Joan Jett at Walmart - January 2010

Stopped by Walmart and found these dolls on the first of January:

Ladies of the Eighties: Joan Jett



I like the doll's strong face. The hatchet hairstyle looks interesting, too. I love her outfit and red sneakers. Emaciated body, but then I can either re-body her or give her a background where she's ill. I associate Joan Jett with the song, "I Love Rock n Roll," but other than that, she wasn't on my Eighties playlist. I do like the doll though. Someday ....


The African American version of Barbie H20




The African American version of Potty Training Pup Barbie




Three of the Barbie Basics Line




Roca Wear So in Style Chandra and Grace



No Trichelle, Kara, or Darren. Between Trichelle's cool outfit and her rougher hair and Darren's cool outfit, I was not surprised to NOT see them.


Wizards of Waverly Place Alex Russo in a new outfit



Yawn. Reporting this because it is a change, but I wish that Mattel would either add another doll to this series - one of the other characters - for variety or create a playset for her. The outfits are not spectacular enough to warrant buying multiple versions of the same doll over and over again.

Integrity Janay Links to Click

Integrity Janay fans, I found some places to discuss and to view these dolls.

First, there is a Janay focused Yahoo Group. You will need to join the Group to view the photos and to read the messages. There are 22 photo albums in the Group as well as links to MORE Janay and friends photo albums outside the Group. No cost to join.

Second, a 2007 post about saving Janay.

Next, two links to beautiful photo albums by a collector:

Janay and Friends

Janay Tribute

Reference links

MC ToyFair 2002

MC ToyFair 2003

MC ToyFair 2004

ASM ToyFair 2004

ASM ToyFair 2005

ASM ToyFair 2006

Please note: Toy Fair items may not have ever appeared, especially the 2005 and 2006 lines, OR they might emerge under a different line title than what they are shown with in the Toy Fair photos.

Top Ten DAFs of 2009: Girl's Mission Mai at 3

Manufacturer: Aoshima/Skynet
Series: Girl's Mission
Character Name: No. 4 Mai
Box Year, if Noted: Alas, I did not note the year

Why is Mai on the Top Ten list?

Oh me, oh Mai! This teen wonder nearly made number one on the Top 10 List. Cute, solemn, intelligent face. Slightly heavier build. Can she pose? Can I write my name? (Yes to both.) I had considered buying the Aoshima/Skynet Girl's Mission dolls for years before finding Mai on sale at HobbyLink Japan. I wrestled my credit card away from the Barbie-Momoko-Fashion Royalty factions to make the purchase. Am I glad that I did? Yes, I am.

Sometimes, you have an instant connection with a doll or action figure. He or she or it talks to you. I looked at Mai, and her story unfolded. She's the younger sister of Ladies' Mission Street Nun Kyoko Tenryu. Since her parents are dead and her sister is a sister (I love puns), Mai lives at the East Philadelphia Orphanage. She has a pet rat, Willow. More to unfurl in future posts.

Why is Mai third on the Top Ten list?



Mai is one of the best poseable dolls I have: 18 points of articulation. Yes, she could have had smaller hands. Yes, she could have had tighter ankles. Yes, she could have had less frizzy hair. Of those three "problems," the big hands bother me the most. Otherwise, Mai would have topped the List.


Mai is still available at Nouveau Toys for $89.95 BEFORE postage.

Other doll and action figure collectors participating in the Top 10 of 2009 are

Corsetkitten
Mick
Smidge Girl

and the Top 10 blogger who issued this online challenge, Shaun.

This is my last post of 2009. Happy New Year to All.

Top Ten DAFs of 2009: Olga Tañón at 4

Manufacturer: Haschel Toys
Series: Not applicable
Character Name: Olga Tañón
Box Year, if Noted: 2000


Why is Olga Tañón on the Top Ten list?

Her face. Okay, the doll is not traditionally pretty. Her nose is long; her mouth is wide. But just as Kajol stands out on a shelf, so, too, does Olga. I would say that none of my other dolls look like her, but one does: Mattel's Kate Jackson doll from the late 1970s. Shrug. Still, Olga provides ethnic variation. And she looks snarky-smart.



Why is Olga fourth on the List?

Limited articulation. She trumps Kajol a point because Olga's knees do bend, but otherwise, think standard Barbie twist and turn body. Since her torso is a little wider than Barbie's torso, Olga cannot wear many of the modern Barbie fashions. (The outfits do not completely close.) She may have to borrow Candi and Janay fashions. Or I might get unlazy enough to make her some outfits.

I bought Olga from Beautiful Dolls where she is available for $29.99.


Information about the human Puerto Rican singer Olga Tañón can be found on her website or on her Wikipedia page.

