Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,378: Anakin Skywalker (Technically Darth Vader Maybe, The Vintage Collection)

ANAKIN SKYWALKER Technically Darth Vader
The Vintage Collection 3 3/4-Inch Walmart Exclusive 2-Pack
Item No.: No. G3192
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #412
Includes: Cloak, lightsaber, hilt, alternate hand
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $39.99
Availability: August 2026
Appearances: Revenge of the Sith

Bio: Entranced by Palpatine's promise to teach him the ways of th Sith, Anakin succumbed to the temptation of the dark side, leading the Empire's eradication of the Jedi Order.. (Taken from the cardback.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Availability: Click here to buy it at Walmart now!

Click here to buy it at eBay now!

Commentary: This is a good Anakin Skywalker figure, and it's the kind of thing I don't think should have been a Walmart exclusive. Yes, let's start with a tangent - it's because I think core characters should be widely available. It's a real coup for Walmart to have it, but I think there's probably a ton of business to be had selling this guy everywhere because this is one of those gateway figures for millennials. This is the kind of figure that's so good, it makes you want to start a collection (or keep it going.) To put it in a closed box, as a $40 exclusive, it's probably not going to be a good first experience for a new collector. But maybe it'll do fine, I remember the previous set being well-received enough that customers cracked the box open and swiped one of the figures inside at some stores.

 

Using what seems to be most if not all of the same parts from last year's Darth Vader (The Journey of Anakin Skywalker) [FOTD #3,285] plus one of Hasbro's best cloth cloaks at any scale, this is a very good figure. Let's start with that cloak - it may not be 100% a match for the movie but Hasbro made a silhouette that absolutely captured the vibes of a flat garment with a hood that partially covers his face, yet still is sewn down. That's impressive. The sleeves are just a little long - just like you like it - and the bottom kind of drags on the floor. The lightsaber hilt is not perfect. The unique nub near the emitter is the wrong shape, but it's basically an appropriate form given the small size of the accessory. It lacks the texture around the on switch, as well as the gold highlights. If it wasn't for the cloak, I'd be cranky about this. Not every single hilt has been perfect in this line, so sometimes I just shrug and hand-wave anything that would likely be covered by a figure's hand or robes. It could be better, but I'm not going to let it ruin my day because I'll never notice it in my displays.

Anakin has another hand. You've seen it before. It's a hand, it swaps out, you know the drill.

The figure's body is the same as before, and the head might be. The eyes don't have the dark dot printing, and the head has the same wig. It fits way better on the final toy than on some pictures or renders, and the face looks very good to my eyes from a reasonable distance. No photo-real head can hold up perfectly to the scrutiny of the cruel megapixels of your macro function, but I can see the eyes are nice. The lips are painted. He's got his scar over his eye. The skin color is good, and so is the texture on his Jedi garments. While Obi-Wan's felt a little plastic, Anakin's seems close to perfect thanks to his leathery elements. The cloth skirt doesn't get in the way of piloting a ship, and the boots had more texture than I expected. This figure exceeds expectations.

What could be improved in the future? Articulation. At this size there are challenges in getting the shoulders posed just-so. I'd love to be able to do more double-handed lightsaber poses, but that's tough even at 1:12 scale. (Less so at 1:6 scale.) I've mentioned before that we may be reaching the limit of what Hasbro can do at this scale without new kinds of joints (or more money), and this really does feel like the best this character can be. Right now. Who knows if someone will come up with a better idea, or if Hasbro will abandon dozens of joints in favor of swappable limbs for display/play purposes someday. I guess Hasbro could paint the soles on the boots, but would it be worth an increased charge? Not to me. But now that I put that kind of thing out there, I'm sure someone will be demanding the additional paint or features that will cause this class of figure to reach $22.99 in the next five years. And I don't know if I have the constitution for that.

