Muppet Babies - PIGGY & SUMMER!

Disney Junior Muppet Babies - Piggy & Summer - Target Exc - Just Play 2018

The original Muppet Babies cartoon was a constant presence in my childhood. In fact, it was one of those shows that I watched well into young adulthood purely out of habit. It was this random show that my siblings and I all found non-offensive and silly. I just learned that it ran from 1984 through 1991 with eight seasons and 107 episodes. The original Muppet Show only had 120 episodes, and Muppet Babies surprisingly almost matched that run. Who would have guessed that the mature sardonic humor of the primetime Muppets would translate so well into an imaginative children's cartoon. I was really excited when the property was being rebooted back in 2018. I knew I would likely never watch this show, but I love that a new generation of kids (and, hey, teenagers too) might be exposed to the same joys I was able to experience. In true Disney Junior fashion, a line of action figures hit the stores. I was intrigued to see the new character, Summer Penguin, along with Piggy. Let's check them out below!

PJ Masks - ANYU!

PJ Masks - Action figure 2-Packs - Catboy and An-Yu - Just Play Toys 2019

I think the use of CGI in children's animation is making the genre explode. When I was a kid. There were very few new cartoons (aimed towards the preschool market). Most shows were syndicated classics like Looney Tunes and Smurfs. In the mid-80s there was a boom of cartoons seemingly intended to sell stuffed animals (Get-a-Long Gang, Shirt Tails, Monchichi, etc), but it was nothing like it is today. Nowadays, there's always something new on the TV and the preschool toys aisles appear to be in constant rotation with new product. Lately though, there have been two lines that seem to be withstanding the test of time: Paw Patrol and PJ Masks. The only issue with these toy lines is that they rarely introduce new characters. The core characters are the breadwinners and there's always a new wave of kids being freshly exposed to them. But every so often we get a gem like this AnYu the Dragon Girl. Her design is really fun and she adds some much needed diversity to this popular show. Let's check her out below!

Disney Junior's VAMPIRINA!

A Collection of  Disney Junior Vampirina Action Figures - Just Play Toys 2017-18

Vampirina is a Disney Jr cartoon about a young vampire, her vampire family, and all of her friends (human and monster alike) as they run the Scare Bed & Breakfast in Pennsylvania. I always love it when child and adult genres are mixed like this. When I was a kid most monster stuff was too mature for me, so when I see new properties like Vampirina I am hit with a mix of nostalgia and jealousy for all the cool options that kids today have. I've been eyeing the Vampirina toys since they first hit the shelves back in October of 2017. However, I never planned on buying any until I found the new Scream Girls box set featuring the titular character and her three awesome bandmates. Suddenly I had to have them all. Now I'm looking forward to scanning the Disney aisle for future characters. There is a gill-girl and ghost character in a picture below that I would love to see. Although they are unnamed extras from a music video, so that's pretty unlikely. Let's check out all the cool Halloweenie girls below!

PJ Masks Wolfy Kids - RIP!

PJ Masks - Wolfy Kids - Rip and Owlette (Power Up Accessory) - Just Play 2018

PJ Masks is a super popular Disney Jr show featuring three young friends who become nocturnal animal-themed superheros when they don their pajamas. I've actually never watched the show, but I'm a sucker for animal-themed characters and I think the main female hero, Owlette, is so cool. I was taken aback a few weeks ago when I found a new series of figures at Target. Each of the main heroes now comes repackaged with extra accessories and a figure of one of the Wolfy Kids - the werewolf-themed villains from season two. I never would have thought to pair the most obvious nighttime monsters with a trio of nocturnal heroes, but it seems so obvious and perfect. I'm glad they got the greenlight to get action figures so quickly. It made me look into all the other potential characters in the series to see what future toys we might see. The only good candidate I discovered was Flossy Flash, a (grownup) comic character that Owlette idolizes. Fingers are crossed we see her someday. Let's check out Rip the Wolfy Kid below!

PJ Masks - OWLETTE & LUNA GIRL!

PJ Masks - Owlette & Luna Girl Action Figure 2-Pack - Just Play Toys 2016

I've been noticing advertisements for the Disney Junior show PJ Masks for a while now. I've never watched the show personally, but the character designs always seemed very cool. I love superheroes. And when they are animal themed and monochromatic I pretty much can't resist them. PJ Masks is based of a series of French children's books called Les Pyjamasques about three 6-yo children who become superheroes when they don their pajamas at night. The main three heroes are Catboy (in blue), Gekko (in green), and Owlette (in red). (And their main foes are Romeo, Night Ninja, and Luna Girl). The show started in September of 2015 to popular acclaim and demands for toys were pretty much immediate. It took about a year but Just Play released action figures of all six main characters along with vehicles, playsets, and plushes. They are a great addition to the robust preschool aisles that have been booming in recent years. Let's check out Owlette and Luna Girl below!

The Lion Guard - FULI!

Disney Junior's The Lion Guard - Fuli's Canyon Chase Playset - Just Play 2016

Disney Junior's The Lion Guard is the newest incarnation of the Lion King franchise. The story follows Kion, the young son of Simba and Nala, who is by birthright the leader of the Lion Guard.  It is their duty to patrol and protect the Pride Lands. Kion is expected to select a roster of impressive lions for the Guard, but in true Disney fashion, he collects an eclectic group of talented non-lion friends who prove themselves worthy time and time again. It's a good premise for a television series. I don't normally collect or review animal action figures, but I made an exception for Fuli since she's a cheetah and I have an inexplicable collection of cheetah-girls in my collection (Cheetara, DC's Cheetah, Fred Perry's Cheetah, and Stan Winston's Kaela to name a few). Just Play is most known for their Disney Junior licences like Doc McStuffins, Sofia the First, and Jake and the Neverland Pirates. They make quality toys, albeit targeted at a much younger demographic than my typical readers. Let's check out Fuli below!

Target Exclusive MONSTER HIGH Figurines!

Monster High -  Scary Cute Howl-oween Figures - Target - Just Play Toys 2014

I don't know anything about Monster High.  I don't collect dolls (contrary to what my father thinks) and I've never seen the cartoons.  Despite that though, it's hard not be at least peripherally aware of this uber-popular brand.  The impact these characters have had on the toy world is undeniable.  I personally love how they took a girly medium (fashion dolls) and made it edgy and cool.  The fact that Toys R Us has an entire girl's aisle that isn't pink is startling.  Plus they regularly have convention exclusives aimed at adults (which greatly increases their street cred in my opinion).  I've always wanted some representation of this brand in my collection, but I just couldn't get past the "doll-ness" of them.  Then luckily these Target exclusive Halloween figures came around.  They aren't too large; They aren't too expensive; And the series seems finite.  Basically they are the perfect resolution to my Monster High vacancy.  Now I'm secretly hoping they make some more characters.  Let's check out these 5 ladies below!