Since 2010, Adventure Time has been dancing to its own whimsical tune while amassing legions of fans in the process. Everything, from character design to dialogue, is drenched in quirky and off-beat humor. With a running time of only 11 minutes per story, it never overstays its welcome — so long as my wife isn’t in the room. Some people just can’t appreciate rampant kidnapping and psychotic peppermint butlers.
Jazzwares had been releasing an onslaught of Adventure Time merchandise including figures in 2-inch, 3-inch, 5-inch, and 10-inch scales. This “throw everything at the wall and see what sticks” approach will be frustrating to the fan attempting to build a complete Land of Ooo, but it may be beneficial to those just wanting the stars of the show, as you will most likely see them in each scale.
Today’s look will be at the 5-inch versions of Marceline, Lumpy Space Princess (LSP), and Ice King — figures that I have never once seen at regular retail. The lack of retail availability is no doubt another drawback of releasing 15 different scales all at the same time. In all honesty, Jazzwares has certainly brought their A-game with Adventure time. Unfortunately, their A-game still leaves a lot to be desired.
The sculpting of these figures is pretty great. While they didn’t go with my preferred face sculpts for some of the characters (Ice King is more of a mischievous and loony character than this sculpt implies), there is no denying that it’s him. The figures are mostly cast in the appropriate colors, but the paint applications they do have are decent. There is some slop here and there, but they’ve done a much better job than they have on some of their other lines, like Hanna-Barbera.
The accessory department is also getting its chance to shine. Again, they’ve chosen some items that wouldn’t necessarily have been my first choice, but at this price point, I’m thrilled that we’re getting anything at all. Marceline comes with her necessary axe bass and an alternate scary face. LSP is packed with an episode-specific hobo bag and can of beans. And lastly, Ice King is joined by his heart, Ricardio, who can safely be stored under his beard. Under normal circumstances, I’d run over my own mother to get a figure of Ricardio. Who wouldn’t want an emotionally disturbed talking organ voiced by George Takei? However, not getting Gunther as the Ice King’s pack-in penguin is practically criminal.
The articulation is a mixed bag. LSP and Ice King both have movement in their arms, but that’s it. Marceline fares better with articulation in her neck, shoulders, elbows, hips, and knees. Due to Marceline’s design, she’s pretty much unable to stand on her own as her legs and feet have trouble supporting the weight of her hair. Both she and LSP come with clear stands that plug into holes in their back. I’m good with that as the characters are seen floating around the majority of the time.
The one major hurdle that Jazzwares has yet to clear is the issue of quality. These figures cost me roughly $11 each through Amazon, and while you shouldn’t expect Hot Toys quality, you should be getting something a bit better. If you own the 3-inch or 10-inch figures, then you know what to expect: floppy joints and cheap, hollow plastic. My Ice King even has a factory worker thumb print embedded in some sloppy glue. I appreciate an artisanal touch as much the next mass-market toy collector, but in this case, it’s just distracting
Seasoned toy collectors will probably see these for what they truly are — mediocre at best. For fans of the show and casual collectors, this line brings good sculpts and bright colors to the shelf. Despite the problems, I’m hopeful that they continue the 5-inch offerings. If not, I’m happy to at least have these.
Thanks for reading!
Additional Links
- Buy Marceline on Amazon
- Buy Ice King on Amazon
- Buy Lumpy Space Princess on Amazon
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