
While the DC Super Friends Imaginext gets the lion's share of attention in the preschool aisles and toy forums, the figures from the other lines are nothing to turn your nose up at. I tend to let a bunch of Imaginext figures build up and photograph them in a group. In this post I have a few characters from Disney's Toy Story 4, Illumination's Minions: The Rise of Gru, Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, and two unbranded Fisher-Price lines... all released over the past few years. I'm always excited to see what surprises will come down the line. There are always new themes and blind bag series in the works and I think there's a very good chance of Masters of the Universe line in the near future (It's been hinted at by Mattel and they recently announced an MOTU Little People set). Plus I would love another Adventure People homage in the form of the X-Ray Woman. The X-Ray Man from a few years ago is lonely! Let's check out this recent collection of Imaginext ladies below!
Sunday, October 20, 2019
Buzz Lightyear - MIRA NOVA!
There's something about Happy Meal toys that thrill me when they're made right. I feel like a majority of the time I only see weird gimmicky plastic contraptions or my favorite characters inexplicably in the driver's seat of a little car. But every so often you get these cool little action figures. Of course, the downfall is the best ones have an annoying habit on being Australian and very tricky to obtain on the secondary market. This Mira Nova figure is a prime example. The American Happy Meal line were little "launch vehicles", but the Australian set were four well-designed action figures. Buzz Lightyear of Star Command was a Toy Story spinoff from 2000. It expanded on Buzz's "fictional" life before ending up in Andy's toy bin. Mira Nova is a rookie Space Ranger and Princess of the Tangean people. She has telepathic abilities and can phase through walls. There were a number of toys produced for this cartoon, but Mira was always left out. Until Australian McDonald's swept in to save the day! Let's check her out below!
Friday, April 19, 2019
Toy Story 4 - BO PEEP!
I'm excited that Bo Peep seems to be a focal character in the upcoming Toy Story 4 movie. I honestly was never much a fan of Jessie or Barbie in the movies, so the only female character that I really saw potential in was Bo Peep. Of course, her role was that of a secondary character who could be easily forgettable if you don't pay attention. However, I knew something was up when the first leaked toys from the movie showed has Bo Peep in a variety of product lines and scales. Then I saw images of her form the movie online and I realized she must be a major part of the movie. Suddenly she seems fierce and formidable - where in the past she wasn't much more than a damsel in stress and a love interest for Woody. I'm excited to see how her character is developed, especially considering that she is a porcelain doll (and therefore fragile by nature). Yet the pictures online look like she's battle-hardened and ready for a fight. Toy Story 4 comes out on June 21st so we'll all know soon. Let's check her out below!
Tuesday, February 26, 2019
Ralph Breaks the Internet - SHANK!
Hot on the heels of yesterday's review of Yesss comes this final figure of Shank from 2018's Ralph Breaks the Internet (aka Disney's Wreck-It Ralph 2). Shank is a tough street racer from the fictional game Slaughter Race. She is voiced by the amazing Gal Gadot (Wonder Woman) and seems like a great addition to the cast (I haven't seen it myself yet). I love how this character and toy fit in with the diverse aesthetics of the multi-genre movie while still capturing the essence of the voice actors behind them. (I would love to see someone make an animated Wonder Woman from this headsculpt). Bandai always has a knack for putting out great product from popular animated properties, and this movie has been no exception. The four females figures they've released so far in this line have been really fun and almost perfectly executed. The only thing lacking is more articulation. But these are simple toys aimed at kids, so I give Bandai a lot of wiggle room here. Let's check out Shank below!
Monday, February 25, 2019
Ralph Breaks the Internet - YESSS!
I'm woefully behind on Disney movies. I just counted and there are 14 movies from the past seven years that are on my list to watch. I only just saw the first Wreck-It Ralph in the last year (a mere 6 years after its initial release). But I will definitely try to speed up my schedule now though because I'm really curious to see Ralph Breaks the Internet - after seeing all the action figures of these cool female characters of course. Yesss is an amazing looking character voiced by Taraji P. Henson. She is the embodiment of an algorithm that determines trending videos on the fictional site BuzzzTube. Her design is based on Cruella de Vil (although I never would have guessed that before I read it). I'm obsessed with her multi-tonal blue features contrasting with her bright red clothes. I know this figure only depicts one of her many fashions, but from what I can tell via google image searches, I think it's my favorite. Bandai has a knack for perfectly capturing CGI-animated figures in action figure form. Let's check out Yesss below!
