Friday, October 5, 2012

Bits and Pieces! Wave 4

Oh have I got some news you can totally use. Big things are happening and I am just thrilled to see what develops!

From Sea to Shining Sea

One of the things about growing older is that you can't keep your well manicured fingers on the pulse of everything that is happening in the toy world. I try really hard to make sure I know the score, but sadly I lose my grip. Take a new release I came across at Toysrus last week. I was busy looking around, trying to make sure I hadn't missed anything, when I came across something very interesting. Picture time!

Isn't that interesting? The Sea Wees are back! For those trying to understand what is going on, let me set a context. I have talked about an old toy line called Shimmers twice on this site. They were a lovely line of dolls brought out by Kenner. Well Shimmers was actually a sequel (if you will) from an even older line called Sea Wees.

It would appear that Sea Wees are making a fashionable appearance in the 21st century. After doing some research, I have found out that these new Sea Wees are made by Toysrus. (I had no idea that TRU had its own toy making capabilities.) And these new Sea Wees don't look exactly like the Wees of old, but they do retain that cute charm. A mermaid doll comes with a sponge and animal friend. These toys are made to go in the bath, but I couldn't help but pick one up if only for the connection to the past. I would be somewhat interested in TRU bringing back the Shimmers line too. I wonder what that line would look like. Of course I am not sure the new Sea Wees or a new Shimmers line could ever compare to the originals. But! It is nice to see the words Sea Wees back on shelves.

A Rush of Sugar to the Head

Is anyone else looking forward to the movie Wreck-It Ralph by Disney? It comes out next month and there is already a cool release of merchandise. The premise sounds really cute, Ralph is a video game bad guy who realizes he is tired of doing the same gig over and over, so he leaves in the hopes of finding a purpose in a new video game. I really think this will be a cute movie. Even better are the toys. One of the video games in the movie is like a cross between Candy Land and Mario Kart, super fun. Even better: They have made figures to the drivers of the candy vehicular confections! Let's look.

Now I don't know too much about these characters, but they look super cute and seem to be a perfect fit for the style of game (in the movie) that involves sweet treats and fast cars. I also think these items might be rare, so if you think you will be a fan of this movie, be sure to pick them up if you see 'em!

Sail Away, Sail Away, Sail Away

So the other day I was at my local Wal-Mart doing a bit of grocery shopping and toy hunting. Just a regular day. Well I also stumbled upon something that completely caught me off guard. I was in the book section and I noticed they had some Sailor Moon manga. Like multiple volumes. I was stunned. For a second I thought these were old, because Sailor Moon has been so off my radar I just had no idea there would be any new material... in Wal-Mart of all places. I mean I kinda assumed that she'd be in a big bookstore or online, but Wal-Mart?

Here's the thing. Wal-Mart typically carries the current stuff. You don't go to the book section hoping  to find a library of older releases. Except for that one time 4 years ago when they had old school Fear Street books for a dollar. I thought I was dreaming and half expected to be carted away at any second for being delusional. It was real. Just like the Sailor Moon manga.


Anyways, when I saw these Sailor Moon volumes I realized something shocking. They were re-released stories with some new pieces of material, which meant Sailor Moon must be fetching a comeback. So I did some research and sure enough, Sailor Moon is indeed coming back in a big way. (Some would say she never went away.) From what I have read, Sailor Moon has a new series in production due out in the summer of 2013! How did I miss this? Am I getting that old? (Don't answer that.)

I am really hoping this is all true and that there will be some dolls and figures too. I never collected much when Sailor Moon was last at her height of popularity in America, and I could just kick myself for that. (I have my reasons, and maybe one day I'll share them.) Of course how could anyone not get into Sailor Moon? It was like She-Ra and Jem hooked up and had a baby. I'm really looking forward to this.

So these are some Bits and Pieces that I've been checking out. If any of you have any updates or news about these topics feel free to post a comment! I hope everyone is doing wonderfully well and get ready! An all new Adora's Search for Honor will be out this weekend and it will be great! Evil-Lyn makes an appearance. Frosta works hard for the affections of He-Man. And a certain bombshell bee lady throws a big honey wrench in quite a few people's path. Until next time!


7 comments:

  1. really want to hear these "reasons" for not collecting Sailor Moon stuff. It seems like it should have been your favorite thing ever.
    I don't know when you could say the height of her popularity was in the States. For me it was when they started airing SM on Toonami. This was probably also the moment anime really REALLY broke through in a big way and got obnoxiously popular here. This was mostly the fault of Dragon Ball z and it's toonami run -and though I liked that show I was WAY more into Sailor Moon. I had wall scrolls and stuff. I carried a Sailor Mars key chain and I remember this girl who used to like me tried to look as much like sailor mars as she could so I would date her! (she never came close enough for me though, and she was a vegetarian so it never worked out between us) anyway I still have this HUGE Sailor Moon wall scroll in my apartment of the wedding of Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Mask. It's pretty funny, my entire apartment is covered in punk rock posters except BAM! right in the middle there's all the Sailor Scouts ruining my coolness chances of getting laid.
    But that's not to say that punk rock and Sailor Moon don't mix. Check out Osaka Popstar's cover of the Sailor Moon theme, it's rad-amatastic!:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qHVJeK1YktY

