These Pepe’s have been sitting around in my storage area in their white mailer boxes for awhile. Since, I have a bunch of Muppet figures, but very few reviews, I though I’d take a crack at a Retro review of the king prawn. (Yikes! It looks like my only other Muppet review was the Penguin 2-Pack.)

That said, this is Vacation Pepe. Ready for a day at the beach, the ToyFare version is decked out in a different color scheme than the main version. This change in colors was a theme that ran through most of the Exclusive
Muppet figures. Variant chasers had a lot of work to do with this line.

Appearance:

The biggest reason I collected the Muppets line from Palisades was there character representations were always dead on. There’s no generic sculpting to them, and you can tell they really tried to capture each character.

While this particular Pepe never appeared on film anywhere, he definitely looks like he could have. Most “EU” and exclusive items comes off as being 2nd rate compared to the main lines. Not in this case.

The main difference in for this Pepe was the hoodie. And the paint work on this one is good. There’s a fairly complex design going around his body. The only place it falls flat is the sculpted hood portion is a bit blotchy on the paint work. I can forgive this as a cheap hoodie he picked at a tourist trap near the beach.

The use of texture is one of the things that Palisades really nailed with this line. Look at fur or hair on most modern lines, and it’s easy to see what set this line apart. Pepe’s body looks like it’s furry. The scale, depth, and direction are all thought out.

Fun:

The Muppet line was one of those rare instances were a company managed to create a line that was high enough quality to please collectors and packed with enough play features to entertain kids. Just as the Muppets themselves bring kids and parents together, these toys did the same. While the representations were dead on, the articulation and accessories rock.

Pepe comes armed with 4 four ball jointed shoulders. They function flawlessly and don’t detract from the figure’s appearance. Yeah, I know people out there would like to see elbows and wrists. But if you think about,
Muppets don’t really move like that. The Muppet line in general is good example of “smart articulation.” Put joints in if and where they make sense, and don’t do it just to make the figure move like a Micronaut. A cut neck and hips round out movement points.

This may seem limited, but Pepe is a shrimp among some of the other Muppets. However, he’s one of those figures that when he’s on your desk you can find a million poses
for him and they all look cool. Move this arm and he’s waving. Move all four arms and he’s surprised. Etc…

To go with those poses, Pepe’s got a slew of accessories for enjoying at the beach. Swim fins, mask, snorkel, an adult beverage, swim trunks, a floatie, and a plain stand. The accessories in this set are color matched to his
jacket and just a little different than the standard Vacation Pepe.

The snorkel clips into the mask, which clips on to his face. It’s a clear mask that works great and looks just as great. I love the fins. They are sculpted all the way around. Even when they are on the figure, you can still put him his
generic display stand.

The floatie is an elephant and fits perfectly on the figure. The wrinkles and the sheen of this piece really sell it as one of those vinyl things you see at resort pools. The chair and adult beverage let Pepe kick back and enjoy the sunset, okay? The drink looks like a martini with an umbrella, but I’m guessing Mojito or some sort of Margarita.

The chair folds up works like a a real beach chair. The only thing missing is the umbrella that comes with the standard prawn. The holder is there, just no shade was provided in the package.

The one item that Pepe comes with that I’m perplexed by, is his swim trunks. While well tailored and sewn, I don’t get why needs them. One, he’s a prawn. Two, he’s a Muppet that normally doesn’t wear pants. Why would he put them on to swim?

Overall:

For the most part, I’ve not been very accepting of some of the more “modern” Muppets. It’s not that they aren’t cool or funny. I just grew up with Fozzie, Kermit and the gang. That said, Pepe has worked his way into my heart. He’s a touch of a practical joker, a bit sarcastic, and just a touch self centered for a Muppet. And for all that, I love him. So, even though this Pepe isn’t directly from an on screen appearance, I accept him into my collection without reservation. Great look and great accessories make for great figures.

If you consider the price range the Muppet line generally sold in, they were a steal. Modern figures in this scale normally don’t have the accessories or articulation the Muppets had, and normally cost twice as much.

I think the only thing that could have made this version of the plush king prawn any better, would have been the inclusion of his umbrella. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have an uncontrollable desire to go build a jacuzzi.

(I have a few extras of these I’d be willing to part with for about $15 each plush shipping. Drop me a line if you are looking for one!)

Engineernerd Score: 95/100

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