The Danai Gurira celebrity doll portrays her as the character Okoye from the 2022 Marvel Studios Black Panther: Wakanda Forever film. The doll was made by World of EPI Company in 2022 as part of their Black Panther Fresh Fierce Collection of dolls. The collection includes: Okoye (Danai Gurira), Shuri (Letitia Wright), and Nakia (Lupita Nyong’o).

The dolls were designed by Dr. Lisa Williams, founder of World of EPI, along with the World of EPI and Marvel teams and won the Toy Foundation 2022  TOTY Award for Doll of the Year. The dolls retailed for 49.99 at Target on October 14, 2022.

Danai Gurira is an American-Zimbabwean actor and playwright (2014 Best Play Tony nominated  for Eclipsed) Gurira has played Okoye in the Marvel Cinematic Universe superhero films Black Panther (2018), Avengers: Infinity War (2018), and Avengers: Endgame (2019) but she is best known for her role as Michonne in AMC’s television series The Walking Dead (2012-2020).

MARVEL STUDIOS
BLACK PANTHER
WAKANDA
FOREVER

The General of the Dora Milaje and leader of Wakanda’s armies, Okoye is the nation’s fiercest warrior.
However, she will be challenged like never before when she battles both a foe beyond her strength and the very traditions of Wakanda itself.

OKOYE

The Danai Gurira celebrity doll comes wearing a replica of Okoye’s General of the Dora Milaje uniform.  The intricate multi-textured costume consists of 13 separate pieces. The base is a two piece stretch top and ankle length pants.  The crew neck top is a longed sleeved red, orange, and yellow with metallic gold paint details with a gold painted triangle shaped front hem line. The shirt has a Velcro opening in the back that slips off over the hips and down the legs (easier with pants off).

The army green pants have a metallic gold pattern painted down the front of the thigh from elastic waist band to just below the knees.  They are easily removable but the tight ankle opening must be maneuvered over the hi-heeled feet.

Around the waist is a faux swede, front opened wraparound skirt with a dark brown gold embellish fleather triangles at the waistband. Two orange and two gold stings complete with knots and gold bead embellishments hang from the waist line. The entire skirt detaches with a small Velcro connection in the back.

A soft plastic brown green harness goes over the arms and buttons in the back with soft built in four rubbery buttons and holes. The front center has a tie like piece that hangs down to middle thigh length and a molded gold painted helmet shield medallion decorates the front center at the waist of the one piece harness. Soft plastic bright gold shoulder armor slips on over the arms and attaches with rubber buttons to the shoulders of the harness.

Around the neck is a soft plastic bright high-neck gold necklace with a split in the back to take it on and off.  Soft plastic red armor with gold bands is on the lower arms to the wrists with a complete split for removal.  Around the right wrist is a replica soft plastic silver beaded bracelet that is a replica of the communication vibranium Kimoyo Beads.

On the feet are sturdy army-green soft rubber knee-high heeled boots. They split down the back in the middle to enable removal.  The feet are larger than standard Barbie’s but molded in the same hi-heeled position. The included weapon is a sliver hard plastic replica a vibranium spear with gold decor down the stem and at the base.  The right hand is open fisted and the left stretched open to hold the spear in just about any position.

The dolls head is bald with a completely covered painted red and black triangle striped designed tattoos on her head. The eyes are painted dark brown and the lips are a natural red.

The doll is articulated at the neck (tilts forward and back and side to side about 15° in any direction, turns 360°), shoulders (turn 360° and up 90°), elbows (bend up almost 180°), wrists (turn 360° and bend up and down 90° each way), hips (can do splits in either direction, turn 360°, can sit upright with legs together or apart), and knees (bend back almost 180°). Torso and ankles are stiff and the feet while larger than a standard Barbie are in the high heel position. The doll is fairly easy to stand on its own with the sturdy white ankle boots. This doll could have used a turning joint in the upper arm because unfortunately the doll can’t be posed with a Wakanda salute because the arms won’t move in front of the body.

The World of EPI Okoye doll comes with a Fresh Fierce Collection and Marvel Studio Certificate of Authenticity and a three piece translucent plastic doll stand with an adjustable waist clip.