Figure of the Day: Day 829: Yoda with Kybuck

YODA with Kybuck
30th Anniversary Collection Basic Figures
Item No.: Asst. 87500 No. 87334
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #3032
Includes: Coin, lightsaber, hilt, cloak, bandolier
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $6.99
Availability: Fall 2007
Appearances: Clone Wars

Image: Adam Pawlus' TV tray.

Bio: Yoda recieves a kybuck as a gift for healing an ailing Wookiee princess on Kashyyyk. The Jedi Master forms a bond of friendship with this swift herbivore. When General Grievous attacks Coruscant during the Clone Wars, Yoda sometimes rides the kybuck during skirmishes but keeps the creature safely away from any danger. (Taken from the cardback.)

Commentary: How often can one buy a figure with an accessory where the accessory is bigger than most figures? Not very. Hasbro's Yoda with Kybuck set is a preposterous deal, mainly because you get a decent Yoda figure and a giant creature for seven bucks. Based on the first appearance of Yoda in the 2003 Clone Wars series, this set is a great realistic take on a new creature. Yoda is similar the 2005 release, but with a few modifications. First, there's the cloth cloak with ear holes. It's a nice touch, and it also has a hole in the back for the lightsaber holster to poke through. He's also got new pants-- they're a cream color now, and previous releases generally show him with a shirt and pants that are both the same color. Kudos to Yoda's tailor. While his new cloak isn't a perfect fit, it's pretty nice and it helps to make him look like a killer lawn gnome. Its pointy hood is hard to ignore, and harder to correct-- the material's thickness prevents it from going down without using some other physical means to fold it back behind his head. The figure has numerous joints, but won't meet fan demand for a super-articulated figure. Although I must say for its size, it's about as good as you can hope for.

His partner is a Kybuck, which the bio tells us means he's a creature from Kashyyyk. While some assembly is required, he pops together quickly and has as much articulation as a lower-end figure. With arms, neck, tail, and leg movement, he doesn't fail to impress. He's also quite tall, and loaded with detail. The translation from a two-dimensional stylized cartoon to a fully-realized three-dimensional toy went quite smoothly, save for one little quibble-- Hasbro left off the blinders around his eyes. It's not a deal-breaker, but one recurring theme in this line is that Hasbro frequently stops just one or two steps shy of perfection. Granted, I'm sure perfection would raise the price a dollar or so, but perfection would be nice.

The whole package is totally worth buying. Even if you have 50 Yodas, this set revises Yoda to look different enough to warrant your attention, and the Kybuck isn't so much the icing on the cake so much that it's like having a second cake with the cake. So this set is like getting two cakes. Who doesn't love cake?

Collector's Notes: After being part of the obscenely popular 2007 Wave 5, Hasbro was kind enough to reissue this figure in 2008 as part of the Saga Legends line. Given that it's a lot of toy for the money, and kids should like it, it should continue to be a big seller. Get it, you won't be sorry. Get extras for your future offspring too.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 829: August 18, 2008