Review - Funko My Little Pony Vinyl Figure: Spitfire

Spitfire is one of my favorite characters in all of the MLP universe--who doesn't love a drill sergeant pony?--but I had long since given up on seeing her released as anything more than a blind bag figurine. I was drooling over fanmade customs and considering whipping out some model paints and a "bait" pony myself, when I spotted this... A full-sized Funko vinyl figure... of SPITFIRE.

Naturally, this was my reaction:

SO AWESOME!!!

Needless to say, I keep better tabs on upcoming MLP releases now. ...At any rate, I waited eagerly for my TRU order to arrive. When it did, I was pleased to find that many of the issues present in the first wave of Funko MLPs had been addressed. Seams are neater and less obvious, there's virtually no discoloration, and the plastic-y odor that plagued a percentage of the Wave 1's is completely absent. (Note: The plastic-y smell DID FADE ENTIRELY from my older Funko ponies after they were removed from their packaging and left to sit out for a few days. Still, it's nice that newer releases don't have to deal with it to begin with.)

Aside from manufacturing improvements, I have to say that this is probably the most detailed Funko MLP to date. Spitfire is portrayed in her full Wonderbolts uniform, complete with detailing and beautifully sculpted goggles.

Spitfire's mane and tail are new sculpts, whereas her head (with the additions of new eye shapes and goggles), body, and wings are made from Funko's generic MLP molds. As always, the sculpting is spot-on and I can't honestly find any fault in it. This Spitfire is a very faithful representation of the character, from the shape and volume of her mane to the positioning of her goggles' strap.

Paint apps for the mane and tail are just about perfect! Very nice and neat, with no discoloration or bleeding. The yellow "highlights" should really be more orange, but the color's not too far off. All in all, an excellent job.

Spitfire's eyes, ears, muzzle, goggles' strap, and costume details are painted over her blue base color. These apps are fairly clean all around; there are specks out of place here and there, but nothing major.

The paint apps on the Wonderbolts uniform fall just a little short. The lightning designs on the cuffs only wrap about halfway around each hoof, rather than forming a circle, and the uniform's yellow section ends at the bottom of the chest, rather than spanning the length of the belly. The "cutie mark" lightning bolt is only applied on the display (right) side, but this is true of every G4 pony. None of these issues are very noticeable while the figure is displayed, only if examined hands-on.

Spitfire's eyes are designed to resemble her early appearance in S1:E26 "The Best Night Ever", where she is chatting with other party-goers and looks casual and at ease.

Spitfire looks 20% cooler when displayed with Funko's Rainbow Dash! ;D

Here's a comparison between Spitfire's seams and those of the earlier Rainbow Dash figure. While Wave 1's imperfections were never significant enough to be deal-breakers for me, it's nice to see the line improving. :)

Bottom line: A great step forward for Funko MLP collectibles. If you liked the other ponies in this series, you'll be pleased to see the line expanding and improving. While not perfect, I found Spitfire to be well-worth her $14.99 USD price tag. :) And come on... it's SPITFIRE! You know your FiM collection won't be complete without her. ;)

<<Last post: Titan Heroes 12" Action Figures - Marvel's The Avengers (Captain America, Iron Man, Hulk, Thor) Review

Next post: Review - Lil' Zelfs Green House Tea House Set>>

My Little Pony Nite Friends - Princess Twilight Sparkle Review

The box is entirely salvageable and makes a great display for the figure!

I was very surprised by this one. Who would have thought a nightlight would end up being one of the most quality, screen-accurate, 20%-cooler-est MLP: FiM collectibles to date? Not I. But Hasbro and SpotLite have taught me a valuable lesson about the magic of friendship... or at least about not jumping to conclusions based on a product description. ;)

The sculpt is amazing. It's insanely accurate to Twilight's coronation gown from the episode "Magical Mystery Cure". Everything's there: the layers, the overskirt, the ribbons, the intricately sculpted and painted hoof decorations, even her tiny brooch! After rewatching the episode, I could only point out two trivial details missing from the figure: the brooch isn't white (easily fixed with model paint, if desired), and one ribbon from the back of the collar is absent (had it been included in the sculpt, it would have interfered with the mane, wings, and shoulders). Paint apps are excellent; very clean overall.

