Playmobil and Animal cruelty 3628.

[Sir Gareth]

3628 Hunting Party 1994-1996.

It is said that this set flopped due to its content portraying animal cruelty and was not suitable as a toy for children. It was released at the time of all the anti fur campaigns so was it just a case of bad timing or is it really that bad that even if it had been released earlier or even today would it still flop?

Personally I like this set and it is what I consider a Historically factual set and I can’t see anything wrong with it at all. It’s just simply showing what happened in those times, people had to eat and meat was a big part of everybody’s diet. The Boar wouldn’t of been killed just for sport but perhaps for a banquet maybe a wedding or similar event.

 However I am an adult and know a bit about history, how might a child of 4+ see this set would they call it a Hunting party or just Kill the pig set? The box front doesn’t really show any violent things happening to the Boar but the box side does. You can see the Lord of manor on his horse about to stick his spear in to the Boars belly whilst another hunter is coming in ready to club the boar to finish it off with big Playmo smiles on their faces. Maybe it was this one image that made people put this box back on the shelf?

Apart for all of the cruelty aspects to this set, it did produce some very nice pieces of Playmobil, for me it is the figure in blue and the simple hood on the bird of prey. I would have liked to have seen that figure on his horse with the falcon as a simple 3 series set on his own.

So what’s your opinions on this set, would you have bought it for your kids or should they all be melted.



 

[Richard]

Hello, Garry ...

Personally, I have always loved this set! ...

However, I bought it for myself ...

I think that a lot of carnivorous humans may be in denial about what they eat. And, may want to protect their children from their own discomfort about knowing where steak, bacon and hot dogs really come from ...

Our younger daughter (who is now in her twenties) still likes to  pretend that hamburgers really grow on trees ...

It is indeed a part of our history, Garry!

But, it makes you wonder how the parents who were upset with this set, rationalize all of the other knights, pirates, wild west, vikings and now the Romans sets

What do they think that a battle axe was used for? Or, a musket? And, how will they explain the gladiators and tigers to their children?

3628 was a great set. But, perhaps just a bit to close too home for a vocal few.

Thanks for a great review, Garry!

Maybe next, you would like to review set 5344? That was the European butcher stand (Kleintierstand) that by the time it crossed the Atlantic and arrived in the United States had become an American pet stand ...

All the best and thanks again,
Richard
 

[Meg]

Well, I have one.
Because I wanted it.

I would have bought it for a child.
I dont have a problem with the set.
Its cruel as the sets that have Barbarians/Vikings/Romans/Knights etc fighting one another.

Would you consider the new Colliseum to be cruel?

As to the pet shop/butcher shop, I didnt realize the name change occurred after it crossed the ocean.
I can believe that children liked the set, and were using the animals as pets, rather than dinner.

M

[Tiermann]

Personally I love this set - that blue figure is a great one.
A parent who buys any set with a violence connotation has a responsibility to their child to talk about it and explain things in the manner that best reflects their family culture and the larger one they live within.

I was in a shop in Portland looking at Playmobil and there was a little boy who wanted the Sherriff set. The mom wouldn't let him have it because he can't have violent toys. She offered to get the set as long as she could put away the guns. The kid didn't want to go for it. Violence is pervasive in most cultures around the world. It's a difficult thing to fight against that.

[Serenity]

I was in a shop in Portland looking at Playmobil and there was a little boy who wanted the Sherriff set. The mom wouldn't let him have it because he can't have violent toys. She offered to get the set as long as she could put away the guns. The kid didn't want to go for it. Violence is pervasive in most cultures around the world. It's a difficult thing to fight against that.

This made me laugh.  I don't let my little guy have guns either (but swords are okay, go figure  ) ... but he still manages to 'make' guns:  a curved piece of railroad track, legos he's built up, a stick.  I guess I don't want him to have something that looks like a real gun to play with.  I don't let him have the playmo guns 'cause they're just too small and get lost easily.

As for set 3628, I bought this one for myself as well, but both my husband and I were shocked in an amused kind of way at the realism.  However, I don't see it as animal cruelty as much as a way of life, especially then.

For animal cruelty, the 3632 and 3567 bear acts set my teeth on edge.  I get the historical significance and all that, but those two really bother me.  But that's me.

[Captain Henry]

I wish I had that set (and probably more than one), I've been looking for it for quite some time, but prices have not been what I would consider reasonable.

From a cruelty standpoint, I do not see a problem with it at all - people in medieval times had to hunt for food, it was a part of every day life. They are not torturing the boar, just hunting. To me it is a non-issue. I agree with Mal that the dancing bear set is more disturbing in that regard.

[Morgan]

I love this set and have been looking for it some time. But whenever I find one, I lack the amount of £$€ needed 

[Jettix2]

I think it's a neat set!

Just because it shows something politically "incorrect" at the time??  Aren't pirates with swords, gun-slingers with guns, Indians/Native Americans with Bow/Arrows, Bank Robbers hacking into a safe, etc....dont those all portray things that society doesn't encourage?



Ben

[Jettix2]

PS:  Maybe the picture of the boar upside down with the arrow in it, maybe that's a little bit much.......otherwise, I think it's OK.

[Tiermann]

Maybe the boar is just sleeping?