PJ Masks - OCTOBELLA!

PJ Masks: Underwater Heroes 4-Pack - Octobella - Hasbro 2021

The properties being taken over by Hasbro aren't contained to popular collector lines like Fortnite and Power Rangers. Long-lasting preschool lines like PJ Masks have also changed production. Just Play Toys had been making these toys for years and I had acquired a small collection. But when toylines like this (that I only sporadically collect) start over, I get a bit fatigued and rarely continue buying them. But a big exception occurs when they start off with inclusion of an amazing new character. And this Octobella is a prime example of that. I love aquatic characters, and tentacled ladies are especially intriguing to me. Octobella is a villain introduced in Season 3 but not fully featured until Season 4. She is specifically an antagonist to Gekko and I'm obsessed with her design. Her unexpected inclusion makes me hopeful for a Batarina (the purple bat hero) and Orticia (the punky plant villain). Fingers crossed we'll see them. Let's check out the "squiggly giggly octopus girl" (her words, not mine) 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!

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!