My first reaction to the fifth or eighth or 20th version of a figure is to roll my eyes and look for a reason to complain. I didn't find one. I'm sure there are inaccuracies you can find if you check it against whatever reference guide shows a slightly different belt but I'm pretty happy with this one. It's been a long time since Hasbro made a new not-eyeshadowed, movie-specific version of Evil Ani and here it is. It even fits well as a basic Revenge of the Sith Anakin, but they could probably do him again with messed-up hair and sell us an Invisible Hand version. (Hasbro: please don't.) Now that we're in an area where these are less "toys" than "premium collectibles," I would say Hasbro succeeded. Get this one, unless we're 5-10 years down the road and Hasbro found some new tech to improve on it.

Collector's Notes: I got mine from Walmart. It can still be easily found here.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,378: September 8, 2026

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,369: Obi-Wan Kenobi (Utapau The Vintage Collection)

OBI-WAN KENOBI (Utapau)
The Vintage Collection 3 3/4-Inch Walmart Exclusive 2-Pack
Item No.: No. G3191
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #398
Includes: Cloak, lightsaber, hilt, alternat hand
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $39.99
Availability: March 2026
Appearances: Revenge of the Sith

Bio: On the planet Utapau, General Obi-Wan Kenobi faced General Grievous and his four imposing lightsabers. Upon defeating Grievous, he escaped in the warlord's Stafighter. (Taken from the cardback.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Availability: Click here to buy it at Walmart now!

Click here to buy it at eBay now!

Commentary: I got this Obi-Wan Kenobi (Utapau) in March and didn't open it until the end of July, in part because of the classic "I don't know where I'm going to put it" and "I was happy with the ones I have. The portrait of Ewan MaGregor looks better than previous Revenge of the Sith releases, no doubt. Sometimes by the time I'm ready to open a figure I'll be more excited by it but in this case, I'm not. It isn't bad, but it's another lateral release. It's great for fans who don't have an Episode III Kenobi, and on a technical level the articulation and head sculpt are the very best. But I'm not remotely disappointed in my old Kenobi figures, and there aren't enough new playsets or vehicles (or any) that I think could benefit from having an improved version of the Jedi Master.

It's easy to pose this figure and the articulation skeleton is excellent, but it's disappointing to see less exaggeration in his plastic textiles and the aforementioned knee issue. Is it a deal-breaker? No, not really. But in this era of endless figure remakes, I think it's fair to say fans expect and deserve figures that are improvements with no downsides. Each "replacement" figure should be superior across the board. It's very good, to be sure, but with no new accessory or action feature I would say it's essential to new collectors and worth a peek for the old guard. That head sculpt is eerily good, but the old figure's body sculpt is still pretty satisfying.

Compared to the Star Wars The Vintage Collection Obi-Wan Kenobi (Attack of the Clones) 3 3/4-Inch Action Figure, which has eyes like some sort of demon, this figure is an absolute dream. The plastic wig fits perfectly, the beard is painted cleanly and trimmed well. The eyes have visible whites on them, and he has just enough weariness around his painted eyes that you immediately know who he is. Maybe Hasbro will make a better one some day, or change the hair color to be 10% more realistic, but I don't know that it's necessary. They did good.

The previous The Vintage Collection Kenobi from 2010 was just The Saga Collection figure from 2006 with a higher price and two fewer accessories, as is the way. The head was great for its time, but it's a little puffier and more toy-like by modern standards. Id on't dislike it. The costume, on the other hand, seems better. It had the limitations of its day with no cloth soft goods and no rocker ankles, but you could still move it in most of the same places. Sure, this new one has optional swappable hands to lose and can sit more easily thanks to the cloth skirt robes, and the paint on the belt is better. But the texture of the 2006 robes is much richer, and the 2026 figure's legs are strange. His pants cover his boots, which I suppose is fine but there's a weird cut for the ring if you ever let the figure sit down. Even if Hasbro painted the articulation ring, it would still look weird in some poses. It's just a poor engineering choice and an inappropriate place to joint the figure. Maybe someone was new on the team, or they felt the location was more important than the aesthetics, but I don't agree on that design choice. It's kind of amazing to have good articulation and an amazing portrait, but a body that feels like a few steps back. Especially at a higher price, and even more especially because Hasbro already has an Attack of the Clones reuse of the body planned for later this year.

