Hauls: Neat Pins Greetings!

'Twas the week before Christmas and all through the blog, I was lounging and chilling while rubbing my dog. But time has grown short; the holidays are near! Gotta get these hauls sorted before the new year. So without further ado, let's start this deep dive. Here are the last few things I picked up in 2025:

Persona 3 Reload (PS5) (Walmart)

I had already completed Reload (including the DLC) during a couple of free Game Pass trials on my Xbox One, so I was originally going to wait on a potential Switch 2 release to own it. However, Sega and Atlus opting to release it for that platform on a Game-Key Card made me shift gears to the PS5 version, which, luckily for me, was available for only twenty bucks on Walmart's site, making it impossible to resist. (I also grabbed the DLC for a steal on PSN.) Probably not going to replay this massive game for a good while, but I'm very happy to finally 100% own it.

Build-A-Bear Shadow the Hedgehog (w/Sounds)

I rarely buy from Build-A-Bear (mostly due to the prices combined with the fact that I'm not much of a plush collector in general), but I COULD NOT pass up a movie version of Shadow the Hedgehog complete with multiple Keanu Reeves voice clips. I actually missed the initial rollout of this guy last year, so I was super jazzed to see BAB finally restock him back in August. Now I'll be able to consult Keanu's brooding wisdom any time with a simple squeeze! (Until his batteries die like BAB Bowser's. I need to look into getting those replaced.)

McDonald's Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles X Hello Kitty & Friends - Hello Kitty X Raphael (White) Toy

Hello Kitty returned to McDonald's back in August with another Happy Meal collab that lured me in by way of a mash-up with my favorite ninjutsu reptiles. Unlike the previous Yu-Gi-Oh! crossover, however, I was only able to grab one toy from the set before it ended. Luckily, though, I was at least able to score a Raph. (Which is also a Kitty, meaning that with a single figure, I was able to pull both the main character from one side of the crossover and my favorite turtle from the other. Not too shabby.)

Pokémon Select Trainer Team Series Deoxys (Normal Forme) (Target)

Been admiring these highly-articulated Pokémon figures from a far for a good while, but when it was revealed that my absolute favorite Mythical Pokémon was joining the line, I HAD to finally get in on them. Deoxys is a pretty fantastic figure for being such an odd design, too, with bendy tentacles and a stand perfect for levitation poses. I only wish that he had interchangeable arms so that you could also have him with his more traditional "hands" instead of being limited to just the tentacles, but it's not a big deal. It's still WAY more than I ever expected Deoxys to get in terms of a figure, so I'm really happy with him. (Now make his other formes!)

Super Mario RPG Geno Head Pin (Mercari)

Paper Mario: The Origami King Pin Set (eBay)

Mario & Friends Happy Holidays Pin Set (Mercari)

Wreck-It Ralph 8-Bit Head Pin Set (eBay)

Wreck-It Ralph and Vanellope Holiday 2019 Pin (eBay)

Went on a bit of a pin shopping spree after I happened upon a mega rare Super Mario RPG Geno pin (released exclusively in a set with the other party members when you pre-ordered the Switch remake on the UK My Nintendo Store) on Mercari for an absolute song. (Seriously, look up how much a set of all five of those pins usually costs on eBay and the like. You could literally buy TWO COPIES OF THE GAME for less than those super tiny things.) Anyway, scoring a deal THAT good on official merch of my favorite SMRPG original character made me feel pretty darn happy, so I quickly scoured Mercari and eBay for other cheap, extremely me-relevant pins so Geno wouldn't be alone in expanding my collection. I ended up adding representation from Paper Mario, Wreck-It Ralph, and CHRISTMAS to my little banner in addition to Super Mario RPG, all for WAY less than what a set of Geno and his buds in pin form would normally cost. Good stuff.

The Muppets Omnibus (eBay)

Heard good things about the Muppet comics by Roger Langridge, so I've had my eye on this Omnibus collection of them for a while. Eventually found a decent price on eBay, so I quickly added it to my already massive reading pile. Looking forward to experiencing the Muppets' trademark absurdity in comic form! (This run also happens to feature a nice bonus for Muppet diehards: a rare adult appearance by Skeeter from Muppet Babies!)

