Tuesday, September 25, 2012

Toy Chest Tuesday! Princesas del Poder!

A whole new Toy Chest Tuesday is upon us! Since She-Ra fans the world over got amazing news over the weekend with the possibility of an all new Castle Grayskull and, finally, an Octavia figure, I thought it would be fun to have a She-Ra themed Toy Chest! For news on Grayskull and Octavia head over here.

Back when She-Ra was kicking butt on our television screens, She-Ra action dolls were popular all around the world (and she still is popular with fans all over.) As a child I always wondered what it was like for kids in other countries. Were the toy stores set up the same way? Were the items in the same packaging? What would it be like to talk to other fans from all over the world about our love for the most powerful woman in the universe? Now as an adult, I get to finally do that! I have loved talking with people from all over about She-Ra. I also am super thrilled to have a She-Ra item that was originally sold in Mexico. So let's check out Princesas del Poder: Angella!

There were some really big differences between the She-Ra figures sold in America and Mexico. In Mexico She-Ra figures were released in a window box format. There is a thin plastic window over the figure, while a layer of plastic is wrapped all around the box. This item is not in the best of condition, there are some tears and the box is slightly smashed in, but it is still a really great item! Also check out the image of Starburst She-Ra in the top left corner. This was the image used for the second series of POP toys in America. I am not sure when these figures were released in Mexico, but it is interesting that art for the second series was used for this series. Angella came with her wings, removable skirt, comb, and a mini-comic. I will also note that Angella's comb was very different from the combs I got with my older POP figures. This version's comb can attach to the figure's wrist, so it can actually look like the figure is brushing her own hair.

Upon closer inspection there are even differences with the figure herself. This Angella is very different from what was released in America. Her face sculpt is slightly different as is her hair color. The version from Mexico has streaks. The material for the skirt is not as sheer and the skirt band is a different material. (The figure released in America had that holographic like foil over the band.) These things are very interesting and make collecting even more fun. I am also assuming these differences are due to different countries of manufacture. This figure was made in Mexico, while the American POP figures were made in Taiwan so there were probably different materials used.

Now the fun part is with the back of the box. The images of Angella and the rest of the characters are the same. Though there are a few people missing, Double Trouble, Castaspella, Arrow, Enchanta, and Kowl were missing from the back. But I do love the characters that were included. I mean the line up on the back was essentially the heavy hitters of POP.  

As I have mentioned before, I adore the head shot and then full character design at the top. I just think that image is classic and so much fun. Also, let's just look at Angella in general. Most of the POP figures did not look drastically different from their Filmation counterparts, but Angella was an exception. This figure looked nothing like her animated version, but she still looked really cool. The animated version wore blue tights and a pink top. Her hair was golden yellow, not the slight reddish color on the figure. However, since Angella and Glimmer are mother/daughter, it would make sense for Angella to have a slight reddish tint to go better with Glimmer's pink hair. I mean I am not sure if pink hair would be genetic, but on Etheria, anything is possible.


Each character has their little trademark description under their name, and each description is the same as what was mentioned on the American cards except for two differences. On the American cards there were some lengthy descriptions for Swiftwind and Storm. But on this card back Swiftwind is actually called Wind and is described as She-Ra's Pegasus. Storm is also described as a Pegasus. I like that aspect. I mean there is nothing wrong with saying "flying horse" but I like the idea of the word Pegasus being used to describe the character's rides. Although would a flying unicorn be a Pegasus? I mean Storm is a Pegasus, but what would Swiftwind be classified as exactly?

Anyways I really liked the window box packaging for the She-Ra figures in Mexico. It was a different approach to packaging. I also really like the face sculpt and paint for this Angella. Of course what I would have really liked would have been to show some side by side differences of the Angella from Mexico and the one from America. There were some interesting differences and at the end of the day that just makes collecting even more fun. However this is the only Angella I have for now. Angella was one of the few POP action dolls that I missed out on growing up. I don't know why, I just never picked her on my trips to the toy stores back then. Maybe if I stumble upon another one I can revisit this toy and do a side by side. Or something. I am itching to see how those wings work!

So enjoy this Toy Chest! If you have any thoughts or memories about Angella, feel free to leave them! I hope everyone is doing well, and be sure to check back! The week is still young so there will be some new stuff coming up. Until next time!

14 comments:

  1. Really nice, I like how the figure is packaged. I guess her mini comic is in Spanish too?

    I'd recommend carefully applying tape over the hole in the window to keep it preserved as much as possible, although it'll kill the value even more, I doubt that you plan to ever sell her.

    It's odd, is the head (face) different from the U.S. version? She appears prettier.
    The package art of her on the back is great, she really has a nice appearance and a really pretty face.

    I love the "also available" just reading the descriptions is fun because I took Spanish in high school (many moons ago) and I remember some of the words and what they mean. As for the date that you were wondering about, I'm guessing that 1984 is it and it was produced at the same time as it was in the U.S. However, I could be wrong.