But how are the accessories? The robe has the same problem as other recent releases, with the hood sewn down. I dislike that. The lightsaber looks good, with decent painted detail and defined sculpted ridges. Both the hilt and the full lightsaber look good and are better than most previous releases, if not all, and the hilt plugs smoothly in the belt. They did a great job making sure the peg and the hole were the right size. I realize that may sound insincere, but it's not - some of these things are a real pain to get in there. Swapping hands also proved to be painless, which is good, I was expecting a fight with the peg hanging in for dear life.

I would say this is a great figure for carded collectors. Openers, you're going to have some complaints. As a display piece it's pretty good. If his cloth robes cover the body, you might not notice the knees being a little odd, or the shirt looking a little lifeless. I love the detail in the hair, and I can't complain a bit about the face. Hasbro has improved their work on human heads just so much in the past 10 years that I must know to whom they sacrificed a first-born to achieve these skills. I assume it was a Rumpelstiltskin.

Collector's Notes: I got mine from Walmart. It can still be easily found here.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,369: August 6, 2026

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,338: Airborne Clone Trooper (212th Battalion, The Vintage Collection)

AIRBORNE CLONE TROOPER (212th Battalion)
The Vintage Collection 3 3/4-Inch Walmart Exclusive 2-Pack
Item No.: No. G3191
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #399
Includes: Blaster pistol, blaster rifle
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $39.99
Availability: March 2026
Appearances: Revenge of the Sith

Bio: On Clone Commander Cody's orders, the 212th battalion's specially trained clone paratroopers searched - to no avail - for their missing commander, Obi-Wan Kenobi. (Taken from the cardback.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Availability: Click here to buy it at Walmart now!

Click here to buy it at eBay now!

Commentary: Sometimes I see a set, hold my nose, and order it anyway. Not because it's bad - but because I wasn't disappointed in what I have at home. This Airborne Clone Trooper (212th Battalion) is a newer, skinnier, debatably improved version of a 30th Anniversary Collection figure from 2007. The 2007 one had vibrant orange coloring, a removable helmet, battle damage, and even a hidden blaster inside his pouch. It even had a coin, and it was $6.99 (about $11 adjusted for inflation.) Even at the time, that was a really good price. This figure stands well, physically and on its own merits. Having said that, the 2007 one was so good, you might not feel compelled to upgrade. I would not argue if you felt that way.

This new figure was about $20 (in a 2-pack that cost $40). It has no removable helmet, two blasters (one is different), and no battle damage. The new ankles rock better, the helmet pivots better and is a bit more appropriately sized, the waist joint is better, and the wrists move well. The elbow cuts? They're better too. It's much easier to pose this new version, but what's kind of vexing is the part count isn't that much different from the original, much cheaper toy. I prefer the new cloth kama piece to the plastic original, though, so there's that.

I liked the coloring of the original release a little more, mostly because it just popped. The white is a little duller, and the orange is a little paler this time. All the rank markings are where they were last time, though, but the color drift over 20 years means your 212th attack battalion figures likely won't all match any more.

Hasbro's 2027 figure isn't bad, so my grumpiness comes mostly from my satisfaction of the old figure, what with its banged-up black marks and weathered armor, being a perfectly good, much cheaper toy. With a coin. That 2007 figure costs about the same as this new one, and if you ask me which one you should buy? It's a hard choice. I like the coin a lot from 2007, but I think most fans will prefer the soft goods kama and improved range of articulation on the otherwise very similar joints. For 18 years, it doesn't feel like the massive leaps we saw from 1978 to 1998, or even 2002 to 2007. We do see some massive leaps forward with some of our human likenesses and every all-new, never-before-made figure tends to look amazing. It's just when we already have one at home (or in a storage unit) it can be tough to really hold up a higher-priced remake as a beacon of awesomeness, even if it is very nicely executed. If Hasbro included the battle damage, a removable helmet, and a pouch blaster, I'd say this would be clearly a superior figure... but as it stands, I'm having more fun with the 30th Anniversary Collection incarnation. It's a better toy, this is a better figure adults can use to try to impress each other.

