Littlest Pet Shop (also known as LPS) is a toy franchise and cartoon series owned by Hasbro. The original toy series was produced by Kenner in the early 1990s. An animated television series was made in 1994 by Sunbow Productions and Jean Chalopin Creativite et Developpement, based on the franchise.
A new version of Littlest Pet Shop was introduced in 2005 by Hasbro, with revisions such as larger eyes. There are currently over 3,000 different pets that have been created under this revision. Hasbro, alongside various digital media developers, have produced video games for consoles such as the Nintendo DS, Wii and PlayStation 3. An animated television series of the same name is currently being produced by Hasbro Studios, and premiered in 2012. Hasbro has also created virtual pets to 'adopt' and play with online. These websites were Littlest Pet Shop VIP, and Littlest Pet Shop online, better recognized as the name LPS. Neither lasted longer than 3 years, but were very popular and enjoyed by many kids. In 2010, Hasbro released their version of Blythe as a part of this toy line. Hasbro has created many different versions of these cute creatures. The first series was created in 2005, the second release in 2008, the third release in 2012, and the most recent release in 2014.
Kenner Toys (1990s)
Introduced in 1992, each set included an action, such as a movable part. Most included magnets or simple mechanisms, such as flapping wings.
The line includes:
1992â€"1993
Note: Sets produced in 1992 are depicted. The same set released in 1992 were also remade in 1993 with different colors.
- Li'l Paw Prints Pets â€" Choice of fat yellowish cat or black dog with tan marks. They came on a molded plastic base that would hide a rolling stamper built into the underside of the pet. The cat's stamp had red ink, and the dog's stamp had purple ink.
Ready to Go Pets
- Happy Puppy â€" Dalmatian with purple pet carrier, ID tag, food dish, and magnetized red brush that, when moved in front of its stomach, causes its tail to wag (a revision in 1993 contained a black dog with a green brush).
- Hurrying Hamsters â€" Two hamsters with clear container (yellow lid), ID tag, water bottle, bag of paper litter, and clear pink wheel. The curved hamster has a little weight in its bellyâ€"when placed in wheel and handle turned, hamster would move as if it were running in the wheel (1993 revision contained two-tone hamsters).
- Ticklish Toucan â€" Magenta toucan with green feet, and a light turquoise cage with lavender bars, ID tag, perch, and food dish. Touching the toucan's head would cause her wings would flap (1993 revision had a red toucan).
- Color Change Chameleon â€" Green temperature-sensitive lizard with pink container (blue lid), ID tag, water bottle, and a desert background (1993 version had an orange chameleon).
- Bashful Bunny â€" White rabbit with light turquoise basket, ID tag, bunch of carrots, and food dish (green food). If you pressed down on the rabbit's tail, her ears would twitch (1993 revision had a brown patched bunny and a pink basket).
- Frisky Kitty â€" Black/grey cat with pink carrier, ID tag, food dish, and magnetized ball of wool (1993 revision had a cream-colored cat).
Pet Presents
- Cutesy Kittens â€" Golden and gray-white kittens (brown and tortoiseshell respectively in the 1993 version). Contained a cat house (with a built-in litter box on base), food dish, scratching post, and magnetized toy mouse on string. The golden kitten's head had a magnet in it and would bobble its head when the mouse was dangled in front of it. Pressing the gray-white kitten's tail would cause the arms to move up and down in a scratching motion.
- Mice â€" Three mice (two of which were magnetised, grey or white in 1992 version, black and white with patches in 1993 version). Terrarium with landscape insert, lid that could be flipped over to become a maze, magnetized cheese, water bottle and food dish.
- Turtles â€" Two turtles with a terrarium (Green with blue shells in 92, yellow with orange shells in 93), water dispenser, landscape with palm tree, and food dish.
- Playful Puppies â€" Two dogs (white fluffy dog, brown and white mutt; grey-white splotched fluffy dog and pure brown mutt in the 1993 version). Contained a large basket, paper newspaper, dog-bone, fire hydrant, and a food dish.
Cozy Home Pets
- Puppy Trio â€" Poodle, German Shepherd, and black-brown mutt. Came with a doghouse and fenced-in green grass base, food dish, mailbox, and magnetized newspaper. Pressing the poodle's tail would make her scratch her ear, pressing the shepherd's tail would make him shake his paw. The mutt's bobble head was magnetized to play tug-o-war with the paper and bone.
- Gerbils â€" Four gerbils, containing two yellow transparent plastic enclosures, connecting pipes, exercise wheel, food dish, water dispenser, and a magnetic wand to move the gerbils through pipes.
