Toy Talk
- Brief Looks at Recent Thrift Store Acquisitions -

Volume LXV

By Mark Patraw
Published on 12/2/15




I should start using a cart/basket when I go shopping at thrift stores, but I continue to resist doing so, as I feel that obligates me to buy something (because one looks like a fool pushing/carrying it without something inside) and it can be troublesome to negotiate your way down a narrow, crowded aisle encumbered as such. Granted, I usually do purchase several items, but, sometimes I do leave empty-handed, and, at other times, I only want one or two small things that can be easily carried in one hand. The other day, I was walking down the aisles, with several toys/books piled up and balanced uncertainly in my arms, when an elderly woman stopped to tell me that, "You really should get a cart.", and, shortly afterwards, another, this time one of the staff, glanced at my growing load and quipped, "You can do better than that; go get a cart!" Did I listen? I assure you that I did not.

Scolding from matrons aside, what really taught me a lesson (maybe), on a different date, is when I misplaced a My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic Rarity horse, and had to retrace my steps, all over the store, until I found her again (I eventually located said pony buried, halfway down, in one of the plush animals bins). Had I been using a cart or basket, that wouldn't have happened. At first, I was suspicious that some sneaky child or adult had grabbed her out of my pile when I wasn't paying attention (little vinyl fillies are worth fighting to the death over, don't you know), but, no, Rarity had simply slid out of the jumble of goods I was carrying while I was rooting through the stuffed toys. I'm always dropping things like that, but that's the first time I had to go on a lengthy scavenger hunt to reclaim one. It's pathetic, I know, but I really wanted that horse and I was seriously worried that another shopper was going to snap Rarity up before I could find her again.


"Men do crazy things for unicorns as pretty as me."

As always, if anyone reading this knows more information about any of these items, that I haven't already discussed below, and would like to share, or just chat about toys, feel free to e-mail me and let me know!





Toy line: Popples: Pufflings.
Manufacturer: Mattel for TCFC (1986).
What I paid: Twenty-five cents on 11/11/15 at the Ishpeming, Michigan St. Vincent de Paul Society thrift store.
Size:
[Animal Form] 17.5 cm (6.9") wide x 20.5 cm (8.1") long x 9.5 cm (3.7") tall.
[Hat Form] 10.0 cm (3.9") diameter (at base) x 13.0 cm (5.1") tall.
Articulation: None in the conventional sense, but the toy can be inverted.
Notable features: Invertible plush animal.

Just like Strawberry Shortcake and the Care Bears, Popples were yet another franchise created by American Greetings' "Those Characters From Cleveland (TCFC)" branch. (Said group was certainly industrious and profitable!) TCFC employee Susan Trentel is credited as the plush designer who came up with the invertible Popple concept (which is said to have been inspired by a rolled-up sock), and she worked with art director Thomas Schneider to further develop the prototypes. The gimmick with these colorful and adorable critters was that they could be turned inside out to change their shape (typically into a fuzzy sphere), and then "popped" out again, resuming their animal form, hence the Popples moniker.

I don't believe that I ever had any, but my younger sisters owned some of the Popples toys when we were kids (and I think there are still a couple of those stored up in the attic somewhere). Considering that I would watch pretty much any cartoon when I was a child, regardless of the subject matter or quality, it's likely that I sat in front of the television absorbing the Popples animated series in my youth, but my recollections are hazy at best on that. And I have to admit that I didn't remember the Pufflings assortment of toys at all, so, while I knew that this fuzzy item was definitely a Popple from its appearance and functionality, the thing also perplexed me, until I got online to do some research, as it didn't quite match up with my memories of the brand.


The Pufflings are actually a "sub-species" of Popples, if you will. They're more animalistic, even pet-like, and only emit nonsensical sounds, not understandable words like their larger, talkative cousins. I was disappointed to find that, unlike the main characters, these creatures don't even have individual names, they're just referred to by their dominant fur color (red, purple, yellow, white, magenta, and my blue one). I don't know why, but it irks me when toy companies can't be bothered to give their creations unique titles.

