Monsters University: Complete Tsum Tsum Collection

Let's hear a BIG roar because Monsters University Tsum Tsums are finally here! Released right around July 4th in the UK, these started hitting select Disney Stores in the US a couple weeks after that and finally on the US ShopDisney.com site last Monday (August 6th). Perfect timing with back to school time right around the corner! I've been hoping for MU Tsums for years, so I couldn't be more thrilled with this assortment.

The six monstrously cute characters included in this lineup are MU Mike Wazowski, MU Sulley, Randy Boggs, Art, Sherry Squibbles (Squishy's Mom) and Squishy. The details and embroidered features here with these are as adorable as ever! They're just as I always pictured they would look. I love the fabrics and materials used (especially the hair on Art), Mike's tiny MU hat (notice the corner of the brim has a little chunk out of it just like his hat in the film?), his and Sulley's MU jackets and Squishy's Oozma Kappa shirt.

These plushies are part of the Tsum Tsum "mini" collection and are the standard 3 1/3" size. Like usual, they're super soft and retail for $5.95 each.

Take a closer look at each one below!

MIKE WAZOWSKI

SULLEY

RANDY BOGGS

ART

NOTE: One year ago, I posted on the Japan exclusive Ms. Squibbles with micro Squishy Tsum set (which was released last year in celebration of Mother's Day). This new version of Squishy's mom might seem the same as that one at first glance, but they're actually quite different when you compare them side by side. This new one has rosy cheeks, a bit more of a muted pink color scheme, a larger side horn, and a totally different take on the design of her signature floral housecoat (among other differences).

SHERRY SQUIBBLES (SQUISHY'S MOM)

SQUISHY

Mike, Sulley and Art are my top three favorites here, but they're all so cute! I do wish they would have finished off the OK fraternity by adding Terry & Terri and Don though, but the set is what it is and I'm grateful for who we got. I'm just glad Art (one of my absolutely fave characters in the film) made the cut!

If you're wanting to add these to your Disney/Pixar Tsum Tsum collection, call ahead to your local Disney Store to make sure they have them in stock. The one I work at never actually got them, so you'll just want to confirm before making the drive over. You can always just pick them up online as I did (right HERE on ShopDisney.com), but the only bummer is that Mike has already sold out.

I can't recommend this set enough for all you Monsters University fans out there! Have you picked any of these up? Which one do you like best? Shout out your thoughts down below.  

Incredibles 2: Pixar Studio Store Exclusive Notebook (+ Bonus Note Card)

Ready for something incredible? This simple yet striking Incredibles 2 icon notebook is available now exclusively at the Pixar Studio Store in Emeryville, CA! This is a classic style hardcover journal with 192 ivory lined pages, elastic band closure and a ribbon bookmark. There's even an interior gusseted pocket on back inside cover to fit additional notes. It measures 5.5" x 8.5" in size and retails for $17 there at the studio (again, this store is not open to the public).

I love any and all merch from the Studio Store and this one is no exception! Such a rare treat. I was so excited to get this as a surprise recently from my good friend and supporter, [Disney freelance Artist] Jerrod Maruyama, and I can't thank him enough! He's seriously the best. Make sure you check out his art (though you probably already know it if you're a big Disney fan) and give him some support as well.

On the back you'll notice the "Pixar Animation Studios" embossed lettering and the company which produced the notebook—Spector & Co. They have some fantastic basic colored journals of this same style on this site HERE! Really nice stuff and I feel lucky to have this in my collection.

As a bonus item today, I also wanted to share this Incredibles 2 note card featuring the epic graphic art of Eric Tan! I absolutely love this. I'm especially excited to have this art in card form, since I wasn't able to get (and don't have the space for) a full size print of it. This was also sent to me by Jerrod (thanks again my brotha) and is another item you can find right now only within the Studio Store.

The card is 5" x 7" in size and is blank on the inside to write your own sentiments. Pixar's logo can be found on the back (minimal like usual) with the Incredibles 2 'i" icon brilliantly in the place of Pixar's "i." Classic.  

What do you think of the journal and note card? I'm so grateful to have some of this Pixar Studio Store merch and happy that I can document everything on here for all you to discover. Looking forward to hearing your thoughts down below!

Stay tuned right here for even more from my ever expanding collection of Pixar toys, art and collectibles.

