Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,924: CB-23 (Droid Depot set, The Black Series)

CB-23 Droid Depot Set
The Black Series Galaxy's Edge Exclusive Action Figure
Item No.: No. F3400
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Babu Frik, Pit Droid, Battle Droid with blaster and antenna backpacks, K-7R1, and CB-23
Action Feature: Weighted Base
Retail: $74.99
Availability: March 2022
Appearances: Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge and Star Wars: Resistance
Bio: A maroon and turquoise BB astromech unit, CB-23 is a member of the Resistance and serves as Poe Dameron's co-pilot for a short period of time while BB-8 was on another mission. (Taken from the packaging.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Availability: Click here to buy it at Amazon now!

Commentary: I don't have anything to complain about here. CB-23 is another - and one of few - figures from the Star Wars: Resistance cartoon to make the transition to the 6-inch line. Considering that the show came and went with the sort of enthusiasm you reserve for a sneeze, it's kind of amazing that Hasbro gave us a new droid dome to go with this BB-8 retool. The BB-8 mold hasn't been used very much at this scale, and it's kind of amazing to think after 7 years this is only the second BB droid in this particular size class. I assumed we'd have had a BB-9E by now, but no.

If you missed Star Wars: Resistance, that's OK, I suggest you keep missing it. The show was the most colorful Star Wars has been since Ewoks and/or Droids, and was loaded with neat vehicles, cool aliens, and some excellent costumes along with some of the most dreadfully dull stories aimed at young kids you'd expect to see. The tie-ins to the sequel trilogy were few, but given how they can't actually spoil anything or tell you anything in the show you were left without a lot to go on unles you really loved the characters. While I could hang out with Flix all day long, he has yet to get his own spin-off.

CB-23 was BB-8's replacement, and is a pretty nice figure. The red roly-poly body has the same weighted mechanism we saw with BB-8, and there's no dirty deco or battle damage. It's just a nice clean robot with a newly-tooled dome, complete with wonderful blue highlights, a silver cap, and other painted silver and black detailing. I'd make some comment or snide remark about it if I could, or even say it's amazing, but it's just kind of exactly what you would and should expect out of this kind of a retooled action figure. The colors are all nice and bright, the paint is mostly incredibly clean and the antenna are, for some reason, almost translucent. But everything looks good. As a glorified accessory, this robot is charming and more colorful than most figures we tend to get.

There aren't many landmarks I can point to and say "this is awesome!" Top-to-bottom, it's an incredibly decent little robot that serves as a reminder that the designers behind Resistance did a great job and there may be some gold to mine out of the show if we ever get to a point where anything goes in action figures again. (It won't, so don't get your hopes up.) I wouldn't recommend this figure for the price of the boxed set, but it's nice enough that if you were going to buy the set anyway, it's not going to tick you off. It's good! You'll like it.

Collector's Notes: I got mine from Shop Disney.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,924: May 12, 2022

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,804: CB-23 (Droid Factory Line Look / Droid Depot)

CB-23 Disney Parks Exclusive
Star Wars Droid Depot
Item No.: ???
Manufacturer: Disney?
Number: n/a
Includes: n/a
Action Feature: Comes apart
Retail: $12.99
Availability: October 2020
Appearances: Star Wars: Resistance

 
Bio: All different types of droids populate the Star Wars galaxy. Each droid is different and has their own unique personality and colors. A maroon and turquoise BB Astromech unit, CB-23 serves the resistance as Poe Dameron's co-pilot. May the Force be with you... and your Droids! (Taken from the figure's packaging.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Availability: Click here to buy it at Amazon now!

Commentary: With the parks largely closed and my pals unable to go places, I got CB-23 when a damaged cardback showed up on eBay. The price was right. This uses Disney's BB tooling, but gives us a new head and the first and perhaps only release the robot will ever see. It would not stun me if this is the last time we ever get a figure from Star Wars: Resistance either.