So, what exactly does a Puffling turn into? It looks like a winter hat to me, but I've seen the shape described as a sea anemone too. On the one hand, I've always thought of Popples as changing into balls, but, on the other, there's something to be said for variety.

The other noteworthy thing about the Pufflings is that they each came with 1-of-24 Popples-themed joke tags attached to them. It's kind of amazing that the thing is still there, and in good shape, on this almost three decades old toy. The tag is printed on a foam-like material, rather than cardboard, which probably helped it survive this long.


Mattel did a really nice job manufacturing this plush toy. Despite its age, the Puffling still looks almost brand new! All of the colors are bright and vibrant, the material/fabric feels like quality stuff, and there are hardly any loose stitches or flaws to be seen (which, considering the structural stress that repeatedly inverting something entails, is pretty impressive). Although they're completely different entities, chromatically, this blue Puffling most closely resembles Pretty Cool (P.C.) Popple, one of the franchise's main characters.


All things said and done, I would have rather found a "normal" Popple, representing one of the nine main characters, as they're what I'm most familiar with, but this azure Puffling is cute and still a nice example of what the brand is all about. And the research that I did to identify it resulted in me learning a lot of things about Popples that I wouldn't know otherwise, which will doubtlessly come in handy in the future.





Toy line: The Avengers.
Manufacturer: Hasbro for Marvel Comics (2012).
What I paid: Two dollars on 11/14/15 at the Ishpeming, Michigan St. Vincent de Paul Society thrift store.
Size: 14.6 cm (5.7") wide x 25.4 cm (10.0") high.
Articulation: Neck, launcher pivots and buttons, shoulders, ARC Reactor button, wrists, hips, and knees.
Notable features: Electronic voice/sounds and spring-loaded missile launchers.

I collected and read comic books extensively as a teen, and primarily Marvel ones, so I'm well-versed in the lore of both Iron Man and The Avengers from that time period, but I didn't see the 2012 Avengers film that this toy is based upon. However, I did recently watch some of the battle scenes, on YouTube, from this year's sequel, Age of Ultron (I just had to check out the Hulkbuster Iron Man vs. Incredible Hulk fight).

Anyway, if you're unfamiliar with the character, millionaire industrialist and genius Tony Stark was seriously wounded and kidnapped by rebels who forced him to manufacture weapons for them. He saved his own life by creating and implanting an ARC Reactor into his chest (to prevent the shrapnel embedded in his flesh from reaching his heart) and subsequently fashioned a crude suit of battle armor, also powered by said device, which he then used to attack and escape his captors. Back in the civilized world, Stark then polished and refined that design and began a new career as the crime-fighting superhero, Iron Man.

What we have here is the "Ultimate Electronic" toy representation of the film's Iron Man Mark VII armor. Tony Stark is always creating new variations and improving upon his signature battle suit, hence the Mark VII classification (i.e., this is the seventh revision).

Oh, and I apologize for the quality of these photos. For some reason, my digital camera has always had trouble with the color red, and shiny scarlet objects like this guy in particular.


This rendition of the Mark VII armor is pretty sharp. While it's a smooth, streamlined design, there are enough mechanical details (ribs, panels, plates, etc.) all over the body to please the eye. The figure is mostly molded in metallic red, but the gold and silver accents provide the much-needed contrast that gives the character his trademark look. On the downside, there are quite a few visible screws on Tony, especially the back, which mars the overall look somewhat--it's too bad that Hasbro couldn't have minimalized that more during the design process.

While the toy's appearance is mostly good, sadly, Iron Man's articulation is lacking. Sure, I realize that some of the limitations, especially in the arms, are a direct result of the missile launcher and electronic voice features, but, Hasbro could have done better. I'd want more joints period (elbows especially), but, as far as improving what he does have goes, I would have liked to have seen ball-jointed hips, rather than simple swivels, knees with more range of motion, and a neck that could pivot way back, so that he could look forward during flying poses. What he has is serviceable enough for play, but, there is definitely room for improvement.