Collector's Notes: I got mine from Walmart. I got mine online, but I was surprised to see this in multiple stores. I was less surprised to see this set ripped open with the Clone stolen. Arizona gonna Arizona.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,338: April 21, 2026

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,304: Obi-Wan Kenobi (Force Masters / Epic World of Action)

OBI-WAN KENOBI Force Masters Pack
Epic World of Action Target Exclusive
Item No.: Asst. G0363 No. G0778
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Blue lightsaber, Force lightning, 4 other figures with accessories
Action Feature: Lightning grip for fists, lightning can wrap around figure
Retail: $34.99
Availability: July 2025
Appearances: Revenge of the Sith

Bio: Jedi Masters take on Sith Lord Darth Vader in this 5-pack of Star Wars action figures inspired by Obi-Wan Kenobi, Luke Skywalker, Force Ghost Yoda, Ahsoka Tano, and Darth Vader. (Taken from the Target's web site. Package has no bio.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Availability: Click here to buy it at Amazon now!

Click here to buy it at eBay now!

Commentary: It's rare that I see something and go "Eh I think I can wait for a sale," but with this particular set's price point and abundance I did wait for a $10 off deal in November. It's a good set for the money (unlike some of last year's exclusives), and this Obi-Wan Kenobi is arguably the best part of the set. Normal Jedi Obi-Wan isn't available elsewhere in the line yet, and while he shares some bits with the armored figure it's still mostly a new figure. Mostly.

It's not a total match for the movie, Hasbro gave him extra Force lightning bits on his forearms for thematic reasons. Mechanics and energy were supposed to be a big part of Star Wars product this year, and you can see it in a few select parts of the line - but it also goes against the Jedi not being able to use Sith Lightning. We saw Yoda absorb it, and we saw Obi-Wan absorb it with his lightsaber, so I suppose you can give the blue blast to another figure and pretend - but part of me wants to buy a second set and de-paint the forearms. It's not a massive eyesore, and I suppose it would set the figure apart from a single-carded non-lightning version had one surfaced. So far, it hasn't.

The figure itself is pretty great. It doesn't have the rich sculpted fabric texture of the collector figures, but it does have ball joints galore and a great face sculpt with matching printed deco. It looks great for a kid toy, and the figure has no problems standing, sitting, holding the lightsaber, or holding the lightning. Getting him to balance with the big lightning will take some doing, as gravity is real. It's a heck of a handy little accessory, and if kids actually got this in their hands they might have some fun with it. There aren't a lot of physical manifestations of "The Force" and kids could probably pretend it's like a tractor beam for Force-grab or Force-push or whatever. Also, these Force clamps are currently exclusive to (or are debuting in) this set.

Kenobi has no problems sitting, but you may need to bend the robes a bit to get it working right. I wish there were a matching Epic Hero Jedi Starfighter, but alas, that seems unlikely. It would also be nice to have a specific figure for him to duel from the movie, but that doesn't exist either. It's a nice figure if you just want a hero Kenobi for the kids, or something for your desk. When a line is small like this, it's hard to create something satisfying that also spans nearly 50 years of stories. As such, on his own merits, this is a good figure and the set at $35 (or $25, or less) offers a decent value. $5-$7 per figure, with elbow and knee joints, plus ball-jointed hips? That's not just a good deal in 2025, we didn't have that good of a range of motion in 2005 and prices were typically lower.

 If this line got any real momentum, maybe launched alongside a new season of a popular show with more than one or two characters from said show, I think it could be a really strong one. The toy features are generally fun, the prices are competitive with other kiddo figures, the deco is good - if a bit stylized - and there's no sense of "this guy looks wrong." I'd recommend tracking down the set if you're so inclined.

