Monster High

[diosoth]

TRU online prices for MH are terrible... $5 more than Amazon and so little is Shoprunner eligible.

I'm going to order the last 2 Bratzillaz dolls, get the full set. I have to place 2 more qualifying orders this month to get mt 90-day Shoprunner free shipping offer extended to a full year, so next week I'll just order the 2 dolls as separate purchases. I may or may not get their pets... at the very least it best having the line become another success, and the first wave stuff near impossible to get ahold of later. I already learned with MH- if you want it, buy it the second you see it or you may never see it again. Though I'm curious as to what they'll do with the line... they have 5 main characters, do we get more characters later? They've got the pets, a single playset and some fashion packs, where do they expand with now? Variants in new outfits and different hair?

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I watched the Bratzillaz webisodes. The first got off to a slow start, and they're not aiming for the same theme as MH, but they weren't bad. There's definitely some light tongue-in-cheek jabbing at the fashion and glam overtones, and the pets are actually used(which is one point where MH really fails- the pets don't get included in the fiction). There's more of a Harry Potter feel to the series whereas MH is rooted in the old Universal Studios horror films.

[Jim_Abell]

The iPad figures ship in a case of 6. 2 each of Frankie and Draculaura and 1 each of Clawdeen and Lagoona, that's why those two are harder to find.

As for the Bratzillas... The webisodes dont's seem like they're going anywhere though they are a huge leap up from the Novi Star "vlogs" (talk about a bunch of airheads... wow...). I would expect at least one more Bratzilla dolll. There's a male character in the live-action music video and the webisodes (name eludes me at the moment) with skull tattoo/make-up covering his face that's playing a fairly prominent part. There are alse two "mean girl" characters that could possibly make the cut as exclusives if nothing else.

[diosoth]

The early MH webisodes also seemed to really lack direction, working more on trying to introduce the characters and establish a basic setting and plot. 2 minute short cartoons also offer very little room to work with. But oddly, their supposed relationships to the main Bratz cast isn't really brought up, nor any other connection... makes me wonder if the line didn't start out as a separate entity and got the Bratz brand name tacked on at the last minute? The name itself also brings to mind Godzilla so I wonder what they were really going for with it... The animation is fairly smooth and well done, but this is the era of Flash animation where any idiot on a home PC can make quality animation with the program, so I'd be surprised to see something bad in that regard.

They're also competing with a well-established brand that all but prints money at this point(I think the only way Mattel could make more money off the line is if the US mint gave them access to a printing press and official money paper and ink), and tossing a huge fortune into promoting Bratzillaz could potentially bankrupt MGA if it were to be a retail bomb so I can see why they'd play it safe. But from what I see so far they shouldn't worry- the few shipments that came in local have tended to sell out fast and the dolls, for the most part, are decent enough to warrant buying- those inset glass eyes were one major incentive for me. Not that they're perfect- the rubber legs are a bit of an issue, the stands can NOT be adjusted beyond the ratcheting base plug, the knees should be designed to turn side to side in the socket but don't(square pegs!), and the hands really should come out at the wrists(if anything it'd make getting the capes on easier). I wonder if we might get a revised body with solid feet and better stands later on... but as display pieces I think they're decent enough that the issues aren't a major complaint.

And some competition for Mattel wouldn't hurt... from what I see of Scaris and such, Mattel seems to be getting a bit lax in new ideas probably because they have nothing in their way. if Bratzillaz gets enough of a retail hold I could see Mattel stepping up some to keep MH fun. I don't see Mystixx(which I doubt will last past the initioal 4- or initial 2 since it seems only 2of them are even out) offering that needed competition, or anyone else trying it anytime soon.

[Dr Kain]

Bratz and Monster High should never be used in the same sentence. Bratz teachers girls how to dress like hookers at the age of 5. Monster High is a gothic line that takes classic creatures and puts a new spin on them to appeal to girls, but they are cool enough that all ages want them.

[diosoth]

Bratzillaz =/= Bratz

From what I can really tell, beyond a tie-in brand name and reused character names, they're not even in the same league or the same theme.

[Staff Of Ka]

Bratz were all about Fashion and attitude...Im not defending the ethos...but i did collect some of the toys and they were briliant...but NOT for children!

Monster High takes a different route in that it celebrates difference and the awkwardness of High School...instead of showing a bunch of perfect princesses.. it shows that everyone is a freak in some way..and to embrace the differences and work with them.

[eurorko]

I would have liked the Bratzillaz if they were smaller in scale. They are huge dolls compared to Monster High or even the regular Bratz. I guess that is where the Godzilla part comes in. Bigger sized dolls usually don't do well, a perfect example Jem who at the time had one of the most popular cartoons. Right now working in retail I don't see any other dolls coming even close to the sales Monster High is doing. They are even outselling Barbie! La Dee Da, Cutie Pops, Winx, Novi's, and Bratz barely seem to move.

[diosoth]

Bratzillaz are NOT larger than MH. They have thicker bodies and limbs, but that really just makes their bodies look more properly proportioned than the cartoon thin MH aesthetic. Even their heads aren't much bigger. They're ever so slightly taller than the stock body but not by much, and the thicker base throws that off a bit. Still shorter than Nefera.



They're also rather thin and even a bit short compared to the stock(ZC Girl, Triad, Phicen, Cy Girls) 1:6 female figure body

[Dr Kain]

Bratzillaz =/= Bratz

From what I can really tell, beyond a tie-in brand name and reused character names, they're not even in the same league or the same theme.