Cars Land 2018 "Limited Release" Buzz & Woody Pin Set

Released July 15th, this amazing exclusive Cars Land Buzz and Woody pin set is available right now at Disney California Adventure as a limited release! A big thanks to my friend Paulina (heartdisney) for picking this up for me recently at, I believe, the "Knick's Knacks" shop at the entrance of Pixar Pier. Retail is $19.99.

Buzz and Woody, of course, appeared in car form during the end credits of the original Cars (one of my favorite moments; "Toy Car Story"—watch the clip HERE). And during the past few months of Pixar Fest at DCA, they have stood by the entrance of Cars Land to greet guests! How incredibly cool is that?! I so wish I could be there.  

Like I always say, I'm not much of a Disney pin collector—but sometimes there's a set too cool and unique to pass up! This was one of them. Plus I like anything "limited release" (not sure how many pieces this set is limited to though).

I couldn't be happier with this purchase! Could they release more of these sets based on the other Pixar car spoofs like Monster Trucks, Inc., and A Bug's life? Count me in if they do! Let me know your thoughts down below. Were you able to snag these pins for your collection? If not, you can always check current eBay listings HERE.

Coco: Complete Tsum Tsum Collection PAGE UPDATE

Today's blog post is an exciting page update to my original Coco Tsum Tsum collection post! Check it out HERE for my thoughts on/where to buy this Skeleton Ernesto de la Cruz.

Tracking down this one has been a long time coming. Collection complete.  

Incredibles 2: Costumed Action Figures Assortment – Elastigirl, Edna & Violet (by Jakks Pacific)

From Jakks Pacific comes these three super awesome Incredibles 2 "Costumed Action Figures" (yes, I know they're dolls ;), featuring Elastigirl (12" tall; 11 points of articulation), Edna Mode (7.5" tall; 5 points of articulation) and Violet (11" tall; 11 points of articulation)! Both supers have removable adhesive masks and Edna has removable glasses; each figure retails for $14.99 and features rooted hair, lens eyes, and shiny full fabric fashion costumes.

Well done Jakks Pacific! I'm impressed by these. The likenesses are really quite good for this style doll and I was also very impressed by their poseability and to see how well they stand up on their own. For being so tall and lanky, I suspected Elastigirl and Violet would have trouble standing up without stands. I was proven wrong! After less than a minute of trying, I was able to pose them in a way where they stood up just fine without any kind of support (though if you're going to display them long term, I would still highly recommend buying some doll stands).

Let's take a closer look at each character out of the package!

ELASTIGIRL

The masks fit the curvature of the faces just perfectly and can easily be removed by just popping them right off. I do wonder how the stickiness will hold up over time though?

EDNA MODE

Edna's glasses, as mentioned, can be removed. I didn't however, just because I wanted to keep her hair and everything perfectly intact and it felt like I might mess something up if I did. They don't come off quite as simply as the masks. I also have to wonder why they chose Edna's iconic outfit from the first Incredibles and not one of her new looks from Incredibles 2? UPDATE: An Incredibles 2 outfit version has been included in wave 2; more on that below.

VIOLET

I like how flawlessly they captured Violet's hair color. It's dark, dark blue (almost black, but with still a visible blue tint—just like in the film). Most times when you see merch of Violet, her hair is either too blue or too black. Good work here! 

A big thanks to my friends over at Jakks Pacific for sending these over for me to review! Honestly, I don't ever get these types of dolls on my own, so it was a fun to mix it up a little and share my thoughts on them with you guys. Hopefully this review helps you out! And if you're interested in this collection, remember that there are also a few others that I didn't show here:

• Mr. Incredible with Jack-Jack 2-Pack
• Silver Suite Elastigirl 
• Retro Mr. Incredible & Elastigirl 2-Pack (was a Toys R Us Exclusive)
• Edna Mode (Incredibles 2 Version) 

Note: The only main character not represented in this range (for some reason) is Dash.

Find them at Walmart, Target or Amazon using the links below and be sure to leave YOUR thoughts down in the comments!