Collector's Notes: I got mine from Target on sale for $24.49. If I didn't overpay for Walmart's exclusives last year, I probably would've bought this one at full price and not complain. I needed that karmic price adjustment.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,304: December 23, 2025

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,285: Darth Vader (The Journey of Anakin Skywalker - The Vintage Collection)

DARTH VADER (Or, Anakin Skywalker)
The Vintage Collection 3 3/4-Inch The Journey of Anakin Skwaylker set, Shop Disney/Hasbro Pulse
Item No.: No. G1282
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #n/a
Includes: 3 lightsabers, 3 hilts, 2 alternate hands, Sith lightning wrap
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $49.99
Availability: May 2025
Appearances: Star Wars: Ahsoka
Bio: A hero of the Clone Wars, Anakin Skywalker was a caring and compassionate Jedi. But his deep fear of loss led him to become Sith Lord Darth Vader, who spearheaded the Empire’s eradication of the Jedi Order. (Taken from packaging.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Availability: Click here to buy it at eBay now!

Commentary: I don't read a lot of fan forums, mostly because the postings are from people who might not have the scars of having bought every last Anakin Skywalker - or Darth Vader - for the past 40-something years. I guess it's perception - from 2005-2011, there were tons of variations on the Revenge of the Sith Anakin figure. From the movie, from deleted scenes, it was almost a guarantee you'd get at least one new figure per year of this very costume. Each one has a new twist. This one has the most modern articulation, with the base figure mostly inspired by the various Force visions on the streaming series Ahsoka.

In the show, a 40-something Hayden Christensen is digitally swabbed and physically wigged to look like he did around 2005. The effect on the show is fine, but it works well as a figure. Plastic smooths over a lot of rough edges. The face sculpt is excellent, with Sithly eyeshadow and what seems to be very very small yellow eyes. What's funny is I'm unsure if the actual head sculpt is based on a 2005 head scan, or something more recent. His The Clone Wars counterpart seems younger, as very subtle marks between his eyebrows and around "Darth Vader"'s mouth makes him seem like it might be from a more recent scan. It's hard to tell - it might be my imagination, but his skin seems slightly more tanned too. The lips are painted perfectly and the eyes seem as good as technology will allow. It's remarkable. The wig is glued down and generally looks good enough, but hair is a challenging thing to represent well at this size. Or in this material. I don't doubt Hasbro will refine their manufacturing to get us an even better portrait later, but by then my eyes will likely be so bad I won't notice. This is great.

The body is also good. It takes the costume you recognize and adds in bending wrists, rocker ankles, and those great new hip joints. This would be a perfect figure to put in a vehicle, if Hasbro still made Jedi Starfighters. The texture on the sleeves and outer vest are amazing, and the soft goods are as perfect as we're likely to see at this scale. Those darker brown robes are separately molded, too. I'm wondering if this was a cost issue or a "premium" feature as getting paint hits down no doubt lowers the cost... but molds aren't free. The belt looks great, too. The right hand has painted silver clips so he can hide his cybernetic hand.

Speaking of hands, he has an alternate one. The left hand pops off and can be replaced by a Force-push/Thing from Addams Family extremity. It's silly to ask if you've ever really taken a look at your hands, but it is clear Hasbro has. The undersides of his fingers look like they have a little bit of that puffy give that our real hands do, and you can see signs of sculpted fingernails. This is super impressive, especially when you consider that Hasbro was just starting to figure out how to make fingers that can be splayed apart and not snap off around 2000/2001. We've come a long way.

Anivader also has two lightsabers, one lit and one not. They're good. Neither is the revised Vader hilt, but you get a red blade. A lot of 2005 figures were conceived of this way too, supposedly as a result of deleted scenes or editing that resulted in some changes during duels. Regardless, it's a match for what we saw on Ahsoka and it's good.