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The IDW Collection Volume 18 (Amazon)

Pre-ordered this final TMNT IDW Collection with the Amazon cash that I got for my Birthday. Still haven't dug into Volumes 16 and 17 yet, so I'll have a hearty feast of turtle adventures to dig into once I finally get started on that reading backlog. (Knocking that out will probably be my New Year's resolution.)

Super Smash Bros. for 3DS/Wii U Club Nintendo Poster Set (eBay)

Found a great eBay deal on the two Super Smash Bros. poster sets that used to be available as Club Nintendo rewards. I only owned one poster from either set (the Palutena one, which my future brother-in-law gifted me back in 2014), so at the price of less than ten bucks per poster, I couldn't pass up this chance to complete the collection. (Especially since the second set featured two of my favorite Smash 4 newcomers: Bowser Jr. and Duck Hunt.) The posters were, admittedly, not in perfect condition, with some fraying on the edges and wear from previous use, but they still look fantastic on my walls, and it's really great to finally have them all. (I wish they would've made a third set with Greninja and Mega Man's posters. Would've LOVED to have those decorating my room.)

Super Mario RPG Mario Head Pin (Mercari)

Remember the amazing deal that I got on that Geno pin? Well, the same Mercari seller also put up the Mario from the set at just as good of a price! Needless to say, I jumped right on it and gave Geno a buddy. (I wish I could find at least one more from that set just so I could have enough pins to represent a three-person SMRPG party, but that seller weirdly only ever offered multiple Genos and Marios. Not sure how that happened.)

Sheik amiibo (Gamestop)

Speaking of great deals, Gamestop had a crazy amiibo sale a while back that I took advantage of, adding Zelda's famous alter ego to my shelf for six bucks. (I also picked up a certain two-pack at a good discount, but it went out of stock just as I ordered it and Gamestop is STILL working on fulfilling it. We'll see if it ever comes.)

Funko POP! Digital Moltar (Mercari)

Been wanting THIS guy for a good while, but was waiting for the right price. Eventually found a decent enough deal on Mercari and snagged him. With the addition of everyone's favorite lava sort of a molten man, the Space Ghost Coast to Coast main cast (plus Old Kentucky Shark!) is at last complete on my POP! shelf! I can finally rest easy. (Or at least I can until I find a good deal on Brak. Or they make a new Brak. A new Zorak would be nice, too. The old one can't stand worth a crap!)

Gex Trilogy (Switch) (Limited Run Games)

Pizza Tower (Best Buy)

A couple of fresh Switch platformer pick-ups! First, one of the most 90s video game trilogies in existence finally scurries its way on to modern platforms complete with bonus content and all the same gloriously dated references. As for the other game, it's a very Italian send-up to the Wario Land series full of cartoony animation and general zaniness. Excited to give both of these a full playthrough in the near future.

Gargoyles Omnibus Volume 2: Clan Building (Paperback) (Kickstarter)

Gargoyles Omnibus Volume 3: Bad Guys (Paperback) (Kickstarter)

Gargoyles Quest #1 (Kickstarter Exclusive Variant Cover)

It's been a loooooooong time coming (more than a year), but I FINALLY got Dynamite's new collections of the SLG Gargoyles comics in from Kickstarter. For those unaware, SLG stands for Slave Labor Graphics, a comic company that published new, Greg Weisman-penned Gargoyles comics back in the mid aughts that essentially acted as a "canon" Season 3, largely ignoring the Goliath Chronicles. Those comics are also fully canon to Dynamite's NEW Gargoyles comics, making them essential reads if you want the whole story. I've had the first (and only so far, annoyingly) volume of Dynamite's new book for a while, but I've been waiting to get these before I started reading it. Now I can finally catch up with Goliath and crew! (Or, rather, I'll SOON be able to. See, the copies of Volume 2: Clan Building that everyone got in from Kickstarter had a tiny issue: a repeated page. So, Dynamite sent out replacement copies to everyone affected. Mine's still in the mail, but I should get it in by the end of the year. Dynamite's gotten REAL good at making me wait for Gargoyles.)

