Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 1,454:Cato Parasitti

CATO PARASITTI Bounty Hunter
The Clone Wars Basic Figures
Item No.: Asst. 94736 No. 25276
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #CW37
Includes: Blaster, stand
Action Feature: Flip-up visor
Retail: $6.99
Availability: November 2010
Appearances: The Clone Wars

Bio: Cato Parasitti helps Cad Bane steal a Jedi holocron. The Clawdite changeling can alter her appearance to look just like someone else. She enters the Jedi Temple by changing into the Jedi Master Ord Enisence. Then she shapreshifts into Jocasta Nu, the director of the library, and helps Bane sneak inside the temple. (Taken from the figure's packaging.)

Image: Adam Pawlus' media rig.

Commentary: Since Zam Wesell is dead, The Clone Wars gives us Cato Parasitti with her massive eyes and huge helmet. Super articulation was once rare on animated figures, but this one has it and next to no problems standing or sitting. I'd go as far as to say that this figure hits a rare sweet spot, she has been designed to function as a toy just as much as she looks good enough to appeal to the picky collector in all of us.

One of the more notable features is her flip-up helmet, unusual for any female (or non-trooper) character. It's really cool-- while the design was altered slightly to make a better toy, the lenses align with her eyes so well that you can actually see through the lenses. This may not seem like a big deal, but trust me, it's not every day a figure can actually see through its own helmet. Her outfit's texture looks like it was in the animation, the metal parts look metallic and the cloth parts look like it's a piece of clothing. Her swivel wrists are pretty great, and her green skin looks great in this distinctive brown, silver, and yellow outfit.

An unusual engineering choice in this figure can be seen in the lower legs. Rather than sculpting the armor to cover her boots as part of the boot, it's a separate piece-- the silver is not part of the foot, and the foot is still completely movable. Actually, the foot's range of motion is above par since it can rock in nearly every direction. (I actually tried unsuccessfully to describe and pitch this exact joint on an action figure line I was consulting on a few years ago. It's good to see someone can do it right!)

If I had to complain about anything, it'd be her hands and her rifle. It may be more user error than engineering, but heck if I can get her to look cool holding that rifle. I can sort of fudge it, but that's about as good as I can get. Aside from that? Top-notch figure. I don't thing I'm exaggerating when I say it's Hasbro's best female figure in the entire The Clone Wars range to date, although they seem to be whipping out so many new improvements that we might have something even better by Easter.

Aurebesh: The figure is peppered in lettering, which is either small or my eyes are bad. On the backpack and on her right arm, it reads "KUAT," which is a notable company/builder in the intergalactic tech sector. (Kuat of Kuat, anyone?) Her leg seems to be sort of jumbled, it looks like BAZ-TEK which makes no damn sense. The character that I put as an "A" isn't exactly a match for an "A", but I'm not sure what it should be. Either way, Hasbro can do some really fine printing on these things now. There are some markings on her left shoulder, but use of my macro function revealed these just to be green designs or splatters and not characters of any recognizable lettering system.

Collector's Notes: Like most new characters in the animated line, this figure is something that's a little harder to find. Good hunting, and don't wait-- waiting has resulted in higher secondary market prices on most minor characters. Target stores (at press time) seem to be getting these more lately.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 1,454: January 10, 2011