This is a very good figure. While you might not need the armored Vader or Clone Wars (with cape!) Anakin, this figure might be essential for your collecting well-being. Technically a streaming show figure, it'll fit in well with your prequel shelf and there are a lot of little details showing Hasbro's ever-improving capabilities. I'm not saying it can't be better... but at this price, at this point in time? You won't find much better than this.

Collector's Notes: I got mine from Hasbro Pulse. And apparently it was sitting around for months until I cracked it open. New characters tend to get priority here.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,285: October 16, 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 3,226: General Grievous (The Retro Collection)

GENERAL GRIEVOUS Kennerized
The Retro Collection 3 3/4-Inch Action Figure
Item No.: No. G0371
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: 4 lightsabers, another 5 figures
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $59.99
Availability: November 2024
Appearances: Revenge of the Sith

Bio: The Star Wars Retro Collection is inspired by the original 1970s Star Wars figures and features original figure design and detailing! Continue your collection from a galaxy far, far away. (Stolen from the marketing copy. Packaging has no bio.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Availability: Click here to buy it at Amazon now!

Click here to buy it at eBay now!

Commentary: This The Retro Collection General Grievous is great modern figure, based on a character that maybe just can't work as a Kenner figure. Thin limbs might snap, maybe the eyes wouldn't look right with less color in them. There's no right or wrong way to spin the tale of the Kenner-era Grievous. 2024 Hasbro opted to base Kenneral Grievous off of General Grievous (Four Lightsaber Attack) [FOTD #424] from 2005. Kenner of old rarely included button-activated features on its old action figures, but it wasn't shy about breaking out of the standard five jointed format for its droids. Hasbro also opted to try something new.

In terms of deco, it's very similar to the 2005 figure - bony armor, silver highlights, and mutli-color eyes. The eyes are a bit too advanced for any 1980s figure - honestly, it's pretty advanced for a 1990s figure. I would've been fine with a single-fill color, because the very fine red border around a yellow eye with a slice of black in the middle looks excellent for modern standards. Figures with two eye colors were very unusual back then - The Emperor comes to mind, cartoon C-3PO, some variants of Lando, Max Rebo - but not too much more. As to the color choices, it matches the movie - so as a fan, you might ask if Kenner would have gone with "movie colors" or the sneak preview figure colors, based on a cartoon or other preproduction source. Like I said, there's no wrong way to do it, but I think this one seems a little too good as coloring goes. I'm also one of very few people who would love to see a repaint of this figure in incorrect colors.

The arm engineering is this toy's shining feature, and shows some real creativity. With EV-9D9's mouth, C-3PO's removable limbs, and FX-7's many bending arms, Kenner wasn't shy about integrating all-new features on droid toys. General Grievous' arms all swing out - but not forward. He has seven jointed parts, which more or less would qualify as super articulated back in the 1980s. It's a choice that makes for a more fun figure, but also restricts his ability to fit inside most toy vehicles. (Note: you can cram him in the Grievous Starfighter if you slide him in without the control console. It's weird, but it fits.) This is something we've seen on a few collector figure lines that would sometimes get fixed down the road (especially 2007 G.I. Joe) but the oversight always stings a bit. Most old action figures were designed with vehicles in mind - Kenner wanted to get another $20 out of kids. This is an understandable, but unfortunate, choice that probably would happen in the old days. It's also possible they would sell another Grievous figure. I wish it had SilverHawks-style "squeeze the legs and arms pop out" action, but it's probably too advanced for the toy story that this figure aims to tell.

It's also fun to imagine this figure's hypothetical development cycle. We all know the movie, and Hasbro clearly made this figure after seeing it. But would Kenner have had the luxury? Would they even have known about the split arms? Yoda (1980) seemed to be made from the wrong playbook, so it's kind of fun to think of a version of this figure where they had to make up or imagine details.

