Re-Visiting Ryan Whitaker of Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within

Sergeant Ryan Whitaker is a minor character from a 2001 American animated movie called Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within. The movie follows Doctor Aki Ross and her allies as they battle alien invaders in the year 2065. No, I have not seen the movie. Or played the video game. I bought this action figure because he was a new-to-me African American playscale figure.

(Ahem. Yes, he is a keeper because he's cute. Facepalm. Yikes, I am shallow. Still, how often do we – my fellow doll and action figure enthusiasts – find African American characters? Well, he is an African American character or he could pass as such. I do not know what his character was in the movie/video game, Final Fantasy. His good looks just are an extra bonus.)

What can I tell you about Ryan Whitaker, the action figure? First, he is a ToyFare Exclusive by Palisades Toys. So he is a limited edition item. He is 11 3/4" tall - yes, just that little bit shorter than Ken. I had considered replacing his body with that of another action figure. But his articulation makes up for that height loss - he not only bends at his elbows and his knees, but his upper thigh, upper arm, and lower arm can twist. He has a pivotal waist AND he can twist his upper torso. His arms and legs can pose akimbo - out from his body. 

His handsome face has nice details like five-o'clock shadow and slight stubbling of his partially shaved head. (The eyes are a little beady, but that is standard with many action figures. Shrug. Must be hard to get eyes just so in basic factory painting.)  And his head can tilt to either side although tilting down/forward is NOT an option. 

What would I change? Well, he's got multiple color and texture face-body parts. His head is a matte plastic while his arms and legs are another color and type of slightly shiny plastic. His torso is an even shinier material. But the greatest sorrow for me is that he lacks ankles and feet. His boot foot is his body foot. Sigh. When I wrestled one of his boots off, I noticed this problem. Sigh again. Why do action figure manufacturers do that to their figures? I know ... because they are NOT dolls.

Right, she scowls. (She being me.)

Oh, but pictures, you say. Here they go.

Any suggestions for ankle-feet repair welcome. He's still adorable, this Ryan Whitaker action figure. I just wish he had ankles and feet.

(Aside another collector also bought this figure on sale. You can read his post.)

Janay Photos on Pinterest

Debbie Behan Garrett of Black Doll Collecting wrote a post about Integrity Toys' playline Janay doll. Reading that post reminded me that I had found "new" photos of Integrity Toys' playline Janay and friends that I had pinned to my Pinterest Integrity Janay and Friends board. 

(The source for those photos, Armando Sanchez, is the founder of the Dolls of All Colors website. If anyone reading this post knows Armando Sanchez, please let me know. I sent an e-mail query through the Dolls of All Colors site that did not get a response.)

If you are on Pinterest and would like to share links of Janay or other playscale fashion dolls or action figures, let me know.

Who's That Guy? Mystery Man Doll Seen in a Frankford Avenue Window

I was walking down Frankford Avenue when I saw this playscale doll family in a store window. I was in a rush so I did not stop in to check the box. I do not recognize the manufacturer. Does anyone recognize this doll series? The male doll has a different face mold that looks like a cross of the old straight leg Ken dolls and the modern Prince Antonio doll. With very wonky eye screening. As if the person who painted the male face fell asleep for a second then woke up before the doll's head rolled completely past ...

Monster High Dance Class Five - Only at Target

They've got rhythm. Just not all together. Or maybe, not to the same tune. I am talking about Target's Exclusive Monster High Dance Class 5-Pack which includes these dolls performing different dance styles:

Rochelle Goyle, rock
Gil Webber, free style (?)
Lagoona Blue, ballet
Robecca Steam, the Robot
Operetta, swing dance


Here is how the set looks with the five dolls showing in a window box - front and back. The back of the box has the cartoon illustrations of the dolls. I would have preferred one or more photographs of the dolls posed for their dance styles.

Interesting. I understand that the Monster High dolls are "about" individuality, but I would have gathered a group under one dance style like tango for a class. Not that I mean to favor any one dance style. Uniting different dance types in a single box seems odd: if they are in a group, shouldn't they be doing the same dance style? If only for a one shot issue.