- Fish â€" Tank with colorful floating fish.
- Monkeys â€" A trio of monkeys with a tree, two platforms, tire-swing, food and water bowl, and two bunches of bananas.
Mommy and Babies
Each set came with 5 babies and a mother. Two of the babies had magnets inside and would suckle the mother. Each set seems to have used multiple variations in colour.
- Mommy and Baby Puppies â€" Grey and white mother and pups.
- Mommy and Baby Kitties â€" Grey or white mother, kittens come in yellow, grey and white.
- Mommy and Baby Bunnies â€" White or brown mother, brown, white and grey babies, containing a cardboard vegetable garden, grassy terrain with hole, basket, bunch of carrots, lettuce, and food and water bowl.
Playsets
- Pet Shop â€" Came with a variety of accessories and two caged lovebirds that would kiss when lever moved (1992 version is aqua, 1993 version is coral).
- Care Center â€" Veterinarian play set with dog, kitten, and numerous veterinarian pieces. It came with a white bed with adjustable pillow angle, aqua weighing table (with removable meter and two drawers), magenta X-ray machine with blue "scanner" (which was a handle that turns battery 'on' and 'off'), white cast for dog's arm, yellow tweezers, aqua tray, white and aqua syringe, white scissors, square aqua canister, yellow thermometer, round yellow canister, aqua bottle, aqua blanket, x-rays (one for the cat, two for the dog) that are illuminated by an x-ray machine, check-up list, 5 Band-Aid stickers cut out. When the kitten is placed in warm water, the fleas disappear. The dog's arm is moveable, and the cast can be put on it.
- Kennel Playcase (1994) â€" A re-purposed pet shop play set, this set uses the same overall mould, but comes with different accessories and a differently shaped counter.
Beethoven's 2nd
Based upon the movie series, there was a number of playsets featuring the infamous Saint Bernard dogs.
1994
Pal Around Pups
- Splash Happy Puppies â€" Four dogs, bath tub, bathroom counter and bathroom accessories.
- Prize Winning Pups â€" Four dogs, awards stage, carrier, and accessories.
Splashtime Pets
- Swimming Ducklings â€" Mother duck with two baby ducklings, all magnetized, bowl of food, and pond. the ducks could be made to move in the pond by a magnetized wand. There is also a swan version.
- Deepsea Divers â€" A small tank with two separated sides that both have coral, one side is blue and the other is red with yellow coral. Hot water is supposed to go in the red side and cold water on the blue side to make the seahorse turn colors. There is an octopus that squirts water, a snail, a seahorse that hooks on the coral and a magnet wand.
- Jump 'n Splash Frogs â€" Three frogs on lily pads, a tank with a catapult, jar of food, and frog jumping contest mat.
Chatter pets
- Chirpy Tree Friends â€" Skunk, raccoon, squirrel, tree, and a hanging food dish.
- Chirpy Birds â€" Four birds and a clear aviary. There was a button on the top of the aviary that would chirp when pressed.
- Furry Kittens â€" Three cats and a kitty condo, and a mouse with a box that squeaked.
- Bobbleheads â€" The new pets wears bows, with their ears.
My Real Pets
- Playful Persian
- Sleek Siamese
- Clever Collie
- Fancy Poodle
- Lively Shih Tzu
- Brave German Shepherd
Littlest Pet Shop Zoo (1993â€"1994)
- Keep Me Safe Pets
- Jungle Bunch â€" Elephant, panda, leopard, and bird, with zoo enclosure, bowl of food, coconut, and branch of brown bamboo. Elephant squirts water out of its ear when squeezed, Panda holds bamboo and raises it toward dirty face to "drink"when head is pushed, The bear, Leopard bats coconut when head is pushed and bird flaps wings when head is pressed.
- Polar Pets â€" Polar bear, two penguins, and a seal, with icy cave, and a fishing rod â€" Polar bear has magnet in head, chases fish. Penguins have ball bearings on bottom allowing them to "slide" down the iceberg and seal flaps flippers when snowball on its nose is turned.
- Nursery Pets
- Baby Tiger â€" Baby tiger and a baby cockatoo, with a zoo enclosure, food bowl, and ball-on-string. Tiger shares a mould and gimmick with the jungle bunch leopard.
- Baby Chimp â€" Baby chimp, with a zoo enclosure with hammock, baby's bottle, nappies, doll, and blanket. - Chimp wets self.
- Baby Zebra â€" Baby zebra and baby mouse, with a zoo enclosure, brush, and bale of hay â€" Zebra has a gear hidden in its mane, when turned one hoof kicks.
- Playful Ponies
- Arabian Prancers â€" One black rearing pony, one standing grey.