With his arms at his sides, Iron Man will say the following fourteen phrases, in order, when you press down the white ARC Reactor button located in the middle of his chest:

That's a pretty good selection of clips, and they're all spoken clearly and easy to understand, but the voice work doesn't sound like Robert Downey Jr. to me, although, as I haven't seen the film, I could be wrong (being inside a full suit of armor could distort your voice after all). I like that several of the phrases refer to his fellow Avengers by name, as a child could get the sense that Iron Man is actually talking to his teammates (of course, that might also be confusing if said child doesn't actually own any toys of the other characters).


This toy is powered by two AAA batteries, which can be accessed, via a panel on the back, with a Phillips screwdriver.
As this is a larger figure that can accommodate bigger cells, I'm thankful that Hasbro didn't use button batteries!

When you raise Iron Man's arms, the missile launchers simultaneously pivot up and over his shoulders into firing position, which is also accompanied by coordinating sound effects. And, instead of talking, pressing the ARC Reactor button when the arms are outstretched like that will result in blasting noises.

The electronic sound feature works very well and really makes this Iron Man toy something special. If his eyes, ARC Reactor, and repulsor hand palms had also lit up, that would have been even more awesome, but, as an affordable mass market toy, that probably wouldn't have cost out at the original price point (plus it would drain the batteries faster too).


Both missile launchers work well and the projectiles fly about 3-4 feet when fired. Sure, I'd like it if they could shoot even farther and with more force, but I've certainly seen spring-loaded weapons with much poorer power/range than these, so, I'm not complaining. The launchers are removable, if you'd like a sleeker-looking Iron Man (or want to pretend that they're folded away, stored inside the armor). Actually, they come off a little too easily with normal handling--I dropped one in the store, at the cash register when I was setting everything down on the countertop, and, likewise, the cashier knocked one off when she was packing all of my purchases up into a paper bag. So, take care that you don't lose them!

Other than the limited articulation and obvious screws, this is an excellent cinematic Iron Man figure. And, given how well the electronic feature works, I'm inclined to forgive both of those shortcomings. He's fun to play around with and looks good on the shelf. However, if you're a parent/guardian that can't stand children repeatedly activating talking toys, beware, as this particular Iron Man will probably drive you batty!





Toy line: Dungeons & Dragons.
Manufacturer: TSR (1983).
What I paid: Fifty cents on 11/11/15 at the Ishpeming, Michigan St. Vincent de Paul Society thrift store.
Size (box): 23.3 cm (9.2") wide x 3.0 cm (1.2") deep x 29.0 cm (11.4") high.
Articulation: None.
Notable features: Tabletop roleplaying game.

Dungeons & Dragons is the famous fantasy roleplaying game, created by Gary Gygax and Arne Anderson, that was first published, by Tactical Studies Rules Incorporated (TSR), in 1974. This 1983 Basic Rules Set I (which is the 3rd revision of those particular measures) is actually a looser, simplified version of the game (compared to the more complex Advanced Dungeons & Dragons system--the division of the product into those two formats began in 1977), although a quick flip through the two included manuals will show you that the gameplay mechanics are still fairly intricate. Eventually, "Basic" D&D was phased-out entirely in 2000, and the "Advanced" moniker dropped, with the release of D&D: 3rd Edition that same year, by the franchise's new owner, Wizards of the Coast.

Other than the solo training sessions/examples in the Player's Manual, you need at least two people to experience a "proper" game of Dungeons & Dragons (a Dungeon Master and one player), but even larger groups, say 3-6 individuals, are preferable, as the interaction between multiple players makes for a better and more interesting gaming session. The Dungeon Master oversees and adjudicates the adventure (either a pre-made one, from TSR, or, more often, an original quest that the DM created) while the other players act out the roles of various fantasy archetypes (the fighter/warrior, the thief, the mage/wizard, the cleric/priest, etc.) as they try to resolve the tasks/goals of that particular campaign (kill or thwart a particular villain or monster, recover a magical artifact from an abandoned keep, save a kidnapped nobleman, etc.) While play-acting your character's behavior and actions are of the greatest importance, much of the game is also governed by the probability of dice rolls and simple arithmetic, especially during combat. For example, during a skirmish, you typically roll dice to see whether you hit your opponent or not, how much damage you've inflicted (if any), and if you managed to avoid their counter blow(s) and injury.