Tuesday, December 18, 2018
Ralph Breaks the Internet - VANELLOPE & CALHOUN!
I'm slow at a lot of things. It's just my nature not to rush things or show up anywhere early (which is amusing considering my overwhelming desire to hunt down toys the second they come out). Another odd time contradiction is how much I love Pixar movies, but how extremely slow I am at actually watching them. I honestly just watched the first Wreck-It Ralph a few months ago (6 years after it came out). So at that rate who knows when I'll actually see Ralph Breaks the Internet, but I might make an extra effort just because I'm so excited about all the cool new female characters. Vanellope is an obvious carry-over from the first movie, and the "comfy Princesses" brand has a ton of potential, but I'm more obsessed over the new video-game-inspired characters like Yesss, Shank, and of course Calhoun. I love that Bandai is giving all of these characters action figures right away. Then again, I'll probably be clamoring for the other main Sugar Rush racers. I'm never satisfied. Let's check out Vanellope and Calhoun below!
Thursday, August 23, 2018
Big Hero 6 The Series - HONEY LEMON!
Bandai has always had the ability to make me feel like a little kid again (in the best way possible) when I buy their products. I'm not talking about their high-end import toys, but rather the random cartoon properties aimed at kids and moms. There's something about their cartoony designs and bright plastic that is just fun. In the past, Power Rangers, ThunderCats, and Ben 10 have all coaxed that childlike reaction from me. And currently it's Miraculous, Zak Storm, and of course Big Hero 6. There is a new Big Hero 6 series on DisneyXD (which started in October) that I didn't even know about until I stumbled across these new toys in Target. They are a significant improvement over the 2014 movie figures with a larger scale, more articulation (with Honey Lemon at least), and more thoughtful paint apps. The only bad thing about Bandai is that there is typically an initial burst of product, then nothing but restocks. But I hope we get a second wave here because a High Voltage 2-pack would rock. Let's check out Honey Lemon below!
Sunday, August 12, 2018
Big Hero 6 The Series - GO GO TOMAGO!
You know I was just reading over my reviews for the Big Hero 6 toys from the 2014 movie and I'm embarrassed to say I still haven't seen it, despite my excitement at the time. So today I checked all my streaming services (Amazon, Netflix, Hulu, and HBOGo - I'm kinda spoiled) but it's not available anywhere. So I'll have to go off what I know from the comics and have read online. In the comics, Go Go Tomago is an imprisoned gang member who is given a second chance at freedom by helping test a new exosuit (which enables her to turn into a ball of energy and move at hyper-fast speeds). In the Disney version, she is a high school tech-geek who develops her own suit featuring electromagnetic disks. Despite not having see the movie or the animated series, I just know Go Go will be my favorite character. I didn't even know the television series existed (it started October 2017) until I stumbled across these new toys in Target. They are significantly larger than the movie toys. Let's check out Go Go Tomago below!
Sunday, May 7, 2017
A Bug's Life - PRINCESS ATTA!
When I was a kid I was a major nature nerd. I grew up in the boonies until I was in 5th grade and didn't have a neighbor for miles. My parents had a small brood of kids and were predictably frugal so a lot of my toys were hand-me-downs and birthdays and Christmas were the only occasions for presents. But I was born a collector. The lack of retail stores and spending money wasn't going to stop my compulsions. So I scoured our mountain for different spiders and insects and stored them in ornate tackle boxes. As an adult, I've always been really tempted by insect-themed toys, but they don't usually blend in well with the spandex and capes crowd. I've still been buying them of course and I'm finally getting around to reviewing three of my favorites this week. A Bug's Life was Pixar's second film. Back in 1998 I was working in a video rental store and this movie was possibly the most popular movie during my 5 years working there. It appealed to every demographic and cemented Pixar's place as a powerhouse studio.
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