- Shy Shetlands â€" Shetland ponies, mummy and baby.
- Indian Ponies â€" Two ponies, one cream, one brown. Comes with an apple
- Wilderness Pets
- Baby Bobcat â€" Baby bobcat, cave, food bowl, and toy mouse on string of pink. - Same as petshop standing kitties, bobcat has a magnet in the head and will follow the mouse.
- Desert Parakeet Same as below, Blue not grey.
- Fearless Falcon â€" Tan falcon, purple bowl of grey food, desert terrain in enclosure with blue lid. - flaps wings
- Honey Bear â€" Bear, cave, orange bowl of purple food, and mug of honey that the bear can hold. - Like panda, raises honey pot to "eat"
- Playful Sea Lion â€" Sea lion with starfish on its nose. When the starfish is turned, the sea lion 'claps'
- Keep Me Safe Pets (94 release)
- Lion Family
- Play With Me Pets
- Mommy Hen â€" Hen with baby chicks in eggs in nest, that chirps when pressed. Also included coop and food/water dish.
- Baby Calf â€" Tail swishes when head petted
- Baby Lamb â€" Woolly coat comes off
- Zoo Playset
- Playset â€" Beige carry case, that folds open with two internal trees, Two bright green leaf canopies; one fits on top of each tree trunk, Purple chest, accessories in yellow, aqua, or bright pink: two sacks, small bale of hay, bag of peanuts, bucket of fruit, bamboo stick, bunch of bananas, two fish.
1995â€"1996
Kenner also produced sets in 1995 and 1996 ranging from "Shimmering Mer Pets" to Plush "Dazzling Hair Pets", diverging further from their original pet shop sets.
- Seaworld â€" Featured several Sea World stars like Baby Shamu.
- McDonald's Happy Meal â€" included fantasy creatures, such as a unicorn and a dragon.
- Television Series â€" featuring the characters from the animated LPS stories.
Hasbro toys (2005â€"present)
In 1985, General Mills spun off its Kenner and Parker toy divisions to form Kenner Parker Toys, Inc. Kenner Parker was acquired by Tonka in 1987. Under Tonka management, Kenner Products was reconstituted as a division. Tonka (including Kenner) was purchased by the toy company Hasbro in mid-1991. Hasbro closed the Cincinnati offices of Kenner in 2000, and Kenner's product lines were merged into Hasbro's.
Generation One
The Littlest Pet Shop toy line had new molds, looked cartoon-like and had colours like a real animal and can be blended in. They had bobble-heads (except for the fish) and they came with a pink magnet. Some pets can be fuzzy. Later ones have a blue magnet. The series of sets are Single Packages, Pet Pairs, Portable Pets, 20-pack, and playsets. The Littlest Pet Shop "numbers" for the Generation 1 was #1â€"#456.
Generation Two
These LPS has symbols in their eyes that meant something, such as: snowflake (chilliest), cookie with a bite (hungriest), raindrop (sportiest), and an explosion symbol on some Comic Con pets
Generation Three
Later, they added the Shimmer and Shine series, Sticker Eyes pet series, added Blythe, and the Fairies series. The numbers for Generation 3 is #974â€"2675.
Generation Four
The Littlest Pet Shop toy line had the new molds and the new eye style. Hasbro remade the Totally Talented from the G1 set, Blythe also changed. The numbers for Generation 4 are #2684â€"#3107.
Bobbleâ€"inâ€"style pets
Hasbro had lots of calls complaining about the Generation 4 pets. Hasbro made the Bobbleâ€"inâ€"style, it included pets from the 2012 TV show and made it look like the pets from 2005â€"2012.
Media adaptations
Animation
Littlest Pet Shop (1995)
Littlest Pet Shop Presents
The animated shorts, produced by Cosmic Toast Studios, were released online by Hasbro.
Movie
Biggest Littlest Pet Shop
TV Series
Littlest Pet Shop (2012)
Video games
Littlest Pet Shop video game (2008)
Littlest Pet Shop mobile game (2012)
Inauthentic Littlest Pet Shop Toys
Many sellers across the globe sell fake versions of the toys. They are said to be made from cheap rubber and have hollow, squishy heads. The most noticeable feature is the painting on them. Usually, to identify if a Littlest Pet Shop toy is authentic or not is to look at the paint. Fake Littlest Pet Shop toys have peeling, bright paint while authentic ones have pastel colours. Fake Littlest Pet Shop toys have made a big impact on the collectors and many have become very cautious about what they are buying.
References
External links
- Official site
- Littlest Pet Shop at the Internet Movie Database