By 2021 nobody needs nor do they want another BB droid. I think everybody got over the sequels for a while, and right now want to wallow in the post-Return of the Jedi splendor of The Mandalorian. For those of us who just need everything, this little robot is a nice addition to the droid pool since he got a new head. The red head now has a flat silver top with a few wires, lights, and panels I didn't notice when watching the show. It looks like someone customized it. The dome is missing a little yellow box on his left side, but other than that matches the packaging rendering quite nicely with the cheery colors. The unique dome makes this an easy choice to pick up, provided you aren't yet over countless repaints and retools of robots.

The body is largely the same as BB-8 other than the colors, and it looks fantastic. If you pop it open, there's a weighted engine ball inside molded in red with silver highlights. Why did Disney bother to paint something you may never even know you can see? I have no idea. I assume to make you think you got your $13 worth, especially since Hasbro did a series of 2-packs last fall for a mere $9.99 each. There's no weighted ball or removable head, but on the other hand, you got two for ten bucks.

There's not a lot new here other than head and colors, but that's what tends to serve as a good redeco in Transformers. Normally you don't even get a new noggin. I don't assume we'll get a lot from Disney's largely ignored second animated child, despite it being jam-packed with awesome alien designs and some really cool periphery characters. Also, some of the most boring heroes and villains. But we got a handful of neat figures, and this droid is one of the few I was left wanting once the line ended. Now where's Jim Rash: Bird Man, and Neeku?

Collector's Notes: I got this from eBay.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,804: April 22, 2021

Sttar Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,622: Commander Pyre (The First Order, Galaxy's Edge, The Black Series 6-Inch)

COMMANDER PYRE (The First Order)
Galaxy's Edge The Black Series 6-Inch Figure Disney Park Exclusive
Item No.: No. E5160
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: MSE Droid, Kylo Ren, Commander Pyre, Blaster pistol, blaster rifle
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $69.99
Availability: June 2019
Appearances: Star Wars: Resistance

Bio:  A fearsome First Order stormtrooper officer, Commander Pyre stands out from the legions of identically equipped soldiers with his black-and-gold armor. (Taken from the figure's packaging.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Availability:  Click here to buy it at Amazon now!

Commentary:  Much like the Mountain Trooper, I don't believe Commander Pyre appears in Galaxy's Edge as of yet - he's a fairly generic baddie in the Star Wars: Resistance with a clever design that makes use of existing assets.  Pyre is basically the 2015 Black Series First Order Stormtrooper [FOTD #2,162] which we've been given a few times over the years.  The plain white figure has received alternate helmets, pauldrons, and other new accessories todress up an otherwise nearly identical figure.   As far as I can tell, there are no new parts on this figure - the Trooper-with-a-pauldron was sold previously as the First Order Stormtrooper Officer [FOTD #2,248], a 2015 Amazon exclusive.   So why buy this one?

It's gold.  It's also the reason to buy this set.  Hasbro could have easily sold this figure in its basic assortments or as a store exclusive, but for the time being it's a bit of a mystery why it wound up at a theme park without yet seeing it as a costumed character or as a known element of a ride.  Maybe it is!  We just don't know yet.

Since we haven't seen a "real" Pyre suit yet, we can only assume this is accurate.  It seems the dark elements on the arms and waist run a bit darker than a cartoon, but it could just be the lighting in the animation.  The layout matches the 3 3/4-inch figure, meaning that it's a gold Stormtrooper.  There's not a lot special here other than a black small blaster, a gold big blaster, and a pauldron.  I appreciate one change, though - the gloves.  I find the normal white trooper's partially white fingers weird and distracting, this figure has grey backs of the hands and black fingers for a more "classic" look.

As sets go, the First Order one is not the most interesting, but at least you get a trooper in C-3PO drag.  That's new - I don't believe we've ever had any sort of gold trooper figure before.   What is also interesting is that the figure was altered from the early test shots - Hasbro's first production had an all-black rifle.  This one has gold highlights.  I appreciate the change.   If you like this figure, go ahead and grab one - he's neat and I don't assume we'll see him outside Disney very much.