    Great toy, enjoy her.

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    1. Well I will probably leave the tears as they are for now. I don't want to risk making things worse. and her face is really different. Her eyes are more open and wide on the American release, and the version from Mexico is more sultry. lol I guess that is the right word. Maybe not.

      And the mini comic is in Spanish. The copy right on the box says 1984, so I am assuming these were released around the same time, though maybe a little later. I have this really nice She-Ra collector's book that will probably have more information, if I could just remember where I left it. lol

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  2. Speaking of Filmation vs. Mattel, when I was a kid I couldn't stand the differences. I think you should do a piece showing Filmation pics of characters and pics of the Mattel toys and talk about that.Maybe have people vote on which versions they prefer.
    Some huge gripes I had back in the day:
    1. Man-At -Arms: where was his moustache? OK, maybe the toy came out first and so it's Filmations fault but why add such an iconic feature to a character when you are advertising a toy that does not have that feature? That would be like taking Mario's moustache OFF of him for the Mario Cartoon.
    2. Modulok: of course they couldn't make Modulok to model for the toon because it would have been too complex to animate, but it still annoyed me that they didn't give him two heads. (in one episode you see one head on a table)-they gave Two Bad two heads after all.
    3. Tung Lashor: at least Rattlor looked a bit like his figure but what the hell was up with Tung Lashor? Would you ever be able to tell that cartoon character was advertising THAT toy?
    4:Mantisaur: look up a pic of animated Mantisaur online and then look up the toy. What were they thinking? He's not even close to the same COLOR! To say nothing of the rest of him.
    -Incidentally, I always thought he should have been Mosquitor's mount instead of Hordak's, but I thought he was cool. You should use him in your story at some point.
    -and finally, just so I don't drag this out too long(though I know I could come up with more) 5: CATRA: That blue hair thing still bumps me. Why did they do that? although I kind of think it's cute too. I'm actually not sure which version I like better.

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    1. Well I agree, there were some major differences between characters from the toy line and the cartoon. I think part of it was that Filmation wanted to focus on certain characters and then there would be pressure from Mattel to put certain characters in the toon to advertise for the toy line, but that caused problems because certain toys didn't translate well to the animation at the time, or really ever. I remember they talked about how hugely different Clawdeen was from the toy and toon, and the reasoning was that the toy was too pretty, and they thought it would look odd in this show where the bad guys are scary looking. But yeah, there were some major differences. And Mantisaur was really different. I think had the color scheme been closer to the toy, they would have looked more similar. Mantisaur was a cool ride. I like to think that the beasts and vehicles were community property for the Horde. Except for Clawdeen. I just can't think of anyone but Catra riding Clawdeen.

      As for my favorite Catra, oh that is tough. I am always more partial to the toy version though. I love the jetblack hair and green eyes. I also like the silver and red accents, though I do love the cartoon version for the Horde symbol on her chest. Just a tough choice! lol

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  3. I think I like Filmation Hordak better than Mattel. I know the darker one might be more "evil" seeming but the gray is just sort of drab. The blue really leaps out at you and I would love to see an official Filmation motu classics Hordak.
    Mantenna-I forgot to mention him. The funny thing about Mantenna was that when I had the toy I had no idea he was supposed to have four legs until I saw the cartoon! If they remake him they should really separate the legs more. Have they done any "Filmation alternate versions" of MOTU classics? Fang Man is sort of like that but only because he only existed in the Filmation universe before now. They should just have a Filmation sub-line for the line.

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    1. I like both Hordak's. Mostly because I had the original toy, but the Filmation Hordak was also really cool. I'm not sure if they'll ever do a Filmation inspired Hordak, but I know fans would love it. And Mantenna is my favorite Horde male character. I love Mantenna and really hope if they make him that he looks like Filmation. They can maybe give him another head that looks like the toy version, but I love Filmation Mantenna.

      As for any other Filmation alternate characters, they are doing Octavia next summer and they are doing a Filmation Randor in the coming months.

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  4. Oh, I just reviewed my own entry on Angella, hoping to find where was my figure made. The card says Spain, although I am almost sure Spanish Carded figures came from Asia, probably Taiwan, so it should be identical to the American release. In Spain they had a quality control and were packaged. Maybe you can compare those you own with one in the Spanish Card.

    About manufacturing countries, we discussed it shortly in the entry I dedicated to Enchanta, maybe you can read the comments on that entry, and leave your opinion/knowledge there, I'd be very interested in reading that from you. Some parts of the Swan were actually manufactured in Spain... I put a link my entry here, sorry once more for "linking" myself here:

    http://toysfromthepast.blogspot.com/2012/03/129-princess-of-power-enchanta-1985.html

    And about the cardback, in Spain it was really different:
    -Storm/Tormenta: Catra's powerful winged horse
    -Arrow/Flecha: Bow's fellow winged horse
    -Swift Wind/Brisa: She-Ra's Magic Unicorn

    although in Mexico they were not wrong... what's a Pegasus but a Winged/Flying horse?