The stock photos on most retailer websites do this figure very little justice. The actual product, I'm pleased to announce, blew my expectations right out of the water. The material it's cast in is a sturdy vinyl, and many parts of the figure are actually SOLID. The main body is hollow to accommodate the lights inside, but even this doesn't feel fragile. I feel like I could step on this figure and it would emerge unscathed (though I haven't deigned to test it).

From the bottom of her hooves to the tip of her crown, Princess Twilight Sparkle stands at 5 1/2". She's perfectly to scale with regular-sized G4 ponies (aka: "Playful Ponies"), most closely matching the Celestia mold in size.

Twilight is battery powered and 100% cord-free. This makes her awesome not just as a nightlight or collector's item, but as a fun, durable toy. :) You're probably wondering what stops her from burning through a new set of batteries on a nightly basis, am I right? Don't fret, the lights will shut off automatically after ten minutes. To turn them off manually, you can also just press the on/off button again.

Speaking of the on/off button... Can you tell where it is? It's hidden in plain sight, but difficult to spot.

Bottom line: This figure is a dream come true for fans who have longed for greater show-accuracy in the MLP: FiM toys. Her price is fair at $16.99 USD, her quality is superb in all areas, and she works well as both a soft nightlight and a toy. I really can't think of any downsides to this one! If you're a fan of Twilight Sparkle, be sure to add her to your collection!

<<Previous post: My Little Pony - Talking Princess Twilight Sparkle Review

Next post: Monster High: 13 Wishes - Haunt the Casbah Abbey Bominable (Walmart Exclusive) Review>>

My Little Pony - Talking Princess Twilight Sparkle Review

This is certainly the most elaborate pony to come of G4! She lights up, sings, talks, moves her head, blinks her eyes, flaps her wings, and even has wheels subtly placed under each hoof so she can "glide" along. As you can see, Twillight comes with a comb (new mold) and four large barrettes (also new molds). Her crown and necklace are removable, and snapping the crown in place activates a special button that makes her talk.

I could go on for hours with all the little details, but I'll try to make this a comprehensive yet to-the-point review. :)

Here she is, NIB. She was super-easy to unbox, I barely had to touch my scissors. Packaging is 100% salvageable, if you wish to hold on to it. Would you believe she actually comes with batteries? =D Four AAs, to be precise... If you're buying this for a child, do yourself a favor and invest in some rechargables. I haven't tested how quickly Twilight goes through a set, but at four a pop, disposable AAs aren't worth it.

There are 4 actions that trigger Princess Twilight's phrases, sounds, and lights: pressing the button on her cutie mark, snapping her tiara into place, touching the stars on her wings, and rolling her along a surface (or just manually turning the wheel on her back right hoof). Each of these triggers has multiple phrases or sounds associated with it. Twi also has a few unique sayings if you switch her on and do nothing. See my video at end of this review for a full demonstration. :)

Talking Princess Twilight stands at a colossal (especially for My Little Pony!) 14 1/2". Here's a scale comparison with the other common MLP: FiM toy sizes. Twilight's Fashion Style counterpart barely reaches the bottom of her cutie mark, "standard" size ponies don't even reach her knees, and she could practically wear the blind-bag toys as earrings. She even towers (menacingly?) over Talking Princess Cadance and her ilk.

Her glittery details look very nice--not at all tacky! Not an easy look to pull off! The glitter also doesn't seem to be shedding... definitely a bonus.

It's a shame that her tiara and necklace don't feature any paint details. It's especially odd since most of the tiaras included with Twilight Sparkle toys of smaller (and far cheaper) varieties DO... Considering how important an aspect the Element of Harmony crown is to both Twilight's character and to the show itself, it seems like a real oversight to not at least make the central starburst purple. That said, the sculpts of both the crown and necklace are detailed and quite nice. Alas, some paint (or purple glitter) would have made them perfect.

Her mane and tail are a bit sparse for a toy this big, but this may be a good thing. Too much hair would probably have become entangled in the mechanical parts and damaged them (I speak from an entire childhood of experience with these kinds of toys... >_<;;).

Also worth noting is that the mane is rooted into a section of plastic that moves slightly outward from the head when the hair is tugged. This is most likely to prevent stress on the head-turning mechanism during brushing and styling. An excellent idea that will no doubt extend this toy's life in many a home! I initially thought it might be another lights-and-sounds trigger, but I've been unable to get any reaction from it.