The cardboard box has definitely seen better days, but, thankfully, all of the contents listed on the back of the packaging are present, so, my sample of the game is complete. Other than some minor staining on some of the pages, both books are in beautiful shape. It's unfortunate that the crayon marker is snapped in half, but, it's still functional in that condition. Plus, given my horrible track record with crayon breakage, it's almost certain that I would have ended up with the same result when I used it anyway.


I failed my saving throw against felines interfering with my photo shoot.

While it's always nice to get more gaming dice (you receive a set of the 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, and 20-sided varieties), I do have to say that these are the cheapest-looking ones that I've ever owned. They're molded from a powder blue plastic (instead of the red shown in the photo on the back of the box, which is a more attractive hue that would have matched the overall color scheme of the set) and the recessed numbers didn't get any paint or ink to make them stand out (we'll get to TSR's solution to that in a moment). Perhaps worse of all, they still have little plastic sprue nubs on some of their facets (artifacts from the plastic injection molding process), which could potentially affect how they roll. Yeah, you can sand/grind those off, but you shouldn't have to. Fortunately, I have no shortage of replacement dice (especially after purchasing Dicecapades!).


Apparently the Armor Class of this waxy implement is pretty poor.
Next time, I'll invest in a mithril or adamantite crayon.

Now, I'd like to discuss that marker crayon. At first, its inclusion completely baffled me, because I assumed it was for filling out character sheets (how on Earth would you ever be able to read marks done in white wax on similarly hued paper I wondered?), and I felt that a standard graphite pencil or an ink pen would have been a much more logical choice for that. However, upon reading the Player's Manual, I discovered that you're supposed to use this thing to color in the numbers on the dice! What the hell? I've bought a number of Dungeons & Dragons products over the years, but this is the first time I've ever seen, or heard of, TSR expecting you to finish your own dice like that. Instead of sticking this crayon in the box, the company should have just ponied up the money to do the dice right from the beginning.


I told myself that I wasn't going to, but, in the interest of getting the "full experience" and satisfying my curiosity, I did end up coloring in the digits on all six dice. It's a tedious process, but it does work surprisingly well, and the polyhedrons do look a lot better with their numbers filled in with contrasting white (although the 20-sided die's values aren't quite as sharp/recessed as the digits on the others, which resulted in some spotty results on that one, particularly on the smaller teen numbers). The molding nubs are problematic here as well, as the rubbed-on color also tends to adhere to them, which is undesirable. You also get to enjoy having 32-year-old ivory crayon wax stuck under your fingernails for days afterwards too (after you fill a digit, the excess must to be scraped/wiped off the die).

Given that the crayon was broken, but none of the dice were colored, it's fun to imagine that the original owner of this game started to work on them, but immediately snapped the tool in half and gave up in frustration, swearing off D&D forever.


Finally, and most importantly, are the Player's Manual and Dungeon Master's Rulebook (both revised by Frank Mentzer), which contain all the information that you need to run/play the game (well . . . a low-level game at any rate). Other than the covers, whose art matches the box, they're printed entirely in black and white. The interior illustrations are all quality work by respected D&D artists Larry Elmore (who also did said cover painting), Jeff Easley, and Jim Halloway. As this is a beginner set, the rules only cover player character statistics/abilities up to experience level 3, which, in my opinion, is far too narrow in scope (TSR expected you to buy several additional D&D: Basic Rules products to use increasingly higher level characters). I can see needing another supplement for the higher level Cleric and Mage spells, and a more comprehensive list of mundane and magical items, as printing the descriptions for all of those takes up a LOT of pages, but this business approach still comes off as a thinly-veiled attempt to milk the audience for money by parceling out the information in smaller chunks than necessary. Typically, an edition of Dungeons & Dragons also has a separate Monster Manual, but, in this case, probably to conserve printing costs, the creatures, and their stats, are simply listed in a section of the Dungeon Master's Rulebook.

