While Pop Mart features a lot of merchandise based on original characters or involving other licensed IP, there are times when we’ll see crossover pieces appear. One of the most recent is a line of Skullpanda plush pendants with looks based on characters from My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic. They’re one of the more expensive lines at $39.99 per blind box at both Amazon and Pop Mart. After getting one inspired by Rarity the unicorn, I am impressed by the level of detail and references to the character packed into it.
First, as a blind box plush pendant, you have no idea which My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic Skullpanda you’re getting until it’s opened. I know that for these sorts of things, there are rumors about shaking the boxes or trying to judge the weight to tell what you can get. When I held this box, it didn’t really shuffle at all. Also, while Rarity does feature a very prominent horn coming out of her forehead, I couldn’t “feel” it through any of the sides of the box before opening. While I got Rarity, the other five “common” characters are Applejack, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, and Twilight Sparkle. The two secrets this time are Sunset Shimmer and Queen Chrysalis.
Once you do open it up, it arrives with a bit more packing to it than other blind box figures. There’s a desiccant packet in the package (make sure pets or kids don’t get near it), a card in the bottom showing who you got, and the accessory packed in drawstring bag with My Little Pony imagery on it. Once you open that up, additional precautions include a plastic “veil” covering the head and face plate and a hair net covering the hair on the back of the plush pendant’s head. Considering how much it cost, I appreciated to see that extra effort to ensure it’d stay safe while in transit.
Right at the start, there are a few design decisions with the My Little Pony Skullpanda plush pendant that I love. One is that there are different fabric and fur types used for Rarity. The inside of her ears is different than the fluffier outside. The orbs on the side of her head feature a more velveteen fabric, as does her body. The soles of her feet are more like satin. Her decorative accessory is a feather boa with ribbon that goes over her right shoulder. That’s fastened in place with some stitching, which offers a sense of security in that if I did wear her on a purse, it wouldn’t immediately fall off.
In terms of Skullpanda plush pendants themselves, I also noticed two things that felt like plusses. There’s an entirely new faceplate used for her, while the previous three series featured repeated ones with different paint jobs and styles. She also seems a bit taller than the Winter Symphony Song of Snow one I’d gotten in the past. Between those two elements, the wider range of materials used, and fact it’s tied to a major IP, it seems like that all explains the higher cost.
Speaking of that IP, it really does feel like Pop Mart did all it could to incorporate elements of Rarity’s design and character from My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic into this Skullpanda plush pendant. The hair and fur color are both on point, of course. Her Cutie Mark in the series features three diamonds, and that’s referenced both in embroidery on the back of the collectible’s head and in the pupils of her eyes. Diamond-shaped sparkles are often a part of her motif or indicate the shine of her clothing and accessories in-series, and those sorts of marks are on the orbs on the sides of her head, molded barrette on the face plate, and her boa’s ribbon. I’m not sure if it is intentional, but the white fur on the boa also reminded me a bit of the fur-lined cape that Rarity wore in “The Last Problem” and final episode of the series too.
Based on what I’ve seen from Rarity, the My Little Pony Skullpanda plush pendants really take into account little details about the character. There are all sorts of references to her design throughout. Some of which even seem like they could be deeper cuts. As for the accessory itself, it features a lot of different kinds of materials, intricate elements like embroidery and boa, new faceplate design, and moveable eyes. The price is a bit high for an impulse purchase, but it seems like a quality collectible.
The Pop Mart My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic Skullpanda plush pendants are available now, and the series is streaming on services like Netflix and Amazon.
