A Hong Kong doll maker with a history of creating figurines of controversial world leaders has launched a replica of US President Donald Trump complete with replaceable heads and hands.
Trump follows in a line of other limited-edition figures made by the firm, including Russian President Vladimir Putin and former Soviet leader Joseph Stalin. The company also issued a model of former US president Barack Obama after he won the US presidency eight years ago.
The 30.5cm Trump figure comes with a red “make America great again” cap and presidential podium, as well as two removable heads with different facial expressions.
Photo: AFP
Four swappable hands can be fixed to the toy, including one with a jabbing pointed finger.
The doll — which costs about US$120 — has received “love and hate” responses, toy maker Dragon in Dream founder Howard Cheung (張學鈞) said.
“This one definitely had more feedback and interest than the others,” he told reporters.
The company is displaying a prototype of the doll in Hong Kong toy shop Seven and has taken a total 300 pre-orders so far, including online from the US. There is a thriving toy collecting scene in Hong Kong and the Trump doll stands among an array of other models in the shop, from Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles to Star Wars figures and a replica of Adolf Hitler.
The toy has received an “enthusiastic” response, with 50 pre-orders through the shop alone, store manager Monita Chan said.
“Maybe they like Trump’s aggressive style — it’s been quite popular,” she said.
One customer told reporters he had pre-ordered the doll to add to his collection of miniature historic figures, which includes Napoleon, Hitler and late Libyan leader Muammar Qaddafi.
“I think anybody’s better than [former US secretary of state] Hillary [Rodham] Clinton, including Donald Trump,” said the customer, a Hong Konger in his 30s who gave his name as Joe.
The doll maker’s Facebook page showed photographs of the toy roaming Hong Kong’s busy streets and even visiting a karaoke suite.
While some users registered excitement after ordering the doll, others ridiculed it.
“What a waste of your time and plastic! Does it come with a white hood and robes?” one netizen said on Facebook.
“Good lord, they need to keep these things sealed up,” another said, adding that the doll’s hands were “too big,” referring to descriptions of Trump having small hands.
The doll maker in 2015 became embroiled in controversy after it made a Nazi soldier model that bore a striking resemblance to German soccer player Bastian Schweinsteiger.
The Manchester United midfielder threatened legal action over that doll, which the company had named “World War II German Army Supply Duty Bastian.”
Cheung told reporters that the company never received a lawsuit from Schweinsteiger.
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