As it does feel a bit light on content, it would have been nice if this set had also included some other extras, like miniatures (even fold-up cardboard ones), a Dungeon Master's screen, or maps, but, all you truly need are some friends, the books, the dice, and a little imagination.

Other than video game renditions, I don't currently play Dungeons & Dragons, largely because I don't have anybody to do it with (and I'm fairly antisocial anyway), but I always enjoy reading the rule books (especially the Monster Manuals!) I already own a more recent, one-volume edition of D&D's Basic rules, so, truthfully, there's little here that I'm not already familiar with, but, for the price, I couldn't say no.

On a final note, I have to say that I find it rather laughable that anything labeled "basic" requires over a hundred pages of instructions, examples, and illustrations (and even that still doesn't cover everything). If you truly want something easier to learn/play, in the D&D vein, I'd recommend the old Milton Bradley Hero Quest board game system.





Toy line: Unknown; perhaps inapplicable.
Manufacturer: Excalibur Electronics, Inc. (2010).
What I paid: Fifty cents on 11/25/15 at the Ishpeming, Michigan St. Vincent de Paul Society thrift store.
Size: 14.5 cm (5.7") wide x 2.1 cm (0.8") thick x 7.1 cm (2.8") high.
Articulation: Control pad and twenty buttons.
Notable features: Portable electronic gaming device.

Sudoku (literally "single number") is the popular puzzle game that caught the world by storm. Despite almost everyone using the Japanese title, it wasn't created by a citizen from that country. Similar puzzles can be found in French newspapers from the 1800s, and the modern design (titled "Number Place") was likely the work of Howard Garns, a man from Indiana, who died in 1989.

The rules to solve a Sudoku puzzle are fairly easy to understand. The numbers 1-9 have to each be used once, in every row and column, as well as in the smaller 3x3 grids within the larger 9x9 grid. Several numerals are always present when you begin a game (more of them in easier puzzles, less in harder ones), and you must then utilize those clues, as well as some deductive reasoning, to figure out where all the rest of the numbers need to go. It's equal parts fun and frustrating!

Now, I have to admit that I used to dismiss Sudoku as being incredibly boring, without ever giving it a fair chance, but, after purchasing Brain Age2, for the Nintendo DS, which contained an assortment of the numerical puzzles (as a bonus supplement to the main game), I found myself hooked. After solving every one of those, and working some "real" ones printed in various newspapers/magazines, I was looking to scratch my Sudoku itch even more, so, when I saw this electronic handheld gaming device, I snatched it right up.

I haven't played, or bought, one of these small LCD units in ages (they do pale in comparison to the more-expensive and versatile cartridge-based portable gaming systems I'm accustomed to after all). I used to enjoy the similar Tiger brand LCD console video game adaptations when I was a kid (everybody seemed to have those things when I was in grade school). In addition to this one, the thrift store also had a Tetris device that I was sorely tempted to purchase, for the same low price, but, in a rare display of restraint, I only bought Sudoku.


You'll need three AAA cells to power the game, and a Phillips screwdriver to open the panel on the back of the unit to gain access to the battery compartment.

This electronic Sudoku unit packs quite a bit of value and features. Not only does it contain 16,000 different timed puzzles, across four levels of difficulty, but you can also create and solve your own puzzles too (or copy one down from a newspaper/magazine that you want to try solving later at your leisure). As they can take a while to finish (especially the harder ones), you can temporarily save your progress if you want to take a break and resume later. The AI can also give you a limited number of clues/hints if you need some help during play. There are sound effects too (a variety of blips and beeps) if you want them, but those can be muted if you find them annoying or don't want to disturb others in your vicinity.

While the game works great, I've been spoiled by years of playing handheld gaming systems with backlit screens, as such, it was a bit irritating to have to deal with one that requires a good, external light source in order to see the play area properly (the screen was pretty tough to photograph too). This reminds me of the "good" old days of having to squint at and angle/tilt my original gray-scale Nintendo Gameboy while I was playing it.