While the Clone Trooper was almost too stiff, Grievous is a little too loose. His pose and posture all seem to show years of toy expertise and thought about how to make a good figure, whereas most old Kenner toys were a little simpler and in many cases, stiffer. C-3PO's pose was pretty close to how he moved on-screen, but not exactly. Grievous feels like they nailed it. There's a lot of detail with very skinny hands and fingers (probably impossible by 1980s standards) and a lot of fine detail that seems unrealistic for an old toy. The legs are sculpted more robustly, so he won't fall over - and I love that. The feet are also unusual in that the claws are instead massively wide talon-like toes, which is an interesting way to solve the problem. Walrus Man had swim fins, so seeing Hasbro imagine Kenner taking a weird swing at the feet makes total sense.

I can't imagine they could do the sculpt in a way that would work better, nor would hard plastic limbs likely survive being handled by a child. Thin, rubbery limbs were scarce in the Kenner days - I have to say Hasbro did the best they could with this one. The four retro lightsabers look great, and his hands are sculpted amazingly well to hold them without dropping any. It's a nice quality of life improvement, and I'm glad Hasbro is making Kenner figures with improved grips.

This one just doesn't have a Kenner feel or, other than the lightsabers, a real Kenner look. If I were toy tyrant, I'd probably ask Hasbro to make a version in the wrong Clone Wars cartoon colors and simplify the eye deco - but I'm not, and I'd say this is about as good as you can get. He's a popular character, but it's possible weaseling out of doing him in favor of Dooku or Obi-Wan Kenobi would result in no Kenner fanatics arguing how a cyborg's fingers and toes should look. It's a perfectly nice modern action figure for a great price.

Collector's Notes: I got mine from Hasbro Pulse.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,226: March 25, 2025

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,222: Anakin Skywalker (The Retro Collection)

ANAKIN SKYWALKER Kennerized
The Retro Collection 3 3/4-Inch Action Figure
Item No.: No. G0371
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Lightsaber, another 5 figures
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $59.99
Availability: November 2024
Appearances: Revenge of the Sith

Bio: The Star Wars Retro Collection is inspired by the original 1970s Star Wars figures and features original figure design and detailing! Continue your collection from a galaxy far, far away. (Stolen from the marketing copy. Packaging has no bio.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Availability: Click here to buy it at Amazon now!

Click here to buy it at eBay now!

Commentary: A few days before I opened The Retro Collection Anakin Skywalker, I pulled out some older figures. As luck would have it, the 2023 Yak Face reissue just happened to be on my desk at the time, and it's really weird to see them side by side. Obviously Yak Face represents the end of the movie line in the 1980s, a larger-than-usual figure that was famously hard to get and was The Figure You Didn't Have for most fans in the 1980s. (Until it was confirmed Vlix wasn't a myth, which vexes some of us decades later.) He's got amazingly good detail on his head and hands, with wrinkles in his outfits and sculpted fur. Even the reissue looks great. Anakin looks smooth, simple, and gets some details spot-on while others seem a bit off. I'd say he's good, but maybe the slightest bit undercooked.

I'm nitpicking. I'm generally agreeable to whatever Hasbro wants to do here (especially at $10/figure), but I've had enough conversations with fans to see their points of view, too - Kenner figures had surprisingly deeply sculpted and sharp detail. It was simple detail - but it was intricate. This figure's details are mostly softer, as can be seen in his facial scar, but the straps on the backs of his boots are actually quite good. It almost feels like a clash of styles, but hey - it's still a "Kenner" Anakin Skywalker, and no matter if I love it or hate it, I'm going to enjoy playing with it.

The figure gets the job done. If you put this unpackaged figure in front of someone with a familiarity with toys, that person would clock him as a Kenner-flavored Anakin. I don't know if they would guess that it was an official figure. A lot seems ridiculously right. His boots look somewhat digitally sculpted and are maybe a bit too perfect, but the depth on those rings on the backs of his legs look good and they seem sharper than the detail on the rest of the figure. The wrinkles on the pants and sleeves look good, and the hair seems pretty close to what I imagine Kenner would deliver - and even if it's not, you've seen their Han Solo heads. Accuracy is optional. The colors seem pretty good - a few of Hasbro's "Dark Side" Anakin figures seemed paler, like this one - and they even made the decision to include his scar, which I'm not sure if I would have if given this assignment - it was a good move on their part to try it.

