Background
With the recent news of an Uglydoll animated film in the works, it's as good of a time as any to take a look at one of the new 2011 Uglys. From the creative minds of David Horvath and Sun-Min Kim, this character might be the first Uglydoll with a surname – Dave Darinko.
Dave Darinko is a natural born leader. He’s the one you want on your side when you’re about to face the music. And when you do face the music, he’s the guy who knows where the volume knob is. Does that make sense? Anyway, Dave gives you the thumbs up. He knows that you know he knows you know.
The Facts
Dave Darinko
Series: Uglydolls
Manufacturer: Pretty Ugly
Artists: Sun-Min Kim and David Horvath
Material: Plush
Dimensions: 2 Foot – 24”; Regular – 14”; Little – 7”; Clip-on - 4”
Designs: Red or Gray versions
Tag
Well, I guess you actually have two tags here. While they are the same character (and the above background story is the same for each), they do have different tags. Although, the only difference is the color of Dave Darinko. It is a little strange though. The Gray tag has Dave Darinko's nose as being black, rather than red.
Our Opinion
When I first saw the first half of 2011 Uglydoll lineup, my hands down favorite was this character (Dave Darinko). And while, at that time, I preferred the Red version...I have to say that I'm digging the Gray Dave Darinko a little more.
Both plushies feature the same character shape. Dave Darinko has a pair of cat-like pointy ears and two downward pointing triangular teeth. His three finger hands point down, and he has two little feet.
The only thing that differs is the color choice. The Red Dave Darinko is a bright cherry red and features a black oval nose. The Gray version has a red oval nose. The gray coloring reminds me of an old sweatshirt.
I think the name Dave Darinko is pretty amusing. And I was trying to figure out if there was another meaning to the name. I might have come up with something...Dave Darinko is actually an anagram for Korean David. David Horvath lived in Seoul, South Korea – which is where his wife, Sun-Min, is from.
OVERALL: With all of the bright Uglydolls that have been released this year, it's sort of strange that my favorite is a sad gray color. I think it's that I like the Uglydoll characters that resemble animals the most.
You can pick one up at the following:
Ugydolls.com: $50.00 - $20.00 - $10.00 - $6.00
Uglydoll - Dave Darinko Grades
Plush Quality: 9/10
Stitching: 9/10
Material: 9/10
Softness: 8/10
Packaging/Tag: 7/10
Cuteness: 9/10
Fun Factor: 9/10
Value: 9/10
Overall: 9.2/10