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

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,622: September 19, 2019

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,601: BB-8 (Resistance line look)

BB-8 and Poe Dameron
Star Wars Resistance  3 3/4-Inch 2-Pack Figure
Item No.: Asst. E5034 No. E5360
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/
Includes: Helmet, blaster, Poe figure
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $14.99
Availability: January 2019
Appearances: Star Wars Resistance

Bio: A hotshot X-wing pilot for the Resistance, Poe Dameron is a natural leader who keeps an eye on the crew of the Colossus. When Poe sets out on his own missions, he leaves behind BB-8, a rolling BB unit whose spherical shell is packed with useful tools and computer interface equipment, to work alongside Kaz and the rest of the crew. (Taken from the figure's packaging.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

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

Click here to buy it at Amazon now!

Commentary: Infuriating.  Back in 2015 BB-8 in a set with Poe Dameron would have flown off the shelves at $15, but in 2019 the value proposition doesn't meet the hype.  That first BB-8 was packaged with two cool new alien figures for the same price, thus softening the blow of having to pay $15 for the breakout star of the new movie's trailer.  By now people are over BB-8 a bit, so the mere hint at the cybernetic marble being a toy isn't enough to make it an exciting purchase.  While improved, this is not an exciting purchase.

His companion Poe figure is a gem - the slim, redesigned pilot fits better in toy X-Wings than the movie ones!   This new animated BB-8 is cleaner and rounder, with better paint, but there's a smaller flat base that's a bit harder to find. The only thing that moves is the head, so really all the figure delivers is a clean, stylized design with orange and silver paint within the lines, clearly, on a white chassis.  It's very good - but if this set were $9.99, given how little is in it, you might still huff and puff about not getting enough toy for your money.  And this is $15.

Since the line is probably already over for good, I assume any of this is moot - fans in the future will probably want this set because it's a great example of Hasbro releasing a wonderful set of figures, regardless of price, that look good and behave better as toys than nearly anything they've done since the 1995 relaunch. No other line better captures the ease of play as Resistance, unfortunately you'll have to borrow all the vehicles from previous series as Hasbro has elected not to release any at this or probably any other time.  If you see it on clearance for $10, get this set.  If you want a really good Poe figure, get this set. If you have no other BB-8 toys, get this set.

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

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,601: July 9, 2019

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,577: Synara San (Resistance line look)

SYNARA SAN Animated
Star Wars Resistance  3 3/4-Inch Single Figure
Item No.: Asst. E5035 No. E5358
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Blaster, helmet
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $9.99
Availability: January 2019
Appearances: Star Wars Resistance

Bio: A salvager who scours the oceans and islands of Castilion for crashed starships, Synara keeps much to herself. (Taken from the figure's packaging.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

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

Click here to buy it at Amazon now!

Commentary: Unsurprisingly, I like the Synara San figure too despite her name being too similar to that of fonts.  This is a figure that manages to do a good job translating an excellent design to plastic.  Her belt, kneepads, and boots look a little bit like the Empire's Biker Scouts.  Her helmet looks a smidgen like Lando's from Return of the Jedi.  She's of the same alien race as Luminara Unduli and Barriss Offee, plus she has a swell silver blaster that fits in her holster.  The face paint is also pretty much perfectly where it needs to be, crisp and colorful. 

The helmet fits fine, the coat is sculpted close to the body, and she stands just fine.  The Biker Scout belt blocks her ability to sit a bit, but it's still a decent range of movement compared to countless other figures.   Thanks to her piecemeal costume, cool helmet, and alien uniqueness, she could probably fit in with any Cantina or Jabba's Palace diorama you were looking to populate.   There's a ponytail hanging off her head too, giving the design a little more personality.

As a semi-regular character, it's wonderful to see her in the plastic. There are some prominent figures we haven't yet seen as toys, and some that are glorified cameos - like Poe - that gobble up some of the wave one slots.  This is a worthwhile figure, and I would love to see more of her friends made as figures too.  Hasbro - well done.

