January 2010 New Specialty Toys — Designer Toys

Out of the pages of Tanpopo, a story of a young girl who makes a pact with a devil, by Camilla d'Errico, Kuro comes to life as an adorable 15 cm collectible plush. He's cute, he's evil, and he'll bring a smile to your face. Limited to only 1500 pieces.

A KOTOBUKIYA Japanese import! Following hot on the heels of the first three Marvel Comics Bishoujo Collection Statues (Rogue, Black Widow, and Scarlet Witch) comes the mysterious and beautiful telepathic ninja mutant Psylocke. Once a British woman with minor mutant powers, Elizabeth "Betsy" Braddock's mind was transferred into the body of a ninja giving her additional martial arts prowess. A long-time member of the X-Men, Psylocke now stars in her very own comic book series. Here, the mutant heroine is presented for the first time in the Japanese Bishoujo (pretty girl) style based on original character art by illustrator Shunya Yamashita. Psylocke is a warrior woman to the core, striking a deadly pose with twin Japanese swords at the ready. The alluring curves of her body are accentuated by her skimpy, skin-tight costume that leaves little to the imagination and the high heeled boots that draw attention to her shapely legs. Constructed of high-quality PVC plastic and standing approximately 9 inches tall (in 1/8 scale with the other Marvel Bishoujo statues), Psylocke was sculpted by Yu Ishii and is packaged in an attractive window box, along with an exclusive X-Men logo base.

A KOTOBUKIYA Japanese import! With the first Iron Man film came two Fine Art Statues of the superhero’s armored suits: Iron Man Movie Mark II and Mark III. Now Kotobukiya announces the first ARTFX Statue Series IRON MAN MOVIE MARK IV ARTFX STATUE to the Marvel Studios collection. Robert Downey Jr. will be reprising his role as Tony Stark with a new and improved armored suit. Sculpted by Ryoichi Ito, constructed of high-quality PVC plastic, Iron Man stands approximately 13 inches tall (1/6th scale) atop an exclusive cylindrical Repulsor Technology base. Just like the previous Iron Man Fine Art Statues, the Mark IV ARTFX Statue includes LED lights in the eyes, chest, fists, and base! In addition, the switch to activate the lights has been moved to the top of the base for easier activation.

A KOTOBUKIYA Japanese import! The Hulk has been a staple superhero of the Marvel Comics for years, battling foes across the universe in epic storylines. In 2008 the gamma-powered powerhouse met his match in a mysterious crimson-hued mirror image: the RED HULK. Massively powerful and frighteningly intelligent, the villain has all of the Hulk’s strengths and none of his weaknesses. The unstoppable Red Hulk rampages across a blasted volcanic landscape, preparing a lethal blow for his foes. The brute is absolutely covered in rippling muscles, with muscular definition rivaling (and even exceeding) that of Bruce Banner’s gamma-powered form. The detail on the tremendous villain’s intricate sculpt highlights every sinew and fiber of his being, while the fantastic paint work emphasizes his skin’s subtle crimson gradations. A dark smoky gray appears on the Red Hulk’s shredded pants, close-cropped hair, and finger and toe nails. Gleaming white teeth stand in stark contrast to the monster’s gaping maw, while his tiny beady eyes shine with a hellish yellow. You can display the Red Hulk in two different ways according to your preferences with two included heads; one depicts the monster grinning in evil glee, while the other is a mask of rage crisscrossed by a yellow “X.” Sculpted by master artist Erick Sosa, Red Hulk stands almost 13 inches tall (1/6th scale), veritably leaping off of his exclusive “georama” base.

Kimochis are small pillows with a feeling (happy, sad, silly, brave) printed on one side and a corresponding facial expression on the other. Each Kimochis plush character comes with a set of three feelings and a how-to Kimochis Feel Guide. The characters — Cat, Huggtopus, Cloud, Bug and Lovey Dove — have a special pocket where kids can store their "Kimochis" or feelings. Using the characters and their Kimochis, kids can get in touch with their emotions through puppetry and play. “Getting back to the basics by playing and communicating with Kimochis™ is a simple, yet powerful way to teach children how to: be aware of feelings, choose how to communicate in emotional moments, and redo mistakes. Children will be drawn to the fun, adorable, accessible characters. Parents will be drawn to the high-quality craftsmanship and the valuable educational content," Susan Schroeder, director of marketing and communications for Plushy Feely Corp., told TDmonthly. Awards: 2009 Creative Child Magazine Seal of Excellence, Best Vacation Products by Dr. Toy, and Kaboose.com's Top 13 Amazing Toys for Preschoolers. Launch date for Lovey Dove: 2010.

These fashionable designer handbags are made to look like pups. "These purses are the most realistic looking dogs for the dog-loving fashionista," Julie Flann, Manager of Marketing & Sales, Manhattan Toy, told TDmonthly. Launch date: 2010.

Emerson House combines contemporary design with excellent play value. It has a fold-out design for play inside and out, sliding doors, and LED lights that run on solar-powered batteries. "The solar-powered LED lights are innovative, but it's the contemporary design that makes the Emerson House stand apart. There are a handful of "modern" dollhouses on the market, but nothing like this," Doug Rollins, Founder & CEO, brinca dada LLC, told TDmonthly. Launch date: May 2010.

This 21" vinyl play doll is dressed in white with pink trim and comes with a certificate of authenticity. It was sculpted by Dianna Effner and has childlike facial features.

This multi-color table lamp features heat-free LED illumination, red, green, blue or rainbow mode, and a 15-minute timer to fade off and not disturb sleep.  Launch date: November 2009.