In 1992, renowned toy company Kenner Toys released the new toy line "Littlest Pet Shop." The figurines had a realistic touch to them.
Each set had an action, activated by a magnet or other simple mechanism. This was the first generation of LPS pets.
These new molds exaggerated the head and eye proportions of the pets and offered a larger variety of figurines.
The new adaptation of the toy line was popular for their "bobbleheads"; these heads were connected to the body by a
short, clear tube barely visible below the head and allowed the head to move, or "bobble," around.
The pets also had magnets which allowed for interaction with objects that contain an activation point for them.
Most pets released in this era contain a red/pink magnet with an engraved paw print decal,
while later pets released in 2007 contain a bluish-gray magnet.
As the toy line evolved, Hasbro introduced bolder, more vibrant colors to the molds.
Decals such as flower or vine designs adorned the bodies of some pets, and the franchise began to
focus on personalities. Circular catchlights were replaced by symbols, categorizing the pets into personality
types, the first of them being Cuddliest, Sportiest, Fanciest, Messiest, and Friendliest.
The Littlest Pet Shop toy line, while still keeping the bold colors, discontinued the use of
unique shapes for eye irises. Some pets released in 2010 contained stamped-on eyes
(often called “Sticker Eyes”) as opposed to being painted on an already molded
pair of eyes on the pet’s mold. Stickers continued to be included in sets.
The pets now came with names and stories, removing the creative liberties and independence that served as part of the charm
of the original Hasbro franchise. The old molds were replaced by all new ones, removing their bobblehead characteristics
and featuring a drastically different eye style. Body proportions were extremely exaggerated, such as thin torsos, larger
heads, and small paws that made it difficult to stand the pets up. LPS's new slogan was, "Little pets, BIG personalities!"
Many passionate collectors stopped buying new Littlest Pet Shops at this point.
In light of the toy line's downfall, Hasbro changed the molds once again in 2014, dubbing the new series "Pets in the City."
These new pets took on certain features of the 2005 pets, such as the bobbleheads and double-toned eyes,
but continued to use new molds and had more expressive faces and poses.
Littlest Pet Shop once again got a new overhaul, with the logo changing entirely. The figures retain their bobble-heads,
double-toned eyes and names, but opinions of them are different depending on the collector. Some appreciate
that they pay homage to the more popular Generation 2, while others believe they have lost their original charm.
As of 2020, the toyline went on hiatus.
There will be a reboot of Littlest Pet Shop in 2024 by both Hasbro and Basic Fun, which was revealed in late 2022.
So far, very little information is known about this reboot.
Click here to read what we know about the 2024 reboot!