Hey gang, Valkor here. While parents are out and about getting their kids ready for “back to school”, we here at TOV and the rest of the mediasphere are covering the upcoming holiday season. And to kick things off, I got the chance to stop by the Viacom building over in NYC to meet with the gang at Nickelodeon. We normally cover their animated DVDs, so it was a nice change up to take a look at some toys and other hot items that could don the shelves this season. It was a short event, but it was a lot of fun. And if I had time, I’d have played with all the toys. All of them!
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles – This was my first stop on the holiday tour; and if it should just so happen to be the only stop, I wouldn’t even be mad! The Ninja Turtles are always a fan favorite. Right now, I’m really digging the CG series. So what can we expect for the holidays from the mean, green, pizza eating machines? The first item to catch my eye was the onesie; I’ve been in the market for one that totally brings out my inner geek and I feel this is it. Now if it’s as comfortable as it looks, then we’re in business. Next up, and I believe these will be a big hit, are the Series 2 WWE Ninja Superstars. Mikey, Donny, Leo, and Raph are rocking the look of classic wrestlers such as The Ultimate Warrior and Rowdy Roddy Piper! Finally, I got a kick out of the “Turtles Pizza Book”. And if you remember how crazy the 80s Turtle’s creation was, you can expect something along those lines but not completely off the wall. There aren’t any sardines, pickles, marshmallow pizzas in this book. But the recipes you’ll find inside are completely edible and looks like they’re a lot of fun to make!
The 90s – I’m a child of the 80s, but the 90s wasn’t all that bad either – especially in the cartoons department. If you were one of the lucky kids who had cable in their household, then you had to have had your fill of some of Nickelodeon’s top offerings. From Rugrats to Hey Arnold, Ren and Stimpy, CatDog, and so much more! There’s a load of 90s cartoon gear and accessories that’ll not only hit you right in the nostalgia feels, but they’re definitely worth having around. What caught my eye? That reversible “Members Only” jacket and sneakers made my day. The only thing missing from that jacket is the popping collar, but other than that, I completely dig the design, which screams the 90s.
SpongeBob Squarepants – Ever since we started AniView here at TOV, we’ve taken in a healthy dose of SpongeBob cartoons. I didn’t quite get the series at first, but after some extensive viewing, I can see why the character is so popular. He’s a little naïve (a little??), but always charming and adorable. The gang at Nick had an impressive and extensive lineup of items that any fan can appreciate. I totally dig the boxer shorts, which feature SpongeBob’s bottom gear. The sandals, featuring the heavy meme’d “Caveman SpongeBob” needs to be on my feet. But what truly captivated me was the SpongeBob onesie! It’s kind of creepy, but I’ll be damned if I didn’t want to put it on straight away! No, seriously! If I could have gotten away with it, I would have put it on and walked out of their office wearing it proudly. I wouldn’t even care about the stares!
And this was just a brief look at some of the items showcased, which you’ll find even more images below. And as far as holiday coverage is concerned, we have more events lined up so stay tuned. While this event was a short one, it wasn’t a waste of time as I got the chance to see and share a bunch of cool holiday swag. I wanna thank the gang at Nickelodeon for giving TOV the time to hang out with them. And I hope to see a lot of their gear in the Val-Cave in the near future.