    -and that's a band made up of former members of the Ramones, Black Flag and the Misfits so Sailor Moon has got some street cred!
    Anway, I can't wait for new Sailor Moon stuff. I'm guessing if the new series comes on in the states it will be on CN so I'll have to look for it.
    As for "Wreck it Ralph"-I love the video game premise and the use of actual characters like Bowser and stuff-but doesn't it seem like a video game version of Toy Story mixed with a little Monsters Inc.? I swear they could make a CGI animated movie about talking poop and it would make a zillion dollars. Lets bring back some real animation Hollywood!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Well I will say this much about my not liking Sailor Moon, or rather trying to be "too cool" for Sailor Moon. it involves a guy I liked and a girl he liked who was all into Sailor Moon. I had my own personal Frosta moment and my jealousy caused me to act like i was not interested in something, that I really was. In my defense I was super young and should have known better. I remember her being really popular in the late 90s. like 98 or 99? Maybe the early 00s? Am I right on that or am I way off?

      Osaka Popstar is really cool! I love this! And for those who think Sailor Moon doesn't have any street cred, they need to recognize. Because Sailor Moon is super fun. I can't wait for next summer.

      And I do like these cgi animated films, but I gotta agree with you, old school animation movies are really awesome. I hope disney can make some more.

      Delete
  2. Wait did he date this girl or just like her?
    Was she a popular hot girl? Because when I was in high school the only girls who liked Sailor Moon were...well, guys. Until the internet I never even met any really hot or even normal looking girls who were into this kind of stuff. But it sounds like in your school there was a whole teen drama unfolding based around which cartoons people liked best!
    I can't imagine you ever saying something like "I'm to cool for this kids stuff!"-were you too cool for She-Ra at that point in your life too? Did you (gulp!) tell people you weren't into She-ra anymore!? -if so you really went through quite a phase! I don't think I ever even pretended to not like the dorky stuff.
    And I think Sailor Moon was 98.
    90's cartoon Network was magic! Is this new series going to be a reboot or a continuation?
    When the first series ended and they all lost their memories and weren't friends anymore I literally shed a tear! Does that make me a puss? or just a sensitive guy in touch with his emotions? ( answer: puss)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Well I wouldnt say I was popular or with the popular crowd. My group of friends always liked nerdy stuff. I had a best friend that was obsessed with Power Puff Girls. But about the guy I liked and the gilr he liked, I think part of it was that this other girl was really into Sailor Moon along with other anime type stuff, and this guy really liked that, and it just made me super jealous. (I didnt know that much, though I did like Sailor Moon.) So instead of being mean to her or him, I just did this whole, "Oh Sailor Moon. Eww. I am too cool for that." It was just an angsty awful way to be. But I wasn't cool at all. lol I was still dorky and never once gave up on my obsession for She-Ra. That was one thing I always talked about, I've never been able to give up on that. And I don't know that I ever could.

      And I think it is great that you had such a reaction to that. There were a lot of cool and fun stories with Sailor Moon. As for the new show, I do not know all the details about it. It could be a reboot or it could be a continuation. I just know that it is in production. I will need to check up some more on the info.

      Delete
  3. It's great that Sailor Moon is making a comeback, however it'll probably censored as it was before. One of the most censored things of course was the relationship between Sailor Neptune and Sailor Uranus--they were lesbian lovers. ...that pink-haired girl who was visiting for some reason was Usagi's...uh...Serena's daughter and a few of the villains were cross dressers... I can see Nickelodeon making a CG Sailor Moon and it being not only censored, but missing any and all aspects of the original Anime show.

    I am a huge fan of Anime and Sailor Moon was a favorite although I never picked up any of the DVD's including the un-cut versions out of fear that something WOULD be cut regardless. I named my now deceased, white with blue eyes cat Artemis and I even have a few of the dolls that I guess I need to do an article on, on NS.

    I wonder if Walmart selling anything Sailor Moon means that its all censored??? In 1997 when I finally got a computer and internet I went digging for anything that I could find related to Sailor Moon and found out everything from the characters actual names to how censored the show really was--I'm guessing the Manga too.

    Hopefully a revival will prove to be partially for the fans of old and then for recruiting new fans; we'll see.

    Pretty cool selection here, the Sea Wees making a return and being made by Toys R Us is an interesting piece of info for the collectors and that Sugar Rush figurine is nice--no Street Fighter characters?

    ...hopefully, one day, Diz-ney (I know how I spelled it) will make a movie that is hand drawn in Korea again, they were so beautiful, I guess the last was Princess and the Frog--Tangled should have been hand drawn--oops and duh Diz-ney! At least they made their money. LOL!!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ya know, I do am not sure if the stuff from Wal-Mart is censored or not. I know they are also sold at Barnes and Noble, so I am not sure if anything is missing or not. From what I understand, they do have their original names in the manga I picked up. As for the new show, I would imagine it will be marketed to a younger fan base, but I am not sure. In all honesty I am more interested in the dolls being re-released. I know that sounds awful, but I would really like that.

      Sea Wees! I just was not expecting that at all! I kinda hope that TRU could end up re-releasing the original ones as a fun anniversary thing. Or something. And there were no Street Fighter toys from the Wreck-It Ralph line. I doubt there will be. And I really wish Tangled had been hand drawn, I probably would have enjoyed it more. I wasn't really thrilled with that one.

      Delete