Despite his fingers seeming short, they can grip the lightsaber just fine. For long-haul fans, the thought of getting an official release of this lightsaber mold in blue - a legendarily scarce 1983 variant from Jedi Knight Luke Skywalker - for ten bucks seemed impossible, but here we are. Since Hasbro doesn't like doing telescoping lightsabers, I'd say the accessory choice was a sensible one.

Some fans might be put off by the glove - it's missing the metal clips, and it's brown instead of black. I have no problem with "wrong colors," given I own a Walrus Man figure. The lack of sculpted glove detail I'm on the fence about - if Hasbro made this figure based on preproduction drawings and it was "right" based on the concept for the design ca. 2003? It's perfect. If they forgot to put them on there, they whiffed it. I don't know the story, and when you do figures like this it's more about "art" than "authenticity." It's vibes, it's feeling - and I don't think anyone is looking that closely at the glove.

The leather part of his robes feels a little too smooth, a little too shiny, and a little too perfect. There are some folds in most costume photos, and this looks like, well, plastic. Comparing him to figures as far back as 1978, nearly every figure had some folds, wrinkles, or other signs of movement in their plastic "fabric" elements. This may, too, be a design choice on the part of the sculptor - but it also does feel a smidgen undersculpted. It's not bad, the figure has a great belt, but those dark leather bits are plain to a fault. Hasbro's Revenge of the Sith and The Vintage Collection figures had much more "movement," and so did the 1984 mail-in Anakin Skywalker robes. I don't hate it, but I expected a bit more there. His pose is more in line with the "stiffer" figures from early on, with a posture that feels like he's going to have back problems later tonight. It's just a little too perfect.

The arms are fascinating - they seem a little short because of a subtle bend in each elbow, which once again makes me think the sculptor used Bespin Luke as a template. Also interesting, the flesh hand is kind of odd. This isn't a knock - Kenner had some weird left hands, with flesh paint that sometimes went over the wrist a bit onto the sleeve and looked like a glove. Mine seems to have a bit of this, which I appreciate mostly for a sense of Kenner authenticity. (Was it the factory's intent? Probably not.) It seems a little thick and a little fake, but I'd say the same about most Lobot action figures I've seen. (And brother, I've seen a lot of Lobot figures.) If I'm right and the figure's posture and arms were based on Bespin Luke, I'd like to encourage Hasbro to stop using him as a template.

I like the head sculpt - hair is hard to get right, especially Hayden Christensen's. Hasbro opted to Kenner-ize his hair by making it a bit tamer (like Luke's figures) but keeping it a bit longer and a hint of waviness in the back. I think they got it. His face is basically good, but one of the eyes on mine has some weirdness in the paint, and since I can't just buy Anakin I'm not sure if I can get it replaced. If this set goes on sale, I'll buy a second one. If looks like the eyes are good on most figures - but could be better on mine. The designer's intent was in the right place, as is Anakin's scar. It might be too shallow, too subtle here - I feel Kenner would have made it a bit deeper just to ensure it shows up. If Hasbro left it off, I might not necessarily miss it.

Given Hasbro only made three Revenge of the Sith figures for this collection, I think they made some good choices - but also, none of them are amazing. Anakin looks close. Grievous has a great feature, but has a paint job that feels very modern, and those split arms feel like they could never be done by 1980s Kenner. The Clone could be better. But I can believe that this Anakin went through some revisions and someone, somewhere, really wanted to make him look and feel like something Kenner could have put out around the time of The Empire Strikes Back. I wouldn't throw it back. For the price, I'm happy with it. I also would love to needle Hasbro to consider making Obi-Wan Kenobi (ROTS) in this style someday. (Perhaps in 2025, for Revenge of the Sith's 20th anniversary, maybe after they get to Vlix for Droids' 40th. Neither of these things will happen, of course.)

Collector's Notes: I got mine from Hasbro Pulse.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,222: March 11, 2025