In Toys R Us Today - Photos of New DAFs

Stopped by a Toys R Us just to see what they had. No intention or ability to buy. Fortunately, I had my dear pink camera. Snap! Snap!

Do you see what I see?



Wow. First time I have seen all three African American Barbie Basic dolls at the same time. And lucked out being able to photograph them. Whooo hooo!


Babysitter Barbie and Kelly ... in a Kelly-sized bathroom?



Okay, I only babysat my younger siblings, but is this the true scene for modern babysitters? A bathroom? I'd have thought a living room/parlour/family room with an overstuffed couch before a color television. Or babysitter curled up in a chair with a book. The kid could be sleeping on the babysitter's lap or better still, child asleep in her [own] bed. Or babysitter standing in front of an open and lit refrigerator, filled with edible goodies. Note: guess that means I wrote myself out of any babysitting jobs. Shrug. Eh well, I don't have the energy to fight off the requisite murderous villain stalking the babysitter. Sigh.


Playmates Star Trek McCoy and Sulu from the 2009 movie:



I got a better photograph of the John Cho Sulu. Remember, he's a Toys R Us exclusive.




New from MGA Entertainment: More 2 Me Avery and Lexa.



No Sophinas in store when I was there, but she is shown on the back of the box. No Sashas in this wave per the box back. I feel a little sad when I look at this line. MGA Entertainment used to have a Sasha with every Bratz wave. It almost seems as though Sasha has to pay for Mattel seizing the Bratz line. Eh, but that's not really it. It's the numbers. African Americans are no longer the largest minority in the United States.

I also saw a Fashionista Ken - yay! Love his Michael Jackson hat. Poseable Ken! Tears welled in my eyes. Oh Mattel, allowing Ken 100 poses, too! If I had a hat on, I would remove it. Breakdancing Ken. Will the oxymorons never cease? Will I ever get work again? Isn't it time I ended this post?

Step Three: More Than 10? Review Again

Two removed from the list. Now, who do I really, really, really like? In this second elimination, I separate dolls and action figures (DAFs) that I like from DAFs I love. A List versus B List. Like B list actors, B list DAFs are keepers. They just lack that je ne sais quoi that the A list or Top 10 DAFs have. Meet the B List DAFs new in 2009:

• M & C Toy Centre World Peacekeepers E.O.D. Technician Power Team Elite
  
• Mattel Ballerina Barbie
  
• Mattel SiS So in Style Kara
  
• Mattel SiS So in Style Kianna
  
• Mattel Beach Party Nikki
  
• Mattel High School Musical 3 Graduation Day Ryan
  
• Mattel High School Musical 3 In the Spotlight Sharpay Evans
  
• Play Along Ltd. Cheetah Girls Growl Power Dorinda
  
• Revell GmbH& Co. KG Kick-O-Mania Hamburger SV Benjamin Lauth
  

The World Peacekeepers E.O.D. Technician is cute. But although he is an older man - and not as well represented in the DAF world as might be expected, he misses falling into the Top 10 list because he is not that exciting.

Ballerina Barbie, SiS Kara, Nikki, and Sharpay are pretty dolls. But that's the most I can say about them. I like them in my collection, but nothing stands out about them. Kianna works the cute factor - who can bypass curly pigtails - but she looks like the other SiS little sisters. Graduation Day Ryan has the kilt working in his favor. Oh and the soft curled, rooted hair. Move past the hair and the kilt though and where's the draw? Yawn. Stretch.

I like the Cheetah Girls Dorinda ... she looks like a character more than some dolls who look doll, but she just misses the wow factor. Sigh. I like Benjamin Lauth, another character, but articulation-wise, he's on the stiff side. For an action figure. I like that he isn't as pretty/handsome as my Kens, but again, no wow factor.

So where am I now? Who are the remaining 10 by manufacturer?

1. Aoshima/Skynet Girl's Mission No. 4 Mai
   
2. Haschel Toys Olga Tanon
   
3. Integrity Dynamite Girls Heartbreaker T.J.
   
4. Integrity Fashion Royalty Bewitching Hour Luchia
   
5. M & C Toy Centre World Peacekeepers Combat Engineer Power Team Elite
   
6. Mattel High School Musical 3 In the Spotlight Tiara Gold
   
7. One2Believe Tales of Glory Esther
   
8. Spinmaster Bollywood Legends Hrithik Roshan
   
9. Spinmaster Bollywood Legends Kajol
   
10. Spinmaster Bollywood Legends Priyanka Chopra
    

Next step will be to rank them. Now that will be fun ... groan. Not.

Step One: List of DAFs Received in 2009 to Date

Manufacturer and Doll or Action Figure (DAF) Name

1. Aoshima/Skynet Girl's Mission No. 4 Mai
   
2. Haschel Toys Olga Tanon
   
3. Integrity Dynamite Girls Heartbreaker T.J.
   
4. Integrity Fashion Royalty Bewitching Hour Luchia
   
5. M & C Toy Centre World Peacekeepers Combat Engineer Power Team Elite
   
6. M & C Toy Centre World Peacekeepers E.O.D. Technician Power Team Elite
   
7. Mattel Ballerina Barbie
   
8. Mattel SiS So in Style Kara
   
9. Mattel SiS So in Style Kianna
   
10. Mattel My Scene Lindsey Lohan
    
11. Mattel Beach Party Nikki
    
12. Mattel High School Musical 3 Graduation Day Ryan
    
13. Mattel High School Musical 3 In the Spotlight Sharpay Evans
    
14. Mattel High School Musical 3 In the Spotlight Tiara Gold
    
15. One2Believe Tales of Glory Esther
    
16. One2Believe Tales of Glory Noah
    
17. Play Along Ltd. Cheetah Girls Growl Power Dorinda
    
18. Revell GmbH& Co. KG Kick-O-Mania Hamburger SV Benjamin Lauth
    
19. Spinmaster Bollywood Legends Hrithik Roshan
    
20. Spinmaster Bollywood Legends Kajol
    
21. Spinmaster Bollywood Legends Priyanka Chopra
    

These are the DAFs I have received for 2009 to this date. Please note: any other DAFs received but NOT shown here are gifts to be given to me at Christmas. Those DAFs are not in my possession yet.

