Sunday, August 28, 2016

I go to Target and Walmart and I see things

Let's start with the doll I found most mysterious. She appears to be articulated at wrists, elbows, and knees, and she looks like she just arrived from an Asian cartoon.

Asking "do you know who I am?" does me no good at chi-chi restaurants.
Meet Marinette, who is purportedly 10 inches tall, and who hails from ZAG Heroez Miraculous, a Nickelodeon series featuring female superheroes (description). The official site promises us that Marinette is a sweet, helpful, mildly impulsive person who transforms into the superhero Ladybug, a sweet, helpful, mildly impulsive person who really likes polka dots.

She's not the only interesting doll I saw. For instance, there's...


Are my knees jointed? For $29.99, they'd better be!
There's Elena of Avalor, who hails from a Disney Channel series about a Latina princess who actually gets to rule her kingdom.

Meanwhile, Disney Descendants appears to be stepping into the multi-cultural spot usually held by Monster High.

The 1980s rocked! At least, that's what my mom says.
Jordan is the daughter of Genie. She will grant wishes to anyone who rubs her lamp... wut? Okay, I poured a large-ish glass of Moscato, but that sounds... MOVING RIGHT ALONG...

It is totally Funny Hat Day
Freddie is the daughter of Dr. Facilier, the villain from The Princess and the Frog, so I guess she's evil? And maybe something about voodoo? Honestly, I still haven't gotten the Royals and Rebels from Ever After High straight, but I'm happy to see a selection of articulated darker gals.

Speaking of which...

Maybe I'm a mermaid-genie?
Ah! Comical misadventures of genies on Nickelodeon. So what does it say about us as a people that genies are everywhere in 2016?

Alternately, what does it say about us as a people that EAH dolls now come in unarticulated versions?

Definitely one of those Parisian ballet girls who's no better than she should be.
In the toy aisle at Walmart, a midsized child stared at the equivalent display and said, of the one labeled Apple White: "That's supposed to be Apple White? That doesn't even look like Apple White." So Mattel: your reboot does not pass the approval of 10-year-olds. Learn from this!

Walmart has also added Sparkle Girlz Mini playsets for under $5. I was tempted by this one for the furniture.

With a second chair, this would have been an easier decision.
Then I saw it. It had to happen. I didn't buy it. I was too struck by awe at the inevitability of it all.

One Sparkle Girlz Mini, one My Little Phony

12 comments:

  1. My 17 yo daughter loves, loves, loves Miraculous Ladybug and wants to cosplay Marinette. I personally find the show annoying after awhile.

    I think those unarticulated EAH dolls are supposed to be more for the 3 and 4 yo set. As long as that's not the *only* type of EAH doll they produce, I'll overlook it.

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    1. Also, Marinette is half French, half Chinese, and lives in a bakery in Paris.

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  2. Is that a real My Little Pony or a knockoff? My fave articulated doll is still Triki Miki from the 70s. Her groovy clothes and long red hair appealed more to me than high maintenance Barbie. lol

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    1. The pony is a knock-off. Pony knock-offs have been showing up for a couple years now, but this is the first SG combo with them.

      Triki Miki is new to me, thuogh I a small and very articulated Dollikin.

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  3. LOL @ My Sweet Pony. What are they going to release next? My Furry Care Bear?

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    1. Don't put it past them!

      One of the storebrand cloners does a combined Phony, fake Strawberry Shortcake, and fake My Little Petshop gift set. It shows up at Walmart, I think, and it's weirdly magnificent.

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  4. Hello! I think that worse than the lack of articulation are the painted tops and leggins/tights. Growing up, one of the best parts of playing with dolls was changing their outfits, so I don't get why they do that. The neon lights Descendants dolls haven't arrived to my country yet I think, and when they do they'll be super expensive.

    Cheers!

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    1. The painted and molded clothing deeply, deeply alienates me! I was very into changing doll clothes and originally meant, as an adult, to have only two (well, maybe six, or maybe 11) fashion dolls who would have actual wardrobes rather than one dress each. *sigh*

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  5. I love the title of this post. These girls are adorable.

    Look out 'My Little Pony.' The Sparkle Girls are coming for you!

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  6. Well, I don't collect any of these dolls, but I do miss being able to go to a (physical) store to buy dolls & accessories. Occasionally I might find some Barbie accessory I can transform. Still, it's always interesting to see what other collectors are finding of interest.

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    1. This is ordinarily my season for buying last year's flops, but I haven't gotten much this year.

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