Sylvanian Families | Chocolate Rabbit Family

06.07.2016 – The “Sylvanian Families” is a world building hobby that is populated by different kinds of anthropomorphic animal figurines made of flocked plastic. It has become a popular collectible line of toys that were created by the Japanese gaming company Epoch in 1985 and distributed worldwide by a number of companies. To get the better understanding of “Sylvanian Families” it uses the concept of dollhouses and anthropomorphic animal figures. Originally attracting the interest of female collectors, but over the years it welcome everyone who got interested.

It is considered one of the popular toys in the 1980 having its own animated series produced in the US. It also gained attention in the UK and Spain which was also shown in the 1990s on Nick Jr. The toyline have been collectibles having the first releases were made of porcelain and the furniture was made of wood. But over the years they where replaced by material made of metal and plastic.

Their reinvention of the brand toward the early 2000s has gained them popularity beyond its original concept as little girl’s toys. It gained adult collectors and even opened its own restaurant that not only sell the merchandise, but also serve great food that closed in 2011. But they opened a theme park that includes a museum featuring the beginnings of the toys up to the present where they also sell exclusive sets that’s not available anywhere.

The entire franchise is set in Sylvania, a fictional village based on 1950s Great Britain. The majority of the families are all rural middle-class, with many of them owning localized but successful family businesses, or having white-collar jobs, such as doctor, teacher, artist, news reporter, and carpenter or bus driver. They are designed wearing very 1950s-like fashion.





Meet the Rabbit Family

Most popular family in the line is the Chocolate Rabbit Family like most of the “Sylvanian Families” it consist of a father, mother, sister and brother, which considered a ‘starter pack’ for those who would begin collecting the series or build their re-imagined world of what a Sylvanian Family would look like.

There won’t be any accessories included in this set as they’re a complete set of family. Most sets that have been released include one or two members of the same family that was packed in the ‘Family Set’, which becomes redundant.





A Flock of Hare-y Clan

Every family member of the Chocolate Rabbit stands out when it comes to appearance, fashion, and personality. Even without accessories they are great display pieces that appeal to the non-collector of this franchise.

Each figure is flocked and has detailed clothing with basic articulation in the arms and the legs. Rarely there will be articulation to turn the head left to right, but overall what makes these figures appealing is how Epoch made them well-detailed down to the clothing and why they are an expensive hobby.



Sylvanian Community

So if you plan to build your own Sylvanian world you get to join a commutiy. For example in the case of having an extra Chocolate Rabbit that you have acquired from the set there’s chance that you can trade it with another collector. This is where the community of Sylvanian hobbyist are into.

You not only trade for the exact same figure, but also a possible trade for furniture and other Sylvanian-related accessories. There have been an ever growing community who are in to the “Sylvanian Families” that rarely seen as a mainstream group. But have their own community that held special events which partners with the local distributor of the toys.

The Chocolate Rabbit Family would be considered the most common group of animals. There have been more rare family of animal groups out there but the basic set most that start with this interest begins with a group of rabbits.

“Chocolate Rabbitr Family” set is retailed at PhP 1199.75 pesos available at Toy Kingdom, Toy Town, Toys R’ Us, and other leading stores in the Philippines nationwide.

Sylvanian Families is locally distributed by Ban Kee Trading and for more LIKE Ban Kee Toys on Facebook. For more about the local community LIKE PH Sylvanian Families on Facebook!