NECA TMNT Adventures Wingnut & Screwloose (Walmart)

EAT ROCK, PLANKTON CHIPS! Archie's versions are the definitive Wingnut and Screwloose in my mind, and I've been waiting SO long for NECA to get to them in their TMNT Adventures line. Well, their time has finally come, and they DO NOT disappoint. Both are amazingly detailed, with pitch perfect comic accurate sculpts and colors, all of the usual NECA articulation, and even a few neat surprises like the rock they threw at the Turtles in their first appearance being included as an accessory. I honestly couldn't ask for much better figure representations of them, and it feels great to finally have my favorite versions of the Huanu duo standing tall on my shelf.

NYCC Exclusive Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds Nintendo Switch 2 Case (#130/500) (CptnAlex Designs)

Saw this Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds Switch 2 case go up for pre-order and I HAD to score it. Not only is it covered in character decals straight from the game, but the zipper pulls are even shaped like tiny Sonic heads! Now, that's just cool. (Only weird thing is that it smells vaguely of...pickles, for some reason? Not sure what THAT'S about.)

Flocked Big the Cat Figural Bag Clip

Vector the Crocodile Cybercel Card

Won this little package of Sonic goodies from FrackDeals on Twitter. If you're a Sonic fan and don't know him, I'd definitely recommend giving Frack a follow on your social of choice. Not only does he stay on top of new Sonic merch pre-orders and deals (he's actually the reason that I was able to score both that Switch 2 case and Jakks Mephiles for retail), but he also does giveaways like the one I won this stuff in fairly often, so you can also try your luck at winning some cool stuff! He's also just a cool dude who likes cool lizards. Thanks again for the opportunity and the rad swag, Frack!

Super7 TMNT (2003) Ultimates Leonardo (Amazon)

Amazon recently had Super7's new TMNT 2k3 Ultimates figures down to a ridiculously discounted price, so I HAD to at least pick up my favorite turtle from that particular series while he was cheap. He's SUPER cool, too. Great articulation and he looks like he popped right off the screen, which is a first for 2003 turtle figures. I don't know if I'll bother with Hun, Splinter, Casey, or April, but I'll definitely pick up the other Turtles and Shredder eventually. (Also, if you know the specific image that my little handshake photo is referencing, you are awesome.)

Raphael (TMNT: Mutant Mayhem) Hallmark Keepsake Ornament (Amazon)

Speaking of Turtles, I saw that last year's Mutant Mayhem Raph Keepsake Ornament was also discounted on Amazon, so I decided to add my favorite turtle to my little tree. (Also, yes, my tree has both Raph AND Ralph on it.)

Samsung 512 GB MicroSD Express Card (Amazon)

Moving on to Black Friday, Amazon had a really good deal on a 512 GB MicroSD Express Card, so I decided to take advantage and triple my Switch 2's storage. (I don't usually download that many games, so hopefully, it'll last me a good while.)

Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds (Switch) (Walmart)

Sonic X Shadow Generations: Day One Edition (PS5) (Walmart)

As far as more interesting Black Friday pick-ups go, I also scored two recent Sonic games at Walmart for super cheap!

I was originally going to wait for the physical Switch 2 version of CrossWorlds because I wanted to support legit physical Switch 2 releases, but the fact that we STILL don't have a date for it in DECEMBER made me up and lose my patience. Plus, with Walmart knocking the Switch version's price down to thirty bucks for Black Friday and Sega discounting the Switch 2 upgrade pack for a limited time, the prospect of getting a Switch 2 copy earlier for just $35 total was too good to pass up. Now I just need to get that Season Pass so I can take some sponges, Turtles, and super fighting robots for a spin.

As for Sonic X Shadow Generations, I already owned a Switch copy, but since Walmart had the PS5 version down to just FIFTEEN BUCKS for Black Friday, I figured that a 4K graphical upgrade, exclusive Dark Beginnings content, and a larger copy of Gerald Robotnik's Journal were all absolutely worth three fivers and change.

Yu-Gi-Oh! VRAINS Dark Ignis Pin Set (The Yetee)

Last but not least, The Yetee had some of their pins on sale for Black Friday, so I grabbed this cute Yu-Gi-Oh! VRAINS set. Now Ai and Linky can rep Yu-Gi-Oh on my banner!

That finishes things up here. I'll see you guys next week for the annual Fallout post! Hope you all have a fantastic holiday!

Hauls: DIGI SEE?! DIGI HEAR?!

Merry Christmas Eve Eve! I still have a pile of hauls to sort through before jingle jangle time, so let's knock 'em out together, shall we?

