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 3,321 Darth Vader (Force Masters / Epic World of Action)

DARTH VADER Force Masters Pack
Epic World of Action Target Exclusive
Item No.: Asst. G0363 No. G0778
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Red 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: Obi-Wan Kenobi

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: This is an interesting Darth Vader, in a year with many Darths Vader. In 2025 Hasbro gave us a "basic" Vader that's pretty much the same as this one - but with some minor changes. For this release, Hasbro added red lightning to his gloves, changed his belt buckle to have an unpainted triangle for some reason, and also painted the lenses on the helmet red. It's different!

The body itself is the same basic mold we got with the Mech or on the individual cardback - and it's a very nice figure. You get bend-and-swivel joints at the shoulders, elbows, and knees plus ball-jointed hips. The whole thing is very efficient and while it isn't the joint-spree of The Vintage Collection it's also half the price. He stands easily, but I might not recommend him as a fighter pilot. Yes, the cape is removable, but the skirt piece is a little thick and may get in the way of driving the family car. Hasbro did a good job sculpting him, unfortunately the grooves and cuts aren't super deep or detailed like many of the older figures. The detail is still present - check out the silver on the chest armor, which is over the robes. Note the horizontal lines on the gloves, which is specific to Obi-Wan Kenobi, Rebels, Rogue One and Star Wars. Hasbro also sculpted the figure to have a smoother, shinier texture on the various "hard" elements of the costume. It's a clever cost-cutting measure, this way they don't need to paint it with a glossy black paint.

I had no problems getting him to stand, even while holding his massive accessories. The big boots and tight joints keep him from doing a face-plant. This is a good design for a figure. "But Adam!" you say, "I don't like kiddo toys." Well, sure you do, we all grew up with toys and you can be an adult and admit it is OK if you buy toys for children. You've been doing it for years, it's OK, I won't make fun of you and we'd probably even be good friends if we met and if you're, you know, cool. If adult fans didn't insist on demanding features they don't want to pay for, I think collectors would see the mold and design as a good one. It's better than what we got in the 1990s, arguably cheaper given inflation, but I will admit that deco is a mixed bag.

This mold mostly replicates the looks from Rebels and Obi-Wan Kenobi with brighter than bright red lenses that are unique to this release, and kind of welcome. As we get older, or display our stuff in dark rooms, having brighter or in some way exaggerated features on small items helps a bunch. I like the light silver armor, I appreciate the belt buckle and the two lights on the chest they painted. I'm disappointed they left off the coin slots and the column ornament deco, though - it's sculpted, just blank. I also can't explain why they changed the belt buckle from being all silver to having a black cut-out for the paint mask. Some merch has this region partially black due to the vents - but the other Hasbro figures using this mold don't. I'm not sure why they would make the change. It stood out, and it's a notable difference. Hasbro also gave him some red lightning on hisi gloves which, honestly, I could do without. We got the red lightning as an accessory, and blue is the typical color whenever we see Vader lighting up some fools or being lit up himself... canon or otherwise.

But how's the gear? Good. The cape fits on the back peg hole, the lightning fits in his fist, and the cracklin' lightsaber also fits in the fist. The lightning is sort of a venus fly trap, able to grasp a figure a bit depending on its weight. It's pretty clever, as you can "grab" a guy in a distinct pose too. I know Vader is typically not canonically shown using it, but also, I unlocked all the secret characters and found the movies in Star Wars: Masters of Teras Kasi so Hasbro can do whatever they want if it's on screen somewhere.

I love that Hasbro gave him red lenses to make him stand out from the Mech Pilot, the Single Card (5 joints), the Single Card (9 joints), and of course the 2-pack with the Stormtrooper (5 joints.) Any time they include a unique accessory or deco hit to make it stand out - especially if it's weird - I'm generally supportive of the change. This might be the most interesting deco overall on this version of the mold, so I'd steer you to this set especially if it's on sale. I'd love a little more silver paint on the helmet and chest, but it's also a kid toy in a kid line that I feel is not long for this world. I would love to see more figures made in this 4-inch style (maybe not with the lightning), and I commend Hasbro for coming up with a way to make these stand out from last year's models. And I can also be cranky I've bought the sculpt about five times between the two significant molds.