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

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,577: April 16, 2019

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,574: Stormtrooper (Resistance line look)

FIRST ORDER STORMTROOPER Animated
Star Wars Resistance  3 3/4-Inch Single Figure
Item No.: Asst. E5035 No. E5080
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Blaster
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $9.99
Availability: January 2019
Appearances: Star Wars Resistance

Bio: Equiped with sleek armor and powerful weapons, the Stormtroopers of the First Order continue the legacy of the soldiers of the Galactic Empire. (Taken from the figure's packaging.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

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

Click here to buy it at Amazon now!

Commentary: Even Droids never got their own animated Stormtrooper!  This First Order-flavored cartoon trooper is the kind of thing I would have swooned over in the late 1980s - a future figure that carries on the story, in a cartoony style!  With 5 joints and an exaggerated scowl, it's a Stormtrooper!  What else could you want?

The figure lacks the hip plug for the blaster, but there's a lot of paint on the weapon.  Molded in white, there are lots of black markings on it to bring it to life. Similarly, the helmet has black and silver markings, more or less matching the look of the animated show.  It's very clean, and a good take on the sequel series troops.  We don't get painted soles on the boots, but that seems to be increasingly rare.  The figure isn't nearly as ornate as the others in this line, which I assume was on purpose - they have to cut costs somewhere.

 At first glance I thought the Stormtrooper was the same mold as Commander Pyre, but this isn't the case - the gold trooper's pose and chest are slightly different at a quick glance. Range of motion is very good but falls short of my 5POA ideal - the legs can't get that perfect 90-degree angle, but they come close.  The arms and wrists swivel as you please, and the ball-jointed helmet is as perfect as these heads can be.  I like it, and I kind of wish we'd see more like this.  If Hasbro ever feels like retooling the hips, I'd buy a few more to fit in my old Mini-Rigs.  It's a fun figure.   Because this line is small, I can't not recommend it.  BB-8 and Poe are the only other movie characters to get the cartoon treatment, so go ahead and snag this one if you like the look.  Its center of balance may require you to swing the arm forward a bit, but other than that?  It's nice.

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

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,574: April 4, 2019

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,573: Torra Doza (Resistance line look)

TORRA DOZA Debut
Star Wars Resistance  3 3/4-Inch Single Figure
Item No.: Asst. E5035 No. E3942
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Helmet (with head inside)
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $9.99
Availability: January 2019
Appearances: Star Wars Resistance

Bio: A daring pilot at the Colossus station with a sense of flair and competitiveness, Torra Doza has the combined energy of a hotshot ace and a fifteen-year old. (Taken from the figure's packaging.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

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

Click here to buy it at Amazon now!

Commentary: This is another good one.   Torra Doza doesn't do much early in the show, and her racing costume is pretty Earthy.  You might recognize the color scheme from either Hot Wheels collecting or their real-world inspirations from Gulf Racing.  It's nice that the Lucasfilm team made racing teams identifiable by using colors racing fans might recognize instantly.

The figure is pretty great.  She has a harness on which covers her chest and shoulders, not hindering articulation.  The helmet is actually an alternate head - you can see a painted face inside the visor.   I had a heck of a time getting it on the neck peg for the photo, and I don't know if it's just mine or not - but the helmet head doesn't stay on well.  It looks great, but it's not a particularly easy swap despite being on the same kind of neck ball peg Hasbro has been using for over 15 years.

For a 5-jointed figure, she's perfect. The legs swing forward and she sits at a normal right angle, so you can be furious that Hasbro has yet to (and let's be realistic, will never) release a companion vehicle.  The limbs are good, the paint job is decent, the coloring is bright, and like other Resistance humans she has a fantastic paint job on her face.   A few details were left undecorated - a couple of greeblies on her neck and above her belly, as well as her chest computer - but it's not like a better version is coming.   It's pretty good, and if it weren't $10 you'd consider this a great figure for the asking price.  For $10, I expect things like a blaster or maybe some more paint - but the second painted head in the helmet is no slouch.

While by no means essential, she's part of a currently 10-figure collection for this TV show.  Disney has proven the be good at releasing new stuff but not great about promoting it and developing (exploiting) it fully at retail, so like the 1980s TV shows it might be a small set of toys.  For that reason alone I'd recommend grabbing these figures now just because you probably won't have too many more series to worry about.

