Domo Doll Vinyl Figure – Black Light
Product Review
By Rebecca Kyle
I first saw Domos in a Halloween display at Target. When I asked why all the traditional monsters were wearing this weird toothy expression, one of the redshirt staff showed me a real Domo, a square brown-fur clad stuffed animal whose trademark expression dentists have got to fear.
“Where’d it come from?” I asked.
“It’s Japanese anime,” he told me. “Just another fad.”
Now, Domo is everywhere. You can’t go to the Hallmark store or even Bed, Bath and Beyond without seeing a Domo in various configurations. I love weird stuffed animals. How I managed to resist all this time is beyond me.
But, when you start talking about a Domo that glows under black light, I’m interested. This appeals to the tie-dye wearing ex-Austin hippie in me.
So, what’s Black Light Domo like?
First, DarkHorse Comics got the packaging right. Black Light Domo is described as being suitable for ages 8 and up. Too many toy manufacturers take all a kid’s fun out of opening toys by requiring a tool set to cut through all the wire, tape, and other impediments they call packaging.
In Black Light Domo’s case, just slide your fingernail under the tape at the top back of the box, pull the two-part plastic shell out, open it, and release the Domo! It took me more time to type up the instructions than to actually do the actions.
Domo is surprisingly heavy and solid for a plastic figure. He’s not poseable, which for me is not a problem. I love the typical arms-at-side posture. He stands well on his own and can even act as a paperweight for smaller items.
I would stick with the 8 year old recommendation, despite the tough-looking hard plastic Domo is constructed from. Younger kids might want to chew or feed him to the dog. Who knows what kind of plague that’d release?
On opening the box, my first reaction was to smile. How can you not when you’re looking at this 4.5-inch figure grinning back at you?
The color. It’s not hot pink, passion pink, or raspberry. Considering Domo’s expression, I’ve named the color Pugnacious Pink. He reminds me of me before I’ve had my caffeine in the morning.
As far as the black light name, you could even say he glows. Yeah, I had to buy a black light bulb just to see.
So, where does Domo fit in my household? Put him next to Cthulhu and I swear I hear him saying, “Calamari.”
Despite the rumors that a kitten dies every time you buy a Domo, my four cats treat him with typical feline indifference.
On the other hand, my raft of Devil Ducks has embraced him. I wonder, should I be worried?
Reviewed By Rebecca Kyle
Largest Online Selection of Domo Dolls & Games - TFAW (Things From Another World) 
