Princess Merida

I am the worst god father.

It’s not that I’m antisocial (though I am rather antisocial) or that I’m not particularly good with kids (though I’m not particularly good with kids), it’s that every time I need to buy a god kid a gift, I eventually end up standing there with the perfect toy in hand, wanting to either keep it for myself, or put it back so I can afford something else that I’ve got my eye on.

So when I had to find something for my god daughter’s second birthday, I went to Greenhills and started looking around. I found the perfect thing at one of the Blue Lane shops in Shoppesville, but I couldn’t afford to drop Php 3,000.00 on a baby Merida doll (especially when there were Return of Marvel Legends series 3 figures down the hall for Php 1,500.00), no matter how adorable it looked. Eventually, I settled on the more traditionally styled Princess Merida doll from Mattel.

They have several different toys from Pixar’s Brave available now. There are several box sets of small figurines of the characters from the movie. They don’t look articulated and they’re too small for a kid. But they also two dolls: the Princess Merida, and another that’s dressed in her hunting gear with a hooded cape and bow and arrow.

I wanted the Hunter Merida because… well, because she’s got a bow and arrow. Archers are cool. Unfortunately, Toy Kingdom Greenhills didn’t have any more in stock, and besides, it was more expensive than the Princess doll. This thing cost about Php 1,400.00 (I think) at retail already.

Packaging is the same as the other Disney Princesses line. They’re basically cartoon Barbies, so the box is similar: a rectangle made of plastic with some cardboard on the back. It’s sturdy enough, shows off the figure nicely, and has a nice, large product shot in the back.

It’s also got in small print:

I guess dolls are made to be held in your arms anyway. Their feet have evolved into vestigial stumps that no longer serve any viable function. And it does look as if the product shot on the back of the package is a prototype with nicer detailing and paint. Oh, well.

She doesn’t really have any accessories, unless you count her shoes or belt or crown. I guess you can, but I won’t. I mean kids aren’t likely to strip her naked and make her frolic around the forest, so I’m not going to consider her clothing as extras. If she came with an additional outfit, maybe, but I bet that’s where Mattel is planning on twisting the knife. There will be baker Merida, and party Merida, and leisure suit Merida. Wait a month and there will be one decked out in leather and chains.

Kidding.

You may have wondered why I haven’t opened this thing. If you’ll remember, this was a gift for my god daughter, so this is a hands-off review.

The likeness isn’t that great.

She looks way too made up. Having talked to the father of my god daughter’s sister however, apparently, little girls want to be a princess. I guess a tomboy with unruly hair wouldn’t merchandise as well as a prim and proper lady.

Her tiny feet and hands support that idea:

 

There's some detailing in the dress at the hem, but it's not really spectacular needlework here. Her belt isn't that detailed either. It's mostly just cast in color (gold) and is pretty much just a flat belt except for the buckle which is a relatively simple circular thing.

The real thing about this figure (or doll if you want to insist) is the hair. It's not as ratty as the cartoon, but it is shockingly red and curly. It reminds me of Sasha from the series Kindred: The Embraced. She was hot. Redheads are hot. I may also be crushing on Merida a bit, too, even if she is a cartoon.

Anyway, I wouldn't mind having this doll if someone gave it to me for free. Let's hope my god daughter likes it when her parents give it to her next year.

You see, I forgot that she's only 2 and the toy is for kids 3 and above.

Worst god father in the world.