Also, as the Nintendo DS features a touch screen, that you manipulate with a stylus (or your fingertip), I'm accustomed to using that control method to solve the digital Sudoku puzzles in Brain Age2. Thus, I had to adapt to the more cumbersome method of using this unit's control pad to move around the grid. To Excalibur's credit, they did add an extra "Zone" button, in the middle of the control pad, that lets you quickly jump between the 3x3 grids, which helps somewhat. It's also arguably easier, and quicker, to simply punch in a digit on this device's number pad than it is to write it on the touch screen of the Nintendo DS (which, in my experience, doesn't always accurately recognize which number you're trying to scribble down with the stylus anyway).


Given how much I enjoyed this purchase, these handheld LCD gaming units are another category of toys that I should be looking at more closely when I'm browsing the thrift store's aisles. Since I've largely been ignoring that section of the game/puzzle display, I've doubtlessly been missing out on some fun stuff.

If you've never given Sudoku a try before, I encourage you to give it a shot; you might be surprised by how engrossing it can be!





Toy line: Disney Princess: The Little Mermaid.
Manufacturer: Mattel for Disney (2005).
What I paid: Fifty cents on 9/29/15 at the Ishpeming, Michigan St. Vincent de Paul Society thrift store.
Size: 13.7 cm (5.4") wide at the broadest part of the tail fin x 36.0 cm (14.2") long from the top of her head to the bottom of her tail fin.
Articulation: Neck, shoulders, back button, and pelvis. The soft, fabric tail is also flexible.
Notable features: Water/glitter filled tail and electronic lights/sound.

Disney's The Little Mermaid film splashed onto the big screen in 1989. Loosely based on Hans Christian Andersen's fairy tale of the same name, which was first published in 1837, the movie was a huge hit for the company and has spawned all sorts of merchandise over the years. It's not my favorite Disney animated feature (that'd be 1951's Alice in Wonderland), but The Little Mermaid was definitely one of their better ones, and I enjoy the Ariel character.

In Andersen's original story, mermaids, while long-lived, had no souls, and the only way for them to acquire one was to marry a human male. Just like the Disney film, the Little Mermaid in the book falls for a drowning prince, that she rescues from a shipwreck, and strikes a deal with the Sea Witch in order to pursue the object of her affection--namely, she gives up her tongue and voice to gain the ability to walk on land as a woman and, hopefully, woo the man of her dreams despite being mute. At the end of the story, unable to wed the Prince as he was betrothed to another, her elder sisters presented their crestfallen sibling with a magic dagger (which the lasses had exchanged for their hair in yet another bargain with the Sea Witch)--all the Little Mermaid had to do was kill the Prince with said implement and she could return to her old life beneath the waves again. However, still loving him, our heroine couldn't bring herself to murder the Prince, and instead threw herself into the sea to become foam and die (sob). For choosing her own destruction over murder, mercy was shown to the Little Mermaid, and she was instead changed into an air elemental, in which form she could eventually earn a soul by helping mankind. That's a hell of a lot different than Disney's typical "everyone lived happily after" nonsense, eh? A number of popular fairy tales have darker (or more adult) roots than what's commonly presented these days.


Ariel chilling with a couple of my Barbie mermaids--notice how short their tails are in comparison to hers!

This "Shimmering Lights" Ariel doll looks great. There's some minor paint wear on my sample, most noticeably on her seashell brassiere, but, for a decade-old toy that's obviously seen some play, that's to be expected. Gold tinsel is mixed into Ariel's well-rooted locks--although that's not strictly accurate, it gives her crimson hair some nice zest, and Mattel was smart enough to use it sparingly. While the body of the tail is transparent, it does have a scale pattern molded into its surface, and that, coupled with the iridescent glitter inside, results in an appropriately fishy-looking effect. The fabric used for the tail fin is shiny in the front but matte on the back. I would have preferred both sides to have the sheen, but, the one-sided approach is, unfortunately, a cost-savings thing that many doll manufacturers practice. The gleaming surface of the fabric has a lot of cracks in it too, where it joins the plastic, which is doubtlessly from being flexed too often.

