Monster High is one of those great properties that both kids and collectors can’t get enough of. Much like real world teenagers, the children of famous monsters find high school to be by turns fun and frustrating, friendly and frightening. Unlike most real teens, these teens embrace their ‘freaky flaws’. The wonderful web television series … Read More →
Perhaps inspired by Mattel’s Monster High dolls, Hasbro has decided to capitalize further on the current high popularity for the long running My Little Pony franchise and extend it into dolls. There’s been plenty of online debate about whether this was a good idea, especially given the questionable realm that is adult My Little Pony … Read More →
Capitalizing on the success of their Monster High web series, Mattel has launched a new series for their main girl Barbie: Life in the Dreamhouse! Featuring both classic and new Barbie pals, I find myself drawn to new frenemy Raquelle. She’s spoiled, selfish, and looking to steal Ken away- quite a change from the normal … Read More →
Anyone seeing the original North American Sailor Moon 12 inch doll release had the same response, “Why doesn’t she have a nose?” For reasons that remain a mystery, rather than using their existing molds, Bandai/Irwin created new “stylized” molds that went beyond unattractive looking to achieve downright bizarre. Unsurprisingly, the original release sold poorly and … Read More →
JAKKS Pacific is taking the doll world by storm with their two new lines: Elle (15 inch dolls) and G.I.R.L. Force (11.5 inches). G.I.R.L. Force dolls feature an impressive amount of poseability using a soft “skin” over an internal framework (similar to the Jewel Girl Barbie, only much more so). The amount of detail they … Read More →
Vitamin C is a bit of a rarity among teen pop sensations- she can sing. Equally rare is Mattel’s decision to create a doll based on her- before the Spice Girls dolls became a huge hit for rival Hasbro, the company seemed to avoid dolls of this kind, at least in the US market. But … Read More →
Every now and again, a TV spin off takes on more life than the original show. Such is the case with Xena, the fantasy adventure show starring Lucy Lawless. The fabulous action sequences and convoluted story lines have brought the show a dedicated following, as well as a barrage of merchandising. The Roman Xena doll … Read More →
Ever since Skipper was promoted to “Teen,” Mattel has done a fabulous job of giving her and her friends fun themes for their annual dolls. This year, the theme is sleepovers, an idea that brings to mind late nights and giggling teenage girls, which fits right in with the Teen Skipper crowd. Pajama Fun Courtney … Read More →
Takara Japan’s lovely and perky Jenny dolls have been coveted by collectors worldwide since the ’80s, when they had obtained a licence to produce Mattel’s Barbie character for the Japanese market. Thankfully, when Mattel terminated the licence to the Barbie name Takara renamed the molds Jenny and continued their wonderful line of dolls, fashions, and … Read More →
Mattel has been hungry for a big share of the action figure market ever since the decline of their last big success, He-Man. While their Disney based action figures continue to sell, they don’t have the marketplace longevity of, say, a GI Joe. This year, however, Mattel is teaming up with Sony Entertainment and the … Read More →