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 3,321: February 19, 2026

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 3,242: Darth Vader (Epic World of Action Mech Force Suit)

DARTH VADER Ultimate Mech Force Suit
Epic World of Action "Power the Force" Mech Figure
Item No.: No. G0770
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Cape, Mech, lightsaber
Action Feature: Removable cape, mech opens, lightsaber blade flips out and extends
Retail: $219.99
Availability: March 2025
Appearances: n/a
Bio: Power up the Dark Side with Darth Vader at the helm of an armored mech suit! (Taken from the packaging)

Image: Adam's photo lab. Note, this sample has two left feet because life is cruel.

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: I think some kids are going to get this and either love it, or be bewildered by it. I would have hated this toy when I started writing online 30 years ago. This Ultimate Mech Force Suit Darth Vader feels like the kind of thing to come out of a style guide from Disney's marketing department, and the kind of thing Lucasfilm would have said "no" to under George Lucas. It's by no means bad - it's interesting! - but your willingness to go along with whimsy and 1990s-style action figures are what will drive this sale. Because I've started to like the bugnuts Kenner zaniness of the 1990s Batman and Aliens line a whole bunch, I can say I like this toy too.

A nearly-identical Epic World of Action Darth Vader [FOTD #3,228] is available with more painted details by itself. The Mech pilot drops the red and green chest lights as well as the silver belt buckle, and instead gives you some sort of PCB circuit patterns painted on his chest. Does it make sense? No. But it matches the interior of the mech, which you can see through the mech's transparent red chest. It's distinctive - and if it was part of the Batman Beyond-era of toys you'd go "Oh, I get it. I don't know that I need one, but I get it."

The sculpt is still Obi-Wan Kenobi-derived, with the gloves you saw in Rogue One and Star Wars along with the shoulder armor on top of his Sithly robes. He's jointed in nine spots - there are 15 joints in all - and he has no problem holding that overloaded energy lightsaber. It, and the energy crackles on his chest, go along with the "Power the Force" (no "of") initiative that's a big part of Disney's 2025 marketing strategy for Star Wars. You say you haven't noticed it at all? A lot of the big marketing strategies tend to be things that the consumer doesn't tend to notice, despite being name-checked on the packaging.

The big mech is pretty neat. It's not an amazing toy after we lived through $30-$40 31-inch Jakks Pacific Vader just over a decade ago, but it's at least interesting. I kind of wish they outsourced the design to Japanese mech designers to get us something with a little more zing, but the robotic armor and stompy feet look like a pretty decent kid's toy. The toy has two notable action features - a button on the beck of the right arm deploys the lightsaber blade and flips it out in his hand. Another big red button on his shoulder wiggles it. I don't know that it's going to be exciting for the kids, but it works well and is clever. The mech is jointed at the left elbow, and both shoulders. He is also equipped with a number of 5mm sockets on his arms, which allows you to mount the big weapons from other mechs or your Transformers collection. Someone at Hasbro seemed to have some fun making it.

Is it worth $30? Or more, with the tariffs? I'd say it is hard to compare it against other product at the price point, as a 6-inch The Black Series Vader is a better-painted toy with tons of articulation. But you can't open the head and chest, and plop Vader inside to pilot it. If it ever goes on clearance you owe it to yourself to get one - it's fun and weird, and mercifully doesn't duplicate a figure you already own. There are no other be-circuited Vaders. There are red ones, white ones, clear blue ones, and lava reflection ones - this is the only one that reps soldering skills. The 4-inch figure is a quality piece, and the mech functions as advertised. Pats on the back to the designers for doing something absurd, although I do kind of wish we got a new "kid" Darth Vader TIE Fighter as well/instead. At least this will take up less space standing on my shelves!

