Adults buying things they wanted when they were kids is nothing new - it's what bought my house. I'm not immune from such things, like the surprisingly toy-ish Sesame Street Oscar the Grouch. Most ReAction Figures have been decent collectibles on gorgeous cardbacks, modeled after the general principles of what Kenner was making in 1978. You got five joints and an accessory, and you liked it. With Sesame Street Super7 have put in some play and action features, inviting you to actually touch these things. The features aren't described on-pack, but if you open them you'll figure it out.
For an educational show, the characters proved to be memorable, weird, and culturally significant. If you grew up in America you probably knew these guys, and they show up all over the world - sometimes in different forms. Even more surprising they may pop up on late-night comedy shows, which is pretty amazing. It only makes sense that we'd want to play with them, and for that reason I'm glad Super7 made Oscar into a toy.
In terms of sculpting and deco, he's surprisingly ornate. The grouch part is sculpted incredibly well with some of the most detailed fur I've seen, and some sort of wash or wipe to make him look filthy. The white eyes are gleaming, the mouth is open a bit, and he stops at the waist. There is no neck or waist joint, meaning this figure is effectively an incredibly detailed mini-bust in a plastic canister. It's probably the best choice for the toy - if it were a real old toy, though, he wouldn't have had the paint wash. The level of detail is really impressive, and this looks like something you'd expect from a more expensive, higher-end figure. They did a nice job.
Oscar is joined by the tiny Slimey, a tiny worm that looks like something you're going to lose. It's painted, has an open mouth, and no articulation. I'm kind of shocked he has a painted mouth and eyes, because that's difficult by modern standards and improbable by that of 1970s or 1980s toys. Super7 nailed it, but he can't stand on his own. That's where the can comes in.
This is less of an action figure than an honest-to-goodness toy. The garbage can lid is articulated, with faux denting and indentations. The joint is stiff so it'll stay up if you want without crashing down on the grouch or the worm, and that's good! Slimey can actually be positioned within the rum of the can so you don't lose him, and he won't fall over either. (Will paint rub off over time? Who can say.) Oscar has a lever on back that can raise or lower him from his multi-level home, and really the only thing that could make this better is if Bruno came out to lug him around. It all looks a little too good, a little too high-quality, but the ReAction Figure line doesn't really adhere to the aesthetic of its forebears.
$20 is a lot for a small figure with a tiny accessory and no articulation, but the packaging is nice and this isn't t he only game in town. Dollar Tree may still have $1.25 Oscar the Grouch preschool figures but probably not - other figures do exist though. Because this is my preferred format, I shelled out for this one and I don't regret it. Instead of looking like a cuddly kid's toy, it looks like some sort of vaguely menacing and filthy creature that would be at home in (or outside of) a Cantina or Death Star. It feels sturdy and is a cute little desk toy that won't be easily knocked over. I feel like another company would have done this for under $20, but they didn't, so Super7 wins my money on this one. It's great to see existing licenses turned into something that, despite being widely available in other formats, feels fresh, weird, and compatible with my other toys. What's next, Mr. Moose? Bob Barker? Conan O'Brien?
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