Mattel 7 Inch Rocky Gibraltar

Rocky Gibraltar was not a toy of many words (he actually he had no lines except for an occasional grunt), but he was always there to lend a strong helping hand!

Not so long ago, getting your hands on a Rocky Gibraltar was no easy task unless it was a small scale figure or you were willing to spend some serious dough! For a very long time, the best replica out there was the Medicom Rocky Vinyl Collectible Doll which ranged from £200 – £1000 depending on the seller (which were usually in Japan) plus import and shipping fees. 

In 2021, Mattel made Toy Story collectors VERY happy when they released a line of half scale Pixar figures including this 7 inch Rocky Gibraltar. Although it’s not a full-scale replica, it is the most movie accurate official Rocky Gibraltar figure thus far – and it’s affordable!

Price

This Mattel half scale Rocky Figure was available at a very, very affordable price. I purchased mine from Smyths Toys Superstore for £9.99. It was also available in the US from Target for $9.99. Hunting down Toy Story replicas usually costs an arm and a leg so it was very refreshing to see such a well-made and very sought after Toy readily available at such an affordable price. Sadly at the time of this post, the Rocky Gibraltar figure is no longer available on the Smyths or Target website or even on Amazon. You will likely need to hunt one down second hand on eBay. The prices on eBay range from £25 -£100+. There’s nothing I hate more than giving a scalper an unreasonable amount of money for something that had a low retail price but unfortunately, as it becomes harder and harder to get, it is likely the prices will go up more and more. 

The Figure

The figure is a half scale replica which is just under 7 inches tall. The overall sculpt, design, and colour of the figure is incredibly impressive and movie accurate, especially considering the price point. 

The head and all of the facial features are very movie accurate. I would go as far as to say the cheekbones, nose, and jawline look even more defined on the figure than they do on Rocky in some of the scenes in the first Toy Story movie. Rocky’s nose and cheekbones even have a nice shine to them. The sculpting of the teeth is also very impressive. Each individual tooth has been sculpted rather than using a plain white plastic piece, and the piece fits perfectly into the mouth.

The mask is also incredibly movie accurate right down to the ridges and bumpy texture. It is matte so there is no shine, the colour is accurate, the texture is ragged, and there are even three indented lines on each side of the mask just like we see in the film. Rocky’s mask is not removable, but I never expected it to be as we never saw Rocky without his mask in the movies. Rocky’s eyes have been painted on in a dark blue colour as they are in the movie, however do look out for paint bleeds as there is considerable bleeding of the mask paint on the eyes of my figure. 

Rocky of course is known for his strength so the figure has broad shoulders, large pecks, and very muscular arms. The general sculp of his body and outfit, particularly his blue bottoms, is very well done. What’s really impressive is that even the knee joints are pointed exactly as they are in the movie. Rocky even has the ‘Rocky Gibraltar’ belt buckle which has been painted on to the figure rather than using a sticker, which is always great to see. There are some minor movie inaccuracies in the colour and design of the belt buckle (see below) but I would stress that they are very minor inaccuracies. Again, do look out for paint bleeds as yellow paint bled on to the shoulders of my figure. 

Articulation

The figure is fairly lightweight as the body is hollow but it is very top heavy. Stability is decent as the figure can stand on its own, but you will need to position his legs just right. If there is any movement or shaking, he will likely fall over.

Articulation is fantastic, again especially when you consider the price point. There is articulation in the neck, and the head can move side to side 90 degrees. The arms can spin a full 360 degrees vertically (forwards and backwards) and can also move 90 degrees upwards at his sides. Rocky’s elbows have some articulation as his forearms can move 90 degrees upwards. The wrists also have 360-degree articulation.

Articulation in the waist is limited. You can move him side to side at the wait but not a full 90 degrees. This isn’t an issue as it is representing natural articulation (I know I certainly cannot move my way alone a full 90 degrees!). 

The legs have a lot of articulation as they can spin a full 360 degrees at an angle following the line of his blue bottoms. There is also articulation in his knees, but this is limited. You can also move his feet back slightly but not a full 90 degrees as his boots are too large to allow for full 90-degree movement. This means you cannot make him kneel on his knees. If you want to put Rocky in a kneeling position, you would have to push back his entire legs so he would be “kneeling” on the joints at the top of his legs (as below).

Movie Inaccuracies

As mentioned above, this figure is meant to be a half scale figure, so it is not a full-scale replica. There are also some minor movie inaccuracies but in all fairness, the figure is just a toy and it is not intended to be a full scale replica. 

Overall the colouring of the mask and the outfit is great, however the shade of his tan is not 100% accurate. Rocky has more of an orange tan rather than a brownish tan.

The red rim and red laces in his boots are missing. His boots are completely blue. This is a very minor discrepancy and if you really wanted to make this a movie accurate figure, you could always paint on the red rim and laces.

The belt “buckle” is also slightly different to the one seen in the film. The belt refers to the Rock of Gibraltar which is a monolithic limestone rock in the Iberian Peninsula. It was also known as one of the pillars of Hercules referring again to his strength. You will see the wording on the belt is accurate however the rock itself is the wrong colour. It is a dark blue rather than a light grey colour, but again the inaccuracy is very minor and many people would not even notice.

There are no accessories which come with this figure which is a little disappointing. If the figure came with a Tinker Toy looking weight, that would have been the cherry on top for this amazing figure. I am sure a lot of Toy story fans would have been prepared to pay a little more for a movie accurate weight accessory.

Packaging

Given the price point for this figure, I think the packaging is good and fair, but it’s not extravagant.

The cardboard backing is relatively thick but it can bend quite easily, particularly at the corners. This of course is important for collectors as we never want a damaged box. The figure stands on a clear plastic base with the Toy Story Logo and the label “Rocky Gibraltar”.

What is fantastic about this packaging is that Rocky is held in place by 5 clear plastic bands. This means that if you are careful in removing the figure, Rocky can go in and out of the packaging without damaging the packaging itself. Again, this is wonderful news for collectors as you can take the figure in and out of the packing whilst keeping the packing in pristine condition. This saves us having to buy two if we want to take the figure out of the packaging! Do be careful because the clear bands holding him in place do not have much elasticity to them and break quite easily. You will need to take extra care when taking him in and out of the packaging.

Geekkie Opinion

Whilst this is not a perfect full-scale replica of Rocky Gibraltar, this is without a doubt the best Rocky toy which has been released to date and was very, very exciting for Toy Story collectors. It is even more incredibly when you consider the minor role Rocky has in the Toy Story movies.

It is incredibly movie accurate, it was affordable, it has a lot of articulation, and it was relatively easy to find when it was first released (especially if you lived in the UK). I have no regrets purchasing this figure and it is a wonderful addition to my collection. It saved me having to spend a fortune on the Medicom Rocky which you should note is also NOT a full scale replica. It is only 5 and a half inches tall. 

If you want a full scale Rocky Gibraltar replica, the only option at the time of this post is to purchase a custom made 3-D printed replica. Failing this, this 7 Inch Mattel Rocky Gibraltar is the best replica out there.

 

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