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

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,242: May 20, 2025

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,228: Darth Vader (Epic World of Action)

DARTH VADER 2025 Kids Line
Epic World of Action "Power the Force" Basic Figure
Item No.: Asst. F9405 No. G0100 (same 2024 SKU, new 2025 figure)
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Lightsaber
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $7.99
Availability: February 2025
Appearances: Obi-Wan Kenobi
Bio: Seduced by the Dark Side of the Force, Sith Lord Darth Vader led the Empire's eradication of the Jedi order. (Taken from the 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: Death, taxes, and new Darth Vader figures are the only inevitabilities of life. It's going to happen. The question: how? The 2024 Epic Hero Series line is now the 2025 Epic World of Action line - a much improved product for the same price, or cheaper. To the average consumer, 2024 Darth Vader [FOTD #3,218] looks identical to 2025 Darth Vader. Both seem to be derived from the same basic sculpt with enhanced articulation - so this is a new tool, a new slot. It's a pretty good figure, too.

The armor is based on Obi-Wan Kenobi, featuring the gloves with the lines across the hands and shoulder armor with robes underneath. Comparing the old and new "Epic" Vaders side by side, the wrinkles and creases are all in pretty much the same places. The only giveaway that it's new is a "Power the Force" burst on the package - that's Disney's 2025 marketing umbrella - and a new energy-crackling lightsaber. 2025 Vader looks mostly the same, but now you can pose him a little bit better and adjust his center of gravity.

 But what about that lightsaber? It uses the same chunky hilt and adds an energy-cracklin' blade that would make Kylo Ren blush. There's a lightsaber inside there, but it's covered in massive energy surges that make it stand apart from every version of the character we've seen so far. Hasbro's Unleashed Vader figures didn't even have a real "swoosh." Kids might dig it. For collectors who have it all, weird departures like this remind you that this doesn't have to be boring. It's surprisingly to see an "extreme" accessory in rather conservative packaging, too.

You don't have to buy this figure just to get the lightsaber. A Mech is coming with the same Vader mold, painted with red Force energy, and he'll include the same cracklesaber. (Heck, maybe just wait for that one.) I think kids will dig this version and people who poo-pooed the 5-jointed figure might appreciate bend-and-swivel joints at the shoulders, elbows, knees, and hips, with a ball-jointed neck. Counting generously - any 2 pieces of plastic that join to make a moving part as a joint - this Vader has 15 points of articulation. For eight bucks, that's really good. And just as I wrote that, the right shoulder snapped off in the joint. Well. (I bought a case with two Vaders, so time to open the other one. Time elapses, nothing broke and all the joints are good.)

Assuming the "snap" was a fluke, this is a really good figure. The articulation is just right, he stands up well, and his articulation allows him to have a bit more personalty. I'd buy this figure for a kid. I'd love to see what other riffs they can do on Vader for kid toys, especially as in 47 years we usually just get "guy in black suit with red stick" (or sometimes, no stick.) Clearly, Hasbro is holding out on us, and has lots of neat ideas. I hope the kids like this one, because making a familiar villain look dangerous again is tough to pull off. While not as articulated as The Vintage Collection, he's really good - and half price - which is going to be good enough for a lot of customers.

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

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,228: April 1, 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

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,171: Darth Maul (Deluxe, Cyborg, Epic Hero Series)

DARTH MAUL Cyborg Redeco - New Kids Line
Epic Hero Series Deluxe Walmart Exclusive Figure
Item No.: No. F9375
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Lightsaber, Armor, Spinny Lightsaber Energy
Action Feature: Lightsaber splits in two
Retail: $19.84
Availability: August 2024
Appearances: The Clone Wars
Bio: Darth Maul wields an intimidating double-bladed lightsaber and the power of the Dark Side. (Taken from the packaging)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Availability: Click here to buy it at Walmart now!

Click here to buy it at Amazon now!

Click here to buy it at eBay now!

Addendum: Walmart.com seems to have dropped the price by $7.  If your store has a price scanner (it doesn't) you should see if it got updated.

