An all new Vintage Toy of the Month is ready to transform and take you to new heights! Now I tend to get lost in terms of when it is time for a toy to be considered vintage, but I have always followed my own personal rule that if it is at least more than ten years old, that it can count for some fun Vintage Toy of the Month discussion; especially if the item in question is no longer sold in stores.
In honor of the 20th anniversary celebration that was supposed to occur this summer, but now seems to be possibly delayed until the end of the year, I thought it would be fun to check out an old Sailor Moon toy. Before we get to the dirt, I have to be honest about something. I was never a huge obsessed fan of Sailor Moon, but I did like it. Regretfully I never collected much from the various toy lines that crossed paths with stores, but in its heyday, Sailor Moon fans were offered some fun items.
Take for instance this little toy: Sailor Moon Dressables. They were released in 2001 by Irwin Toys. It seems like various toy companies had access to the Sailor Moon license, because there was just so much of it available. Or at least that is how my mind recalls it. Anyways, I was fortunate enough to come across this little mini Sailor Venus with two snap on outfits. The box is very simple, and is more interested in showing off the items inside than any character art on the box.
A closer look shows off some minor imperfections with the toy. Her eyes are a bit wonky, but it is not a bad look. I think overall this item really carries the spirit of Sailor Moon and is really recognizable as something from the series. Sailor Venus was probably one of my favorite characters, in part because I like the planet Venus. I don’t know why that would influence anything, but it did. She had her own spin off series (Sailor V) which I always thought was cool. She is the Soldier of Love and Beauty (can’t beat that.) Plus she had a pet cat named Artemis that helped along in all the fun.
The back of the box is pretty basic. There is a lineup of other items for sale along with some directions about how the mini dolls work. Note: the clothing was interchangeable between the dolls, except for Tuxedo Mask.
I do like that there were a great deal of characters to collect from this line. Even Tuxedo Mask had an item too! This line was fun for me because it reminded me of toy lines from the 80’s. Everyone had a specific color and personality. It was just a fun series and line to enjoy.
Out of the package, Sailor Venus is only a few inches tall. She has articulation at the head, arms, and waist. The hole on her chest helps hold one of her outfits on. I like the paint and coloring used for this doll. Her signature color was orange and it is featured on her shoes and the tops of her gloves. There is a cute charm to it all.
Flipped around, Sailor Venus has a rather large hair sculpt. The hair is made of a thin soft plastic. Underneath the hair is a hole on her back for one of the outfits. The hair does get in the way of dressing the doll, but it is not that big of a deal.
Accessory-wise this toy packs a punch. Venus comes with two snap on outfits, a Star Power Stick, and a star stand. I love the detail with the outfits. I know this was just a basic doll line, but the sculpting for the dresses really looks like it came from the series.
Here’s Sailor Venus in her Sailor Senshi costume. This outfit is held together by the holes on her chest and back. Both pieces of the outfit have a peg that inserts easily enough. I must issue a warning though, the pegs break off rather easy. Luckily the front part of her outfit can manage to stay on with the peg piece missing. Her Star Power Stick also has a peg that fits right into her hand, though it takes some work.
The other outfit for Sailor Venus is just an everyday outfit when Sailor Venus is regular old Mina. (That was her nickname; I have forgotten her real name.) I prefer the mechanics of this outfit over the Sailor Senshi outfit. Instead of using the holes on her chest and back, the dress just snaps together over her. It is very easy and there isn’t much to break, which is always a good thing. I don’t like it when important pieces to a toy break. I mean honestly, who does?
That’s it for the Sailor Moon dressables for this month’s Vintage Toy of the Month! I wish I had more of these to show; they were really cute and fun. I also wish that Sailor Moon had another chance to come back to retail. I hate when I miss out on something. Feel free to leave your comments on any Sailor Moon memories, and keep a look out. Word on the street is that Sailor Moon is supposed to be returning to television worldwide. We’ll see. In the mean time, remember, every 15th of the month is an all new Vintage Toy of the Month. Enjoy and see ya next time.
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