Background

Blackwater Toys’ line of Kuggs polyresin figures are beginning to land at designer toy retailers.  The Kuggs story is a pretty interesting one.

To read the entire story, you will want to check out the Blackwater website, but here is an abbreviated one.  The Kuggs are the working class…being oppressed by the Bagless.  They ride the subway to and from work and basically live to work.  “Led around with no resistance or question, the Kuggs have become sheep and the Bagless are their shepherds. But as in any flock of sheep, there will always be a few strays-ones that realize maybe this isn’t the only way of life- ones that wake up from the nightmare and start to see reality- ones who become black sheep.”

Packaging

The window-front packages of the 6” Kuggs are designed to resemble a Subway train.  The boxes can be put together to show a scene of the Kuggs standing next to each other in the train car.  There is plenty of reading on the bottom of the box…including the Kuggs story.

The Figures

There are currently two 6” Kugg figures – Sheep and Black Sheep.  They
are limited to 250 pieces of each character.  Each is packaged with 1
Kugg Mini (3/4” tall) and 1 3” long subway train.  The 6” Kugg is made
of solid polyresin (so it is somewhat heavy), while the Kugg minis and
trains are both made of PVC plastic.

There are currently 6 Kugg Minis.  These are blind boxed and include 1
character and 1 blank…as well as a red or white subway train. 

Each Kugg has 5 points of articulation (neck, shoulders and elbows).
The Kugg Minis have no points of articulation, while each subway train
can be opened up (as well as interlocked with each other).

The magnets that are in all of the figures are an important part of
this line.  Each 6” Kuggs has magnets in each of its’ hands; the ¾”
Kugg Minis have a small magnet placed in their head; the subway train
has magnets on each side of the train (which also holds the train
together).  The magnets allow the large Kugg to hold the minis and
train.

Our Opinion

This might be one of the most complex toy line out there.  There is a
very strong story behind this line…one that most people can relate to.
Some folks might not be sure about the material used to create the 6”
Kuggs.  They feel similar to high quality bobbleheads, and are pretty
weighty.

The inclusion of magnets in this line is what sets it apart.  You can
hold the Kugg Minis (2 of which resemble computer company CEOs) as well
as subway trains.  You can also connect the subway trains in different
designs, and allow the Kugg Minis to reside inside of them.

Blackwater has plans on creating Kuggs figures in rotocast vinyl.  That
might interest more folks, as some people are biased as to their toy
material.  Either way…these Kuggs are pretty impressive.

You can find Kuggs at:

MyPlasticHeart - Black Sheep ($64.99) Kugg Minis ($7.99)

As well as Kidrobot, MunkyKing, Toyqube and Toy Tokyo.

Kuggs Grades:

Quality: 9/10
Paint: 10/10
Durability: 7/10
Hype: 8/10
Fun Factor: 9/10
Value: 7/10
Overall: 9.2/10