Commentary: I'm not going to beat around the bush here - is it possible Hasbro has been experimenting with price points to see if there's a figure that's too expensive to scalp? This Darth Maul figure is exclusive to Walmart and a wallet-shocking $19.84. One peg over, for the same price, is a two-pack of Bo-Katan and Moff Gideon with bonus weapons for the exact same price. (How people are selling them for $19.90 shipping on eBay, I don't know, I can only assume the seller somehow got them for free.) A normal Maul costs $8 or $10, so you're being charged for a 2-part spinny energy thing and an unpainted piece of clamp-on armor. It's so expensive that I want to believe that the prices were an administrative error, that someone put a wrong number on a spreadsheet because there is no way this is worth more than a typical The Vintage Collection figure and certainly isn't worth as much as 2.5 basic carded figures.

 I'm going to start the review by saying "wait for clearance or a sale." I think this is an incredibly clever figure - it takes some shortcuts that for the price are unacceptable, but in the form factor, are charming in a 1990s Kenner way. I hate what I paid for this figure, but I am delighted by the item, which I am sure is causing some of you to read this and go "so why are you so cranky?" Yeah, that also bothers me, but this is who I am after writing about toys on the internet for 29 years.

The core figure is the same as the basic Darth Maul figure from last week. They molded the limbs in pink and painted the boots and gloves to more closely resemble (but miss the mark on) Order 66 Maul figures [FOTD #2,858]. At this price - here we go again - it should be a whole new mold, the budget is there and a repaint with a new shorter "skirt" piece is insufficient for the asking price. But if this thing were $12.99, the same as other deluxe figures in the line right now? I would chuckle and say "it's probably fun enough to be worth running out to get." Heck, it's possible the pricing hike was intentional to see how popular characters sell for the holidays. Maul is at least a recognizable, and I turn gray saying this, classic part of Star Wars.

The figure's range of motion is identical to the last figure - 5 joints - but he is a little more dynamic thanks to his accessory. Similar to the spinning things we saw for some kid-focused figures in the early to mid 2010s, you get some red Lightsaber energy whooshes that spin fairly well. It's a good accessory, but compared to what you got with Boba Fett or Paz Vizsla, it's pretty slight. The blade snaps in, and you're off to the races.

The figure also includes a snap-on piece of very Kennerian, Savage Oppr-esque armor. It's about as convincing as the Quick Change Batman chests, but it does give the figure some visual heft and I appreciat that because the painted-on triple belt doesn't look terribly convincing. In many respects, the figure is representative of the line as a whole with more recycled parts and fewer new characters, and great head sculpts. It's goofy fun, and it will be interesting to see if we get other characters oddly painted to pretend it's a new and different outfit. It may not draw any new converts to the brand, but I can tell you right now that I'll have more fun playing with and complaining about this figure than almost any collector-level toy in 2024, and that's kind of concerning in a very different way.

Nothing about this seems like a 21st century toy. A retooled skirt with the belt hastily painted on? Painting sleeves and boots and not giving him the specific armor, gloves, or chest at a massive mark-up? For such a major character it's a bold strategy, Cotton. Let's see if it pays off for them. 

Collector's Notes: I got mine from Walmart. I had to say, in front of my wife the first time I saw it, "That's... an absolutely terrible price. This is going to be on clearance before Christmas. Nobody's going to buy this." as I took it to the register so I could write about it and play with it. This is a disease now, right?

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,171: September 12, 2024

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,130: Darth Maul (The Retro Collection)

DARTH MAUL Just The Way He Was Never Intended!
The Retro Collection 3 3/4-Inch Action Figure Target 6-Pack
Item No.: No. G0370
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Lightsaber, plus Battle Droid, Qui-Gon Jinn, Queen Amidala, Jar Jar Binks, and Obi-Wan Kenobi
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $59.99
Availability: March 2024
Appearances: The Phantom Menace

Bio: The Star Wars Retro Collection is inspired by 1970s Star Wars figures and features original figure design and detailing! Continue your collection from the 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 eBay now!

Commentary: A few years ago I was pondering if Kenner-flavored prequel figures would be cool, and now we've got Darth Maul just before the 25th anniversary of The Phantom Menace He was the first one I'd want to see in this style - but Diamond Select Toys made a Jumbo 12-inch Kenner figure too... and I think they designed it better. Diamond's had sharper detailing, a better head, a vinyl cape, but had a not-so-retro lightsaber with a silver hilt. Hasbro opted to make soft details with very few painted tattoo markings, a different pose, and arms that were, sadly, too big to fit in the Sith Infiltrator vehicle we got about 18 years ago.