In typical Mattel Barbie fashion, Ariel doesn't have much in the way of articulation. The arms rotate and can be pivoted in/out from the body, the head turns/tilts, and the tail swivels forward, at the pelvis, for sitting poses (the "belt" is soft and rubbery, which helps facilitate that). Given the specialized construction of this figure, I didn't expect anything more for the body/tail (we're probably lucky she can sit at all), but Mattel could have given her additional elbow and wrist joints for more expressive posing. Both arms on mine are also incredibly loose--you can literally flip one with a finger and it'll do a complete 360o spin!


Ariel requires four L1154 button batteries, and, like every other example on this page thus far,
you'll need a Phillips screwdriver to get into the compartment to replace them.

When I pressed the button on the doll's back in the store, the tail lit up, but the only sound she would emit was a short squawk. I figured that she was probably broken, but, as I very much wanted to own an Ariel figure with a snow globe-like tail, I bought her anyway. After I got home, I pulled out the tools, opened up the panel on her back, and found out what the problem was: One of her four button batteries was leaking! I removed the bad unit, cleaned everything up, replaced the defective cell with a good one, and, joy of joys, she works perfectly! That's why manufacturers caution you not to leave old batteries in your electronic toys, stuff like that, or worse, happens.


Pressing the cylindrical button in the small of Ariel's back causes the water/glycerine-and-glitter-filled tail to light up, with oscillating LED colors (yellow, green, and red) and Ariel will simultaneously either sing or speak one of three phrases:

The speaker is located on her chest, between her breasts, which is kind of an odd place--usually toy manufacturers put the speaker on the back of the figure where it's less obtrusive (especially on a doll with rooted hair like this, where the hanging tresses would conceal it). However, as the opening for the battery compartment is already back there, and her torso isn't very big, I suppose that wasn't feasible. Compared to the number and variety of voice clips that the Iron Man figure on this same page has, Ariel's repertoire is pretty slim. I think Mattel could have stood to include at least another 2-3 more things for her to say, or a longer song clip with vocals (I would have liked a sample from Part of Your World, my favorite musical track from the film).


A couple of months or so prior to buying this one, I found another sample of the same doll, at the local Goodwill, but the light/voice on that one didn't work at all. As I didn't open her up, it's impossible for me to say if she was broken or if the batteries were just dead or missing. I was still tempted to get it anyway, because, like I said, a mermaid with a snow globe tail is super cool in itself, but, they wanted two dollars for her, which I felt was simply too much for a secondhand doll that I wasn't even sure worked or not. Conversely, this one only cost me fifty cents and performs beautifully. In yo' face, Goodwill!

While my Little Mermaid collection isn't very large, this doll is by far my favorite out of the bunch. Sure, her gimmicky tail isn't movie accurate, but, I don't care, it's awesome. It would have been nice if her arms had more articulation and if she could say a few more phrases, but I'm very happy with this rendition of Ariel regardless. My only real concern is that her tail might spring a leak someday, so, while I'd like to have her on display, instead, I've been keeping her separate from my other dolls, in a plastic bag, to minimize the mess/damage if, Poseidon forbid, that does ever occur.



This installment of Toy Talk is dedicated to the memory of "Picklehead", our 15-year-old calico cat who recently passed away on Thanksgiving Day morning (the 26th). Needless to say, her death put a damper on the holiday. Normally, Picklehead didn't spend a whole lot of time with me, but, as her health steadily declined, she attached herself more-and-more to my doings, until, ultimately, when she became too weak to get around much on her own, she chose to live out her last days alongside me on the bed, nestled comfortably inside towels and blankets. Picklehead was a lovely animal that deserved better than the cancer that eventually claimed her life. She will be missed.


Technically, her real name was "Mimi", as that's the title that she was given as a kitten, but nobody had referred to her by that moniker for years. Shortly after we got her, she acquired the nickname Picklehead, or just "Pickles" for short, and that's what stuck.


Don't let this photo fool you, she and the dog did not get along at all (notice how much space there is between the two of them).

We only have one cat (and said dog) left now. It's kind of strange to have just a single feline in the house, as we've always had multiple cats (as many as six at once) for about two decades.



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