Jakks Pacific Sonic Prime Shadow Figure (Amazon)

This guy actually showed up a day before my Birthday. Don't really collect the Prime line much (mostly because of the larger scale compared to the game-based stuff), but I'll NEVER turn down a cool new Shadow figure for my shelf. (Especially since I was able to get him for retail. Thank you, reissue wave!)

The Simpsons Treehouse of Horror Ominous Omnibus Volume 3: Fiendish Fables of Devilish Delicacies (Amazon)

Sugar Rush Racers: Victory is Sweet (Amazon)

Spent half of my Birthday cash on some new reading material. While Volume 3 of the Ominous Omnibuses officially completes the Treehouse of Horror comic collections (and my personal tradition of getting them at the start of each Halloween season), the first book of the Sugar Rush Racers series returns to the Wreck-It Ralph universe for a new adventure starring Vanellope and some of her old Sugar Rush buds. 

As a MASSIVE WiR fan, when I first discovered that Sugar Rush Racers was happening, I KNEW that I HAD TO READ IT. It turned out pretty fun, too! While obviously written with younger readers in mind, it does a good job of carrying on the snarky, self-aware tone of the films and I found myself legitimately chuckling while reading more times than I expected to. I also really like that some of the more obscure Racers get defined personalities for the first time (my favorite is Minty Zaki) and there are even a couple of awesome easter eggs for huge nerds like me. (The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles are directly referenced and a slew of video game icons from Sonic to Pac-Man to JOHNNY CAGE have cameos in one of the opening scenes!) I'd definitely recommend giving this series a look if you love the movies as much as I do. There are also only two books so far and they're DIRT CHEAP, so you won't be breaking the bank by checking them out.

Premium DNA Banjo & Kazooie Two-Pack (Big Bad Toy Store)

THIS beefy boi (and bird) has been on my radar for a while, but despite my intense love for Banjo-Kazooie, I never bit because their scale didn't match up with any of my other video game figures. However, BBTS marking the set down to just over fifty bucks including shipping made it REALLY hard to resist. Now that I actually have it, I'm pretty glad that I decided to pick it up. The detail and paint are great, the accessory loadout is pretty good, you can have Banjo and Kazooie either separated OR together, and there's a decent bit of articulation for a little pose customization. Plus, they just look REAL nice standing tall on my main game shelf.

Ralph Breaks the Internet Messenger Bag (Disney Movie Insiders)

Another piece of Ralph merch for the collection. I was actually short on points to redeem this, but a dude on the Blu-ray Forums very graciously helped me out. (Thanks, Kinsella5!) As Disney Movie Insiders has recently shut down, this will be the last item that I receive from them. It's bittersweet, but I'll always fondly remember my experiences with turning codes from movies I buy (and discover at the thrift store without buying) into free 4Ks, Blu-rays, DVDs, posters, pins, POP! vinyls, and ALL THE Wreck-It Ralph swag. Godspeed, DMI.

Funko POP! Television Streex (Amazon)

Speaking of POP! vinyls, Funko once again decided to do something to appeal to me specifically by making a Street Shark, so of course, I had to grab him. He's a bit lonely now, but more Shark POPs have already leaked, so Streex will eventually be joined by his brothers. (However, I'm personally looking much more forward to standing him next to ANOTHER upcoming figure that may also be the greatest POP! in existence. Stay tuned.)

NECA TMNT (1987 Cartoon) Ultimate Slash (Target)

Never thought I'd ever buy a second figure of the worst version of Slash, but NECA putting out this upgraded "Ultimate" release made that a reality. While the original '87 Slash from NECA just used the same body as the main Turtles, THIS one uses the bulkier build from their Archie Slash and '87 Tokka figures, making him a heck of a lot more show-accurate as far as size goes. He also comes in one of those sick FHE VHS-style boxes, which is pretty much worth the price of admission by itself. While I've never been a fan of the design, he rounds out my Slash quartet quite nicely. Here's hoping that NECA has plans for a 2012 Slash so that I can eventually make it a quintet.