If there's one thing that's increasingly clear to me about Retro figures, is that they would be massively popular if these things could be released before the movie or TV show. With rough details, they would be the ultimate "sneak preview" figures. If they're off-model or generally wrong? That's OK.

Maul is a really tough nut to crack for true Kenner styling - after all, what do you emphasize? Do you pretend it's pre-1977 and give him early details like a vinyl cape or telescoping lightsaber? Or do you pretend Kenner never stopped doing Kenner-style figures, and make something that may look more like a 1990s release? This figure doesn't seem to hit any specific era with its massive 1980-style lightsaber hilt with two blades, the pre-1984 clean cut slice in the pants without any flowing fabric detail, and a head that has horns that somehow look better than the 1999 figure and facial tattoos that, I must say, don't do it for me. It's pretty close, but I don't know how Kenner would have done either the face or the make-up. It's just a lot more red and a lot less sharp angles than I expected.

In terms of functionality, it's pretty great - the aforementioned Sith Infiltrator ship from Hasbro has a few quirks and a small cockpit that was designed around jointed knees and smaller arms, so this one can sit in it - but you can't close the cockpit. He can sit, though, so break out the mini-rigs because his range of motion is excellent and he doesn't have any obstructions. They did a good job there, and he can holt the lightsaber better than most real Kenner figures. His pose is also pretty great, with a right hand slightly rotated to give him a slightly more dynamic shelf presence than most modern Hasbro incarnations of Kenner sculpts. I think they got that completely right.

He's also rather tall - Liam Neeson's a big dude and so are his figures, but Ray Park is a little short. Their Retro figures are about the same size. That seems like an OG Kenner move, were there wasn't a massive rift between the shorties and the Wookiees like we get with modern figures.

I'm less enamored with the actual robe sculpting - it seems unfinished, and is missing a certain sense of the weight or detail of an actual old figure. I would love grooves on the face for the tattoos (Klaatu had some real texture), and a chest that has some better layering. I'm not saying I could do any better, but it would be nice to have the lower torso area a smidgen more rounded so the legs swing forward more easily. It's good, but it could be just barely better - or, most fans won't notice and won't care because they will never open this one. But we will. I love how it feels as a toy - all the parts move more or less as expected and it feels like something you believe could have existed in the past.

As a bundle I assume this set is going to be destined for a sale unless the run was particularly low - that's no criticism of the set, I just don't think people going to Target are going to see a weird block box with no visible figures and drop $60 unless they are big believers in the format. I bought it at full price because I want to see more of these, and Hasbro's not making too many figures per year and the prices are generally on the fair side. Collector's Notes: I got my set from Target. It was in a pile of stuff on the "Collectibles" shelves without any real indication as to where it should have been.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,130: May 2, 2024

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,128: Darth Vader (Epic Hero Series)

DARTH VADER New Kids Line
Epic Hero Series Basic Figure
Item No.: Asst. F9405 No. G0100
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Cape, lightsaber
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $9.99
Availability: January 2024
Appearances: Obi-Wan Kenobi
Bio: Seduced by the dark side of the Force, Sith Lord Darth Vader led the Empire's eradication of the Jedi Order (Taken from the 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: Look - they can't all be amazing and fun. I'm pretty open to new things, toy things, kid things, things for that ever-growing class of toy collectors who seem to be ashamed of buying toys for children. I want to see stuff that is the very best example of what it can be in my toys, be it a perfectly-executed gimmick, an amazing sculpt, or a figure that's satisfyingly made to fit in a pilot's seat. This Darth Vader exists in a unique spot where you can go down the checklist of the things it does well, while not arriving at a satisfying finale. The same is true for most Darth Vader figures - there are some good ones, but think about it - how many were truly great figures that can stand, sit, be posed properly, with a correct lightsaber, good deco, and capes that don't get in the way? There really weren't many - quite a few get the job done, to some extent, and I would say my all-time favorite one was the 30th Anniversary Collection Darth Vader [FOTD 1,163] from 2007 (and 2006.) 