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

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,573: April 2, 2019

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,572: Commander Pyre (Resistance line look)

COMMANDER PYRE Debut
Star Wars Resistance  3 3/4-Inch Single Figure
Item No.: Asst. E5035 No. E5359
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Blaster
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $9.99
Availability: January 2019
Appearances: Star Wars Resistance

Bio: A fearsome First Order stormtrooper officer, Commander Pyre stands out from the legions of identically equipped soldiers with his black and gold armor. (Taken from the figure's packaging.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

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

Click here to buy it at Amazon now!

Commentary: I'm slowly catching up on Resistance, and I can't say much about Commander Pyre yet. He's gold! And he gets to do slightly more than Phasma!  I assume he exists because it cuts the animation budget to just recolor and modify a base Stormtrooper, and to that end they did a nice job with the design.  It's not unlike the 1990s Star Wars comic and RPG characters we got - similar, but different.  It's appropriate to the story, adding a familiar pauldron and slathering gold paint everywhere really does the trick.

While the legs can't be posed at a perfect right angle, they can swing forward nicely. The arms swivel, and there's a ball-jointed neck that just works great.  Pyre is like the real classic Vintage figures, with a narrow profile and the ability to fit in many of the old Kenner vehicles.  This is good - because so far, there are no Resistance vehicles despite the designs looking pretty cool.  (Especially the pirate craft!)

There's not a lot of special painted detail here, mostly because it's black or gold everywhere you look.  The gun can't plug on the figure's leg like the movie First Order troopers, but at least he can hold it with no real problems.   It's kind of weird seeing C-3PO's colors on an evil trooper, but it works!   I like these figures a whole lot more than the TV show from which they originate, so I'd suggest going and getting yours before they disappear.  Hasbro and/or Lucasfilm have short attention spans when it comes to supporting their TV properties, and it wouldn't stun me if what we see now may be the bulk of what we get.  Get while the getting is good!

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

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,572: March 28, 2019

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,571: Major Vonreg (Resistance line look)

MAJOR VONREG Debut
Star Wars Resistance  3 3/4-Inch Single Figure
Item No.: Asst. E5035 No. E4379
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/
Includes: Blaster
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $9.99
Availability: January 2019
Appearances: Star Wars Resistance

Bio: A vicious, daring man of few words, Major Vonreg is known for his custom crimson TIE fighter and his lightning fast strikes against anyone who dares intrude into First Order territory. (Taken from the figure's packaging.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

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

Click here to buy it at Amazon now!

Commentary: I assume Resistance will go down in history like the 1985 Droids cartoon - colorful and neat, but sadly failing to strike a chord with the existing older fans.  I know I've whined about the show... but I love the figures.  The paint jobs on the human faces are just so perfectly precise and the names have that Droids-y Star Wars-y feel.  Major Vonreg sounds like he could have totally been around the Pirates of Tarnoonga or Admiral Screed's crew, but he's under the employ of the First Order.  He's a red TIE Fighter Pilot - basically an absolute gem of a figure for toy dorks or part-time fans that will no doubt infuriate collectors because they either don't care or are angry we still haven't gotten Neeku and probably never will.

This 3 3/4-inch figure does everything right.   It stands, it sits.  It has a narrow profile more like the classic Kenner figures, and as such it has a great center of gravity that allows him to stand unassisted.  The hand perfectly grips the small pistol.  The paint job is superb too - while Hasbro left off the bright red backs of the fingers, they got pretty much everything else right.  They even painted the darker red shoulders, gauntlets, and kneepads when they could have left them the bare plastic color and odds are most fans wouldn't think twice of it.

While $10 seems absurdly expensive on a $10 5-jointed figure, I like it. I assume Hasbro knows this - it wouldn't surprise me if Resistance evaporated quickly and was never spoken of in toy aisles again.  With that in mind, go get Vonreg now.  Just do it.The buttons are painted cleanly, and the design feels like another mutation spawned out of the imaginations of the late 1980s "everybody is phoning it in" era of Star Wars. It's new, but not too new.  It's different, but not in a boring samey way.  If Hasbro produced a normal quantity of this figure, that probably means it'll be something you kick yourself for passing up later.  I wish they just bypassed 5-joints and went right to Vintage for the extra three bucks, but I'll take it all the same.  It feels like an old artifact from the future, and it pushes all my old Star Wars cartoon buttons.  Get it.

