Squirmles
What the hell is a Squirmle?
Well, besides looking like a rejected Muppet, they were a pretty popular toy originating from the late 70s, created by the Illfelder Importing Company. They also go by the name of Snoots, which sounds like a crappy Snorks knock off Saturday morning cartoon. All good natured ribbing aside, Squirmles were actually still really popular in recent years thanks to their "meme" status on sites like Tumblr, and for good reason. They're pretty gosh darn cute, with their soft wiggly bodies, elongated noses and their googly eyes. They almost look like something a class of kindergarteners would come up with, and I say that with the upmost respect.
Much like a Pet Rock or Invisible Dog Leashes, these are almost a gag toy, because they're in the same vein of making something out of seemingly nothing. The idea is sort of like a Yo-Yo, in that you can make the Squirmles seem alive if you just happen to move them around in a particular manner. A neat little trick, I suppose, if you're easily entertained. However, Squirmles have also gained an unexpected second life as a material used in fly fishing. Re-branded as "Dragon Tails," they can be tied onto a hook and the same properties which made them appear like live worms on land, make them appear lifelike to fish as well.This, I think, kind of shows how well remembered they are.
They're a novelty toy, by and large, but sometimes that's the best kind of toy honestly, because the novel is what everyone remembers. The stuff that's so popular it's still around is rarely thought about, because we take for granted that it's always there, and it's the kind of toys that were weird enough to only be around briefly that stick with us down the road, inspiring Buzzfeed lists and stupid blogs like this. That being said, while I could easily imagine having fun with this as a child, I can also understand why they appeal to people even nowadays.
If there's one thing about my generation I can agree with, it's that we all collectively never grew up and we all love stupid looking things, and when combined, that's a powerful success story for something like the Squirmles.
I guess I get it though, on some level, cause they are undeniably cute. Funny enough, this and a toy called Good Time Charlie were their only toys as far as I can tell, and the company hasn't been in business in years. In fact, they were such a blip on the radar of history that not only did they start - I believe - as a pencil company in the 1800s, but also their Wikipedia page is nothing but a brief introduction followed by two sub sections, each one just being a little bulleted list of important people involved in the company. I don't know that in the history of doing this blog I've ever run across a toy company that existed as little as Illfelder, and yet when you look at a Squirmle, they look exactly like something an unknown and basically nonexistent company would've made, like some kind of cursed Monkeys Paw item.
At the same time, I can find some level of comraderie with something ridiculous looking that shouldn't exist, because I too am exactly that. We are one and the same, Squirmles.
All in all, a fairly harmless, forgettable and only revived thanks to the joke that is the internet, Squirmles barely register as a toy, and yet somehow they seem to have a greater grasp on the current landscape of popularity than most well known franchises in the toy industry. I guess sometimes all it takes to garner unsung success is to look fucking stupid. I think I can understand that, honestly. So here's to you Squirmles...
...you look like something a kid made at summer camp, and yet your longevity knows no bounds. You may not warrant much of a blog post. but you've earned your spot in the pantheon of toyland, and for that, I salute you.
I kinda wanna try fly fishing with one now honestly, and I hate fishing.
Comments
Post a Comment