Aladin S Genie

The wish-granting spirit of the Arabian Nights has been drawn a thousand ways, but the version everybody pictures is broad through the chest, tapering away to smoke where the legs should be, arms folded and grinning as though he already knows what you are about to ask for. That is the character this fan piece takes on. It is built as a display sculpt rather than a plaything, with enough theatre in the pose to hold its own beside bought collectibles. Showmanship is the whole appeal here: this is a character defined by performance, so a static model has to carry it in stance and expression alone. The obvious audience is anyone who grew up with the animated film, or a collector putting together a group of characters from it. It works just as well on its own, for people who like a bit of mischief on the bookcase.