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

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,571: March 26, 2019

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,568: Jarek Yaeger (Resistance line look)

JAREK YAEGER Debut
Star Wars Resistance  3 3/4-Inch 2-Pack Figure
Item No.: Asst. E5034 No. E5361
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Helmet, blaster, Bucket (R1-J5) droid figure
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $14.99
Availability: January 2019
Appearances: Star Wars Resistance

Bio: Jarek Yaeger runs a repair shop on the Colossus  refueling station, enjoying the solitude of being so far off the beaten paths of the galaxy.  Bucket has been Jarek Yaeger's loyal astromech for years, and despite being a battered, decrepit droid addled by outdated, glitching programming, is also a skilled mechanic. (Taken from the figure's packaging.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

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

Click here to buy it at Amazon now!

Commentary: Resistance is a show that leans heavily on mentors and learning - our lead is, to say the least, green in many ways.  One of his minders is Jarek Yaeger, an old guy that runs a repair business for the ships racing on a water planet with seemingly no audience and no economy of which to speak so far.  There are people selling ship parts, but really, what's going on there? Maybe it has been addressed and I missed that episode - but Hasbro did study the character designs well, translating the oddly flat 3-D designs into action figures that sometimes look more lifelike than their on-screen counterparts.

Jarek Yaeger is skinny, matching his animated counterpart quite nicely.  He has a blaster - which I don't believe sees a lot of use on the first few episodes on the TV show - and a helmet.  The helmet is actually a swappable alternate head, with a clear orange visor as his hair would not allow for a helmet over it.  I don't believe  he's used the helmet much on the show as of yet either, but then again, a lot of the first wave of figures weren't regularly appearing on the show.

Hasbro's figure is a bit more lively than Kaz, with more wrinkles in the jacket and pants.  This looks like a slightly more living person, with subtle wrinkles and good facial features. I was surprised to notice glossy lips and eyebrows, possibly making this an early experiment in "real" faces.  Hasbro has been promising those printed-on mugs in the small size, and in this case I would say it could be a challenge to do better.  The eyes are lips are where they should be, and to the naked eye look superb.   A few ornaments on his jacket aren't just painted, but outlined in black so they pop nicely.  He has 5 points of articulation and has no problems sitting, although standing will require you to find his center of gravity.

I admire what Hasbro did with these figures - they feel a lot more like old Kenner figures thanks to their proportions, poses, and articulation.  My compliments to the chef.  This set is worthwhile in that you get a perfectly good human character with one of Hasbro's best animated small-scale heads along with one of their most wonderful droid figures in recent memory.  It's absolutely worth picking up if you can find one.

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

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,568: March 14, 2019

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,567: Bucket R1-J5 (Resistance line look)

BUCKET (R1-J5) Debut
Star Wars Resistance  3 3/4-Inch 2-Pack Figure
Item No.: Asst. E5034 No. E5361
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/
Includes: Helmet, blaster, Jarek Yaeger figure
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $14.99
Availability: January 2019
Appearances: Star Wars Resistance

Bio: Jarek Yaeger runs a repair shop on the Colossus  refueling station, enjoying the solitude of being so far off the beaten paths of the galaxy.  Bucket has been Jarek Yaeger's loyal astromech for years, and despite being a battered, decrepit droid addled by outdated, glitching programming, is also a skilled mechanic. (Taken from the figure's packaging.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

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

Click here to buy it at Amazon now!

Commentary: I can't say I love Resistance as a TV show, but I will say Bucket (R1-J5) is a true favorite figure.  The look of Resistance toys is, overall, sharp.  I just don't get much from the programming.  This time, the astromech droid is a shell with missing panels and parts, a rubbery series of metallic silver rings orbits the core of the droid.  There are three legs - the center one partially retracts - and ball-jointed shoulders.  The dome is mostly missing, all you get is an eye stalk with a helmet over it.  I love this.

