Steven Universe Toys: Funko Pops

Today we cover the beloved Funko Pops made for Steven Universe. Despite being such a popular series with so many interesting characters, there are only 16 SU Funko Pops, with four of those being Glow-in-the-Dark Variants and one being a Flocked Variant!

Let's take a good look at the Funko Pops.

GARNET

Standard Garnet looks pretty good; her hair is appropriately bread loaf shaped, and because of her hand pose, we can see her accurate Gems. Her body is sturdy and strong, and her paint job looks good. The only thing that is less ideal is that they did not listen to the requested notes from the SU character designer that they please preserve the opacity of Garnet's visor as that is key to her aesthetic. I'm disappointed that they ignored this note and elected to show off her three eyes instead with a translucent visor. (And if they were going to do that, they should have given her three different colored eyes, but they didn't, even though black-button eyes are NOT mandatory for Funko Pops.)

The Glow version:

Glow Garnet is no different design-wise but has paler skin because of the glow-in-the-dark paint.

AMETHYST

I love Amethyst's thick build and hair sculpt. She is a great Pop and looks amazing in this style, not too awkward and with her signature catlike smile. They went with her post-Reformed outfit as much of her merch does.

The Glow version:

Glow Amethyst is no different design-wise but has paler skin because of the glow-in-the-dark paint.

PEARL

I hate to say this but I think the design of Funko Pop Pearl failed to capture her aesthetic. The head is far too square (they did not listen to the character designer's notes on how to roundify her head and get her hair to line up properly). The cone-like nose and slightly open mouth don't really flatter Pearl. In addition, she did not come with a plastic stand for stability, and is easily toppled because she is hugely top-heavy with such a slim body and huge head. They did get her lovely blue eyes right, and her Grm looks really nice, as well as how accurately they got her delicately long feet, her sculpted tunic, and her poised little hands.

The Glow version:

Glow Pearl is no different design-wise but has paler skin because of the glow-in-the-dark paint.

STEVEN

Our Steven has an appropriately thick torso and legs, making him a very sturdy Pop. His signature grin is adorbs, he gets a little raised lump of a nose, and his stance and paint job is all true to character. The eyes look a little vacant but that's a Pop phenomenon. And if you were not aware, it is deliberate that his hair is sculpted like a rose in the back:

They also said this was intended to look a bit like a challah bread.

The Glow version:

Glow Steven is not structuarally different but has his shirt up and his Gem exposed in addition to the paler skin because of the glow-in-the-dark paint.

PERIDOT

Here is Peridot post-limb enhancers. She has her grump face on and her hair is an appropriately pyramidic shape. Her little body is great, and her visor is a separate piece (though not designed as detachable). Her little balled fists are cute, and unlike most of the rest, she gets a tiny raised nose.

LAPIS LAZULI

Lapis makes a beautiful Pop. Her watery aesthetic is enhanced by the billowing skirt and the floating wisps of hair. They did very well with her hair and head shape and managed to get her slim aesthetic down without making her unstable. Her lovely bare feet and simple colors look good, and a simple smile is cute despite her not being much of a smiler in the show. She even has a tiny little Gem painted on her back. And the WINGS! The translucent plastic conveys a very watery image so even people who aren't familiar with the character will know they're supposed to be water wings.

CONNIE MAHESWARAN

Connie comes with a stand (the less stable ones got stands once the second series came out). She comes to us in her training outfit with battle damage, hair bound in a braid, no glasses. Connie gets a raised nose that helps keep her Pop closer to character, but the wide shape of the head falls pretty far from her more oblong head in the show. Connie's body is slim but the limbs are short, helping her retain her child proportions.

ROSE QUARTZ

This incredibly gorgeous Pop of Rose is instantly captivating, making me really wish there was a Greg Pop to stand near her. (Two Pearls will have to be enough!) Her lip paint gives her that perfect Rose pout, she has a lump nose like Steven, and her arms are poised in grace. Her incredible floor-length curlicue hair is a complex sculpt and looks AMAZING, and her dress looks true to form. My only complaints are that she was given little eyelashes (none of the other SU Pops have them), and I wish her body was big and sturdy like Steven and Amethyst. She is a very stable Pop but I wanted her to look less waifish and more like a gigantic birthday cake, with thicker arms.

LION

They did a great job with this big pink goofball. They gave him white eyes like they are glowing, and his mane sculpt could have been bigger but looks fine. His heart nose is cute. His mouth is not visible. Lion is sitting and has four separated limbs on one chunky body, and his tail flies loose behind him. He's such a joy to behold!

The Flocked Version:

Sometimes Funko makes fuzzy versions of our furry friends. This Flocked Lion is just as cute as the original but he has velvety fur. A must-have.

PINK DIAMOND

Pink Diamond has a small raised triangle nose, similar lip paint to Rose, no eyelashes, and a fun little whimsical look to her fluffy short pink hair. Her eyes are solid black (I'd been hoping for a Diamond paint) and she does NOT have the rose-shaped hair Steven has. Pink comes with a stand because she's a bit of a toppler with her overly broad head and tiny body. The details on her costume, even her shoes, are exquisite. Her Diamond in her belly is properly faceted but has no varied colors to help them stand out.

STEVONNIE

Last to be released is Stevonnie. They come with a stand but don't really need it because they have a nice wide stance and sturdy lower body. The hair is huge and poofy without making them too heavy, and I'm very pleased with the Steveny eyebrows and Connieish nose. They are holding both sword and shield and are dressed in their debut outfit. And they even have their cute bare feet and Gem on display, topped off by a crooked grin. Another successful Pop.