It’s not easy bein’ cheesy. Or is it? Chester Cheetah is the latest action figure offering from Jada Toys, and he certainly makes bein’ cheesy and lookin’ good EASY.
If you have been around this site for a bit, you know two things are most certainly true: we LOVE us some food ad icons, and Jada Toys is positively KILLING it with their action figures as of late. Be it Universal Monsters, Street Fighter, or Cereal Monsters, they have released such a solid line-up of figures from very diverse corners, and it has been quite impressive. I was hooked the second I saw Frankenberry and Count Chocula, and since then Boo Berry has joined the throng, and now Chester Cheetah has arrived, and he might be the best of them yet.
If you are a product of growing up in the US over the last 30 years, there is no possible way you don’t know Chester Cheetah, and have not had more than your fair share of the deliciously cheesy snack foods he supports. Robo and I have talked at length about Cheetos during livestreams and other times, so getting this cheesy dude is something I never thought would happen, but oh am I glad it did. Chester has all of the classic marking of a great ad icon, from his simple, but memorable look, his catch phrase(s), and ubiquitous association with the product he supports. I know I am just an easily-influenced snack food lover, but all of those things worked on me, and I love Chester just as much as I love Cheetos at this point.
As I said, Chester is the latest in Jada’s now impressive line of ad icons. I could honestly sit here all day and just list icon characters that I would love for them to tackle next (Fruit Brute, Yummy Mummy, and the entire McDonaldland cast is at the top of that list), and if don’t believe that one of the best (and most fun) figures of the year couldn’t possibly be an anthropomorphic advertisement, it is time to adjust your expectations.
This figure is a blast and has so much personality that any Cheetos fan, no matter how casual, would be hard-pressed to pass this up. The good news is that Chester is going to be shipping soon, so if you haven’t pre-ordered him yet, there is still some time. Sure, Chester is wonderful from a technical standpoint: solid construction, clean paint, bright colors, strong articulation, etc. – but what this figure does the best is positively exude personality.
I mean, looking at the pictures, you can just HEAR him, can’t you? Whether you prefer the more audacious version of yore, or when he became slightly more dignified with a proper accent, this figure is better than you ever thought it could be. His top-notch articulation features important things like rocker ankles and great range of movement, so you can pose him with the best of them. Chester is a very animated (literally) guy, so crazy poses are something that is absolutely needed, and you can get just about anything you need for him.
I love the airbrushing on the orange as it moves from darker to lighter tones throughout, and the textured nose on both heads is the kind of attention to detail you want with any figure. The cheetah spots are accomplished via shiny paint and that stand out from the matte of the orange. Keeping the bright oranges and whites clean from the blacks could be a scary endeavor, but all of the color transitions are great here. The best paint accomplishment by far is work for the “Cheeto dust” effect on fingers – it’s just an outstanding and fun touch.
Chester has two portraits – one fairly neutral and the other smiling with showing teeth. Both heads have whiskers and they create the full effect well. He has four swappable hands, a very detailed Cheetos bag, and then a plastic Cheeto that is life-sized and might be a little too close recreation of the real thing, haha. Chester can hold both of these with ease, so go crazy with bein’ cheesy.
This figure is just great – and so much fun. Chester builds on the work that Jada has done previously via their ad icon figures, and jumps to the top of the stack in terms of being the best of them overall. Now, I would LOVE for them to make a couple more versions of him – I know Flamin’ Hot is the popular choice (maybe with a darker red deco), but the BEST Cheeto is Jalapeño Cheddar, so give us some green accents, as well as the cowboy hat, lasso, and jalapeño from the art on the bags. I would buy them ALL. And any other icons Jada wants to give us.
Like I said, if you love Cheetos, Chester, or just great action figures, do not sleep on this figure, it is awesome.
*Thanks to Jada for sending this along for a feature.