Thanks to the articulation, this is one of the most expressive droid figures I own.  You can tilt the figure's head inquisitively, the legs tilt in and out and allow for him to emote in ways you don't normally see.   It would be awesome to see this applied to a Droids R2-D2, as that was an unusually expressive take on the character - but I digress.  The third leg partially retracts, and extends out way more than I am comfortable seeing.  There are no wheels, but it does look awesome.

The sculpt and paint job is nice and clean, with a couple of fascinating exceptions on the feet.  If you squint and look the sides of the robot feet near the ground, there are knicks and scrapes sculpted in there that are sadly unpainted.  I think they could do a wonderful job giving this figure a deluxe paint job, bringing out even more detail.  He's missing a few paints ops - like the helmet, and the feet - but there is a lot of silver on the body and some red wiring here and there.

This is my favorite Resistance figure because it does so much that's unexpected with a design that's likable.  A busted-up robot is such a wonderful idea, but adding in the amazing head with the movement of the legs shows that Hasbro is absolutely capable of doing amazing, surprising things in a line that seemed to be coasting.  Real surprises at the smaller size are hard to find, but so welcome when Hasbro has a chance to stretch its wings.  We've seen so many fun and weird ideas over the years, it amazes me that Hasbro has new ways to jazz up a design we've basically seen dozens of times.  Who knew there was so much more life in the R2-D2 form factor?  You have to get this set.  Go, get one now.

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

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,567: March 12, 2019

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,566: Kaz Xiono (Resistance line look)

KAZ XIONO Debut
Star Wars Resistance  3 3/4-Inch Single Figure
Item No.: Asst. E5035 No. E3941
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/
Includes: Helmet, blaster
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $9.99
Availability: January 2019
Appearances: Star Wars Resistance

Bio: Confident and skilled when a New Republic X-wing fighter, Kaz now feels out of his element having been assigned to be a spy for the Resistance. (Taken from the figure's packaging.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

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

Click here to buy it at Amazon now!

Commentary: On the show, Kaz Xiono oscillates between bumbler and go-getter. Sometimes, he's a pilot with skill.  Sometimes, he's an idiot who will let people trample over him, only looking competent thanks to an even denser sidekick who, despite being a series regular, has no toy.  I don't know who is planning these waves - Kaz is the only series regular in the entire basic single first wave.   It's like a wave made mostly of Constable Zuvio or Paige Tico all over again, but at least this guy is on every week and gets a toy so those who love him on the show can indeed get him.  Unlike, say, Han Solo last year.  But I digress.

This figure hits all the right marks - had Hasbro any vehicles, his articulation seems designed to easily sit with legs at the right angle and arms that don't swivel out too much.  He's skinny and closely matches the colors on the show - the pants aren't quite right, but everything else seems more or less on point.  The face looks like the animation model, the jacket is perfect, and the belt buckle is even right.  Bonus credit to Hasbro for sculpting the jacket as a separate piece, allowing the figure to look a little more three-dimensional and not in any way restricting movement when being posed.  The proportions and style are more cartoon-like than some previous animated lines, with texture as appropriate in a few spots.  Mostly he's smooth, and one might assume the grey sideburns are to indicate he's old.  But he acts like a dumb kid, so... take your pick.

I admit I'm behind on the show and just haven't been feeling it yet.  I'll keep giving it a chance, because I can't not.  He rarely used his helmet or blaster from what I remember, as the show seems to be trying very hard to not have every episode be a shoot-out.  Kaz has no problems wearing his helmet, or holding his blaster.

Hasbro did a great job on what seems to be a tough task - increasing prices, decreasing accessories and features, and a show with ratings about as low as Rebels at its nadir, it's a wonder we've got anything.  I like the character design, the character's performance is good, and the action figure is well done for what it aspires to be - you just have to get excited for the show.  Maybe it gets better?  If you get a chance to pick up a Kaz figure at a good price, you might want to do so.  I can't complain about the toy.  The show, sure.

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

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,566: March 7, 2019