We've seen better sculpting, but for its time and place 2006-2007 figures satisfied fans of all ages with a good accessory, a nice gimmick, robes that just plain worked, and tip-top articulation featuring legs you could swing forward and it didn't have that weird codpiece that would flip up sometimes when he sits. There's so much going on right with that figure that it was easy to take for granted, and people hand-wave away things like sometimes getting the hilt wrong (I've done this) or heads falling off (you know who you are.) This new figure excels in no specific way. It is mid. Not Mid, the kid from Final Fantasy V, but middling. The other figures in this line show signs of refinement. Not Darth Vader. (Also not the Stormtrooper.)

I should make an aside to tell you that this Darth Vader appears to be based on his appearance in Obi-Wan Kenobi, which makes him the only figure in this entire line to date that comes from a timeline before the first movie from 1977. How can you tell? The gloves are the ones with the horizontal ribbing across the hands, rather than parallel to the arms. You'll see those in Rogue One and Star Wars as well. The other tell is that his shoulder region does not have his robes draped over it, but rather, under it. In the two aforementioned movies, the robes are on top. This combination of robes below the armor with these gloves is unique to this series, although Disney has used it in spots since 2019 (if not earlier) despite it not having appeared anywhere yet. I'm nitpicky.

His pedal extremities really are colossal. Darth Vader has unusually big feet, yet has problems standing - the center of gravity is off, the capes do him no favors. The other figures in this line are easy to pick up, pose, and place on a table. Vader may stumble over - the only figure in this line to do so. You really have to get his arm out front just-so in order for him to not flop over backward, which is really an upsetting thing if you're a child and this is your favorite bad guy. You can swing his arms and legs forward, but the cape is cut oddly - like some of the ForceLink-era figures - with odd cuts that may help him squeeze in a ship, but there's no ship in this scale as of yet. So what's the point? The figure has no ship, no playset, no action feature - is his purpose merely to be collected? Does he need to exist? He fills a space in an assortment and no doubt makes people in suits who make decisions happy, but there's a lack of creativity here that stings a big, especially after over 60 Darth Vader figures from Hasbro alone.

Darth Vader's sculpt is mostly great. The detail doesn't get lost at all (like spots in 2022's The Retro Collection Darth Vader [FOTD 2,961], which had some pretty soft gloves and underdefined helmet detail. The factory made this figure sharp - which I assume means a lack of understanding what "Retro" really means, and some nice work on the toolmasters here. The quilted sleeves look good, and the armor is shiny. The helmet seems assembled off-center, with the crest on the top not quite lining up with the nose - also the lenses aren't painted here. Numerous chest details are left off, as are some elements on his belt. Hasbro also integrated the wrist sockets to snap in accessories from other figures, and thanks to the design and coloring they blend right in.

I'm not fond of the cape, either - it's kind of a hassle to get the peg lined up in his back, but once you get it in there it is sturdy. If it were a bit longer it could help prop him up without having to balance him exactly perfectly. The lightsaber feels short, but isn't - it might just be an illusion from his size, and the decision to make the hilt silver rather than all black or silver with black highlights. It seems wrong - no doubt to keep costs low, which I can appreciate, but it's not going to win him any beauty contests.

While Mando and Ahsoka were largely well-executed affairs in Epic Hero Series, doing what they should do without any real caveats, Darth Vader seems like a bad first handshake to this new line. I could see this figure turning off fans from buying more, not because it is terrible but because it's just below average enough to throw off the curve. I would say this is my least favorite figure in the entire line, and experiencing it in 2024 certainly made me think back to all of the Darth Vader figures. So many of them do interesting or weird things, but I don't think any of them was a favorite toy. I would invite Hasbro to try Darth Vader again, perhaps as a deluxe with an interrogation droid or some sort of wrist-mounted Force blast, with the goal of making a figure who could fit in a ship with no problems and who can stand without fuss. Also with a centered helmet - mine might be a special case, but I can't un-see it. I would nudge you toward the other, non-Imperial figures from the first wave as places to start.

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

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,128: April 25, 2024