Guardians of the Galaxy was a superb film all-around. It had that perfect recipe that's seldom ever truly achieved in superhero cinema, and the mid-credits scene was the cherry that topped it off. Following GotG's debut, fans demanded that a toy or collectible be manufactured in the likeness of the lovable baby Groot, dancing within the confines of his flowerpot to the Jackson 5's "I Want You Back". The first manufacturer to answer this demand (though surely not the last) with anything larger than an inch-tall accessory is Funko, with this adorable, chibi-fied bobblehead.
Just so we're
immediately clear: NO, IT IS NOT ELECTRONIC. This figure's dance repertoire
consists only of head-bobbling (though he IS permanently posed mid-dance). So if you're holding out for an actual
animatronic toy, you're probably best off waiting for a more elaborate model (I
know I would end up buying both, lol).
That said, I LOVE my
little Groot sapling (Grootling?), and he makes an adorable addition to my
shelves.
The facial sculpt differs significantly from Groot's original, 'adult' Funko release. The indentations in the 'bark' are softer and shallower, and while the 'adult' Groot wears a rather stoic expression, this one dons an innocent, dimply smile with warm eyes. The simplistic face-up is very charming, and it's hard not to smile when you see its sweet expression. Suitably, baby Groot is also an inch or so shorter than his more matured counterpart.
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| We... are... Groot. |
The body sculpt is very well done, even beyond the high standards I've come to expect from Funko's works. The paint is also quite good, with touches of spring green added in smooth gradients to the main body color. I also found no paint errors to speak of on mine!
Bottom line: When the
demand hit, Funko jumped on the opportunity to produce the fan-favorite Baby Groot in toy form. The result is every bit as cute as could be asked for, and with an
$8.99 USD price tag, it's a no-brainer for fans. It may not have all the smooth
moves of its cinematic counterpart, but this gimmick-free figure definitely
delivers. (Plus, I can't get the Jackson 5's "I Want You Back" out of
my head, now. ;))
