Ranking My Monster High Collection, Just Because

Ranking my Monster High Collection, just because

I've been into Monster High for...a while. I don't remember how I got into it, but I know that I immediately latched onto Lagoona; I always go for the blue characters (except for TMNT, because Donnie). Though it's not huge compared to what others have, I do have a sizable collection of Monster High dolls. Here, I'll rank and discuss them.

Here's a key for the meaning of the colors: birthday/Christmas gift, bought during initial sales, bought second-hand.

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S Tier - The Best of the Best

Boo-Riginal Creeproduction Lagoona - I'd always wanted a first-wave Lagoona, but this is even better! Her hair is curly and fluffy, she isn't derp-eyed, and I didn't have to fork over hundreds of dollars for her! There are so many cool details scattered throughout her design, too. For example, her tank top? That's actually a one-piece swimsuit. And her shorts are sparkly! I was lucky to find her and the other creepros at my local Walmart during the initial drop. Wish I could say the same about Reel Drama...

Haunt Couture Lagoona - Man, was I lucky with this one! She sold out in about six minutes, from what I heard. But anyway, people don't like her because she doesn't reference her basic look as much as the others, and I get why they feel that way. However, I feel like she looks the most "deluxe" of the HC line (except for Draculaura, because OF COURSE), and the most couture-like. Her outfit is the only one I could see on an actual fashion runway. And her face is super pretty! I like how they gave her eyes a more segmented look instead of the other ghouls' gradient shine. Oh, and her fish GLOWS IN THE DARK.

Boo-riginal Creeproduction Clawdeen - I'm not particularly attached to Clawdeen as a character, but her design? Beautiful. There are so many flashy elements--the tank top with its sparkly tiger stripes, the fur-lined jacket, the layered skirt, the knee-high stockings--that you'd think would clash, but they really work well together. And like Lagoona, Creepro Clawdeen has wavier, fluffier hair than her 2010 counterpart. Perfect for our "werewolf equivalent of Rapunzel."

School's Out Lagoona - I adore the shoes and tote bag. The material they're made of is super satisfying to touch. The outfit itself is amazing, too. The asymmetrical fishnet details really complement the strapless jumpsuit. It feels fancy and hip, but still Lagoona-like. And the fish skeleton earrings are just amazing!!!

Isi Dawndancer - From what I've heard, Isi is controversial because Mattel combined elements from a ton of different tribes to construct her without consulting any actual American Indians, homogenizing/stereotyping them in the process. I can't say that I have much room to speak on the matter, just that I definitely get why people find her offensive. But good gosh, I can't help but love how colorful she is. And her deer-like features, like her white freckles and her hooves (yes, actual hooves instead of feet!!!)? Absolutely amazing. If she comes back for G3, I hope they handle her more respectfully.

C.A. Cupid (Signature) - Beautiful in every way. Her face? Amazing. The heart-shaped highlights in her eyes are super cool, her heart/rosebud-shaped lipstick really stands out, and the blush on her cheeks is a great touch. Her outfit? Spectacular. All of the fabrics work well to give her dress an eerie yet romantic vibe. Her accessories? Perfect. It's bow-and-arrow everything; her earrings and the heels on her shoes are an asymmetrical bow/arrow set, and her ring is a miniature bow and arrow. Her hair? Needs de-gluing and restyling, but it's still lovely. Shorter hair on Monster High dolls is always awesome. She also has this really cool white-to-black gradient on all of her limbs, plus some lacy detailing. You just need to see her to believe her.

Boo-riginal Creeproduction Draculaura - Pink isn't really my thing, but I can't deny that Draculaura looks cool. Her vest and her cravat are probably my favorite parts of her outfit. I also like how neatly folded her skirt is, compared to Clawdeen's more irregular pleats. Oh, and I de-glued her bangs when I got her, and she looks SO much better that way!