McDonald's Yu-Gi-Oh! X Hello Kitty & Friends Toys (Kuromi X Slifer the Sky Dragon, Hello Kitty X Dark Magician, Chococat X The Winged Dragon of Ra, and Pompompurin X Exodia the Forbidden One)

Don't really know much about Hello Kitty, but when I learned that McDonald's was finally bringing over the recent Happy Meal that mashed up Kitty and her friends with various monsters from Yu-Gi-Oh!, I couldn't resist grabbing a few of the toys. While I didn't end up completing the set, I still got my hands on some really cool ones, including Kitty herself as Dark Magician and my favorite, Kuromi as Slifer the Sky Dragon. (Special thanks to my sister for helping me score half of these guys.) My only regret is that I was never able to get Obelisk to round out the Egyptian God trio. Might have to hit up eBay later.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Arcade: Wrath of the Mutants (Switch) (Amazon)

Another score courtesy of my Birthday cash, Wrath of the Mutants is a (very late) console port of the 2017 Raw Thrills arcade game based on the 2012 TMNT show. It's a fun time for fans of the show, with most of the original voice cast reprising their roles (including Pat Fraley as '87 Krang and the late Gilbert Gottfried as Kraang Subprime), but I would only really recommend it to TMNT superfans, as the whole game is only like two hours long and there's not much more to do after you beat it the first time other than replay it on different difficulties. (It also has a REALLY obnoxious sound bug affecting Donnie specifically that STILL hasn't been fixed, so you can tell that this was very much a budget affair.) If you ARE interested in it, though, I'd also recommend waiting on a price drop, as the full $30 MSRP is kinda ridiculous. Still, it's nice to have this game preserved for the future after it was confined to arcades for so long. With this and the Cowabunga Collection, if you want to play ANY of the Turtles' coin-op adventures on a modern platform, you're good, which is super cool.

Street Sharks 30th Anniversary Dr. Piranoid Figure (Amazon)

Street Sharks 30th Anniversary Big Slammu Figure (Amazon)

Street Sharks 30th Anniversary Streex Figure (Amazon)

MOAR SHARKS!!! Yes, it's another wave of the Street Sharks 30th Anniversary figures, rounding out the Bolton bros as well as unleashing their #1 archenemy. I'm especially happy to finally have Piranoid, as much like Slash, he's one that I never owned as a kid. (Which is crazy considering that he's the main villain. It's like having the Turtles but no Shredder.) Now I just need Slobster to complete the original villain trio!

The Loyal Subjects Dark Leonardo (Battle Ready) Figure (Signed by Mateus Santolouco)

On to the first of three things that I won this year! (Yes, three.) Y'see, Big Bad Toy Store and The Loyal Subjects joined forces for a giveaway on multiple platforms back in October, with a pile of sick-looking Dark Leonardo figures signed by IDW TMNT artist Mateus Santolouco up for grabs. Naturally, I decided to toss in an entry of my own and I actually ended up winning! I was really excited about the figure, but when I got it, I couldn't bear to sully the beauty of the signed packaging by opening it. Thus, I decided to hang it on my wall next to some of my other carded figures. Looks mighty purty there, and it'll serve as one of the crown jewels of my TMNT collection.

Hotel Transylvania: Transformania (Blu-ray) (Amazon)

Santa Sonic Hallmark Keepsake Ornament (Amazon)

A couple of random Amazon pick-ups. First off, Transformania was the only Hotel Transylvania film that I didn't own, but I was always put off by Amazon's price for a Blu-ray copy, which never seemed to receive more than a paltry discount. That changed in October, when they had it down to 11 bucks. I couldn't say no to that kind of deal, especially during the Halloween season, so I snagged it.

As for the other item, I'm a sucker for ornaments of popular characters in Christmas garb, so adding Santa Sonic to my little tree was a no-brainer.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Complete Classic Series Collection 

It's the second of my 2024 winnings! Took a chance on another giveaway (this time from SKGaleana, a random blog) and ended up one TMNT DVD set richer! I already owned Lionsgate's individual releases for the 1987 show (which feature the exact same discs as this new set), but this collection definitely saves on shelf space compared to those. Not to mention, it just looks great sitting next to Paramount's previous releases of the 2003 and 2012 TMNT shows. Only bummer is that it uses a case that requires you to stack discs to fit them all in. Bleh.