Monsters Inc.: Funko "POP!" Collection (2018 Series)

My blog post on the original wave of Monsters Inc. Funko "POP!" figures was one of my very first posts ever written—we're talking clear back in the summer 2013 (see it HERE; it included Mike, Sulley, Boo in Monster Costume and George Sanderson). As you probably noticed, my write-ups and photos have vastly improved since then; and you can see from this new 2018 wave of Monsters Inc. characters that Funko has come a long way in terms of detail and quality as well!

This wave started hitting shelves a couple months back (early May, I believe) at all your normal "POP!" retailers such as Hot Topic, Game Stop, Barnes & Noble, BoxLunch, Amazon and more. And to get straight to the point, this HAS to be one of my favorite groupings of POPs ever made! I'm sure the fact that Monsters Inc. is my second favorite Pixar film has something to do with it as well, but I'm trying not to be biased. ;) A big thanks to my aunt for hooking me up with these for my birthday!

First take a look at these in their boxes...

...and now out! Just look at them though. Sulley looks outstanding, Boo is shamelessly adorable, Roz is an all time fave of mine and the Harryhausen Sushi Chef is just an amazingly random character that works so surprisingly well here! It makes me laugh, out of all the Monsters Inc. monsters, the octopus chef was chosen (who's in the film for a few seconds). "There's a kid here! A human kid!!"

Just a heads up, one POP that I didn't get (since I don't really feel the need to spend money on variants) was the Amazon Exclusive flocked (fuzzy) version of Sulley.

SULLEY (#385)

BOO (#386)

ROZ (#387)

HARRYHAUSEN'S SUSHI CHEF (#388)

I just can't get over the detail here with these. Each one is stylized/sculpted perfectly and I wouldn't change a thing. First of all, I love how they've started including little mouths on the characters (I know some people don't dig it, since it was Funko's signature style to be mouthless, but I like it). It just adds so much more charm and personality! Second, the fact that Boo is holding "Little Mikey" is a brilliant detail and it melts my heart (I'm so glad they included a stand with her too). Third, one word, ROZ. All of her. Her glasses, her detailed clipboard, her mole...everything. One of my favorite Pixar characters is now one of my all time favorite Funko POPs. She's watching, always watching.

I could go on and on about everything I love about these, but I'll leave it at that. You get it—they obviously have my highest recommendation! If you're any kind of Monsters Inc. fan/collector, you won't wanna miss out on these. You can purchase them using my Amazon links below (retail price is typically around $10-$12) and be sure to leave me all your thoughts down in the comments!

Who is your favorite and who would you like to see be made in the future?

Incredibles 2: METALFIGS Mr. Incredible (by Jada Toys) REVIEW

Bold! Dramatic! Heroic! How incredibly neat is this brand new Incredibles 2 Mr. Incredible "METALFIGS" figure by Jada Toys? It's fantastic to see this line continuing with new Pixar characters as I was a big fan of the Buzz & Woody (and the smaller Mike & Sulley) that were released around this time last year.

First let's take a look at the packaging, once again featuring that ever so popular Incredibles 2 minimal art by Eric Tan there on the back.  

The real fun though is taking Mr. Incredible here out of the package. Look how photogenic he is! These are the types of collectibles that, in my opinion, display that much better unboxed (but to each collector his own). Let's take a closer look and discuss some of the details!

This figure stands right at 4" tall, is made from over 50% diecast metal and, naturally, has a nice heavy weight to it. I appreciate that he stands perfectly stable on his own. This is a solid figure, both in make and design! I love his stylized look (they nailed the iconic hero pose) and his super suite's clean, metallic paint job/finish (which gives off a fantastic shine, as you can probably tell in the pics— but it's even cooler in person). Lastly I have to mention the detail in the head sculpt, especially the hair and depth around the mask and eyes. So nice!

Retail price is a very reasonable $9.99.

This is recommended for ages 8+, which makes sense since it's certainly less of a toy and more of a collector's display piece. For all you Incredibles fans out there, I can absolutely recommend picking this up if you see it! Perfect for a desk or shelf. I purchased mine at Target (also online HERE), but it is available on Amazon (direct link below) and could be showing up at Walmart stores as well.

Let me know your thoughts down below! Will you be picking this up? What other Disney/Pixar characters would you like to see be made in this collection? Shout it out.