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A Tier - The Clawsomes

Mad Science Lagoona - Her hair was an absolute mess when I first got her--tangled beyond belief, glue everywhere, braids partially undone... But I've done my best to restore her, and I think she looks better now. I just love her in general. Both her dress and her casual outfit look cute, and the accessories are on point. She has a notebook, a pencil, a beaker, one of those three-eyed frogs from the webisodes, and a gargoyle egg, among other things.

Dead Tired Lagoona (2011) - Yes, I've got the Hydration Station, too. Yes, it's amazing...when it works. I think I might need to replace the batteries and/or clean it. (Any tips? I'll take all the help I can get!!) But right now, I'm talking about Lagoona herself. She may be simple, but she's great. Her blue lips really do feel like her natural lip color, and her ponytail is a nice hairstyle. Her pajamas look really comfy, too (minus the platform slippers, but that's just MH custom), and she even has a matching sleep mask. I'd wear them myself if I were more of a tank top person. Neptuna has a little mask of her own as well. That's just cute. :)

Boo-riginal Creeproduction Frankie - Pretty simple, but also super cute. I love her fishnet sleeves and her belt. G1 Frankie really is the epitome of "simple, but effective."

Skull Shores Cleo - What can I say? I'm a sucker for turquoise and gold. I like short hair on Cleo, too. Oh, and her shoes being little statues holding her feet up? Absolute genius.

Skull Shores Ghoulia - She looks just like she stepped out of the 1950s...except for the blood dripping from her shoes and bracelet, of course, but that contrast is why I love a lot of Ghoulia's designs. Her weird little brain butterfly hair clip is neat, too, and I like how she has green glasses this time around.

Skull Shores Lagoona - Her headband gives me pirate vibes for some reason, and that sparkly fabric around her shoulders never ceases to amaze. Needless to say, I love her.

Skull Shores Frankie (Color) - Frankie in neon blue is awesome. Frankie with short hair is awesome. The industrial nut-themed accessories are awesome. That sounds like a recipe for an awesome doll to me.

Skull Shores Frankie (Monochrome) - The silver lipstick, neck bolts, and swimsuit add some flash where Frankie herself is a matte gray. There are also more obvious clouds on her waist wrap compared to her color variant, adding a bit of additional uniqueness. I just happen to like the color variant a bit more. I think it's because the accessories here are cloudy instead of clear.

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B Tier - The Greats

Dot Dead Gorgeous Lagoona - Hot take: I think DDG Lagoona is better than DOTD Lagoona. But that's a ramble for another post. Anyway, the oyster-themed hair clip and shoes are cute, and I love how the polka dots on the dress are bubbles. The layers of mesh/tulle/whatever really pull the whole look together. And the purse is a sand dollar!!!

13 Wishes Lagoona - Super strange and kind of heartbreaking, but also super cool to look at. I love her turtle necklace/bracelet, her dragonfly earrings, and her grass shoes. And that sparkly seafoam green fabric on her dress? Absolutely perfect! It looks just like shimmering water. She'd be higher up if she were in better condition; her dress is kinda stretched out, and Neptuna's bowl is shoddily taped together because I was a dumb child.

Fearidescent Lagoona - Blue Lagoona > Pink Lagoona for me, and the polypropylene hair is a bit frizzy at the ends. That said, she's still beautiful. For one, her color scheme is gorgeous. It's one of the first color palettes chosen for G3 Lagoona that doesn't make me want to tear my eyeballs out. Her pearl purse is cute, too, as are her shoes. I mean, her ankle boots have little teeth in the heels and fish skeletons as the buckles! Some clothing combinations are more cohesive than others, but again, not making me want to claw out my own eyes out of overstimulation is a huge advantage for a G3 Lagoona doll.

Skull Shores Gil - I know people give the boy dolls major flak for being ugly, and a lot of times, they're right (looking at you, Porter and Slo Mo). But I just think Gil's neat. I like how he has gills sculpted into his nose. I like the gills on his neck. I like how he has that same pearlescent kind of coloration as Lagoona. I like his fin mohawk thing. I think my Gil's face turned out nicely, too, with no notable wonk in sight. (Note: someone on Reddit recently pointed out that he has a back fin, too. That cements Gil as the best manster in my opinion.)