SpongeBob SquarePants: The Best 300 Episodes Ever

SpongeBob SquarePants: Another 100 Episodes 

My last giveaway prize of 2024 from ANOTHER random blog! (This N That with Olivia) Like with the TMNT set, I already owned the majority of these SpongeBob discs (all but Seasons 13 and 14), but the Next 100 Episodes set that I previously owned came in a damaged case, so this was the perfect opportunity to replace it. (Unfortunately, though, the new case was like the TMNT one and requires the stacking of discs. I repeat: Bleh.) Now I'm all caught up on my SpongeBob DVDs!

Mario & Luigi: Brothership Magnets (My Nintendo Store)

Mario & Luigi: Brothership Gamestop Exclusive Shareable Keychain Set (eBay)

Mario & Luigi: Brothership My Nintendo Store UK Exclusive Pin Set (eBay)

BROTHERSHIP HYYYYYYYYYPE!!! Ohhhhhhh yeah, I just HAD to celebrate my favorite RPG series ever FINALLY returning by acquiring as many promo goodies as I could for the new game. This includes a set of keychains (that are now hanging from my wallet), a My Nintendo Store UK exclusive pin set based on the iconic silhouettes seen atop the different games' logos, and a sheet of magnets. Speaking briefly on the magnets specifically, when I ordered them, I honestly wasn't expecting to actually USE them (just collect them), so I was very pleasantly surprised by how nice they look on my bookshelves:

Love that I can squeeze an extra bit of Mario & Luigi love into an unexpected corner of my room.

Digimon: The Movies 1-3 Collection (Blu-ray) (Crunchyroll Store)

Used the rest of my Birthday cash to pre-order this little dream come true. Over the years, a rerelease of Digimon the Movie, especially on Blu-ray, seemed like an outright impossibility. Even as all the different dubbed shows from across the franchise made their way to DVD in the early-to-mid 2010s, that one out-of-print, full frame Fox release from back in the day was all that the movie got. 

Then, in August 2023, everything changed. During one of their panels, Discotek announced that NOT ONLY were they releasing Digimon the Movie on Blu-ray, but ALSO the three original uncut Japanese movies that made it up! Plus, to make this release EVEN MORE insane/amazing, those three original movies would receive BRAND NEW DUBS featuring a majority of the surviving original English cast! Following this announcement, I could only utter three syllables: HO. LEE. SHIT.

Since that panel, it's been a bit of a wait for this set to release (mostly thanks to Toei approvals), but it's finally here and it's every bit as fantastic as I thought it'd be. The new dubs are great (especially Hurricane Touchdown, which was missing so much in the combined American movie), all the films look and sound fantastic, and there's even a decent selection of extras thrown in! (Including a blooper reel for the new dubs, which is my new favorite thing ever. Mona Marshall as Terriermon is always a gem.) After years of only owning the movie on VHS, it's AMAZING to finally own such a phenomenal release for it. Discotek are legit wizards, and I hope they plan on working some of that magic on the remaining Digimon films in the future. Definitely my favorite physical media release of the year.

Spider-Verse/Spider-Geddon Omnibus (eBay)

Been meaning to upgrade my copies of these stories for a while (since the original collected release of Spider-Verse was so oddly laid out reading order wise and I never got all the tie-ins for Spider-Geddon) and the impending release of Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man put me in the mood to read something Spidey-related, so I decided to sniff around eBay to see if I could find a good deal on the recent Omnibus. Luckily, I was able to find an auction for a like new copy that started at a mere 20 bucks. Wasn't able to get it for THAT cheap, but I still ended up winning it for a little over $50 including shipping. Not too shabby considering it's 125 bucks at full price and close to 75 at places like InstockTrades. Now giving Spider-Verse a reread will be a heck of a lot easier and I'll be able to get the full experience out of Spider-Geddon!

Figure-Rise Standard Magnamon Model Kit (Amazon)

I LOOOOOVE Veemon's different Armor forms from Digimon Adventure 02, so I've had my eye on this guy for a while. After waffling back and forth on purchasing him for a few years, I decided to finally pull the trigger once Discotek's Digimon Movies set started shipping. (Since one of Magnamon's two Adventure 02 appearances is in Hurricane Touchdown and I thought it'd be cool to build this kit while that movie was fresh in my mind.)

