Toy OTD: Young Epoch Ltd. Disney Wind-Up Toy: Minnie Mouse

There's a lot of retro Disney toys coming out of Japan, and this plastic wind-up is another great example! This piece take the 20's stylization even further, removing flowers, bloomer frills, even fingers, yet it still retains the original's charm.

It's impressive how someone can make a simple wind-up toy look so good! Most of the black paint has a matte finish for that extra-classy touch, and there's an awesome mix of paint and dyed plastic to support it. The color palette is limited, and cheery but not too bright. There's the rare glitch, but in general the paint apps are excellent.

The sculpt is incredibly tight, especially considering how graphic the design is. It's tempting to believe that it was modeled on a computer, but I think a good sculptor could do it. The proportions have strayed from the cartoon, but it still looks nice.

The winding mechanics work great, and there's no real balance issues, since it's a walking toy.

It's been quite a while since I've seen the packaging, but I remember it being tasteful and suitably retro - a white and sepia design, like old-fashioned wallpaper. I think there was a clamshell interior, with a plastic window on one of the sides. Nice, but nothing you'd be tempted to keep.

I can't find one of these for sale online anywhere, so you'll have to set up an eBay favorite search, or contact your trusty toy hunting service. Good luck!

Toy OTD: Medicom Vinyl Collectible Dolls: Minnie Mouse From 'Two-Gun Mickey' (2004)

Once again, Medicom hits it out of the park with this fantastic retro Disney figure! A gorgeous sculpt, a strong pose, and an appropriately monochromatic color scheme. The only thing that keeps this toy from being utterly perfect is the lack of a dispaly base, but it does stand well on its own. It's a lovely piece of work.

Minnie wasn't as popular a seller as the Two-Gun Mickey was, so you might be able to find one for sale outside of eBay, even though it came out three years ago. Hobby Link Japan might be able to get you one for about $32.00 + shipping, and Toy Tokyo is selling it for $44.99 + shipping.