Picture Day Lagoona - Like Basic Clawdeen, she has a lot of bright, flashy components that you'd think would clash. Fishnet cardigan? Shimmery pink leggings? Turquoise tunic dress with a neon green trim and an iridescent orange seashell bra? It is admittedly a strange look, but I like it.

Skulltimate Secrets Lagoona - The darker/more prominent forehead scales push SS1 Lagoona below Fearidescent for me, but there's still a ton to love about her. Her jacket and hat are some of my favorite accessories in my entire collection; they're just so cute! Her blue "Surf" shirt is great as well, and I feel that all of the clothing pieces included here can create decently good-looking outfits.

Skull Shores Draculaura - Just cute. I love the sailor theme, and I love how her swimsuit kind of looks like men's swimsuits from back in the late 19th century.

Skull Shores Abbey - Her swimsuit may be a bit simple for my liking, but her accessories are astounding! Purple ice shoes? Yes! Purple ice hat? Heck yeah! She rocks the side-ponytail, too.

Skull Shores Clawdeen - I love the actual swimsuit, and the poncho is great in concept. I just wish the poncho wasn't so annoying to move around for poses. But Clawdeen's tried-and-true deep orchid purple + neon green color combo is back, and I think it works amazingly here. Her earrings are cool, too. They may just be simple triangles and squares, but it's a neat deviation from her typical hoop earrings.

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C Tier - The Goods Competing with the Greats

Original Ghouls Ghoulia - Not first-wave quality, but she still has her good points. Her hair is nice and silky (probably kanekalon), all her accessories are intact, and I honestly like her face better than first-wave Ghoulia. Still, her clothes all being one piece is a let-down, and they didn't even bother to wrap her cherry-print top (printed on this time, by the way) all the way around the shirt. But she's still Ghoulia, so she's still cool.

Dance Class Lagoona - She's cute, but also very simplistic. Even as a kid, I knew something was off about her unpainted accessories. Even so, I love her, and I retain a special attachment to her since she was the first member of my collection.

Inner Monster (Shockingly Shy/Scared Silly) - I like the take apart/put together gimmick. I like the changing eyes and the face plates. I like the skeleton and the different charms you can attach to it. I just wish she was more monstrous...and that the wig didn't look so awful.

Original Ghouls Lagoona - I got her back when I thought she was the closest I'd get to an actual Basic Lagoona, and even though my opinion of her has hardened a bit after getting Creepro Lagoona, I still think she's okay. I don't like how her swimsuit and shorts are sewn together, but at least there's a ribbon "waistband" separating the two halves. Her hoodie might be slightly less detailed, too, but it's still perfectly fine. Mad Science Lagoona is borrowing her fins, though.

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D Tier - Mattel, why?

Original Ghouls Clawdeen - Her face turned out okay...but that's really it. Her shoes are completely purple aside from the buckles, her shirt and skirt are sewn together, and her jacket has purple thread at the edges instead of an actual cotton trim. And that isn't even getting into the more minute changes. At least she isn't as bad as Original Ghouls Draculaura, but that's a low bar to clear. ...Yet I don't hate her. Pity, yes, but I just can't hate her.

Spunky Guardian Sailor April

Rounding out both the Mad Dogs and the Inner Senshi, here's April!

Sailor Mars' aggressive combat style matches well with April's love of nonstop action. Also, though this might be a bit of a stretch, the way April connected with Karai's spirit sort of brought Rei's psychic powers to mind.

