This May Be the First Action Figure I've Ever HUGGED!
Written: Jan 06 '03 (Updated May 07 '03)
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Pros: Unbeatable sculpt & paints make for an astounding likeness; great accessories
Cons: Limited articulation--but it keeps Fozzie lookin GOOD!
The Bottom Line: What Muppet production is complete without Fozzie Bear? He's in stores now, and should be joining his friends in your home!
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| JediKermit's Full Review: Palisade Toys The Muppet Show Series II: Fozzie Be... |
I've done many things with Action Figures. Buried them, blown them up, decapitated them, burned them, lowered them throw manhole covers, kissed them, licked them...but with all of the many freaky things I've done with them, there's never been one I've actually HUGGED. Until now.
Palisades Toys' Muppet Show action figure line is in full swing now, and the second wave of figures somehow manages to outdo the first--which figures I thought were already perfect, for the most part. The first wave included Kermit the Frog, Miss Piggy, Dr. Teeth, Dr. Bunsen Honeydew, and Beaker with an elaborate Muppet Labs Playset. You can still find some of these in stores--if you hurry! The second wave is coming in and crowding them out fast--this second wave includes The Great Gonzo, Fozzie Bear, Floyd Pepper (with a very cool base and amp), Crazy Harry (known for blowing things up at inopportune moments), and everyone's favorite drummer, Animal, with an enormous Electric Mayhem Stage Playset that's completely taken up by his impressive drumset. And the great news is, there's more on the way! Visit Palisadestoys.com to find out more, but for now, I'll stick with my review of everyone's favorite un-funny comedian, Fozzie Bear!
Fozzie is one of the key parts of the Muppets. You have your frogs, pigs, whatevers (Gonzo), and bears that are at the heart of the best Muppet productions, and no set of Muppet toys would be complete without Fozzie Bear. And Palisades does him justice. MORE than justice, actually.
The first thing that will strike you upon seeing Fozzie Bear is his sheer size. This is one massive passive-agressive ursine, and if he weren't so dang CUTE, you'd fear for your other action figure's lives. He stands just over 6" tall, making him the tallest and most massive in the collection thus far.
The other thing that stands out immediately is the quality of the sculpt on Fozzie. It may sound silly to say this, but this LOOKS like Fozzie Bear. There are so many action figure lines out right now who just "get by" with a passing likeness to the characters they're producing, but this is sculpting done right. The texturing on his fur is amazing, and combined with the beautiful paint applications, we get a wonderful sense of depth. His fur is piled deep, and I was thus overwhelmed with the aforementioned desire to hug this little guy. So I did. The expression on his face is mid-joke, or more accurately just AFTER the telling of the joke, when he'd say, "ah? AHHH?" Or "wocka-wocka!!!" Or even, "I'm so funneeeee!!!!" This is only accentuated by his dark brown eyebrows perched above his eyes--still impressed at his own joke, but starting to see that the audience (and those two old b@stards in the balcony) aren't laughing. Fozzie's hands complete the effect, with his right hand open, and his left hand pointing, telling the joke with a dramatic effect. Excellent.
Fozzie is a massive chunk of plastic, and to preserve the quality of his sculpt, his articulation is limited...even there, Palisades is impressing me. His shoulder joints include a hinge and ball-in- socket, and his neck is also ball-in-socket, giving him a large degree of movement; he's also got leg joints, making him more articulate than any of the Simpsons clan.
Fozzie's accessories top off the figure, making what was already a five-star figure even greater. He's wearing his usual soft tie, white with pink polka-dots (Palisades even made them two-tone, like they are for the "real" Fozzie). The tie is non-removable, but since he's always wearing it, that doesn't bother me. His trademark porkpie hat IS removable, but has a magnet in the hat and inside Fozzie's head, so you won't lose the small hat! GREAT idea, Palisades! This could also open up a whole new routine for Fozzie about airport security, but I'll leave that for him to write. The other accessories include a swivel stand up mic, with removable microphone; a rubber chicken; and best of all, a pair of "Groucho Marx" nose-and-glasses that fit nicely on Fozzie's face! The effect is downright hilarious, and are probably the funniest gag Fozzie's had in years!
These figures are top-notch, and if you're even a casual Muppet fan, you should hunt these babies down. Fozzie Bear is the best of the best, but you should check out the rest of the line too--they may remind you why you loved the Muppets so much, and that's never a bad thing. These can be found at Toys R Us, Media Play, Suncoast, Electronics Boutique, and other stores--start your hunt today!
A final note--there's also a Suncoast/Media Play Exclusive Vacation Fozzie Bear out there-- comes with a tropical shirt, straw hat, inflatable pool toy that goes around his waist, and a suitcase that's customizable with travel stickers--if you spot that one, pick him up too! He'll make your other toys jealous that HE got to go on the trip!
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MORE Muppet Action Figures? You BET!
Series One
Kermit the Frog http://www.epinions.com/content_81549233796
Miss Piggy http://www.epinions.com/content_81637707396
Dr. Teeth http://www.epinions.com/content_81569549956
Dr. Bunsen Honeydew http://www.epinions.com/content_81822191236
Series Two
Crazy Harry http://www.epinions.com/content_98525613700
Floyd Pepper http://www.epinions.com/content_98514865796
Gonzo the Great http://www.epinions.com/content_98463813252
Series Three
Scooter http://www.epinions.com/content_91825081988
Lew Zealand http://www.epinions.com/content_91457293956
Zoot http://www.epinions.com/content_91549830788
Rowlf http://www.epinions.com/content_90764316292
Playsets
Muppet Labs with Beaker http://www.epinions.com/content_81755606660
Electric Mayhem Stage with Animal http://www.epinions.com/content_98538262148
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 6.99
Type of Toy: Action Figure
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JediKermit
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Location: Salt Lake City, Utah
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Books, Movies, and Toys. Is there more to life?
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