TCG Toys are bringing back the retro Bend-Ems of the late 1980’s and 1990’s, and are introducing two new licenses offered in this style, including Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug & Cat Noir and Sonic the Hedgehog. These offerings includes Ladybug, Cat Noir, Rena Rogue, and Hawk Moth from Miraculous, and Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, and Dr. Eggman from Sonic the Hedgehog.
Bend-Ems are back! The hugely successful and bendable 90s heritage action figure line, Bend-Ems, hit retail shelves this Fall. For the die-hard collector and new fans, Series 1 will feature top licenses and characters to collect, including Sonic the Hedgehog, Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug & Cat Noir, and SpongeBob SquarePants, with more to come!
The authentic new Bend-Ems figures will include classic features such as the 6″ inch scale, the signature engraved brand name on the back, and will be packaged in a blister card, a nod to the nostalgia of the 90s packaging.
From its original debut in 1987 with the Alfred E Newman license, to its heyday between 1989 – 2001, the classic retro Bend-Ems toy line from toymaker JusToys featured over 400 characters with licenses from Disney, Turner, Warner, Hanna Barbera, Star Wars and WWF.
Bend-Ems are malleable figures with bendable arms and legs. The soft rubber-like exterior and wire interior provide bendability, making them ultra-poseable. The durable design allows kids, millennial fans, and collectors alike to pose and maneuver Bend-Ems over and over again. Ages 3+, SRP $4.99-$5.99, Available at Amazon on Pre-Sale – 4 packs @ $19.99.
Thank you to TCG Toys for sending along their new Bend-Ems figures for review.
Availability: Fall 2022
Each of the Bend-Ems are packaged on a blister card with artwork inspired from their franchise, along with a look at additional figures that are available on the back.
Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug & Cat Noir includes four figures, Ladybug, Cat Noir, Rena Rogue, and Hawk Moth make up this wave and each are given the rubbery bend-em feature. The arms and legs are the easiest to bend, but the best part of this set is the strong and nearly applied paint applications that round up a great likeness to each character. Ladybug’s outfit for example has the black spots over the red, while Cat Noir is mostly cast in black plastic. Rena Rogue has some great paint applications in the outfit, including where the orange and yellow meet, as well as the head sculpt including the bunny ears. Hawk Moth is mostly black and purple, with a metallic silver helmet over his head that gives him a nice shine.
The Sonic Bend-Ems are also limited to just the arms and legs that can move, and this wave includes Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, and Dr. Eggman. Each are in their classic colors and designs that you will recall from the SEGA Genesis. The paint applications on these are equally as impressive and look as good as if these were made of plastic. You may notice from the images below that these are also on the flat side, meaning it looks like they were run over by a truck, with the exception of their feet and heads. Sonic’s, Tail’s and Knuckles’s hair in the back is also on the flat side, whereas typically they would be popping up and spread out, to make it a more rounded head. Dr. Eggman is also on the flat side, he’s rounded, but flat for the torso even though he’s supposed to be egg-shaped. For the most part, the strong paint applications are a top selling point here and they did a great job capturing the likenesses, and since these are $4.99 – $5.99 each, these are priced just right and cheaper compared to other companies, which is probably why these are on the flat side.
Overall, TCG Toys designers have done a great job capturing the likenesses and attention to details on these figures that fans, especially kids will surely enjoy. These are also small enough to fit in your stockings for the upcoming holiday season.
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