  

A Bit of Boundin' Flip Book (Pixar Studio Store Exclusive)

I feel Pixar's short film Boundin', which premiered theatrically in 2004 alongside The Incredibles, is one that gets forgotten far too often ("underrated", as they say). It's really quite charming though, with a simple yet effective and original story, cute characters, a catchy tune and a beautifully positive message; not to mention its signature old west feel! I'll admit that it was never one of my personal favorites growing up and it wasn't until years later that I really began to appreciate its brilliance. I encourage anyone who hasn't watched it in a while to revisit it and maybe you'll see it in a new light as well. So many life lessons that can be learned.

What's really cool is that Pixar artist/animator/voice actor Bud Luckey not only directed the film, but he also wrote it, narrated it, designed/voiced all the characters and composed the music. Wow—what talent! That must be the record for most done by a single person on any Pixar short film.

Anyway moving along with what I have here, check out what was sent to me by my good friends from over at PixarPost.com...this Pixar Studio Store exclusive A Bit of Boundin' flip book by Bud Luckey himself! A huge thanks to them for sending this over; another item I didn't even know existed! What a cool surprise. And with the passing of Bud Luckey earlier this year (RIP), this makes for a special tribute to have in my collection.  

I've always found flip books (and hand drawn animation in general) fascinating, so this was right up my alley. It measures 6" wide x 4" tall.

The scene inside the flip book is one of the little gophers "bounding" in and out of a hole doing flips! So cute; what a little gem.

But what you really want to see is this thing in action, right? Check it out in my video down below and be sure to leave your thoughts and/or any question you might have! And if you're a fan of this short, you'll also want to check out the other Boundin' items I have in my collection HERE. 

Toy Story: Mattel "Minis" Blind Packs (NEW Series 6!!)

SERIES 6 of the adorable Toy Story "Minis" collection is here! This new wave of blind bags started hitting stores across the US back in May, but only just began showing up at Walmarts in my area. It's about time! I was thrilled when I finally stumbled upon them yesterday. If you've been following along here with me for any amount of time, you probably know I've been an avid collector of these mini figures since they debuted in 2016 and I absolutely love the way their stylized. To catch up on any of my previous posts related to this line, you can check them out using the links below:

• Toy Story Minis Series 1 Blind Bags
• Toy Story Minis 10-Pack  
• Toy Story Minis Series 3 Blind Bags
• Toy Story Minis Vehicles  
• Toy Story Minis Playsets  
• Toy Story Minis Series 4 Blind Bags
• Toy Story Minis Series 5 Blind Bags  

All caught up? OK perfect...Let's move on to checking out who's in this latest series!

This series, as usual, includes 12 characters total (though most of them have been previously released; see them all on the back of the bag above). The only three that are NEW to this series are Chunk, Pizza Planet Alien (NEW closed eye version) and, the "Special Edition" this time around, Hawaiian Vacation Woody (based on the Toy Story Toon short film!). They're the ones I'll be taking a look at today.

Take a detailed look below, each with their blind bag code (which is printed on the back bottom right corner of each bag) to hopefully help you find them more easily.

CHUNK
BLIND BAG CODE: K6

PIZZA PLANET ALIEN (CLOSED EYES)
BLIND BAG CODE: L6

WOODY (HAWAIIAN VACATION)
BLIND BAG CODE: B6

Once again as a reminder, these are MINI figures; like seriously mini. They stand just over an inch tall, are made of hard plastic and have very limited articulation (as in most of their heads and turn, but that's about it). Retail price for each blind pack is $2.88.

I sure wish there were more than three new characters in this series, but hey, I love who we got so I can't complain too much! The Chunk looks awesome, the alien variation is adorable and it's totally amazing to have a version of Woody based on his appearance in Hawaiian Vacation. I love his look and especially his cute removable straw hat! There's never any merch based on that short released these days, so how cool is it that Mattel included that one here!? Very similar to how they included Partysaurus Rex in the last series—keep the Toy Story Toon characters coming! I love it.

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Well there we have it folks! If you're interested in tracking these down for yourself, be sure to check you local Walmart (again, that's where I found mine and where reports across the US are coming from). Let me know your thoughts below (I love to hear which ones are your favorites) and shout out who you'd like to see made next in this line! I'm holding out hope for Series 7 to hit soon with even MORE new characters (and, side note, I really hope Mattel did not cancel the "Minis" Pizza Planet Playset that was revealed last year).

See ya'll back here real soon!