Preparing for a Top 10 DAFs of 2009 Post

Shaun Wong issued an invitation to collectors to submit a Top 10 list of favorite dolls and or action figures received in 2009. The challenge has been accepted by Corsetkitten among other collectors.

I've decided to post about my Top 10 Dolls and Action Figures (DAFs). Now while I hope that I have not yet exhausted my purchases for this year, for this article, I am going to draft a post based on what I have now. If I need to amend the list, I'll do so. But for now, here are the steps that I am taking to produce my Top 10 list.

1. List the DAFs bought in 2009
2. Note the DAFs I most enjoy having from that list
3. If more than 10, go through that list a second time. Do any have back stories?
4. Determine the Top 10 by liking, back story, and times handled
5. Rank the DAFs from 10-1
6. Photograph the Top 10 in one photo
7. Photograph each of the 10 individually
8. Provide the DAF name, series if any, and where available if available still
9. Discuss why/how each gained DAF that position
10. Type and proof choice responses then upload to my blog

These are the steps I imagine taking to produce my Top 10 list.

Five Hot Toys Gentleman Plus a Majestic Studios Guest

I realized that I did not have any photos of my Hot Toys guys together. There are only five of them, but I thought, it would be pleasing to see them in one photograph. Usually, I have them with other figures. Today, I brought them together for a "family" shot and then added a figure from Majestic Studios. Can you guess the outsider?

The outsider stands out easily for me, but then I know his origins. But even if I didn't know his action figure pedigree, I could guess by his facial screening. Different companies have different face rendering. As I collect, I have learned the style of different companies so if I see a doll or action figure on a shelf, I can usually guess the manufacturer. I wouldn't confuse a Fashion Royalty doll with a Mattel doll or a YNU Group Mixis with a Get Set Club doll or a Susie with a Momoko.

Action figures, though, can be trickier. Bbi and Dragon figures are trickiest for me to distinguish. Hasbro Joes and Power Team guys though are easier.

Okay, I confess: I just wanted to photograph some HOT Hot Toys LOL.

Reminder: Mixis Sunshine Dolls $29.99; Outfits $15.00

Great news for Mixis fans who want to complete their Sunshine Doll set OR their Inspired Clothing collection: the sale at the Mixis web site AND at Dolls Like Me* continues.

The Sunshine Dolls - Emerald, Houda, Opal, and Rosa - cost $29.99 each while the Inspired Clothing outfits costs $15 each. The sale lasts til the year's end or the supply runs out. Note: the Dolls Like Me website shows Rosa and Houda and the eight outfits; Emerald and Opal are not up on that website. So to receive those two dolls at the sale price, you will need to place your order through the Mixis web site directly.

If you order through the Mixis website, please remember when you reach the Mixis store splash page, that you need to click on the Promo Login choice and then to enter the promo code 'mixisrock' to reach the sales page. Otherwise, you will see the Mixis items at the regular price of $49.00 for the Sunshine dolls and the outfits from $17-25 each.

For me, the Mixis are the dolls I would have asked for when I was a child, were I able to imagine them at that time. The Mixis just lack the twist waist that was introduced in my childhood dolls. The Mixis dolls have attractive, ethnic faces with NOSES that have bridges, fuller lips, and normal-sized feet. Feet they can STAND on, depending on the shoes. They have a more natural, wholesome build - so they promote a more realistic weight than most Barbies and most Barbie clones. Even overlooking their decent quality clothes and their fine, fine, fine footwear and handbags and backpacks, these dolls would bring instant class and coolness to any doll and action figure collection.

For photos of the Mixis undressed and compared to other larger dolls, check this link and this link from previous posts.

So happy hunting! May you get the Mixis or Mixis plural of your choice.

*Note: I bought my first Mixis dolls from Dolls Like Me at an Expo; I had no problem. However, there have been complaints about customer service and problems receiving items from this vendor so you might want to make your purchase in person, if possible. A collector has shared her negative experience in the comments section here, and I have read about problems with employee theft at Dolls Like Me on a Yahoo Group.

Kari Mitchell by M & C Toy Centre

Usually when I refer to M & C Toy Centre products, I discuss the PowerTeam action figures. However, M & C Toy Centre also produces fashion doll lines like Paula, a Kelly-doll clone, and Kari Mitchell, a Barbie clone.

Collector MSJ has photos of a new M & C Toy Centre doll shown here. Her post reminded me that I had seen some new Kari Mitchell clothes set - shown below - recently at Big Lots. The doll included in the clothing set has been seen in older sets, but the clothes and the accessories are new.








Additional information about Kari Mitchell dolls can be read at this John Medeiros article for Master Collector Online. More current information can be found at the Power Team Yahoo Group.

P.S. Sometimes this series is spelled "Kari Mitchell" and other times, "Kari Michell."