Top Ten Asian Pacific American Toys

Hello! Welcome to my list of the top ten Asian Pacific American toys. Please, keep in mind, these are MY favorites. I am just a fan. This is not like the American Film Institute's Top 100 Films that got everybody into an uproar. :-)

I am interested to know what other people's faves are. Please visit the APA Toy Chest Community as I have offered a place for people to discuss and post their own favorites on the APA Toy Chest Discussion Boards.

1. Sonya Lee Sony Lee is part of the new Fisher Price Little People line and she wins the top spot for me. No, she's not as beautifully sculpted as a McFarlane Toys Paul Kariya...She isn't a historical figure such as the 442nd Infantry Nisei Soldier...You can't even dress her up like Gia. However, this little girl is a mainstay of the Little People line and can be seen in a variety of non-stereotypical activities, such as sailing, training dogs in a Cirus or being a veterinarian. She's a wonderful toy that children will love and that Asian Pacific American children will relate to.

2. Classic Edition Lt. Hirkaru Sulu Doll A fitting tribute to one of the greatest Asian Pacific American representations on television. Lt. Hikaru Sulu was the helmsman of the Starship Enterprise in the 1960s Star Trek series. He broke all the stereotypes and eventually, in the Star Trek movies, went on to captain his own starship -- The Excelsior. While I've never thought any of the Sulu figures have really done him justice, this sculpt is the closest one yet. On the back of the box is a history of Star Trek, which makes you appreciate Sulu even more and his part in the well crafted mythos. On the inside flap is a short pictoral biography of Sulu himself. A great tribute!

3. Charlie's Angels Signature Looks Alex I remember growing up wishing there was an Asian Pacific American Angel in working for Charlie and the Townshend Detective Agency. So, it was wonderful to see in 2000 that one finally made part of the gang. Lucy Liu plays Alex, the tough, smart and beautiful Alex in the movie version. JAKKS Pacific released a line of dolls based on the Angels, but Alex is the most popular. While you can still find Wave 1 of Dylan (Drew Barymore) and Natalie (Cameron Diaz), it is virtually impossible to find one of Alex (unless you go on eBay or some other auction site). You can still find some of the second wave, but they're going fast. This is one hot toy!

4. G.I. Joe 442nd Infantry Nisei Soldier After almost two decades, Hasbro has returned G.I. Joe back to twelve inch form. While the twelve inch Joe of the 60s and 70s focused primarily on action play, the new figures focus primarily on military history and tributes. But, up until recently, the featured Joes were mainly either white or black. Then, in 1998, Hasbro released the 442nd Infantry Nisei Soldier. The 442nd was the famed World War II unit of Japanese-American soldiers who proudly served in the U.S. military despite the terrible hardships imposed on them and their families by the U.S. government. When Japan bombed Pearl Harbor in 1941, the U.S. government forced people of Japanese descent into internment camps, causing the loss of businesses, home and other belongings. At the end of the war, they became one of the most decorated units, receiving over 18,000 decorations. The figure is very nicely sculpted, including a scar on the right cheek. The presentation of the figure is even better with a wonderful historical sketch on the inside flap. It's a stirring tribute to a group of brave individuals who deserve to be remembered and honored.

5. Mulan Deluxe Warrior Training Set Not only was the movie good, but the toys were equally as wonderful. Mulan had a full range of dolls, action figures, playsets, happy meal toys and so on. The Mulan Deluxe Warrior Training set is my favorite because it not only contains figures of Mulan and Li Shang, but also wonderful the wonderful Yao, Ling and Chen Po. This is a great toy set that both girls and boys can enjoy. Sometimes a get discouraged when I go into stores like Toys R' Us and see signs that clearly say "Boys" and "Girls." Mulan shows us that being strong and brave is not limited to either gender.

6. Apu Nahasapeemapetilon and the Kwik-E-Mart No matter what one has to say about The Simpsons' Apu Nahasapeemapetilon, the manager of Springfield's Kwik-E-Mart, one cannot deny that this toy is hot! The rarest of the Simpsons playset, this one is hard to come by. It's extremely nicely designed and the figure is a wonderful 3 dimensional representation of one of cartoondom's (as well as toydom's) few South Asian characters.

7. McFarlane SportsPicks NHLPA Paul Kariya Professional Hockey Player Paul Kariya is no stranger to toys, having his likeness immortalized in everything from Starting Lineup figures to a Salvino Bammer. But, this figure, sculpted by the fine folks at McFarlane Toys, is truly wonderful. McFarlane Toys is known for its wonderful sculpting and rendering of its figures, but when you like at the Kariya figure closely, you almost feel like they've actually taken him and shrunken him down to toy form -- that's how lifelike it is. The expression on his face and the contortion of his body take you inside the game. You don't need to be a fan to know this is a great toy!

8. Kea Doll I'm a sucker for handmade dolls. The Kea doll, designed by an Asian American mom, is a wonderful rag doll that comes in various traditional Asian clothing. So far, the Korean Hanbok, Viatnamese Ao Dai, Satin Chinese Pant Suit, Japanese Happy Coat and Indian Sari are available. The doll, when ordered through Multicultural Dolls (http://), comes with a coloring and paper doll book that explains Kea comes from a Chinese/Filipino/Hawaiian/Thai father and a third generation Japanese/Korean mother. That's multiculturalism at its best! The doll is soft, simple and nicely put together. You can't help but love this doll!

9. Gia (G-FIVE Club) Forget Barbie's Asian Pacific American friends and pick up Gia, a member of the Get 5 Club. This doll is TRULY Asian Pacific American. Unlike Kira, who has been relegated only to appear in Barbie themed lines such as "Butterfly Art" and "Soccer," Gia is part of the gang. She's hip and trendy and can be what all the other girls can be. And, the G-FIVE Club has a diversity of occupations the dolls can choose from. They can be a journalist, an artist, a scientist, a salon owner or banker. Also, unlike the Asian Pacific American dolls in the Barbie line, Gia actually looks like she's from Asian descent, and not like Barbie with skin discoloration or slanted eyes.

10. Nien Numb Before all the hullaballoo about Star Wars: The Phantom Menace containing racist portrayals in their alien characters, Nien Numb graced the screen in Star Wars: Return of the Jedi. Although this Sullstan pilot is not technically of Asian descent, several people have interpreted him as such. Perhaps its his large almond shaped eyes or his Asian sounding language...whatever the case, he is one of Star Wars' most popular "Asian" inspired characters. Both the vintage and the Power of the Force figures are actually nicely sculpted (particularly the Power of the Force) and are fitting tributes to Nien Numb.