Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,476: Porgs (The Black Series 6-Inch)

PORGS Debut
The Force Awakens The Black Series 6-Inch Scale Figures
Item No.: No. E4254
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #n/a
Includes: 2 Porgs
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $7.99
Availability: March 2018
Appearances: Star Wars: The Last Jedi

Bio: Small.  Mimicking.  Mischievous.  (Taken from the figure's packaging.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Availability: Click here to buy it at Entertainment Earth now!

Click here to buy it at Amazon now!

Commentary: When a new Star Wars movie comes out, it seems more and more the film comes and goes with a lot of "what about that guy?" characters.   We got one lone 3 3/4-inch bird, and the 6-inch scale Porgs - which would have been a great accessory for Luke, Chewbacca, or Rey (or heck, R2-D2) - were announced as a late-addition one-off in a tiny box.  Tiny.  These little guys are about the size of a Minecraft or Bit Figs figure, and are priced similarly to Mattel's kid-driven mini-figures.    Typically random blind-boxed or capsule toy minis were anywhere from 25 cents to a dollar, while Hasbro and Mattel's would range from $1-$3.50.  Since these have paint and articulation, they cost a bit more - they're not bad.  They're just kind of ridiculous products that are hard to merchandise given there's no hang tag and the only place they'd really fit are in Target's seasonal Spring toy section.

Each figure is painted well, one has four points of articulation and is a total gem. The other is a slug figure and a bit of a bore.  I kind of wish Hasbro just put two of the  jointed one in the box - he has swivel legs and teeny-tiny ball joints for his wings.  These allow the wings to be out flapping or tucked in to the body.  Hasbro deserves massive credit for whoever cut the joints in this figure, it's not easy to do and it works nearly perfectly.  It stands, it flaps, it's adorable plus sports big black eyes and painted nostrils.  You'll even see painted claws on the tips of the webbed toes.   It's a tiny figure, and it's expensive for the size, but it's good.   It seems unlikely a better figure could be made at this size with current manufacturing techniques, and while a neck joint would be cool I assume you'd lose some of the pudgy look and stability.

Meanwhile, the "sitting" Porg looks great and has a cute pose.  It does nothing but sit - there are no joints, no feet.  It's a bowling pin.  Hasbro clearly put all the money in paint, ensuring the feathers look good even though they have a little less yellow. You can see specks and flecks in the fluff, and the expression is cute.  The painted mouth and nostrils look great, with rings of color subtly framing the eyes.

The tiny box is only barely larger than a box of raisins, making it the smallest packaging for The Black Series and one of the smallest Star Wars non-micro toy boxes of all time.  As of my writing this I don't know which stores will actually stock this tiny, oddly-shaped item but if you come across it?  Go ahead and get it. It's cute, it's neat.

Collector's Notes: I got mine from Entertainment Earth.  

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,476: April 25, 2018