Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,346: R5-K6 (The Black Series)

R5-K6 Red Astromech Fun
The Force Awakens The Black Series 6-Inch Figure Toys R Us Exclusive Set
Item No.:   No. B7695
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: 3 droids, 6 removable arm panels, 6 removable dome panels, 2 sensorscopes, 2 periscopes
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $55.99
Availability: July 2016
Appearances: Star Wars

Bio: R5-K6 was the astromech droid alongside Garven Dreis, the leader of Red Squadron, during the Battle of Yavin. R5-K6 and Dries were shot down while attempting to destroy the Death Star.  (Taken from the figure's packaging.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Availability: Click here to buy it at Amazon now!

Commentary:  Oh, there are stories surrounding the mold of R5-K6 that would stun and delight you.   Some are so ridiculous you wouldn't believe me if I was allowed to tell you them - but they're true.  Some are very believable.  But for now, all I can tell you is that it exists and it's pretty good.   Red Leader's droid was made twice as a 3 3/4-inch scale robot - once for Disney's droid bins, and once in the scarce and popular "Scramble on Yavin" Battle Pack.  Weirdly, I found a bunch while it was super duper scarce.  Life's strange.  So is Oxnard, CA.

The droid uses the R2-D2 body from 2013 with new deco and a new dome - but you knew this.  You know the score.  He's not even 4-inches tall - unless you count the antenna - and has a real sharp prismatic sticker around its dome.  This is a first, as far as I know.   The paint applications are sharp, with black and white boxes all over the figure and one of the most ornate domes you've ever seen.  This droid's deco, as well as the Death Star control room, all look like they came from a completely different movie series - it's gorgeous and vibrant, not quite the "industrial test kitchen in space" look that seems to be very popular on most ships.  If you didn't know this design was in the original movie, I'm sure it'd be derided as being from the fever dreams of some designer vinyl toy fanatic.  But you know better, and so do I.

The functionality from R2-D2 is mostly maintained - the black panels on the legs come off to be swapped out with booster rockets (which are not included), and the black panels on the front open to reveal two articulated arms.  You may have to fight a bit to get the claw and data port out, but they're both there.   If you twist the dome, the third leg drops down.  All three legs have wheels.

The final design is sharp and crisp.  Unless you're suffering from droid overload, you probably will want to get this set.  I don't see them around much anymore, but given the price of R2-D2 since he first disappeared it would seem there is indeed a market for 6-inch scale droids.   I sincerely hope you got yours when the getting was good, mostly because Hasbro seems to have backed off from its proclivity to repaint everything in recent years.  What a shame!  I hope more repaints of this one are on the way.

Collector's Notes: I got mine from Toys R Us.  This was originally slated to be a San Diego Comic-Con exclusive as part of the Toys R Us offering, but it didn't make it - so it hit stores almost immediately following the show.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,346: February 23, 2017

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,156: R5-Series Astromech Droid Red and Black (not R5-K6)

R5-SERIES ASTROMECH DROID Red Dome with Black and Silver Markings, a.k.a. R5-K6
Star Tours   Droid Factory Customizable Figure
Item No.: ???
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Head, 2 legs, torso, central third leg, optional hat
Action Feature: Comes apart
Retail: $12.99
Availability: April 2015
Appearances: Star Wars

Bio: These figures do not have specific packaging or configurations.  As such, we will be treating each dome as a unique "figure" as that part is the most plentiful.   There were 25 domes in the first 2012 series and 11 domes in the 2015 batch.  While Hasbro had said they didn't design the first batch, they included Hasbro copyrights.  This batch does not - markings read "© DISNEY" and "© LFL" as well as "China" on each leg.

Image: Adam's photo dump.

Commentary:  This R5-Series Astromech Droid is, for all intents and purposes, a make-good on the hard-to-find R5-K6 from a few years ago.  The gift set was very expensive thanks to it getting short distribution at some odd venues, including electronics stores and gift shops.  (I actually stumbled on quite a few.)  Point is, he's hard to get - and now Disney has a new version of him you can cobble together using parts out of their bins.  The dome is different than the 2009 figure but it's certainly a close enough replacement given the asking price of the gift set these days.  The red dome has the same black "U" pattern on the face, with the various silver bits being in basically the same place.  The antennae are now missing, but the little white trapezoids are there in a slightly different form.   The mechanism is gone in favor of the hat hole, but overall this is pretty close to the original.

The body of this configuration was retooled from previous astromech torso pieces.  The lower holes on the R2 body were removed, so you can't make a four-armed droid anymore.  The body color is very similar (if not identical) to R5-K6, who is in a box somewhere.   The black and white boxes are pretty much the same, although a small detail on the back and bottom of the droid is now absent.  (No huge loss.)   There are a few minor changes given the time difference and the mold, but they did a fine job of trying to replicate that hard-to-find design in this format.

Like the other legs, the new "universal leg" returns here without the wires to make it obvious where the front or the back is.  Black "toe" panels on the front give it a little personality, but it still lacks the dots and rods on the upper part of the limb and features retooled copyright information to excise any indication of these being Hasbro products.  As such, I say it's debatable if these are Hasbro, Hasbro-compatible, or what.  The white "band" above the ankle is now silver, so it's a little more subtle than before and of course the wires are now absent.

The central red foot for this (and all the other) colors is now unpainted, while the R5-K6 figure had some black markings on the foot.  Unless you read or write columns like this one, I assume you wouldn't notice or care.

If you missed R5-K6, this is a much cheaper alternative.  Which is kind of disgusting, as the last version got you 2 Rebels and a small vehicle for $25.   If you love your droids, and I hope you do, here's another chance to get one of the scarcer robots in the line at a price that, while not great, is certainly better than fifty bucks.  There's really no other way to configure these parts into something pleasing (other than the R6 dome, which we'll examine shortly) so go ahead and get this one.

Collector's Notes: I got this from my pal Shannon who was cool enough to get me a set from Disneyland.  This is the only R5 droid in the first 2015 assortment.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,156: May 21, 2015

Figure of the Day: Day 1,187: R5-K6

R5-K6 Scramble on Yavin
The Legacy Collection Battle Packs
Item No.: Asst. 87752 No. 87781
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Antenna, third leg, additional figures and transport vehicle
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $24.99
Availability: Spring 2009
Appearances: Star Wars

Bio: This astromech droid belongs to "Red Leader" Garven Dreis. Many R5-series droids are used on starfighters for onboard navigation, diagnostics and repair. (Taken from the figure's packaging.)

Image: Adam's yard.

Commentary: A truly striking design, R5-K6 repaints the 2006 R5-D4 figure in a very red and black color scheme. Hasbro teased us with a cardboard facade of the droid in an exclusive X-Wing fighter a few years ago, so it's really great to finally have the figure along with an improved version of his owner, Red Leader Garven Dreis. As you can see, the figure boasts a vibrant color scheme with black and silver bringing him to life. The design is unlike anything else in the figure line, so if you're a fan for high-quality repaints and/or astromech droids this one is a must-buy figure.

The droid sports a retractable third leg, and if you twist the dome the "bad motivator" pops up just like on R5-D4. Since this is the only release of this droid, it's worth tracking down. Hasbro did a great job here, and with any luck it might se a reissue in the chance that you missed it.

Collector's Notes: This set has come and gone, and collectors have taken notice. Get one ASAP if you want one, or wait for interest to drop eventually as figures tend to do.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 1,187: December 31, 2009