I’ve decided to create a separate thread where members can post their own in-depth reviews of Toy Story figures whether it is rare collectibles or Toy Story Collection figures. Naturally, I will be opening the thread with my own review.
Howdy fellow collectors, its TheSpaceSheriff and I’m going to be doing a review on the rare Young Epoch Woody Doll (Sepia variant). Over the last few weeks, I was searching eBay for deals on the Young Epoch figures when I suddenly came across this Woody for around $180.00. Since I had some spending money on hand, I bought the figure. This review will cover the features, accessories, screen accuracy the Young Epoch Woody possesses.
Overview:
Similar to the background in Toy Story 2, the Young Epoch Woody’s Roundup toy line are rare collectibles that include all four members of the Woody’s Roundup cast. Four versions of the line were made: Full Color (with accurate box), Sepia (dubbed vintage for its muted colors), Black & White (mimics ‘50s television color), and Tokyo Disney Resort (more vibrant than “Full Color“). Since these figures were limited releases around Toy Story 2, they generally go for hundreds a piece on eBay, turning away potential collectors. Occasionally, these figures can pop up for reasonable prices for collectors to purchase.
The Woody doll itself is a mix of fabric, plastic, and rubber. Woody’s clothes, neckerchief, hat, belt, and holster are the only parts made from fabric; Woody’s head, hands, buttons, belt buckle and badge are made from hard plastic. Oddly, the manufacturers went with a rubber-like material for Woody’s boots.
Features:
Woody’s box in the Sepia variant of the line is a muted version of the Black & White boxes: the colors are similar to the limited and grainy color found on early televisions. The Woody figure is approximately 15 inches tall and has very limited features. The figure does not include a pull string on the back of the toy due to the lack of a voice-box. The “feature” this figure comes with is a moveable mouth that requires the mouth to be moved down. Aside from a hard-to-move mouth, Woody doesn’t offer any other significant bells and whistles.
Accessories:
The Woody doll comes with a wooden and metal stand and his trademark cowboy hat. The stand is very improved from the Toy Story Collection since it doesn’t grip the neck of the figure; it merely supports Woody’s collarbone area. Woody’s hat is arguably the least appealing part of the figure for its bland design and lack of detail. Due to the hat’s fabric material, it can be difficult at times to place and re-arrange Woody’s hat.
Screen Accuracy:
The Young Epoch Woody, at its time, was the closest Woody to the one presented in the Toy Story films.
Comparing the figure to its on-screen counterpart reveals some glaring inaccuracies. While the figure’s choice of color is excusable from being listed as an inaccuracy, the doll’s face is not an exception. The figure’s facial expression does not fully matchup to that of Andy’s Woody in the film. In addition, the lack of a pull-string and voice box contribute to a major inaccuracy found in the collectible. The final drawback is the lack of detail put into the holster and hat; the Thinkway figure released in 2009 puts more emphasis into the details of these small accessories.
The figure does, however, retain the ragdoll-like nature and general height of the Woody in the films.
Comparison to Thinkway’s Toy Story Collection Woody:
Young Epoch:
• Slightly Shorter
• More accurate, neutral expression
• Longer arms
• More accurate hands
• Better stand
• Darker skin tone
• Hard to find
• More intended for collectors
Thinkway:
• Slightly taller
• Expression gives off Woody’s demeanor present in the films
• Easier to pose
• Accurate fabric used on clothing
• Accurate accessories
• Detailed hair
• Pull-string
• Visually pleasing box
• Easier to acquire
• Can be used for play and collecting
Conclusion:
Overall, I would give the figure a solid B+ in terms of accuracy but the drawbacks and limited features makes me feel that the figure is not be worth more than the general asking price on eBay. If you find it for a reasonable price, I would suggest purchasing the doll.
Link to more pictures (27 in total if I recall correctly):[url]Photobucket | The safer way to store your photos
Thoughts? Questions?
