It should come as no surprise that many of us here at Geekscape are huge fans of the Pokémon series. I personally love the video games and, of course, the plushes based on the lovable monsters found within said games. Build-A-Bear Workshop released a Charmander version of their personalizable plushes in December of last year. The toy is currently being restocked both in stores and online and I was gifted with the chance to play with/cuddle/man-handle one of the exclusive online bundles. Read on to see my experience!
The plush’s face is lovely, with a perfectly-sculpted snout and detailed embroidery on the eyes. The mouth is lightly lined in a soft fabric. I was slightly disappointed to discover that the teeth were felt but it was at least a higher quality, thick variety. If I had my druthers, the teeth would have been stuffed as well.
This is good size plush, measuring about 15 inches tall with a tail extending about seven inches from base to tip. There is plenty of Charmander to cuddle, that is for sure!
And speaking of Charmander’s flame tail, here it is in all its fluffy glory. As I said in my post when the plush made its debut, I like their choice of using a “flame” puff of fabric rather than the more popular options – a plush silhouette of a flame or, if you are really unlucky, a felt cutout of the flame. I will say that when I first took my Charmander out the box, I noticed some shedding from the tail but it was minimal.
It was comforting to see how much thought Build-A-Bear put into the plush’s body. The detail was most impressive. I liked that the Pokémon’s two-tone color scheme extended to both its feet as well the entire length of the tail’s bottom. They could have cut corners there but the extra effort is much appreciated by fans like myself.
The thick felt previously seen on the teeth made another appearance as the claws on the feet.
Since this Charmander came from the online exclusive set, it is bundled with a soundbox (stuffed under the paw patch on its right hand) that plays the noises Charmander makes. Before gamers get too hyped, they are the sounds from the anime not the game series. I guess the former is easier on the ears. I would have loved that option, though. Nostalgia is a powerful thing.
Besides the soundbox, the other item exclusive to the online set was the Lucario Hoodie. This clothing item gives Charmander the chance to cosplay as the steel/fighting-type. I preferred the Great Ball Hoodie, which you will see next, to this outfit. For the one thing, the Lucario Hoodie covers Charmander’s eyes. I understand that that is part of its purpose but it was bizarre to see Lucario’s smaller eyes on Charmander’s body. Also, unlike the felt found on the plush’s body, the felt used for the costume’s “ears” were rough and not conducive to cuddling.
The Great Ball Hoodie is not exclusive to the online set and can also be purchased in stores. It was a made of a soft jersey fabric that had a bit of a stretch to it, which made it easy to put on the plush. The Great Ball image on the body portion of the piece is printed on while the red stripes on the shoulders are made with a soft vinyl-like material.
The last item will certainly draw the eye of any TCG player, the exclusive Charmander trading card. The card is included with any Charmander purchase, regardless of whether you bought online or in stores. I don’t play the game but I appreciate the artwork and the Build-A-Bear Workshop emblem found on it, denoting its special status.
Build-A-Bear Workshop’s Online Exclusive Charmander Set gets a 4.5 out of 5. The quality of the items included are great, with the exception of the felt used in the hood of the Lucario Hoodie. Plus, it was just a fun plush to play with. The $61 price tag may seem a bit high for some collectors but when you consider the the average price of every item included, it evens out.
And just in case you were wondering (you probably weren’t but I will tell you anyway), I named my Charmander Charlie. He says, “Thanks for reading!”
[This review is based on a sample provided by Build-A-Bear Workshop. All opinions are my own.