Maybe I'll do a Tokyo Mew Mew series of Rise "cosplay" drawings soon. (I may or may not have also found the first of Kodansha's four TMM omnibuses yesterday... ^^')

Donnie: Sensory overload is such a weird thing to describe. In a nutshell, sound is attacking me

it makes me sad to see so many non-ADHD allistic neurodivergent people be shocked when they find out they do in fact "count" as neurodivergent (or even autistic or adhd people who are shocked to find out their other things Count as neurodivergent) bc they have been convinced by online communities that only ADHD and autism (and maybe anxiety) are neurodivergencies

Brainy Guardian Sailor Donnie

And here I am with another sailor turtle, just half an hour later.

Sailor Mercury was the immediate go-to for Donnie due to their shared role as the "smart one with awesome tech" on their respective teams. She is fitting in other, less obvious ways, though. Though normally graceful and mild-mannered, Ami is ruthlessly competitive in the academic scene; for Donnie's competitive side, refer to episodes like "The Purple Game." Sailor Mercury's uniform also shares a lot of design similarities to Sailor Moon's, which I think goes well with the Rise fandom pairing up Donnie and Leo as twins.

I think I might be able to squeeze in one more drawing tonight. ;)

I'd rather go for something a little more drawn-out, a little more sadistic:

Get rid of their safety nets. Find a way drain profitability from Spongebob and The Loud House so Nickelodeon has to care about other shows. Make them claw their way back to the top of the TV animation industry.

(No ill will toward Spongebob/Loud House fans. It's just frustrating to see your favorite shows, and high-quality animation in general, fall to the wayside for the sake of money.)

So I’ve been digging around the Turtlepedia wiki, going through old tweets from the team who worked on Rise & watched videos covering the scrapped Rise episodes so this is basically a post going through some of the scrapped season 2 stuff for Rise that I have found:

Rise was first written under the basis of there being three seasons

JJ Conway’s twitter posted an episode guide which showed some of the episodes that were expected to be in season two:

As you can see ‘The Clothes Don’t Make the Turtle’ was one of the last episode that was released that fit the original plan for Season 2 before most of the episodes got scrapped or changed & the Rise team had to rush to finish the series.

Some of the episodes we know the synopsis of while others still remain a mystery the scrapped episodes were listed in order as:

Wedding Smashers:

This episode involves Mikey & Raph going undercover as pretend villains ‘Shady Bug & Dr Rude’ to sneak into Ghost Bear’s Wedding after they accidentally gifted Ghost Bear one of Donnie inventions (a black hole generating toaster) as a wedding gift that they then need to retrieve.

The episode was supposed to introduce the character Ghostpepper, Ghostbear’s fiancé 

The episode also brings up some continuity in having the characters be aware that Meatsweats has been missing since the episode Pizza Puffs where he got kidnapped by ‘Shadow fiend’ at the end, I wish this episode hadn’t gotten scrapped because it shows that the Turtles are aware that their enemies are going missing when Big Mama starts kidnapping them for her Battle Nexus New York.

This episode most likely would have shown Ghostbear be kidnapped at the end like how Meatsweats was kidnapped at the end of Pizza Puffs & Hypno was kidnapped at the end of The Clothes Don’t Make the Turtle.   

Warren Stone 2: 

Donnie: Stand back total stranger we are fighting our greatest foe

April kept the arm that she cut off Warren in ‘Warren & Hypno Sitting in a Tree’ & the arm ended up growing into a second Warren Stone, despite April raising this second worm in secret Warren Stone Two ends up becoming the ‘turtles greatest foe’ after Warren Stone Two captures the Turtles, April & the original Warren Stone team up to save the Turtles & defeat Warren Stone 2

Parts of the episodes storyboards can be found on youtube, a running gag appears to be Mikey referring to Warren as ‘that other worm guy whose not Warren two’  

T-Hex

The episode T-Hex covers Mikey desperately wanting a robotic toy but Splinter saying no & Mikey having to sneak the electronic pet into the lair. Though the robot is adorable Mikey learns that it’s not as innocent as it seems & is actually a trap set by Baxter, the episode would have introduced Baxter in an Albearto mech

Psyched Out

Shred Dead Redemption

After the events of Manny Unhappy Returns the Foot Shack has shut down, Foot Lieutenant & Foot Brute open up a cupcake shop selling flaming cupcakes called  Fire and Icing which Raph wants to investigate 

The episode would have involved the Turtles doing a stakeout, a chase scene & the Foot clan putting themselves at odds with Big Mama as they investigate if her new champion ‘Shadow fiend’ has a connection to the missing Shredder.

