CG Ice or Miss Fear: Who's Scarier?

I'd taken these photos comparing the head sizes of Takara CyGirl Ice and Hasbro Miss Fear, when I thought hmmm ... Ice looks slightly more intimidating in the side view photo. She seems to be leaning in and making herself look bigger as if to frighten Miss Fear. Not that Miss Fear appears to be backing down. No. Our Miss Fear inspires fear in hearts and minds here in East Philly.

But that's me. Who would you prefer to NEVER encounter in a dark alley?

Takara's Chalk and Cheese Offerings: Jenny and CY Girl Ice

Could these figures be any more different?

On the left, we have gun-toting Ice of the Cy Girls. Ice has a realistic face screening.

On the right, we have a sweeter-than-usual Mitsuki, one of Jenny's friends. Mitsuki is done in the anime style.

I have been meaning to do a post on the Cy Girls I own, but for now, I refer you to an excellent guide by Rainwatercat. A similar guide by a22megaton is available for Jenny.

I'll be writing more about these since I am clearing out some of these figures.

(Late) Happy Birthday to Me!

Yesterday was my birthday ... next year, I'll share a blow-out anniversary with Ken, but I am acknowledging the day now. Gives me an excuse to share some of my birthday-themed dolls, ha!

Here are two Takara Jenny Calendar Girls:



The one in the navy Schoolgirl uniform is Tamaki, an Art student; the other in the Reggae inspired-outfit is Reggae Jenny. I will write more about Jennys in future posts, but these are two of my favorites.


Next, are two Mattel Barbies, Birthstone Beauty for July and Zodiac Cancer:



I like these although poor Birthstone Beauty July looks starved. Model muse body. What can I say?

My Three Toms or the Cosmic Tom in Vinyl - Link Added

Will the REAL Tom, please stand?

Please note, all three young men remain standing. They are all TOM.

From left to right, we have the Original Tom from 1992. He is the first Tom. In the middle, we have Totoco - Chinese Tom also from 1992. At the end, on our right, we have Licca Club 67 Tom again from 1992. One character, three different complexions. How can this be?

1992. Takara issued a new, handsome boyfriend for Jenny, and they named him Tom. Tom is from Los Angeles. He break dances and gets into trouble. On the back of his box, he is shown pushing Jeff, Jenny's "Ken," back. Ooohh Tom the Bad Boy. Eh, but he's cute and how many Black males would I find produced in Takara's Jenny line. So I bought the original Tom.

Then I found out about Chinese Tom from a Japanese store called Totoco. Oh, how did that happen now? In the United States, we don't "change" races. Sure, Barbies are sold in various complexions and various races. But ... well, everyone KNOWS that ethnic Barbies are for marketing purposes. Sell Black Barbies to the African American market. Sell Latina Barbies to the Latino market. During the occasional "Blue Moon," Asian Barbies are produced. For whom? Oh, yes, for the Asian market.

Tom differs though because he is Tom for the same market - Asian children who play with dolls and possibly for collectors. The "Black" Tom and the "White" Tom are NOT described as such. They are just Tom. How?

My understanding is that, his eye print defines him. You shall know Tom by his eye print. And if you look at the three Toms, look at their eyes, they are all the same. Different colors, but basically the same eyes.

I brought Tom or the Toms forth today because his/their race(s) seem(s) so ... fluid? They remind me of Zorah Neale Hurson's "I belong to no race nor time" from How It Feels to Be Colored Me. Perhaps he is a Cosmic Tom?

Note: the description I wrote about Tom is from memory from Barbie Bazaar and Doll Reader magazine articles and from messages in Yahoo Jenny Groups (Casual Jenny and Biscuit's Club). If anyone thinks that my description in the paragraph that starts "1992" borders on plagiarism, please send a comment or e-mail me so that I can alter the text.

Playscale Samsons: Long-haired Males

My guys - dolls and action figures alike - felt left out. So I offer this post as sop to them and as a photo theme contrast to my recent photos of female dolls and action figures. I gathered my long-haired guys and aimed the camera at them. For your viewing, the Samsons of East Philly:



Back row: customized Mattel Blaine, Toy Biz Gandalf, Bbi Tyr, Jakks Pacific Oliver, Jakks Pacific Van Helsing

Second row: Mattel John Smith, Dragon Ekin Cheng, Jakks Pacific Chris Jericho, Takara Chinese Tom, and Mattel Kocoum

Front row: Mattel Harley Davidson Ken 1, Mattel Legolas, Mattel Li Shang, and Hasbro Prince Moses

Barnabas Collins Photo

Okay, truth is, it couldn't be Halloween and I miss the opportunity to show off my Dark Shadows Barnabas Collins action figure by Majestic Studios. I missed getting Blacula this year, but Angel and dear little Tommy have another vampire pal, Big Brother Barnabas Collins. His companion in this photo is Takara Jenny Friend, Lie.

Re-dressed: Three Kens and an Allan

Left to right: Straight leg Allan in Takara premium male fashion, Earring Magic Ken in soccer outfit, Tango Ken in action figure top and Battlestar Galactica pants, and AA Skate Date Ken in Battlestar Galactica top and action figure pants

Four more Mattel men re-dressed. This time, I have 1960s Allan in an outfit for Takara Jenny's male friends followed by Earring Magic Ken borrowing the soccer uniform of Benjamin Lauth, and Tango Ken and AA Skate Date Ken splitting the Majestic Studio's Battlestar Galactica uniform with standard action figure tee and cargo pants.

Isn't Tango Ken just the dreamiest Ken ever?

Rousing myself from that reverie, I note that the Takara pants are a little long on Allan. Also, there are four distinct bodies here. Thin Allan, husky Earring Magic, lanky Tango, and middling Skate Date. The Keeping Ken website has photos of every Ken out so for more intensive information about individual Ken bodies, I would suggest that source. Jef of Keeping Ken provided this Ken Bodies link by a Polish doll collector named Olga.

Note: if you have Google Toolbar, you may be able to have the Ken bodies page translated from Polish to English. Or you can use Poltran free translation website to read and/or respond to that post.

Takara Schoolgirls and MABA High School

Four Takara schoolgirls - Tamaki, Ferice, Mitsuki, and Kisara - huddle to discuss a difficult situation in a MABA High School classroom.

Tamaki (red hair, navy beret), Mitsuki (seated, black hair), and Kisara (brown hair pulled back with rubber band are from the 2003 Jenny Calendar Girl series while blonde Ferice is from the 1999 Angels Garden International School series.

I will write about the MABA High School in a separate post; I'll leave photos of the box front and back here for now.


Tamaki, Ferice, Mitsuki, and Kisara




Front of the MABA Barbie High School box




Back of the MABA Barbie High School box

Summer Shoe Selection

YNU Group's Houda wears her original turquoise lace up sandals. The other Sunset Edition Mixis dolls also wear lace up sandals: Rosa's sandals are white, Opal's are bronze, and Emerald's are dusty pink.

Moving clockwise, the shoes on the table beside Houda are Ken's red sandals, Integrity Dynamite Girls' red sandals, Takara Jenny's light blue platform sandals, Lanard I-Girls' pink sandals, Integrity Queen Adora's gold "leather" sandals, unknown pink sandals, and Hasbro Starlight Girl's orange "jellies."

Which shoes do you think Houda and the other Mixis dolls can wear? The Ken sandals are too BIG. But Houda can wear the I-Girls' sandals and the Starlight Girls' "jellies."

Sunday Morning Cruisin' - EP Motorcycle Club

Sunday morning before thunderstorms hit.

Krystal, Dr. Thurman, Kelly, and Mitsuki go for a ride.