Here's her eye closed (this is as far down as it goes). She "blinks" at various points while singing and talking.

Her hoof ornaments are pretty show-accurate; just a bit more elaborate.

Her battery compartment and on/off/demo switch are well-concealed on her underbelly. It's very hard to see either when she's standing. (Note Duracell advertisement. XD)

Here's a front view... Talking Princess Twilight's sculpt is excellent all around! I'm happy to see that her proportions aren't "Celestia-like". Instead, they match Twilight's appearance in the show quite well!

...And an offside (non-display/cutie mark side) view. If you look, you can see the little plugs of plastic that conceal areas where screws were necessary.

Here she is in action, lit up as she sings "Isn't it Amazing?", a new song apparently written exclusively for this toy.

The light effects are very pretty, especially as they silhouette the glitter designs on her wings. The wings glow pale blue, while the horn glows a fiery yellow and magenta.

Finally, here's a video I made demonstrating all of her phrases, sounds, effects, and animatronics.

Bottom line: I truly love this pony. The artistic liberties taken with the character design work well and add to the aesthetic appeal, as far as I'm concerned. She has a few flaws, but you'd be hard-pressed to find a toy that doesn't. For a collector, she makes a lovely centerpiece to a MLP: FiM collection. For a child, buying this one is a no-brainer; I don't know what young fan of MLP wouldn't be delighted to receive this beautiful toy. :)

<<Previous post: Funko Pop! Star Wars: Jabba the Hutt and Slave Leia Review

Next post: My Little Pony Nite Friends - Princess Twilight Sparkle Review>>

Equestria Girls Are Here! Full Initial Release Photo Review!

First off, the brushes: I LOVE them! Yes, it is a bit strange to be so ecstatic over brushes, but... they remind me of the cute, colorful brushes that came with 80s toys like Sweetie Pups, Fashion Star Fillies, and of course G1 MLP. :)

The dolls also come packaged with "ID Cards", stickers, and a small pamphlet listing other Equestria Girls products:

The first thing you may glean from the photo below is that these dolls actually stand on their own. Their boots are heavy and large enough to keep them up on a flat surface. Don't get too excited, though. They don't stand particularly solidly, and I think bumping into this table would have easily dominoed them all. They also have to be posed just so or they'll fall (in the photo below, they're all tilted a little forwards). I'll probably still buy some doll stands when I get a chance. :/

The initial release contained six single-packed dolls and one two-pack.

Deluxe dolls (which have jointed elbows and knees, larger detachable wings than the basic dolls (for pegusi/alicorns), and come with lots of accessories) are Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy. Each doll comes with wings, a hair clip-in, a pair of earrings, a bag, an extra dress and an extra pair of boots.

Basic dolls (which have no elbow or knee articulation and feature partially painted-on clothing) are Twilight Sparkle, Pinkie Pie, Rarity, and Applejack. Basic dolls come with one accessory each (Twilight: wings, Pinkie: headband, Rarity: sunglasses, Applejack: hat).

The two-pack dolls (Twilight Sparkle and Sunset Shimmer) seem to fall somewhere between deluxe and basic. They have all fabric clothing and lots of accessories (two pairs of earrings, a handbag, a waistbag on a belt, and a crown), but they both lack knee articulation and only Sunset Shimmer has elbow joints. This two-pack is the only doll or set to come with Twilight's Element of Harmony crown (which is, of course, the catalyst of the Equestria Girls film).

Interestingly, none of these dolls have clothing that is strictly accurate to the Equestria Girls film. The closest would be Sunset Shimmer, but even she has major differences with her animated counterpart (boots in particular). Some of the other fashions are obviously inspired by the movie, but fall far short of "screen-accurate".

This may or may not be an issue for you. I myself am not too troubled with it. Oddly, the artworks on their individual boxes show their movie outfits--not what the given doll is actually wearing.

The hair has a nice fiber quality. I can't be certain, but it feels like the same hair used on the normal G4 MLP toys. Styling is generally pretty nice, as well. The problem is that it can be a little unruly. Rainbow Dash's bangs, in particular, wouldn't stop falling in her face when I was trying to get these photos. Strands tend to hang in front of Rarity's face as well, and it can be difficult to get the hair to remain where you comb it.