Otuside of them being steam punk ish, I barely see a difference.

[eurorko]

Bratzillaz are NOT larger than MH. They have thicker bodies and limbs, but that really just makes their bodies look more properly proportioned than the cartoon thin MH aesthetic. Even their heads aren't much bigger. They're ever so slightly taller than the stock body but not by much, and the thicker base throws that off a bit. Still shorter than Nefera.

http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/j...th/mhbcomp.jpg


They're also rather thin and even a bit short compared to the stock(ZC Girl, Triad, Phicen, Cy Girls) 1:6 female figure body

http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/j...oll_bodies.jpg

Sorry I hate to disagree with you, but they are larger than the basic MH dolls. Nefera is the exception becasue she was made to be bigger (due to her age). Which by the way, she was one of the slowest selling MH dolls they released. I'm not saying there is anything wrong with chunkier/bigger more proportionate type bodies, I just think that they would have looked nicer if they were smaller.

I know this is off topic, but wasn't MGA supposed to make dolls based on Lady Gaga? The Bratzilla you have pictured with Nefera looks very similar to LG.

[diosoth]

They aren't as slim but I wouldn't call them significantly larger. Fashions can sort of be swapped(boots and earrings definitely- clothes will be baggy on MH bodies though).

MGA was going to make Lady Gaga dolls but she decided to jerk the company around and get the dolls delayed to next year after MGA had already made deals to sell to retail. They sued her, but the judge sided with Gaga even though, by all accounts, she was behaving rather scummy(gee, Lady Gaga being a royal PITA and an uncooperative, worthless human being to someone? That's never happened before....). I would not be surprised if MGA drops the line out of spite- I certainly would.

Jade has some minor resemblance but I think it's the hair more than anything else. It's also hard to see in photos but her pupils are heart-shaped.

[Staff Of Ka]

My Issue with Bratzillas is the massive drop in quality, I only bought one and while she has a gorgeous face...the cheap plastic of her body,limbs and Hair as well as truly atrocious stitching and fabric choices in the outfits actually shocked me!

They cost as much as baseline MH dolls over here...but the nasty quality is just scary. such a shame.

[Wonderboy_JMB]

New Monster High dolls have arrived at my store, the "Picture Day" assortment. There are six dolls per case, 2 Draculaura, 2 Abbey, 1Cleo, 1 Spectra. Money's tight for me, so I passed, but they're hitting.

[diosoth]

Picture Day seems to bore me for some reason. And you know something is wrong with character assortments when the character that can't be photographed is in the PICTURE line...

I dug out a spare Kaiser stand I have, one of the thin waist Barbie stands. They work well for Bratzillaz, better than their own stands do.

Someone on /toy/ got ahold of a Jinafire and posted a photo of the base doll. Her uhh.... chest is bigger than normal for the line, which is odd. When she reminded me of Morrigan from Darkstalkers I knew I wasn't crazy... probably because there's an official sprite of her in a China dress.

[wyldman11]

Just because it's picture day doesn't mean Drac won't dress up for it. Her outfit will at least show up.

[Dr Kain]

I don't get the whole picture day thing. Never heard of that line for the series. I thought the series with Jina Fire was next?

[wyldman11]

Picture Day seems to have outfits that are fairly run of the mill for the characters. Probably a last minute creation for those who don't have signature dolls. They aren't bad outfits, just nothing that is different enough to go out of most peoples way to get unless they don't have a decent version of the characters.

[diosoth]

Picture Day- and much of Scaris- looks more fitting for Barbie or any other doll line. Not what you would expect for MH... even Rochelle, which looks nice, still wears an outfit Barbie might wear.

[Wonderboy_JMB]

The Picture Day dolls are cute and they've sold like hotcakes. It's a chance for kids to get dolls like Abbey and Spectra that have been elusive. Draculara hasn't had a regular doll since the first series, so that makes sense.

On the package, Draculaura is "invisible" with just her clothes and jewelry visible and there's some quote about the irony of her getting dressed up for picture day. So they were aware of that. I thought it was cute.

[markatisu]

I don't get the whole picture day thing. Never heard of that line for the series. I thought the series with Jina Fire was next?

MH has never been 1 series at a time for at least 2 years, they usually have multiple series going on

Scaris with Jinafire and Skelita has already hit Justice and some Walmarts, so now we are moving on to Picture Day and then there will be the Swim dolls, followed most likely by the Superhero wave

Also be on the lookout for Catarina DeMew @ Walmart (Walmart Scaris Exclusive). She is scheduled to hit very shortly if what I am hearing is right.

[Staff Of Ka]

what about the headmistess and Spider girl, are they still coming?

[markatisu]

what about the headmistess and Spider girl, are they still coming?

As far as we know, they have not released anymore promotional pics and there have been no leaks yet about them coming to retail.

[diosoth]

I thought Bloodgood was confirmed as a 2013 TRU exclusive?

[Jim_Abell]

Bloodgood is a spring 2013 (which means she could show anyday...) TRU exclusive according to info Mattel gave out at SDCC (of course that doesn't mean that things haven't changed in the meantime...). As for the spider girl, I haven't heard anything "official" about her, I think speculation that she is coming is due to the trademarking of the name "Widona Spydor" (or something very close to that) and nothing more as of right now.

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EDIT: The dance class dolls and Abby's bed and Frankie's vanity are now in-stock at Mattel Shop.

[markatisu]

I got a case of the Picture Day dolls in today, I really like the Abbey and Spectra. Cleo is even well done. Drac is always a pass for me