The Island of Dr. Noe

Dr. Noe, the evil dentist from Todd Scouts ends up kidnapping Raph & Leo ends up having to lead the team in order to rescue Raph & stop the evil dentist.

Something interesting about this episode is when the Rise team were discussing this scrapped episode it was revealed that Leo wasn’t supposed to become the Leader at the end of Season 2, that’s right the iconic ‘Blue You Are The Leader Now’ wasn’t originally supposed to happen, instead Leo was supposed to be pushed into roles where he had to take charge throughout season 2 & the season would end with Raph & Leo as co-leaders.

Battle Nexus NYC (a full 20 minute episode) which was used in the series as Battle Nexus New York, the main difference between the original plan & the episode we got is that originally instead of Cassandra taking the Shredder from Big Mamma, the Grand Nexus Hotel was supposed to have fallen into the Hidden City with both Big Mamma & Shredder leaving The Foot to have to venture into the hidden city to try & retrieve the Shredder.

Toddler Mutant Ninja Turtles

A Mikey focused episode where a ‘bank robbing immortal jellyfish’ zaps Raph, Leo & Donnie, turning them into Turtle Tots & making Mikey the oldest brother for the episode. The episode is said to be inspired by the 1987 series episode ‘Adventures in Turtle Sitting’

Dog Dale Afternoon

April’s friend Dale who we first see in ‘Hypno! Part Deux’ gets turned into a werewolf by a witch & Donnie & April team up to try & turn him back to normal

Bee Story

Goyles Just Want To Have Fun

Huginn & Muninn reunite with Draxum, only to be confused when they find him working as a lunch server. Not wanting Huggin & Muninn to know how soft he’s gotten since his redemption Draxum begs the Turtles to help him look good in front of his former minions.

Rampagin’ Raph

Mikey & Leo have become more skilled in using their mystic powers making Raph feel left behind so Raph tries to practice in secret only to end up stuck in his giant form, Raph goes to to Draxum for help who ends up separating Raph & his mystic projection however the mystic projection ends up rampaging through the city becoming bigger & more powerful with the more things it destroys leaving Raph to have come clean to his brothers about what happened so they can save city. 

Hot Thrash  

Gourd Almighty 

Donnie grows a giant pumpkin for competition & has to have his brothers help him find a way to get the giant pumpkin out of the lair

Two pages of the episodes script were posted on Ron Corcillo’s twitter

A Spiders Web Widens 

Hidden City Heroes 

Gone Goat 

Draxum walks out after having a fight with the family but then gets kidnapped by the Foot. While attempting to rescue Draxum, the family has no choice but to resolve their issues relating to him.

The Key (a full 20 minute episode)

Karai was supposed to be introduced in this episode, she was supposed to have a larger role training the Turtles & with the family spanning around 10 episodes but due to the Rise team rushing to finish the series most of Karai’s episodes were scrapped.

The rest of the episode titles were not finalised however Ron Carney’s twitter posted a schedule board where possible episode titles can be seen.

Though Ron Carney also admitted that some of these titles are fake, the episode April Showers Mayhem Flowers might be real as the team admitted to wanting to do an episode about Mayhem & their status as an agent of the Council of Heads 

The Return of Monty Moose is also probably real as we can see Monty Moose appear in the Rise Movie’s scrapped intro so the team probably had plans for the character in season 2

Monty Moose is a toy line only character from the 1987 series so Rise introducing him as an actual character is kind of cool