Another point of interest would be their feet... or lack thereof. Equestria Girls utilize a feature similar to Bratz dolls for changing their shoes: peg-feet. Admittedly, it would be a pain to cram plastic doll feet in and out of tall boots (which seem to be the only footwear available at Canterlot High), so I can't really complain. Shoe changes are pretty smooth, and I'm sure this makes things a lot easier for kids. Also, they get to have awesome looking knee-boots without the giant slits in back that most other fashion dolls necessitate. ;)

Arr...

Head sculpts are nice, though there doesn't seem to be a lot of variety. This is pretty common in fashion doll lines with a large cast of characters. The wildly varying skin tones, cutie marks, and eye colors/shapes go a long way towards giving them individuality. One cool detail is that each doll has little designs in her eyes modeled after her cutie mark. :)

And that's the waaay they became the Pony Bunch...

As for their body sculpts and jointing, both are good but not exceptional. As always is with fashion dolls, these are pretty skinny, but isn't that a given? Arms are a softer plastic, giving some flexibility to the fingers (so as to avoid breakage). And of course, arms and legs on all dolls can be rotated in their sockets.

The wings DO fall out. A lot. Hasbro should have employed a better mechanism for keeping them in, as this would be a huge frustration to a child. If you're a collector, it's not a big issue. They'll stay in place if the doll is still, but so much as picking them up often causes the wings to slip out of their socket.

Here's an interesting bit, though: ALL of the dolls have a slot in their back to insert wings--whether or not the character actually has wings. So you can let Rarity borrow Fluttershy's butterfly wings for a "Sonic Rainboom" look, or turn Pinkie Pie into a pegasus like her G1 counterpart, Surprise. 

Overall: I'm very satisfied with these dolls. They're cute, colorful, and have fun little accessories. They're also pretty distinct from most of what's on the fashion doll market ATM (while Equestria Girls are obviously an attempt to compete with Mattel's popular Monster High brand, I can't think of these as "copycats". The only real similarities are unusual skin colors and the fact that they're dolls). Their hair can be a little hard to keep in order, and their wings fall out unrelentingly, but these are minor annoyances, especially if you're a collector who intends to put them on display and be done with it.

<<Previous post: Toy Review: MLP Talking Nightmare Moon TRU Exclusive

Next post: The Zelfs Debut: Medium Dolls and Venus Flytrap Spin Salon Review>>

Toy Review: MLP Talking Nightmare Moon TRU Exclusive

This is an item I've been anticipating since the prototype photos popped up. She's more than worth the wait. I'm still in disbelief that this toy ever went into production...  I mean, let's face it: My Little Pony villains don't get much merchandising. In fact, prior to G4, MLP villains were never made into ANY toys. In any generation. Ever. So although we're still waiting on a Discord figure, we should count ourselves lucky that Hasbro's been willing to manufacture as many Equestria evildoers as they have. Now, on with the review!

Here's the Talking Nightmare Moon with the normal-sized one from the Favorite's Collection. Apart from size, they're extremely similar. Talking's primary body color has a faint purplish hue, so it's more of a near-black as opposed to FC Nightmare's pitch-black.

The other main difference is the wings. FC Nightmare has black wings that match the rest of her body, while her larger counterpart features translucent purple wings infused with silver glitter. FC Nightmare gets the points for show accuracy here, though the glitter reminds me of Nightmare Moon's "smoke" form from the pilot episodes.  They also light up and move when her talk button is pressed (see my video at the end of the review).

Her paint apps are great, very similar to the FC toy.

Her "armor" is all painted on and looks very nice. The only issue is that this leaves the battery compartment in her chest more visible than on Celestia or Cadance. Not a huge thing for me, but worth noting.

Here's the talk button. Oddly, her pre-release photos show the button in the purple portion of her cutie mark, while the actual product has it in the center of the crescent moon.

She looks awesome side-by-side with Celestia, here's some photos of the two. :)

Finally, here's a quick video I made of all of her phrases. Most of them are fairly villainous (I particularly love her evil laugh), but (like Celestia) she couldn't resist commenting on her beautiful barrettes or how she likes having her mane styled. ;)

That's the review, thanks for reading!

Next post: Equestria Girls Are Here! Full Initial Release Photo Review!>>