My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic: Guardians of Harmony Princess Celestia and Nightmare Moon
I don't consider myself a Brony for the same reason I don't call myself a Trekkie, Jedi, Brown Coat, or anything of the sort. I'm a fan of a lot of geeky properties, but I don't really consider any one of them a significant part of my identity. However, like a lot of geeks, I watch Friendship is Magic and enjoy it enough to want some merchandise.
For those of you who haven't seen an episode, it's an update of the 80's series with new characters and a good sense of humor. A lot of animated series have started out aimed at boys and crossed over to a wider audience, but I can't think of a single other series aimed at girls which has pulled off the same feat, at least to this degree.
For those of you who haven't seen an episode, it's an update of the 80's series with new characters and a good sense of humor. A lot of animated series have started out aimed at boys and crossed over to a wider audience, but I can't think of a single other series aimed at girls which has pulled off the same feat, at least to this degree.
Like its precursor, Friendship is Magic was produced to sell toys. Unsurprisingly, countless action figures, dolls, figurines, and statues are available. The two I'm looking at are part of a new line sold under the brand "Guardians of Harmony". I found them for $20 each in a Walmart.
These are essentially statues. The wings have a little articulation, but that's it. Based on pictures of upcoming releases in the line, I believe there are more traditional action figures on the way for other figures. They're each about 7.5 to 8 inches long (including tails) and about as tall (though their heights depend on how their wings are arranged).
Typically, I prefer articulated figures to statues, but I'll make an exception here. These characters are suited to these iconic poses, and skipping the joints let Hasbro do some interesting things with their tails and manes. The partially translucent plastic gives an impression of magical energy that does a good job approximating what's on screen.
Typically, I prefer articulated figures to statues, but I'll make an exception here. These characters are suited to these iconic poses, and skipping the joints let Hasbro do some interesting things with their tails and manes. The partially translucent plastic gives an impression of magical energy that does a good job approximating what's on screen.
Overall, I like the Nightmare Moon figure more than Princess Celectia. They're both beautiful, but I think Hasbro did a slightly better job capturing the shape of Nightmare Moon's face: there's something off about Celestia's lower jaw. That said, the paint ops on Celestia were a tad better, at least on mine. Both were well done, but some of the lines on Nightmare Moon could have been cleaner.
One definite advantage with Nightmare Moon's pose is that it looks good from most angles. Celestia's clearly designed to be viewed from one side - there's not much to see when she's flipped around (as you can see in the image above). Also, Celestia's wings are constrained by her pose. For the most part, all you can do is choose how high they're tilted. Nightmare Moon's are functional ball joints.
The one area Celestia wins out is balance. Both stand well enough, but Nightmare Moon feels a little unstable, like a strong breeze might tip her over.
The one area Celestia wins out is balance. Both stand well enough, but Nightmare Moon feels a little unstable, like a strong breeze might tip her over.
Here's a quick comparison shot with some of the small, 2 inch figurines, along with one of the Funko toys.
I've already come across the Discord from this line, which looks to be similarly unarticulated (not to mention larger and more expensive). I'm really looking forward to seeing the smaller figures with joints, though.
Whether or not I pick any of those up, I'm extremely pleased with these two. They're not perfect, but at this price point, they're extremely impressive. If you're a fan of the show looking for a simple display piece, either of these would look great on the shelf - both are even better.
I've already come across the Discord from this line, which looks to be similarly unarticulated (not to mention larger and more expensive). I'm really looking forward to seeing the smaller figures with joints, though.
Whether or not I pick any of those up, I'm extremely pleased with these two. They're not perfect, but at this price point, they're extremely impressive. If you're a fan of the show looking for a simple display piece, either of these would look great on the shelf - both are even better.