Something else I find interesting is that Robecca Steam's solo Dance Class doll does tap dancing, but in this five pack, she does the Robot.

Artists Teresa and Angel Launch AbilitiesLIVE Website!

Regular PhillyCollector readers may recall reading about Teresa, blogger of EverydayPeople. Well, Teresa has launched the doll selling website of her dreams, AbilitiesLIVE. You can shop there for deboxed fashion dolls and fashion doll clothes, both by miscellaneous doll manufacturers AND as created by Teresa. You can also find lovely jewelry for humans there; those pieces are crafted by Artist Angel.

Among the dolls for sale, I see an Aaron Carter, a few Leas, some budget (Lucky Fashion Corners) fashion dolls, Arwen, etc. Prices for the dolls start around $4.00 for that articulated, but once broken Arwen - which price includes postage - to $78.00 for a Singapore Airlines Barbie. That Singapore Barbie though is a hard to find doll as Teresa explains in the description.

Artist Angel has dangling earrings, pendants, and necklaces. Those are for people though so while I thought they looked attractive, I did not focus on them. However for the jewelry wearers among my fellow DAF enthusiasts, check them out.

I'm glad to be among the first to mention this website. Glad to learn of someone having and getting a dream launched. Yay, Teresa! Yay, Angel. Wish you both the best of luck.

Re-Introducing Kari Mitchell by M and C Toys

Kari Mitchell profile

An anonymous visitor asked for Kari Mitchell photos. So I include these photos showing my only Kari Mitchell doll wearing a summery Barbie dress. This Kari Mitchell doll shows a SuperStar Barbie influence in her permanently bent arms, her open-mouthed smile, and the deep flat forehead before a retroussé nose. However, her eyes are brown. She has brown or blond hair. And her dimpled chin is more substantial than most Barbie dolls. Black Kari dolls are available, too. They were produced from the same face sculpt as my doll's.

Kari Mitchell raises her permanently bent arms.

Back view of Kari Mitchell dressed in a Barbie outfit.

I wrote a brief article about Kari back in 2009. M&C Toys Centre Ltd. produces her as well as the more articulated Power Team action figures. While Kari Mitchell is not as pose-able as the Power Team guys, she is jointed at her head, her shoulders, and her hips. Her knees are click bend style, and she has a twist waist. She's good quality for a Barbie clone; solid weight, decent hair quality and thickness, and clean plastic parts. (Clean as in no sticky or leaky plastic.) 

Even better though, Kari Mitchell dolls tend to be produced with mini wardrobes. Those more realistic-than-Barbie's clothes can be used for other fashion dolls. Big Lots! sells this doll series on the East Coast; she can also be found online at eBay. One or two Kari Mitchell dolls would provide a different face to your doll collection.

Is Dark Horse Comics Producing Game of Thrones Action Figures?

Hey, Game of Thrones fans! Dark Horse Comics has won the license to produce Games of Thrones merchandise. Were you - like I - wishing and hoping that Dark Horse Comics would produce playscale Game of Thrones characters? If so, which characters did you want to see first? I would have liked to have Tyrion Lannister, Cersei Lannister, Jaime Lannister, Arya Stark, Bran Stark, Catelyn Stark - pause to check the character list - well, you guessed it, most of the characters, ha ha. The first ones Dark Horse is producing though are Daenerys Targaryen and Jon Snow. I can understand why those two were chosen - to avoid any spoilers, I'll just leave it that they are among the most striking of the characters. Now I mentioned playscale, didn't I? Alas, per Toy Examiner Kevin Griffith, Dark Horse is not yet introducing regular, articulated action figures ... they are creating an unspecified scale of sculptures that they are calling "action figures."

Bah!

Sigh. Well, maybe Dark Horse Comics will relent and someday release playscale figures of some of the Game of Thrones characters. Some day ....