Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,299 Chewbacca (2025 - The Vintage Collection)

CHEWBACCA Just Begin Again
The Vintage Collection 3 3/4-Inch Action Figure
Item No.: Asst. E7763 No. G0923
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #381
Includes: Bowcaster
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $16.99
Availability: September 2025
Appearances: Star Wars

Bio: Chewbacca is a legendary Wookiee warrior with a big heart known for his short temper, accuracy with a bowcater, and unwavering loyalty to his friends. (Taken from the figure's cardback.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Availability: Click here to buy it at Amazon now!

Click here to buy it at eBay now!

Commentary: There are few characters as important to old-school Star Wars as Chewbacca. We got one 3 3/4-inch figure of him in the original trilogy, but Kenner and Hasbro would go on to find numerous ways to do (and redo) him in the 1990s and beyond... up until about 2004. At that point we got a really good new body and nearly every collector-level (and some kid-level) original trilogy-specific action figures would be this guy, possibly with a different head and altered fur deco. Yes, this is the Original Trilogy Collection "Vintage" body yet again but Hasbro has given it more changes than ever. And would you believe less deco?

If you have no Chewbaccas, get this one. If you need another one for the Cantina or a vehicle, this might be your best bet. If he's just going to stand around and look cool, I don't think this one adds anything - this is a figure you buy to sit around.

It's not obvious to look at it, but it has some pretty serious changes above the neck and below the waist. First up, the head seem to be from a similar digital ancestor to a head we saw used in The Black Series and also the infamous 2005 Early Bird Kit, but it's not the same. The mouth interior is painted, and some of the scruff around the neck is different - but some looks almost the same. There are enough changes from the figures I had within reach that I'm fairly confident that it's a good new sculpt, with decent fangs and deco that gets the job done nicely. The eyes have a little shine to them, and he's growling - as most Chewbacca figures do. The head matches the body sculpting style fairly closely, but it does seem like it might not be from the exact same era.

The torso and arms seem to be the same sculpts, down to the hair hanging off his hands. That's the one thing I wish we could see changed, because it seems like it's still designed for a specific pose. taking some of the shaggy elements off might make him look a bit more modern, and I would really love to see some improved arm articulation so we can replicate that "let the Wookiee win" Dejarik champion pose from the original film. Hasbro made a figure with pre-bent elbows back in 2000 that can do that pose... and not much else. Hasbro's other figures have incredible bending power in their joints, so when Theseus updates this ship next time I hope they can do some work on the arms. They're not bad - they can hold a bowcaster (also from 2004). His body still has the multiple segments, and you can pivot and rotate them to your liking.

The Bandolier seems to be the same as previous releases, but with less deco. The AT-ST release had a lot more grit and dirt on it, this one is squeaky-clean. 2025 Chewbacca's ammo pouches and snaps seem to have more appropriately placed paint, though, so I'd give the new guy the edge there.

The lower torso and legs seem to be entirely new, with smaller feet and thigh swivels plus lateral hip movement. It's not hard to get him to sit in the big Millennium Falcon from 2008, but you can't have his legs bent very much due to the size of the figure (and cockpit.) The bag hangs over the side, with decent deco on the legs. It feels to have a minor mismatch around the shins, though, and it's worth noting his fingernails and toenails are unpainted this time. AT-ST Chewbacca had some black paint there. Will you notice, would you miss it if I didn't point it out? Probably not. It doesn't ruin the figure, but you can see a couple of very small corners cut here.

I'm especially pleased Hasbro dropped the fur highlights, as that always looked a little gross to me. This figure is about 50% new, with new deco and some new-for-Chewbacca articulation, and another 50% is 21 years old. There may be other examples of keeping tooling working on a "new" figure that long, but I'm hard-pressed to name it for something that isn't meant as a reissue or nostalgia-specific item. I guess this might qualify, but I'd like to think it's also a good time to try an all-new sculpt and see how it turns out. Functionally this is a very nice figure with an improved range of motion and an excellent head giving him additional personality. Having said that, if Hasbro never made it? I'd probably never have missed the improvements, and just made do with what I had at home. I was very surprised to see smaller feet and a seemingly new head mold, but a little disappointed that the bowcaster still kind of rattles around with its two-piece design. I wouldn't mind seeing a new take on that, too. If you miss it, I assume a rerelease or remold is inevitable.

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

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,299: December 4, 2025

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,280: Chewbacca (Epic World of Action)

CHEWBACCA What a Wookiee
Epic World of Action Power the Force Deluxe Action Figure
Item No.: Asst. F9949No. G1149
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Figure, projectile, green shield, regular bandolier, green bandolier, bowcaster
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $12.99
Availability: June 2025, probably
Appearances: Revenge of the Sith meets Star Wars

Bio: A legendary Wookiee warrior, Chewbacca was part of a core group of Rebels who restored freedom to the galaxy. (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!

Click here to buy it at eBay now!

Commentary: Hasbro's Epic World of Action (formerly Epic Hero Series) figure line is really something. Each individual figure like Chewbacca stands on their own. Literally! They don't topple over, the articulation is often very good, and the sculpts aren't bad. This figure is clearly derived from whatever CAD files were used to squeeze out The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi versions of The Black Series Chewbacca, with different articulation and a few tweaks. The hands are very different, but the hair dangling off the head and crotchial region, plus some patterns on the legs, seem to carry over - they're coming from a similar place. The face is very different, but the true fanatics can see weird fur pattens and go "I see what you did there."

Each of these figures is excellent - but weirdly, it doesn't hang together well as a collection. We're about a year and a half in and there's little resembling a team for kids to buy beyond Mando and Grogu (and maybe Luke and Ahsoka, if you want to do that episode.) This Chewbacca doesn't necessarily seem to have a buddy yet, although I suppose he could pal around with Yoda. It's a stretch - sadly there's no Han but I suppose he could hang out with X-Wing Luke.

The figure itself is well-engineered. Compare it to a $16.99 The Vintage Collection figure, and he does pretty well as he's bigger, just about as sturdy, and has a very good range of motion. He has no problems standing, and Hasbro did a great job making sure you can pose him and express his personality. The details are good, the bandolier is great, and the only place it comes up a little short is the paint and the lower waist. The paint is a little light in spots, and I don't love the widow's peak on the front of his head - but the eyes are good, and he's now growling. I like that a lot. The painted fingers and palms are great, as are the painted toes. It's a decent, mostly subtle look with the upper thighs being a bit more harshly colored, but overall it's really good. It's a great Chewbacca, and if you just want a generic Wookiee you can ditch the bandoliers.

He's tall. I found he wasn't to tall to be crammed in the seat in the cockpit of the big Millennium Falcon with the top shut, which is amazing. But he does have problems sitting - the fur flap doesn't have a lot of flex. I'm not sure why Hasbro keeps putting it here, rather than trimming it away so his legs have a greater range of motion. It's worth repeating that this area seems to repeat the same fur "skirt" pattern we saw in The Black Series 6-inch Chewbacca figures. It doesn't get in the way of him standing in a number of action poses - only sitting.

The toymakers behind this make me mad because they're so good. It feels like a plussed-up Kenner-style figure from the early 1990s, when Batman or Robin Hood or whoever had a giant weapon they couldn't possibly carry without falling over. Sometimes Kenner would engineer the figure to balance around a big venus flytrap or punching glove, and sometimes they wouldn't. In this case, the designers gave Chewie an extra bandolier with a hole in it. This tells you where to put his oversized rocket-firing bowcaster so he can balance and not fall over. It's perfect. It's also optional, so if you just want the basic Chewie you can have that too. Sadly there's no basic bowcaster in the set - but the big rocket launcher is pretty great for what it is.

If you collect toys, add this to your next online order. I haven't seen this wave in stores yet. I hope the line continues for years because I love what Hasbro did here, making something that looks good for older fans but will no doubt be fun for kids who just want a nice figure. Weird gear that's optional makes me very happy, but I also like Chewbacca with the weirdest gear. While he doesn't have waist, wrist, or ankle articulation, this particular figure doesn't need it. I'm cranky he can't sit in a Cantina booth, but that doesn't mean I wouldn't consider picking up a second one and making some cuts or bends to see if I can change that. He's super big and really fun, so get him for a kid or for a work desk play thing.

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

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,280: September 30, 2025

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,092: Chewbacca (Life Day, The Vintage Collection)

CHEWBACCA (Life Day)
The Vintage Collection 3 3/4-Inch Exclusive Action Figure
Item No.: No. F8382
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Life Day Orb
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $16.99
Availability: October 2023
Appearances: The Star Wars Holiday Special

Bio: Life Day is a longstanding tradition celebrating Wookiee cultural values including family, joy, and harmony. While festivities are traditionally held at the Tree of Life on Kashyyyk, Wookiees throughout the galaxy mark the day. (Stolen from Wookieepedia.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

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

Click here to buy it at Amazon now!

Click here to buy it at eBay now!

Commentary: If I had a short list of things I assumed would never, ever be made as a product, this Chewbacca (Life Day) would be near the top due to its appearance on the buried Star Wars Holiday Special, which aired only one time on CBS before a lot of us were born. To the fan of the saga, it's a bizarre show - but it makes a tiny bit more sense in the era of Sid & Marty Krofft's celebrity variety shows and other variety shows of the era. George Lucas has reportedly said he wishes every tape of it could be destroyed, and now it's on YouTube. There has never been an official commercial release of the special, but we have seen a few Boba Fett figures from the holiday special's cartoon segment. Chewbacca's slanket was never something I expected to see, so I was more than a little stunned when I saw it in the Hasbro booth last July.

What is it? The 2004 Original Trilogy Collection Vintage Chewbacca mold returns with a new right hand, a red robe, and a star-covered Life Day Orb. The head is new, as far as I can tel, but there are other similar heads. If I'm wrong, my bad - but the head doesn't seem to have any clearance for the bandolier Hasbro opted to not include, with fur brushed back a bit more and a bit more neatly than other heads. I like the sculpt, but I don't like the paint - the face is much darker than the cardback. Chewie's face has lighter hair around his eyes and mouth, so it would have been nice if they were a smidgen lighter. And if his lips weren't dark. Other than that? It's pretty great. Hasbro did a bang-up job retooling the right hand to hold the orb, which is the kind of thing we don't usually get to see. (I would have expected an orb tooled to fit on the existing figure's hands to cut costs.) He has the same articulation we've seen for 19 years - and again earlier this year - so it isn't bad. It's just not as good as some other new figures.

 The figure is nothing new - heck, Hasbro could've saved some money by doing one of its 5-jointed figures with a new arm too - but the robe is totally new. His hands stick out, which I do not recall from the special or the many stills I'm seeing online, so that's kind of weird - normally the hands are shown holding the orbs from inside the sleeves. (I assume nobody wanted to wear the full costumes under there.) I don't know if Hasbro could make a figure who has a hand that can hold an orb through the slanket like we saw from Funko and Diamond, so this design decision makes sense if you want it to work... and to look good in the packaging. I would say this is likely as good as you can get at this scale, with these materials, but I do wish the cut of the robe was a little less bulky on the toy. I'm happy Hasbro and Disney kept the price "down" at $16.99 for a body we've had a dozen or so times across multiple figure lines, especially for a holiday figure, an exclusive, and what I would hope is a lower-run item. (This is an item with a very specific audience.) If you are that audience, you've already bought this figure - maybe two, the cardback is pretty nice. Because I love wacky things from the time after the first Star Wars movie but before the saga had a codified look, this is right up my alley and I honestly wish they did a Kenner version too. (Funko made a Pop!) This is an item made for those old-school fans, and I think that's great that the powers that be came together to make something new out of mostly existing parts that a lot of fans will actually see as interesting and not just the same figure yet again. Sure, he can't be posed quite like the cardback, but at least it's close enough and weird enough to work for me. I'm very interested in anything Star Wars from the 1970s and 1980s movies, and TV shows, and if we're being honest, comic books too. Also I'm writing this while going through the original Land of the Lost so maybe I'm not a reliable source of what's awesome.

Again, not kidding, if Hasbro made a slightly smaller robe and packed it with Kenner Retro Chewie next year for $15 I'd buy it. (I probably wouldn't buy The Black Series version of this figure... but it might sell if kept to a reasonable run size!)

Collector's Notes: I got mine from Hasbro Pulse and it is also sold at Shop Disney. For anyone upset about such things - no bowcaster nor bandolier are included.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,092: December 21, 2023

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,040: Chewbacca (Boushh's Bounty, The Black Series)

CHEWBACCA Boushh's Bounty
The Black Series Return of the Jedi 40th Anniversary Packaging
Item No.: Asst. F6853 No. F7078
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Bowcaster
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $24.99
Availability: May 2023
Appearances: Return of the Jedi

Bio: Commemorate the 40th Anniversary of Star Wars: Return of the Jedi with figures from The Black Series, featuring classic design and packaging! (Taken from the packaging. There isn't anything specific to the character.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

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

Click here to buy it at Amazon now!

Click here to buy it at eBay now!

Commentary: While we got some interesting stuff for a couple of the 30th anniversaries, Lucasfilm (and LEGO, and Hasbro, and Mattel) have not really fanned the flames of the 40th anniversary of Return of the Jedi. One of the debut "new" figures is this Chewbacca, which uses the same Chewbacca you may have purchased seveal times already with slightly different fur deco and another new head. Is it new enough to warrant purchasing? Maybe - at this point I feel like we're future-proofing our collections for a diorama that may never be fully fleshed out. We got a pretty swell Jabba the Hutt for SDCC in 2014 - reissue san carbonite incoming - but there's no plastic throne or dungeon or any of that. It's mostly the heroes, Jabba, and Bib Fortuna. After 10 years, that's a crappy showing of things - but if you want Luke, Leia, Lando, and arguably the droids, you're all set.

Figures like this are sensible from a manufacturing perspective, but after the original Chewie, multiple issues of The Force Awakens Chewie (including the theme park one and Archive one), a Cloud City Chewbacca, Solo Chewbacca, the comic Krrsantan, and whatever I'm forgetting, Hasbro has made some good money off this mold by only changing out the head, deco, and sometimes, accessories. It was a pretty big and impressive figure for the price, and I have to say I'm glad Hasbro hasn't succumbed to temptation to charge "deluxe" prices for this "basic" figure. And it's not bad - the new head has Chewie's distinctive parted hair and spiked collar, complete with a chain that sadly is not linked and feels a little too short. His jaw is a separately molded piece, but his big blue eyes and slightly-parted mouth is surprisingly expressive. The designers did a good job capturing his personality without blacking out the eyes.

The body is the same it's always been, with a black 3-part bowcaster. I don't love that it pops apart, and after fidgeting more with other scales of figures, I'd go as far as to say it's kind of bad. I know we have to be careful with our toys, but this is something that falls apart pretty easily if you touch it. That's not what I want on a toy rated "ages 4 and up." It's also a bit of fight to get the grip of his bowcaster in his hands - I would have loved to see a more open or rubbery fist to better wrap around it without a fight. You can get it in there, but the entire product feels like a thing you buy to pose and never touch again. And it also doesn't make sense that this "outfit" has a weapon, as he never used it while chained. But that's nitpicking - you have to throw something in the package.

At nearly a decade old, the elbows that don't bend a full 90 degrees and legs that are hindered by a hairy skirt piece feels increasingly old. I don't know if Hasbro can do better, and neither do they - it would have been nice to see Chewbacca 2.0 by now. I wouldn't necessarily recommend this figure unless you don't have any Chewbacca, or want this specific one for a diorama or packaging collection. Hasbro did a great job with it, but given the limited number of slots, and how many figures we get are just trooper and clone repaints, it is incredibly difficult to name more than a couple of genuinely exciting figures in this scale from the past several months.

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

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,040: June 22, 2023

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,021: Chewbacca (& AT-ST, The Vintage Collection)

CHEWBACCA & AT-ST
The Vintage Collection 3 3/4-Inch Shared Exclusive Vehicle Pack-In
Item No.: No. F8056
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Bowcaster, AT-ST
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $89.99
Availability: March 2023
Appearances: Return of the Jedi

Bio: Highly articulated with a fully poseable head, arms, and legs, this Star Wars Chewbacca collector figure can be displayed in action figure and vehicle collections. (Taken from marketing copy. There is no bio.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

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

Click here to buy it at Amazon now!

Commentary: You probably don't need this Chewbacca. For those of you who have been here for a long time, this is indeed the 2004 Chewbacca [FOTD #526] from the Original Trilogy Collection line of "Vintage" deluxe figures. It was a good mold at the time, but it's also a whopping 19 years old and Hasbro hasn't done anything to improve it beyond, occasionally, changing the head. There have been numerous opportunities to buy this mold, and the last one I saw on eBay from the 2004 release (which came in a clamshell on a Return of the Jedi cardback) was about $30 - not a bad price for a toy that old. This toy uses that original head, which has the hair parted to the sides and the open mouth. It's a nice sculpt, but also we've seen Hasbro do some genuinely wonderful things in recent years. As a pack-in to a $90 vehicle - that was not-too-recently $60, and not-too-recently-before-that $30, you are not going to feel like you got a deal here.

Chewie is the same mold, but with better paint. Will you be able to appreciate it? Probably not - the subtle colors on the fur look better, and they blend much more nicely than before. But in a dark room, or on a shelf, I doubt you'll notice the difference. The eyes, lips, teeth, and tongue are all painted quite well with fine detail that's sure to impress, and the claws on his hands and feet are also painted. There's a black wipe on his bag, and the silver on his bandolier looks good as always. I'm still disappointed in it - not because it's not good (it is), but because they basically got it right the first time, and the time after that, and the time after that. It would certainly be nice to have a new mold of some sort to go with this.

The bowcaster is now in black, and requires assembly as always. The little bit in the front is, as always, loose and could benefit from being remolded or glued together at the factory. It was annoying in 2004, and 19 years later it's almost a little insulting that they didn't put in the money to make it the tiniest bit better. He can hold it, but the hands from that era weren't always good at gripping things and it's kind of a hassle.

The AT-ST itself is one you may have bought several times by now, and has an incredible paint job. Easily, the best yet with better mud splats, cuts, scuffs, and other signs of wear and tear. Hasbro also left out some parts - the alternate rocket-firing chin cannons were not included this time, so you're paying the highest price ever for a less-than-complete take on this vehicle. The legs aren't as saggy or wobbly as some of the previous releases either, but I am not sure any of the poses I'm getting out of this guy are completely stable. Had Hasbro tossed in a plastic stand at this price, I'd still complain but at least you could get more out of it as a display piece (and at this point, I don't think you can say that this is a very sturdy toy mold.) The legs have numerous points of articulation and on paper, things like the stickered interior and the opening eye flaps are still neat. But also, this mold debuted about a decade and a half ago and even the improved paint job isn't enough to warrant paying three times the original asking price.

When it comes to Chewie, you very likely have a figure made from this mold that's just as good - well, pretty close to as good - as this one. The AT-ST itself has its best paint job yet, with better joints than the saggy Kmart Scout Walker release, but I am concerned it might flop over. Given its asking price (and the state of the toy economy at large) I'd probably suggest waiting for a sale or a clearance dump of some sort down the road if you already have this mold. If you don't already have a fleet of AT-STs based on this design, or the Chewbacca figure, this set is likely the cheapest super-articulated AT-ST you can buy on the secondary market and in that sense, it's a an acceptable deal.

Given the complexity of the toy and ever-increasing prices, Hasbro (if you're reading) I'd love to see a "kid's AT-ST" in a 3 3/4-inch line. The smaller-but-still-big AT-DP in Star Wars Rebels provided a big, sturdy, and comparably menacing toy for $20. If Hasbro reduced articulation a tiny bit I bet they could deliver something kids might afford (and potentially play with - who can say) for $30-$40 without too much of a fuss.

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

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,021: April 18, 2023

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,957: Chewbacca (Prototype Edition - Orange Head, The Retro Collection)

CHEWBACCA (Prototype Edition, Kenner Style)
The Retro Collection 3 3/4-Inch Action Figure
Item No.: No. F5568
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Bowcaster
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $13.99
Availability: July 2022
Appearances: Star Wars

Bio: This Chewbacca figure is inspired by the colorful prototypes that enable the development team to look past the deco and focus on the sculpt, analyze mold alignment, and adjust for quality. (Taken from the figure's packaging.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Availability: Click here to buy it at Amazon now!

Commentary: While not essential, few would argue that the Chewbacca (Prototype Edition) isn't an amusing idea. Personally I'd rather they just keep regular plain brown Chewie in circulation at stores for people to just impulse buy it and start collecting, but these sold-out-almost-immediately fake prototype figures do well. With no paint and no new tooling costs, I'm sure it's a profitable endeavor for Hasbro and Target, too. (Although why the next one is a 2020 Snowspeeder Luke, I have no idea. I'd bounce out of bed to get a shot at a Luke or a Leia.)

There are six flavors of this figure, and mine is the orange body version with a yellow bowcaster - I got a second on in another color, but it's remaining carded for now. I like this one a lot - the bright orange really highlights the grooves used to make fur for kids back in 1978. The unpainted face certainly tones the fangs down, and the striking blue and white eyes are absent. On the other hand, it showed the bandolier with the raised "straps" lacking in paint to distract you from the simple pattern, and the hair on the arms and legs of your now literally green-limbed Chewbacca look great too. His pouch and everything looks more or less like you remember it, were it molded out of a box of Crayola crayons.

What makes these figures particularly intriguing is the accessories - a yellow bowcaster is an amusing new thing, just like being able to get new colors of official lightsabers to go with your other figures. If you want a green one, it exists now - or purple, or blue. I like the bright yellow because I can see the sculpted detail on the sides I took for granted since I got mine a million years ago. It is much easier to see the scope on top, plus some greebles on the side. As the fourth character in this series, each with six or more colorways, I am surprised Hasbro has not done solid color re-reissues, and that Diamond/Gentle Giant never did multi-color figures like this. I wouldn't want one of these for every single figure, but if Hasbro continued to do 1-2 per year, and/or finish the original 12, I'd be pretty pleased.

Hasbro, if you're reading, an unsolicited request for 2023 - rerelease regular Chewbacca (and all the rest that you can) as store exclusives or main line items on Return of the Jedi cardbacks. A lot of people will buy these if they see them in person. I dare say they're impossible to resist when you see them in person, plus impulse buys are how collections begin. Chewbacca was sold at the Entertainment Earth/Target booth at San Diego Comic-Con, and followed in Target stores a few days later (after a long online pre-order gestation.) According to my store trackers, he sold out almost immediately in my area - but if I want to drive an hour, I could've found more. I think the runs are too low, but this kind of figure probably should be low-run - the wacky colors are a fun item for collectors who already have it all. I'd love for the masses to just be able to waltz into Target and grab a Chewbacca - and hopefully be inspired to pick up The Black Series or Hasbro's new Disney+-specific The Retro Collection figures. Or some new Original Trilogy The Retro Collection figures. (If Hasbro made more of those I'd probably give up collecting most if not all non-Star Wars toys.) (Except maybe other 3 3/4-inch figures that fit in with them, lookin' at you Healey Made and select ReAction figures from Super7.)

Collector's Notes: I got mine at Target.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,957: September 6, 2021

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,660: Chewbacca (& C-3PO, The Black Series 6-Inch)

CHEWBACCA & C-3PO
The Black Series 6-Inch Deluxe Amazon Exclusive Action Figure
Item No.: No. E8440
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: mn/a
Includes: Wookiee, Droid, limbs, blaster, net bag, wire limb filler
Action Feature: Dismantle droid
Retail: $49.99
Availability: December 2019
Appearances: The Empire Strikes Back

Bio: Encountering a Stormtrooper in Cloud City, C-3PO was blasted at point blank range and his limbs were scattered.  Chewbacca gathered the parts of the protocol droid and partially reassembled him.   (Taken from the figure's packaging.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Availability: Click here to buy it at Amazon now!

Commentary: Since Chewbacca & C-3PO are two figures, we'll split the review.  Chewie and Threepio were my first two figures as a kid, so I'm happy to see them together now even if it is a bit expensive.  Remember, we got a 3 3/4-inch Chewbacca with C-3PO backpack for about seven bucks in the not-too-distant past - but this time, Hasbro gives us a whole C-3PO rather than a slug with some limbs.  Chewbacca is, as always, a full Chewbacca.   It is unquestionably overpriced for what you get - previously, a full C-3PO and a full Chewbacca were each around $20.   Many of the parts here are reused, so I don't really get why it has a mark-up - other than, of course, we're going to buy it because there's not a lot of great original trilogy stuff to buy.

Chewbacca is a mold from which Hasbro has gotten a lot of easy sales.  There have been at least five previous releases of this mold with different heads or accessories or packaging, and most of them look pretty much alike.  This one has a new The Empire Strikes  Back-specific head and cargo net, with a good paint job and effectively the same body as before.  Articulation remains great, but he doesn't get a very tight grip on that Imperial blaster - but he can carry it.  The C-3PO net sits nicely on his back, and the head sculpt looks marvelous.   It's rare for Hasbro to do a non-roaring head these days, and this one gives you a better look at how he behaves in most of his appearances.

The Wookiee has no problems standing or looking acceptable, but the arm articulation could have been improved upon.  It's difficult to get a double-grip on that pistol.  If you already are happy with a previous Chewbacca, the main reason to get this one is for the head or for C-3PO - it's rather expensive with minimal visible changes.   Completists, it's a good fit - it's also probably one of the better Chewbaccas if you're a new collector just looking to pick one to add to your stash.   If the price drops you really ought to run to get this set, but at $50 or above I can't say I'm feeling great about it.  It's clever on Hasbro's part, especially due to C-3PO, but Chewie himself doesn't offer a thing to warrant the price increase.

Collector's Notes: I got mine from Amazon. 

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,660: January 30, 2020

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,616: Chewbacca (The Retro Collection)

CHEWBACCA What a Wookiee
The Retro Collection Target / Entertainment Earth Exclusive
Item No.: Asst. E6255  No. E6270
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Bowcaster
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $9.99
Availability: May 2019
Appearances: Star Wars

Bio: Chewbacca, known affectionately to his friends as Chewie, was a Wookiee warrior, smuggler, and resistance fighter who fought in the Clone Wars, the Galactic Civil War, and the conflict between the First Order and the Resistance. He hailed from the planet Kashyyyk and became a Wookiee military leader.  (Stolen from Wookieepedia.  Packaging has no bio.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.  Yes, with my childhood Chewbacca. 

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

Click here to buy it at Amazon now!

Commentary: My first Star Wars action figures were C-3PO and Chewbacca, so that was the first one I cracked open from this new old assortment.  It started life at Target, but then Entertainment Earth offered them - and sold out in a few days.  It was fast.   Anyway, this is Hasbro (and Kenner) reissuing the figure a second time.  The 1995 Toys R Us exclusive reissue was reportedly made in quantities north of 250,000 - I have no confirmation of this - and it was a shorter figure case in a very different shade of brown.  The 2019 reissue is the right color, shorter than the 1978 edition (but not that short), and pretty much  the kind of reissue you want.  The eyes are different, there's some generation loss from what I assume was a 3-D scan from Gentle Giant, and the seemingly intentional off-center bandolier printing is off-center and uglier in a more unpleasant way than all the original Chewbacca figures I have seen over the years.

As with before, the figure can stand up properly (not true of the 1995 edition) and the bowcaster slides on his arm without any real fuss.   He now stands about 4 1/8-inches tall - down about 1/8-inch from the original - but he stands just fine, and sit without a problem, and at a quick glance is colored properly when compared to the originals.

The figure has most of the flaws of the original - the head can't turn, his hand can't actually grip his weapon, and the paint job is pretty simple.  It's peak 1970s toy simplicity, and unlike so many modern figures it just plain works.  The bowcaster can clip to his arm.  He can fit in the cockpit of the Millennium Falcon and just about every 3 3/4-inch scale vehicle.   It's not a 1978 original, but that's ideal - it's just different enough, complete with new copyright markings under the butt on the legs.   I would say it's a reissue done right because I do need those little differences to be happy, but you may disagree.  For the asking price, it's worth owning if you don't have and want the original style of figure.

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

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,616: August 29, 2019

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,608: Chewbacca (Batuu, The Black Series 6-Inch)

CHEWBACCA (Batuu, Smuggler's Run)
Galaxy's Edge The Black Series 6-Inch Figure Disney Park Exclusive
Item No.: No. E5159
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #n/a
Includes: Bowcaster, Rey with Blaster and Staff and Lightsaber, Hondo Ohnaka with Blaster, 2 Porgs
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $69.99
Availability: June 2019
Appearances: Galaxy's Edge

Bio: A legendary Wookiee warrior and Han Solo's co-pilot aboard the Millennium Falcon, Chewbacca was part of a core group of rebels who restored freedom to the galaxy. (Taken from the figure's packaging.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Availability:  Click here to buy it at Amazon now!

Commentary:  Celebrating 24 years of me writing about Star Wars toys on the internet as of today!  I've wasted my life! Let's get started.

Chewbacca has less new to offer than Rey in this Galaxy's Edge set.   This is a redeco of The Black Series Chewbacca from 2015, and odds are you won't even recognize it as different.  The body was originally used for the previous Chewbacca figure, and it's not like Chewies are all that different.  If you have the 2015 red box figure, you've basically got this one.  The head on that figure was unique - so if you don't have that figure, this version is slightly better.

Our Wookiee pal has a black two-piece bowcaster which is basically the same as the previous 2015 figure.  The bandolier is basically the same as that previous release - the dark brown is a smidgen different, but it could just be batch variation.   So whichever version you have, it's not significantly different.

The figure itself is still very tall and nicely detailed, with a wonderful shaggy head and hair hanging off the body.  Chewbacca has about 24 joints, depending on how you feel like counting.  The added torso segments aren't super useful joints, and I didn't count the ankle joints since the hair prevents their movement.  The large Wookiee has no problems standing, but that hair isn't going to let him sit in any hypothetical future playsets or vehicles without modification.

The fur deco is where the figure is barely different.  The 2015 release has dark brown paint around the eyes, while this one has darker brown paint and barely lighter brown plastic. The paint is largely where it was before, but the head is where you'll notice distinctive changes - just check out the photo.  Other than that, this is basically a repack of no real consequence.  If you want a Chewbacca, it's good.  If you're a variant nut, it's "different."  But at least Rey gave you an amazing new paint job on the face - this just changes where the dark splotches go.  Skip it unless you're a completist and bought the set for the other figures, or if you're someone that just needs a Chewbacca.  It's fine, just redundant if you're complete already.

Collector's Notes: I got mine from my pal Shannon who went to Disneyland's Galaxy's Edge last month.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,608: August 1, 2019

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,600: Chewbacca (The Vintage Collection)

CHEWBACCA Threedux
The Vintage Collection Action Figures
Item No.: Asst. E0370  No. E51186
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #141
Includes: Bowcaster
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $12.99
Availability: May 2019
Appearances: Star Wars

Bio: Chewbacca, known affectionately to his friends as Chewie, was a Wookiee warrior, smuggler, and resistance fighter who fought in the Clone Wars, the Galactic Civil War, and the conflict between the First Order and the Resistance.  (Stolen from Wookieepedia.  Packaging has no bio.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

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

Click here to buy it at Amazon now!

Commentary: This Chewbacca was kind of a strange one because the official photos don't necessarily match the product.   Shots of the toy against a yellow and black gradient background were of The Black Series Chewbacca - which has different decoration.  The carded and loose shots - typically, actual factory samples - show a completely different head sculpt and different paint from older releases.  This is all very strange, because this figure seems to be an all-new paint job with a head from about 4 years ago.  This is our future - reruns with paint that shows us Hasbro can and sometimes does not do better.

If you got Chewbacca from The Black Series [FOTD #2,165], this is basically that mold.  Key changes include better fur paint, the interior of the mouth is painted pink now, and less raccoony eye paint.   Chewie is darker overall, but it's still the 2004 Original Trilogy Collection  body.  Hasbro has seemingly decided they can't or won't ever try to do better, 15 years later.  It's much improved and doesn't have the weird light brown streaks that may imply possible accidents.  Chewie's claws, nails, and a lot of the fleshy parts of his hand and feet are also painted.  This is definitely the best deco we've seen on this mold.

As packaging goes, this is the first time Hasbro gave us a The Vintage Collection Chewbacca on a packaged modeled after the original double-bordered Star Wars 1978-1979 packaging.  It's also the first "Vintage" package Chewbacca in this size since the 2004.  If you're a packaged fan or an opener his is probably an essential addition unless you're the kind of weirdo that has one or two Chewbacca figures and says "I'm good, thanks."  A black bowcaster, the best head paint job yet, and 23 points of articulation are all wonderful features.  And I'm sure Hasbro will make one with better hands in a few years so they can sell it to us for another 15 years.

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

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,600: July 4, 2019

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,512: Chewbacca (Vandor-1 Playset, Solo: A Star Wars Story Line Look)

CHEWBACCA Vandor-1
Solo: A Star Wars Story Force Link 2.0 Playset Pack-In Figure
Item No.: E2807
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Blaster rifle, bandolier, goggles, Vandor-1 Playset
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $7.99
Availability: April 2018
Appearances: Solo: A Star Wars Story

Bio: Chewbacca, known affectionately to his friends as Chewie, was a male Wookiee warrior, smuggler, and resistance fighter who fought in the Clone Wars, the Galactic Civil War, and the conflict between the First Order and the Resistance.  Porgs were an avian species native to the planet Ahch-To, where Jedi Master Luke Skywalker made his exile in the years following the Battle of Endor.   (Stolen from Wookieepedia.  Packaging has no bio.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Availability: Click here to buy it at Amazon now!

Commentary:  I really like this Chewbacca.   What I don't like is that it's textbook "just different enough to make you mad," because it's basically the single-carded Chewbacca [FOTD #2,486] from April but with goggles.  If you skipped that release - good, get this playset with the figure instead.  If you already bought it, odds are you want the playset, so now you've got more Wookiee than you need.

It's the same figure with a nice, loose set of goggles and slightly more saturated plastic.   The browns are a little richer, the eyes seem a smidgen sharper, and I think the sound chips are virtually identical roars.   The figure can stand and sit well, and it seems there's no significant change between the two.  If these were from the same tool, I'd believe it - there's really no good reason to own both.

The playset itself is a selling point, too big to fit in my photo studio and surprisingly clever in how it's assembled.  Tabs stack in slots to fit in perfectly, but the instructions don't make it obvious.   The toy shows just how inflation has come in - it's smaller than the Geonosis Arena ($40ish in 2002) and not too far off from the Mustafar Playset (2005, $29.99.)   It has some newly tooled parts - a gate, some supports - but it's not meaty.  It's cool, it looks good, and it's a fine display piece.   It just isn't going to wow you.  I still like it, and if they could either give me a better pack-in figure at the same price, or a lower price with no figure, I'd heartily recommend it to you.  The figure itself isn't bad - it's just not significantly different from what you already may have bought.

Collector's Notes: I got mine from Target.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,512: August 30, 2018

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,501: Chewbacca (Mimban, Solo: A Star Wars Story Line Look)

CHEWBACCA (Mimban) with Han Solo (Mimban)
Solo: A Star Wars Story Force Link 2.0 Two-Pack
Item No.: Asst. E0324  No. E1251
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Blaster, Han Solo figure, chains, 3-part cannon
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $14.99
Availability: June 2018
Appearances: Solo: A Star Wars Story

Bio: Chewbacca, known affectionately to his friends as Chewie, was a Wookiee warrior, smuggler, and resistance fighter who fought in the Clone Wars, the Galactic Civil War, and the conflict between the First Order and the Resistance. He hailed from the planet Kashyyyk and became a Wookiee military leader.  (Taken from Wookieepedia.   Packaging has no bio.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

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

Click here to buy it at Amazon now!

Commentary:  While not as scary as "The Beast," Chewbacca (Mimban) manages to mash up a few looks in a single figure.  The 5-jointed release is soaked with mud, making him a lot less fluffy than other versions.  Weirdly, this gives Chewie a look that's a lot closer to the original 1978 Kenner figure.  He's really skinny and for the very first time, comes with no bandolier and no indentation for when you remove the ammo belts.   A muddy body is painted over with Chewie's fur colors.

The skinnier take on the Wookiee is a welcome change, and while he has no accessories to speak of there's a nifty mud-covered shackle on his leg that matches Han's.   It's an incredibly rubbery figure, with flexible arms and a head that can turn a bit or pop off pretty easily.  The body has a hairy "vest," with fur hanging down like a loincloth restricting a bit of movement.  Since the figure isn't seen sitting in a vehicle, and Hasbro has not been super supportive of vehicles, I don't see this as a tremendous problem.  

He stands nicely and the arms swing well, giving us another new take on Chewbacca.  Given he looks pretty similar in most of his incarnations, I'm kind of jazzed to see something that's more than "new forehead hair" or "snow on feet."   The soaking, muddy figure is a heck of a nice change and a welcome addition to my toy box.   Or it would be, if the dang thing weren't overflowing.

Force Link Notes: Very angry roars.

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

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,501: July 24, 2018