    By the way, the Mexican comic should also be different to the Spanish comic, maybe you want to check that...

    Great entry, thanks for showing such a rare toy!

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    1. It is very interesting how different countries presented POP toys! And thank you for the link, I will check it out. I have an Enchanta too, and I will have to look at her when I am reading your article. And yes, Mexico was correct a Pegasus is a winged/flying horse, I was more referring to the wording. I wish on the American cards they had used the word Pegasus instead of winged flying horse. They mean the same, but Pegasus sounds cooler. lol Not that it matters in the end.

      And I might open this one up, I haven't decided yet. I am very curious to see what the comic is like.

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    2. Oh, if you have to open it... don't do that! My opinion is that if each one is reseponsible for keeping their toys in their original packaging if possible. I once opened two blisters and carry a guilt complex ever since... dumb!

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    3. Yeah I do that from time to time. There are some items i regret opening and some I am glad I did. I know it is too risky to try and open this one up, though I am very tempted.

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  5. A comparison article would be a good idea, especially with voting.

    I think Catra's hair had the blue in it to give the appearance of shine and texture so it came off as more than a solid lump of black. The MOTUC Catra has streaks of blue in it probably because they wanted it to look like the cartoon; however, the blue is just an animation trick. Sometimes in Anime, they use either white or blue to give the look of texture OR it can even reflect the color near the character--such as red.

    I know there is a "what's right" war going on with MOTU, but I look at it this way with Man-At-Arms, the original mini comics marked 1981 had him without the mustache and as Spazz said, the toy was made before the cartoon, so it copied the mini comic--I'm wondering if I'm the only one who likes that?!? Might be...

    Of course, everything has completely changed and now cybernetic "New Adventures" Skeletor was created by taking Hordak and getting the techno-virus from Bionatops. When in reality, Skeletor touched the Power Sword during Adam's transformation to He-Man and got brutally injured and the medical "thing" on the star ship repaired his body. The REAL or original version of the story is far better than the trash made up in the comic that came with Dragon Blaster Skeletor.
    So, the new question has become the old question...what's right? I say the original story from the copyright 1981 comics, then the Filmation cartoon--but, that's my storyline, apparently many others do it by the current storyline which I find lame because 30 years ago the story was written, you can't change it just for a new generation--wait until the original generation dies out, then do it--just no mass murder plots OK Mattel.

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    1. Yeah Catra's hair had the blue to show texture, much like Superman or Wonder Woman. I am just partial to the hair from the original toy. However, rooted hair would not work on the new MOTUC. Plus rooted hair just doesn't age well.

      And the MOTU war between mini comic and Filmation cartoon will probably go on forever. That is one good thing about MOTUC, that certain characters had swappable heads so that those who wanted MAA with or without the moustache could do so. I never really cared either way, because for me it was like, "Maybe he wanted to shave and maybe he didnt." But MAA is not one of my favorites, so that might be why. I like him and all, but I don't have a preference. Nw if they make Perfuma look like the cartoon, I will be unhappy. I really think the toy version was a better version of perfuma. But I digress.

      And at the end of the day everyone has their own version of what they like with the stories. I like some of the stuff from the mini comics but then I also like stuff from the cartoon. And then there is what I would like the story to be like. I think without there ever having been a unified, "This is the story" I think it leaves a lot of it to interpretation. But I agree, no mass murder plots! lol

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  6. What's wrong with a "Little Miss Perfuma?" She can sit on her tuffit, grow flowers, sing her preschool songs and drive Hordak crazy! I would probably pay any ridiculous price for a Filmation Perfuma and get 2 so I can open one. She has to have her pink dress, green tights, pretty face, choker and her flower hat--its a must! LOL!!!!!!!!

    I honestly don't care for the 80's action doll probably because I love the Filmation Perfuma as a whole (appearance, concept, voice and she makes me laugh).

    You are the real She-Ra fan though and it'll probably be best that the fans get what they want, however a Filmation Perfuma would just be great!

    If you end up opening Mexican Angella, add some photos, including the mini comic--cover, a page, something...

    Filmation Perfuma!!!

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    1. Well here's the deal with Perfuma. The toy version had a coler skirt, imo. It was really flowery and just looked so cool. I also like her wearing boots, and not flats like in the filmation cartoon. But I do love the voice and over all character from the cartoon, I just am more partial to the toy. I loved the flower piece that fit on her back as opposed to her flower hat. But either way, I will be happy to have a Perfuma. She was the first and only toy I ever slept with as a kid. That sounds really odd, but there is a story that can easily explain it all. (I stupidly believed that if I had a toy with me we could wake up in the middle of the night and go on adventures and no one would know. I stayed sleeping and poor Perfuma had one nasty beehive of hair from sleeping under a pillow.)

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