As for how the whole "building" thing went, it was honestly a pretty smooth experience overall, minus one little incident towards the end. Y'see, as I was building Magnamon, one of two tiny pieces that affix to his crotch went flying as I was attempting to attach it. Despite spending like an hour searching the different corners of my room for said piece, I just couldn't find it, making me disheartened and thinking that I'd just have to live with an incomplete Magnamon. However, hours later, I decided to give the search another go and was able to find the piece pretty quickly. Words can't express how relieved and euphoric I was in that moment. I thought that I had another MegaMan.EXE-level building disaster on my hands, but I didn't. Magnamon could finally be completed. Now he stands tall on my shelf, the symbol of a job (eventually) well done. 

Jakks Pacific Super Mario Limited Christmas Edition Advent Calendar (Amazon)

I've been admiring this particular Super Mario Advent Calendar from afar for a while (mostly for the exclusive holiday-themed figures), but the $50 price tag always kept me from picking it up. Thankfully, Amazon recently had it down to a mere 15 bucks, which I COULD NOT pass up. (24 different 2.5 inch Mario toys and accessories, including 3 exclusive ones, for only a little more than a single 5-inch figure goes for? Yes, please!) Curious to see what's in it? Then check out my Twitter page, where I've been counting down to Christmas by unearthing a new Mario toy every day!

Funko POP! Games Mewtwo (Amazon)

Mewtwo is my favorite Pokémon, but I hadn't gotten around to picking up his POP! vinyl until recently, when Amazon marked it down to like six bucks. After getting him in, I was really surprised by his sheer SIZE. It makes sense given how big Mewtwo is supposed to be in the games, but I was not expecting him to be such a UNIT! I was a bit worried that he'd be one of those POPs that'd have trouble standing, but fortunately, Funko gave him a nice big clear stand to keep him stable. Now he can join his fellow super-powered experiment, Shadow, in keeping watch over my closet.

Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children Complete (4K Combo)

Pinky and the Brain: The Complete Series

Teen Titans: The Complete Series (Blu-ray)

Legion of Super Heroes: The Complete Series

Some Black Friday deals that I scored from Amazon. I don't usually buy that much on BF, but once I saw that they had the Teen Titans Complete Series Blu-ray down to TEN BUCKS, I knew that I HAD to take advantage of the situation and comb the whole site for similar home media bargains. Aside from the Titans, I finally scored the complete Pinky and the Brain collection for twenty bucks, upgraded my old-as-dirt Advent Children DVD for thirteen bucks, and added a late 2000s DC cartoon that I've seen very little of to my watch list for twelve bucks. All in all, not a bad little score.

McDonald's Sonic the Hedgehog 3 Shadow Orange Roller Toy

Regal Exclusive Sonic the Hedgehog 3 Lenticular Cup with Shadow Cup Topper

Regal Exclusive Sonic the Hedgehog 3 Popcorn Tin

SONIC 3 HYYYYYYYYYPE!!!! Yep, Sonic the Hedgehog 3 released a few days ago and it's been running circles around the box office and killing it in the reviews. I saw it myself on Saturday, and believe me, if you're a Sonic fan, especially one with ANY degree of nostalgia or appreciation for Sonic Adventure 2, SEE. THIS. MOVIE. It's the best Sonic movie yet and made the little kid inside me that got Sonic Adventure 2 for his 10th Birthday back in 2001 so, SO happy.

Anyway, I have a few pieces of Sonic 3 merch to share. First off, I got that Shadow Happy Meal toy (the one that I was hoping for) from McDonald's on Thursday. Then, when we saw the movie, my sister and I split one of Regal's Sonic 3 Combos, which included that awesome tin, two really neat lenticular cups, and two adorable little cup toppers of either Sonic or Shadow in a theater seat. (Being who we are, we both asked for Shadow.) The cup topper is probably my favorite part of the deal. Where else are you gonna score a little figure of Shadow the Hedgehog enjoying popcorn?

Pinky, Elmyra, and the Brain: The Complete Series (Walmart)

Wrapping things up, Walmart's app had a promotion going where Walmart+ members could see an overview of their activity for the year and receive 15 bucks of free promotional credit immediately afterward. I did it, got the credit, and used it to make my Pinky and the Brain collection TRULY complete by snagging the DVD set for the much-maligned spin-off, Pinky, Elmyra, and the Brain. I've actually never seen any of it before, so I'm excited to see what this infamous follow-up has to offer.

That's the last of it! I hope you guys have a fantastic holiday week, and I'll see you before the year ends for the annual Fallout post!