Top Ten DAFs of 2009: Kajol at 5

Manufacturer: Spin Master Ltd.
Series: Bollywood Legends
Character Name: Kajol
Box Year, if Noted: 2006

Why is Kajol on the Top Ten List?

One, she is gorgeous. Two, she's an ethnic doll who looks ethnic. Three, in her leaf green and gold outfit with her long gold scarf, she stands out on any shelf. Yes, the Priyanka Chopra doll is lovely, too. But Kajol packs a bonus with her tooth-baring smile. Where Priyanka seems smug and aloof, Kajol seems warm and welcoming. If Tiara Gold is the "Sunshine Girl," Kajol is la femme dorée, "The Golden Woman." Here's another photo to confirm that subjective statement.




Why is Kajol the fifth doll on the List?

One, limited pose-ability. Two, excessively tiny feet. She has the same body as Priyanka Chopra. Three, the gold dust on her clothes sheds. Most of all, the limited pose-ability places Kajol in the middle of the List. Straight arms and straight legs translate to toy soldier stiffness. A doll this lovely cries for articulation, but she has little in that vein. And she will be a tricky doll to match if I should decide to re-body her onto a more pose-able body. All but one of the dolls ranked higher than Kajol have more articulation.

Kajol, like the other Bollywood Legend dolls, came from Fairy Dust Dolls Ltd. through Amazon.co.uk. Postage to the United States from the United Kingdom was costly, but that was the only way that I knew to get these dolls. If anyone knows of a U.S. source for these dolls, please send that information in a comment.

Top Ten DAFs of 2009: Tiara Gold at 6

Manufacturer: Mattel
Series: High School Musical III
Character Name: Tiara Gold
Box Year, if Noted: 200? - I threw out the box; will check in stores


Why is Tiara on the Top Ten List?

Note: Tiara is only available with Sharpay Evans in a double doll set.

Here is a variation on my usual answer that the doll or action figure is good looking. I mean the Tiara doll is pretty. But she made the Top Ten DAFs of 2009 List because she has one of the brightest smiles of all the dolls I have bought this year. I consider her my "Sunshine Girl."

Having collected Barbies and other fashion dolls and action figures, I have many teeth-exposed smiles/grins and many blonds. (That's why I become delighted when I find a like-able doll who is not blond. Sigh.) Not one of them though, seemed as effervescent and lit as Tiara. There is something in her smile that pulls her out of the ordinary.


Why is Tiara sixth on the Top Ten List?

Mostly, Tiara is at the sixth spot because five other dolls had a little something more to offer than she did. To a lesser degree, her arm positioning is stuck in welcome mode if lifted up or as coy-maidenly if set down. That quirky feature doesn't completely detract from her charm, but it keeps her in the bottom of the Top Ten DAFs List.

Tiara Gold can be found at Walmarts or at discount stores like Ross. I bought mine for about $7.00 at a Ross store. You might also find her elsewhere, but Walmarts and Ross were the last places I saw her. I've seen the Tiara-Sharpay set described as "rare" in a recent search, but I have seen several at Walmarts and at Ross.

Top Ten DAFs of 2009: Power Team Combat Engineer at 7

Manufacturer: M & C Toys
Series: Power Team Elite
Character Name: Combat Engineer (actually, his job title)
Box Year, if Noted: No Date


Why is Power Team Combat Engineer on the Top Ten List?

Another easy reply: he is a good looking guy. Good looking AND intelligent-looking. Piercing black eyes. Serious mien. Furrowed eyebrows - see the vertical lines between his eyebrows. Furrowed they are. This guy does a lot of thinking. Or so I imagine, LOL. Look at his beautiful high cheekbones and the refined flare of his nostrils. Sigh. And the slightly dry lips - note the textured lip surface. M & C Toys knows how to sculpt a dreamy male head.

Granted his body is not quite as gorgeous as his face. The arm muscles look as though they were drawn by a heavy handed artist. Alas, he has glove hands - no bare hands but permanently gloved hands. Guess they did not want him to lose the gloves, given his drilling work, etc. The Combat Engineer has a sturdy build and weight. He can be posed; he can stand alone.


Why is Power Team Combat Engineer seventh on the Top Ten List?



Spots seven and eight could have gone to either Hrithik or to the Engineer. However, the Engineer had the edge and the higher rank because his body is sturdier, he's got those high cheekbones, and his clothes and accessories are better than Hrithik's. In spite of his having a longer and bigger head, the Engineer wins.

Once upon a time, you could find M & C Power Team action figures at K B Toys stores. Sigh. Now you can check Big Lots! stores, eBay, and other collectors for Power Team figures.