Action Figure Review: She-Ra & Kowl #1800 from POP! Animation: She-Ra: Princess of Power by Funko

 

   It's an interesting and pretty exciting time to be a Masters of the Universe fan! While I've grown a bit bored with Masters of the Universe Origins, I'm still really liking Masterverse. I'm also getting pretty pumped for the upcoming movie, something that seemed like it would never actually happen. Lots of interesting stuff going on right now, really. 2025 is also the 40th Anniversary of She-Ra: Princess of Power, so Funko has released a set of characters from the classic Filmation animated series. I haven't picked any of the others up yet but I definitely grabbed She-Ra & Kowl #1800, a cool set with not just a great new She-Ra POP! vinyl but also a Kowl mini companion. Let's spend some time celebrating She-Ra and the wonderful world of Etheria after the break...

The Facts: She-Ra

Height: 4 inches

Articulation: None

Accessories: Display stand

The Facts: Kowl

Height: 1 inch

Articulation: None

Accessories: None

Non-Scalper Price: $12

The Positives:

* This is a great looking She-Ra POP! vinyl, probably the best version Adora that Funko has done. Unlike most other POP! vinyls, She-Ra doesn't have a swivel head, probably due to her long, flowing hair. They chose a good stance for her, though, she's standing with one leg forward just a bit, holding the Sword of Protection casually with the tip on the ground. It's a familiar look for the Filmation styled She-Ra on licensed art and such.

* She-Ra's costume looks excellent and is clearly based on the Filmation look. Her cape is a separate piece hanging down from the figure, though it's tough to always see due to She-Ra fantabulous hair. The paint is neat and clean and everything is very bright and colorful. 

* It's a POP!, sure, but I think Funko did a nice job on capturing the look of She-Ra, especially with her oversized winged tiara. It's a nice sculpt. I do want to point out that the gold of the tiara and She-Ra's blonde hair are different colors and rather noticeably different, so everything doesn't blend together. I have more to say about the colors in a minute, but I'll at least put that on the record for now.

* There is a lot of bulk to She-Ra's tiara and her fabulous hair. Yeah, the heads of POP! vinyls are usually larger than the bodies, but She-Ra's hair and tiara really have some volume.

* The Sword of Protection looks excellent here, just like the its Filmation counterpart. I like how she's holding it a bit casually, too. It works well with the pose.

* She-Ra really does need the stand to stay upright, so it's good that one is included. It's a simple clear disc, but it works well and keeps her upright.

* I really liked the She-Ra POP! when I saw her but I do have to admit that Kowl is one won me over and convinced me to pick up the figure. He's a minifigure with a fair amount of paintwork, including his rainbow colored ears. This is a cool sculpt of the know-it-owl and a really nice extra for the set. I wish Hordak came with Imp!

The Negatives:

* OK, so I do have a complaint about the colors. So, yes, the "gold" yellow of She-Ra's tiara and the blonde of She-Ra's hair are different colors, but why didn't Funko give She-Ra a true gold color for her tiara, boots, and costume? That would match the Filmation animation better, which is what this figure is based on. They've done this before with She-Ra and I don't understand why.

   Despite Funko not giving She-Ra an accurate gold color on her tiara, boots, and trim, this is probably my favorite She-Ra POP! vinyl to be released yet. The pose is good, the details are overall spot on (except the yellow instead of gold), and packing Kowl in with her is a nice little bonus. I haven't picked up any of the other figures in the set yet, but Kowl was just too tempting here. It's a Great 1/2 Funko POP! vinyl to celebrate 40 years of She-Ra, Princess of Power and a fun, colorful addition to the shelf. For the Honor of Grayskull, indeed! While you can mix her in with all of the other Masters of the Universe POP! vinyls on your shelf, in most media She-Ra still has to be separate from He-Man and the Masters of the Universe due to weird media ownership issues, etc.. If the movie is a huge success, do you think something will be worked out so we can have the most powerful twins in the universe together again? Who would you cast as She-Ra for the big screen adaptation? Inquiring minds want to know!

If you're looking for more of Kowl I've looked at the Masters of the Universe Classics Loo-Kee and Kowl 2-pack and the vintage toy colored Kowl from the End of Wars Weapons Pak, and the Kowl included with the Mondo 1/6th scale She-Ra.

I'm a huge fan of She-Ra/ Princess Adora and I've reviewed plenty of other collectibles. Check them all out here at The Crystal Castle!

For more POP! Animation reviews check out the following: