Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,723: Kit Fisto (The Black Series 6-Inch)

KIT FISTO First 6-inch attempt
The Black Series   6-Inch Figure
Item No.: Asst. E4071 No. E9329
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #112
Includes: Lightsaber
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $19.99
Availability: July 2020
Appearances: Attack of the Clones

Bio: As a part of a Jedi rescue mission to Geonosis, Nautolan Jedi Knight Kit Fisto fought Separatis droids and saw the first shots fired in the Clone Wars.   (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: This Kit Fisto figure is OK.  It's also off in the way a lot of first draft, half-baked figures were, sharing tooling with an existing Obi-Wan Kenobi so his costume is largely wrong, the boots are wrong, and even the lightsaber is wrong.   I can understand sharing Jedi robes because most fans won't scrutinize it - but the lightsaber?   Hasbro made an amazing FX Kit Fisto lightsaber, so I can't imagine how they got this one wrong.  (Other than they picked one of the 4 Grievous lightsabers... and it was the wrong one.)   They got it right in 2002, so why is it wrong now?

Hasbro did a good job with a half-baked Kit Fisto. The colors are spot-on, and if you saw a small or blurry picture you wouldn't realize some layers of the robe are missing, or that the belt is wrong, or that the boots are wrong.  Had Hasbro thrown in cloth Jedi robes, you might never have noticed.  It's a decent figure with typical Jedi articulation, it stands, it can hold a lightsaber, but the only new parts are the head and hands - everything else is leftover Kenobi shared parts.   If this figure were cheaper or Hasbro were doing low-price repaints for lower-demand figures I could see the need for shortcuts, but The Black Series is supposed to be the most authentic figures we can get - and this is what I would expect from an A+ custom figure.  The head is good (if slightly off in color), and the hands are perfectly nice.

If you just want a Kit Fisto on your shelf, it's fine.  If you want the best one, know that there's a green skin color variant.  You might want to chase that one down - or wait and see if Hasbro does a full upgrade, with robes, or a new costume, or a lightsaber hook on the belt, or the right lightsaber.   I have no problems with the overall quality here, so I absolutely appreciate the head sculpt and the tooling shortcuts that saved a few bucks.  I'd rather they just charged us more and did it right the first time.  (Or did it with a bonus smiling head, and charged us more.)

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

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,723: September 8, 2020

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 1,807: Kit Fisto

KIT FISTO Cold Weather Gear
The Clone Wars Basic Figures
Item No.: Asst. 94736 No. 30511
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #CW60
Includes: Stand, lightsaber, snow shoes, goggles, game stuff
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $8.99
Availability: August 2011
Appearances: The Clone Wars comics

Bio: Kit Fisto fights to free the snow-covered world of Khorm from Separatist control and regain access to a valuable resource. Fisto and fellow Jedi Plo Koon fight the battle droid army and a native warlord in league with the Separatists. Fisto wears crampons to move easily over ice and googles to protect his eyes from blowing snow.  (Taken from the figure's packaging.)

Image: Adam Pawlus' old kitchen.

Commentary:  The coloring of this Kit Fisto is actually more comic-like than his siblings.  The green is flat, the eyes seem brown, and the general flare of the CG series just isn't here.  The other animated Kit Fistos have more colorful skin, with the green fading from light to dark and to be honest, the detail of the facial sculpt does look better in molded green plastic than in plastic which is later painted green.  Having said that, I still like the figure for what it is, a rare "Expanded Universe" entry to the TV show.  Based on a pretty neat comic storyline, Plo Koon and Kit Fisto team up to fight walrus aliens with not-yet-Admiral Ozzel.  Because it's cold, they get removable snow shoes, goggles, and all that stuff.

What's particularly interesting about this figure and the companion Snow Plo Koon is how they share a lot of parts.  The torso, upper arms, and legs are basically the same with a new head, lower coat, and lower arms combined with paint creating a new and different figure.  They shipped in different mixes, but all at the same basic time which meant that Hasbro really didn't exactly do great in the distribution realm for these guys.  I did see them in the wild, but they went from having no figures in months to having 3 waves in a week, and those 3 waves just didn't quite get out there in all markets.  (Although I did see them a few times, I guess I'm special.)  Get this figure cheap if you can, since it's a comic-inspired one I wouldn't suggest going crazy for it.
  
Collector's Notes: At $10ish on eBay, it's not a bad figure for the money.  Plo Koon got repackaged in 2012, but not this guy.   If you have the means, I'd suggest getting one before the price goes up.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 1,807: May 17, 2012

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 1,783: Kit Fisto

KIT FISTO Wal-Mart Exclusive
30th Anniversary Collection Droid Factory
Item No.: Asst. 12980 No. 87757
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: 4 of 6
Includes: R4-H5, piece of C-3PX, lightsaber, bendy wire robe
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $9.99
Availability: May 2008
Appearances: Clone Wars

Bio: Jedi Master Kit Fisto is equally comfortable in air or water. R4-H5 flies in Fisto's starfighter to help navigate to help navigate and repair the ship. (Taken from the figure's packaging.)

Image: Adam Pawlus' shelf.

Commentary: One of the better Kit Fisto figures at the time, this edition was based on a 2003 version which took its inspiration from the original Clone Wars cartoon. In it, we saw Kit Fisto go swimming and do awesome Jedi things in the oceans of Mon Calamari (or Dac, whatever) and Hasbro was kind enough to make the figure. And then rerelease it in 2006. And again in 2008, which is this version. This one is significant due to a few key changes in deco and accessories. The figure itself has slightly darker skin and a slightly darker brown costume, as the bits on his hands and feet are a little more brown than red this time around. Also, the tips of his, uh, "hair" are more bluish grey with the color extending higher than the previous release, which was closer to a blackish grey. So in the deco department, it's quite different, just not in a way that will make you happy to know it.

The main reason to buy this figure are his Droid elements-- his own personal astromech is included, as is a piece of C-3PX. In addition to those, Hasbro introduced a swell Jedi Robe with a wire in the bottom of the garment so it could be posed in dynamic action displays. For some reason Hasbro abandoned this concept pretty quickly, so we still don't have a Vader with an awesome bendy wire cape. It's really cool and fun, and yes I would suggest you track Kit Fisto here down just so you can have one to play with. The Kit figure itself is neat because it's wort of weird, but with only 8 joints I can't imagine it's going to get a lot of love from most modern collectors.

Collector's Notes: These 2-packs are creeping up in price a bit, so it's closer to $20 now which, sadly, is probably what it would cost if it were new today. I really do like these sets and I would suggest you do go get 'em all to build C-3PX. Also, of all the swimming Kit Fisto figures based on this mold, this release is the best. And yes, it's because of the cape. The others are just the figure and a lightsaber, so this one gets you more bang for your buck.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 1,783: April 13, 2012

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 1,650: Kit Fisto

KIT FISTO Jedi
The Vintage Collection Basic Figures
Item No.: Asst. 97568 No. 24988
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: VC29
Includes: Lightsaber, hilt, cloak
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $7.99
Availability: January 2011
Appearances: Attack of the Clones (or Revenge of the Sith)

Bio: Celebrate the legendary Star Wars saga that changed the universe forever! This collection brings to life the incredible story of good versus evil that captured our imagination and took us to a galaxy far, far away. Iconic Star Wars heroes and villains are captured with incredible detail and premium features to commemorate each epic tale in the Star Wars saga. May the Fore be with you! (Taken from the figure's packaging. There is no bio.)

Image: In a white styrofoam box.

Commentary: A pretty good number of Kit Fisto figures have come out of Hasbro since his 2002 debut, including shirtless swimming ones, super articulated ones, and even three animation-inspired ones. This is the best (so far) movie one, which manages to capture much of his design with little of his personality. While the cardback references Attack of the Clones, the design is clearly inspired by Revenge of the Sith with a different mask and different looking eyes. The sculpt is good, and the articulation is great-- you get lateral hip movement with cloth pieces to allow movement, plus the lightsaber plugs into his belt nicely.

What's surprising is that Hasbro didn't pull in Kit's trademark smile-- the most famous shot of the character still hasn't been replicated in toy form, and it's been nearly 10 years. Maybe we'll get one for the 3D remake of the movie, if it ends up happening? The sculpt is quite good overall, and the detail is great, but the animated The Clone Wars versions are more fun. So if you're a movie person, get this one. If you just want the best overall figure, get the 2010 animated release.

Collector's Notes: Back when Hasbro made the movie-inspired Kit Fisto Jedi Starfighter in 2006, we were told they would make the next all-new mold able to sit in the ship. And they failed to do that. It's still a good figure, but it's annoying. The figure can be found if you look around these days.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 1,650: October 11, 2011

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 1,603: Kit Fisto

KIT FISTO Animated Attempt #2
The Clone Wars Basic Figures
Item No.: Asst. 94736 No. 20797
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #CW23
Includes: Stand, lightsabers
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $7.99
Availability: August 2010
Appearances: The Clone Wars

Bio: Kit Fisto endures a grueling battle in the lair of General Grievous. The Jedi and his former padawan Nahdar Vebb enter the cyborg general's lair while on the trail of an escaped prisoner. Fisto battles Grievous in a fierce duel and emerges alive from the lair, taking Vebb's lightsaber from the general befor he escapes. (Taken from the figure's packaging.)

Image: Adam Pawlus' TV tray.

Commentary: Since Hasbro put out an animated Kit Fisto in 2009, I was bewildered as to why we'd get another one in 2010 already. It turns out because Hasbro wanted to make a better one, which is the reason we want to hear for this kind of thing. Kit comes with a grin, enhanced articulation, and his former student's lightsaber. (That's right, Nahdarr Vebb fans!) The deco feels greatly improved, with a new head and legs (and lower robes) to give you a more poseable figure. This time around, he has knee joints, lateral hip articulation, plus ankle joints-- a nearly perfect super-articulated Jedi Master. Hasbro did a great job here, plus the animated sculpting was well-preserved so he'll be right at home with your other action figures from the TV series. This is one of my favorite Jedi from the TV line, so I'd say get it if you can.

Collector's Notes: This one has been pretty easy to get since debuting last year.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 1,603: August 5, 2011

Figure of the Day: Day 1,129: Kit Fisto

KIT FISTO vs. Geonosis Warrior
30th Anniversary Collection Basic Figures
Item No.: Asst. 91751 No. 91752
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #2 of 6
Includes: Lightsaber, Geonosian Warrior, Sonic Blaster
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $12.99
Availability: October 2009
Appearances: Attack of the Clones

Image: Adam's Geonosis Arena playset.

Bio: The Jedi Knights rush to Geonosis to rescue Obi-Wan, Anakin, and Padme from execution. The Jedi brandish their lightsabers against the Geonosian warriors and the massive army of battle droids, super battle droids, and droidekas. All hope seems lost that any Jedi will survive this battle, then Yoda arrives with an army of clone troopers. Although many Jedi are lost that day, others survive this climactic battle that ushers in the Clone Wars. (Taken from the figure's box-- that's right, it's the same generic copy on every box.)

Commentary: Now that's what I call an upgrade! This Kit Fisto fixes almost all the flaws of previous models save for one-- the ability to sit in his own Jedi Starfighter. But aside from that? Awesome. Based on the 2005 Kit Fisto body, this figure is redecorated with a new head sculpt (and a new separate neck sculpt), new hand sculpts, and resculpted legs with ankles. Basically, it's pretty much perfect now and almost a crying shame to waste on an exclusive when Hasbro could probably sell thousands more of these at every store all over the world. It's just that good-- it's worth the $13 just for this one figure. The fact that it comes with a really slick Geonosian Warrior is an added bonus.

Almost everything you could want in a Kit Fisto is here. While he doesn't have his trademark smile, he does have a really great resculpted head with hugely improved eye decoration-- the 2005 version was genuinely hideous compared to other Kit Fistos, and this figure manages to paint him just right, without an excess of reddish pink on his head. He's also a much better shade of green, which is a huge plus. Not content to carry over the old hands, Hasbro resculpted his right hand in a "Force push" pose, while his left was totally redesigned to hold a lightsaber. His ball-jointed head-- which is a little loose-- sits on top of a new neck peg, which in theory gives his head two points of articulation but his "hair" gets in the way of a lot of movement. He can still turn slightly, which is certainly good enough with a character that sports such an unusual head design.

While there are other Kit Fisto figures which each have unique functions-- like I wouldn't throw out my "swimming" versions for anything-- this is clearly the best overall movie-based Kit Fisto figure. Hasbro did a magnificent job, and while it does still have some of the weirdness of the 2005 release's right knee-- check it out if you get one-- it's still the best Kit Fisto you can buy. So get it while you can!

Collector's Notes: The body mold was previously used for Kit Fisto (2005-2008) and Master Sev (2008). The 2-pack is currently exclusive to Target, but I have to assume that Hasbro will reuse this figure again in the future if the opportunity presents itself It's too good to leave a one-time release given the popularity of the character.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 1,129: October 12, 2009

Figure of the Day: Day 1,121: Kit Fisto

KIT FISTO Firing Backpack Launcher!
The Clone Wars Basic Figures
Item No.: Asst. 87638 No. 87960
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #27
Includes: Lightsaber, backpack, two rockets
Action Feature: Firing Backpack Launcher!
Retail: $7.99
Availability: Spring 2009
Appearances: The Clone Wars

Image: Adam Pawlus' Turbo Tank.

Bio: This Jedi Master belongs to the amphibious Nautolan species that can live comfortably in air or water. He has mastered difficult Jedi techniques that manipulate the movement of water for combat purposes. To aid him further in battle, he sometimes uses an underwater propulsion backpack.

Commentary: Styled much like other animated Jedi, this Kit Fisto figure has the increasingly familiar suite of articulation-- elbows, wrists, shoulders, neck, waist, and hips. No knees, no ankles. It's an entirely new sculpt and is posed in a fairly neutral pose, which is typically the look that a lot of collectors ask for. The skirt is flexible enough for the figure to sit without too much trouble, and the backpack fits right under the hair. Er, tentacles. Whatever those things are.

Much like on the cartoon, this figure sports scavenged Clone armor, Jedi robes, and very colorful deco. The rich brown robes are offset nicely by the green spotted skin, the boots and pants are unique colors, and the rocket pack... kinda sucks. It's easy to accidentally set off due to the flick-firing spring-loaded mechanism, so I had to go digging for these in the couch a few times. The figure's smile and big black eyes make it look better than nearly all previous releases of the Jedi master, so it's easily one of the best despite not having the best articulation. It's significantly better than the Revenge of the Sith version, and while the Geonosis version may be better-- I don't have one at press time-- I don't think I'm going out on a limb by saying this is Hasbro's best Kit Fisto yet.

Collector's Notes: This is the first Kit Fisto from the CG-animated series, but not the first one based on a cartoon. It will be available in blue and the new red packaging, and maybe something else in the future. Who knows?

--Adam Pawlus

Day 1,121: September 30, 2009

Figure of the Day: Day 131: Kit Fisto

KIT FISTO Jedi Master
Revenge of the Sith Collection 2
Item No.: Asst. 85174 No. 85297
Number: III-22
Includes: Display base, Lightsaber
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $5.24-$6.99
Availability: April 2005
Appearances: Revenge of the Sith

Bio: Kit Fisto is a Jedi Master of great skill and vision. He can breathe underwater, making him well suited for missions above and below sea level. He is asked by Mace Windu to help arrest Supreme Chancellor Palpatine for treason. (Taken from the figure's cardback.)

Image: Adam Pawlus' toy shelf.

Commentary: Sometimes, a figure is obviously better. Other times, it's obviously worse. With Kit Fisto, uh, what to say? The first release was good-- green, unique pose, and an action feature that more or less works. The Clone Wars topless Kit Fisto was, overall, great. This one makes a new, super-poseable figure with a head that I feel sucked but one of the best Jedi Knight bodies ever. So it's a good figure that's bad. I mean, he looks like he had some ridiculous make-up artist go to town making him look like some sort of space hooker. With ball-jointed knees, shoulders, and elbows, plus many other joints, it's such an awesome figure. But look at that head... it's rotten. That's pretty much the long and short of it, and at this point I don't think I can really push this review out beyond "it's great and it sucks." (Is it obvious I wrote this one at the end of a very long writing marathon? Well, it is now.)

Collector's Notes: Repackaged in 2006, this is a figure you can get with no problems. Unfortunately, the "Greatest Battles" version of Kit Fisto really isn't any better, so you might not want to buy both. Or perhaps either. It's a pretty good figure, and it's going to get re-re-released with a new Battle Pack this year, so you will never have a problem finding one. I just can't drive home the point enough... it's a great figure design. And it's kinda crappy. If Hasbro fixed up the head, this might have the potential to be one of the best figures released by the company. Until then, it's a monument to being mediocre.

Day 131: September 14, 2006

Figure of the Day: Day 71: Kit Fisto

KIT FISTO Jedi Master
Saga Collection Collection 1
Item No.: Asst. 84851 No. 84858
Number: 0205
Includes: Lightsaber
Action Feature: Pull arms for slashing action!
Retail: $4.99
Availability: April 2002
Appearances: Primarily Attack of the Clones



Bio: A determined and resourceful Jedi, Kit Fisto tenaciously holds to the goal of maintaining peace throughout the galaxy and defending the honor of the Jedi Code. Sent to Geonosis to rescue Padmé, Anakin and Obi-Wan, Kit valiantly battles against overwhelming odds. (Taken from the figure's cardback.)

Image: Adam Pawlus' toy shelf.

Commentary: Rarely is the first attempt the best, but as far as movie-renditions go, Hasbro has yet to top this awesome Kit Fisto. With lots of articulation and a decent slashing attack, it's a pretty good figure with a decent facial expression. It isn't super-articulated, but it's moveable. He has a magnet in his hand for his lightsaber which is essentially worthless, articulated wrists, and beyond that, more or less the normal points of articulation. The tunic doesn't have a lot of deco detail on it, but the head is colored just like the movie and is easily the best of the three Kit Fisto figure heads. His angry face is a little odd for the character as he's often presented with a big smile, but hey, it could be like a Mirror Universe Kit Fisto. Just give him a beard.

Collector's Notes: Few figures have I seen blown out in a shopping cart at the front of a Wal-Mart for $1, but this was one of them. It's a shame, really, as it's a great figure. It was very easy to get at launch and more or less vanished as the year went on, and to date, this particular version of Kit Fisto has yet to be rereleased. A swimming version was made for Clone Wars, and a Revenge of the Sith version was also produced but with its large eyes and iffy coloring, well, there's a reason this is the definitive one. Also, there's a Galactic Heroes Kit Fisto for the tiny tots in which he has his dark cloak over his normal robes, and a 12-inch figure from Sideshow.

Many fans have also speculated that this figure is the reason that Masters of the Universe's new release of the character Fisto had to be renamed Battle Fist-- as apparently their lack of use allowed the name "Fisto" to be given up and available to all who use it. This sort of thing happens with a lot of toys, and while not confirmed to be the situation here, it is possible. So hey, Kit Fisto: powered by Grayskull!

Day 71: July 16, 2006