Figure of the Day: Day 71: Kit Fisto

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



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

Image: Adam Pawlus' toy shelf.

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

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

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

Day 71: July 16, 2006

Figure of the Day: Day 70: Kitik Keed'kak

KITIK KEED'KAK Mos Eisley Cantina
Revenge of the Sith Mos Eisley Cantina Screen Series 1, Kmart Exclusive
Item No.: No. 34516
Number: n/a
Includes: Bar equipment, glasses
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $19.99, part of a gift set
Availability: Summer 2004
Appearances: Primarily Star Wars

Bio: On the planet Tatooine, the Mos Eisley cantina, also known as Chalmun's cantina, is the hot spot for entertainment and intrigue. Many species intermingle there, spying and conducting shady business. Bounty hunters frequen the seedy joint, hoping to catch their prey in an unguarded moment. obi-Wan Kenobi and Luke Skywalker went to the cantina to find transportation off the planet, which led to their first meeting with Han Solo. (Taken from the figure's box.)

Image: Adam Pawlus' toy shelf.

Commentary: A classic alien from Star Wars, the very first figure of Kitik Keed'kak (released in 2002 or 2004, depending on how you count it) was given a "classic" blunder. The original Snaggletooth was way off, Ponda Baba had an outfit that didn't make a lot of sense, and Greedo and Hammerhead were off model as well. In this case of this mantis-like alien, the dress is correct, but the color is not-- Kitik is actually green in all color Lucasfilm photography. As Hasbro had multiple chances to fix this with the figure's "cancellation," it's a little shocking they didn't, but the end result is still a very nice figure with very unique coloring. With joints at the shoulders and waist, there's little range of movement that's meaningful, but the figure stands up nicely and fills out a diorama well. It doesn't really do much, it can't hold anything, it's one of very few figures that actually serves no purpose beyond adding character to a diorama. It can't sit, it can't shoot, it can merely be. So if you like the look of this figure, that's pretty much all you can expect to get out of it. Heck, print the picture out and stick it in your diorama, it serves the same purpose.

Collector's Notes: Few figures have had a turbulent "birth" as this one. In 2002, Hasbro informed the collecting world it would be a Wal-Mart exclusive, much like the 2002 Cantina deluxe packs that included 1 figure, 1 cantina section, and 3 glasses for about $10. Heck, even StarWars.com's own Cargo Bay confirmed it, and numerous sites (including this one) got packaged samples which shot up to be worth a whole heck of a lot of money. (I myself tracked down unpackaged samples shortly before Hasbro asked us to remove our images. Long story.) The actual figure we're showing in FOTD is one of these samples we found on eBay in 2003 which is virtually indistinguishable from the normal 2004 release, which I also have, but eh, it looks pretty much the same.

So why all the drama on this figure? Hasbro was denying it was to be made and was never announced after numerous fan sites obtained samples through various means. Also, in 1999 and 2000, and number of nearly-finished and in some cases packaged Episode I toys leaked to eBay, and were never released. As such, this figure made a lot of fans nervous as they assumed they would never be able to get one, and of course Hasbro made everybody happy by releasing it as a fairly easy to find exclusive in 2004, even if it did come with two figures fans didn't need.

Day 70: July 15, 2006

Figure of the Day: Day 69: Anakin Skywalker

ANAKIN SKYWALKER Jedi vs. Sith
Revenge of the Sith Battle Packs Jedi vs. Sith
Item No.: Asst. 85554 No. 85667
Number: n/a
Includes: Lightsaber
Action Feature: Squeeze legs together for lightsaber action!
Retail: $19.99, part of a gift set
Availability: Summer 2005
Appearances: Primarily The Clone Wars

Bio: Discovered as a slave on a remote planet, young Anakin is extremely powerful in the ways of the Force. He becomes an amazing starfighter pilot and is highly skilled at lightsaber combat, as war threatens to tear apart the galaxy. (Taken from the figure's box.)

Image: Adam Pawlus' Clone Wars shelf.

Commentary: While Revenge of the Sith was very popular in 2005, and the love for the classic trilogy will never die, the up and coming crazy popularity of the Clone Wars multimedia project resulted in new and exciting Expanded Universe figures like this Anakin Skywalker seeing release, as kids adored Clone Wars and numerous collectors consider it, Revenge of the Sith, and the last half or so of Attack of the Clones to be the best lightsaber action to be had from the most recent stories from a galaxy far, far away. With a great sculpt, one must rely on good paint to make a figure a must-have collectible. Sadly, this one got rotten face paint and as such looks goofy. Still, he has ball joints at the neck, shoulders, knees, left elbow with a waist joint, a wrist joint, and hip joints that don't quite work right-- reports of this figure breaking were rampant. Don't try to make him sit, kids! The figure's design is obviously "real world," but it's taken from the Yavin IV duel Anakin had with Asajj Ventress during the end of the first 20 episodes of Clone Wars on Cartoon Network. As this is the only "real" version of this character in this outfit, you should consider tracking it down. However, it has its imperfections, but as part of a larger gift set, it's a very nice figure.

Collector's Notes: Beware the legs-- don't make him sit, or he might break! I'm crossing my fingers that Hasbro retools and rereleases this figure. Basically, I'd like to see him be able to sit without breaking, and then I'd like to see the head fixed up with slightly better paint. I'd be happy to re-buy a new and improved version of this figure. Also, he's currently packaged in the Jedi vs. Sith Battle Pack. It also includes Yoda, Obi-Wan Kenobi with snap-on armor, a new Asajj Ventress, and General Grievous. The gift set was a bargain at $20, and can be had on eBay for about that today if you're lucky. As there are presently no rumors for bringing back these particular figures, it's worth picking up for yourself or the little ones in your life who enjoy the cartoons.

Day 69: July 14, 2006

Figure of the Day: Day 68: C-3PO

C-3PO Episode I
Episode I Collection 1
Item No.: Asst. 84095 No. 84106
Number: n/a
Includes: CommTech Chip
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $6.99
Availability: May 1999
Appearances: Primarily Episode I; also appears in the Expanded Universe

Bio: Beginning life as a home built protocol droid, C-3PO was an unfinished bundle of wires and metal before becoming the shiny, golden droid we all know. (Taken from the figure's cardback.)

Image: Adam Pawlus' toy shelf.

Commentary: With the dawn of Episode I, fans quite literally lined up to spend hundreds of dollars on new and familiar faces from a movie they never saw. One of the more popular early winners was C-3PO, based on the "naked" puppet used in the filming of the first prequel per Anakin's designs. With the standard six points of articulation and no accessories, though, this figure quickly realized to be a somewhat lousy deal and, due to the higher production of the "secondary characters" of Collection 2, tended to sit around and could be had cheaply down the road. It's a fine figure, though-- there's a lot of color and unique paint operations, and the uncovered droid should be a must-buy figure for fans of the whole saga. Unfortunately, it's just for looks-- mostly. He sits just fine, but he doesn't really do much of anything but act as a figure that merely is what it is. It's good, though, and worth tracking down if you are so inclined toward the somewhat prissy golden droid.

Collector's Notes: A snap to find, the mold was retooled heavily for Episode II as a new figure with removable coverings and a storage box that was from a deleted scene. As far as toys go, the second version is more fun and therefore superior. As far as looks go, this Episode I edition reigns supreme and is one of the most distinctive versions of the droid available. His parts are showing, after all, and he can be yours for a couple of bucks. Odds are you can get the figure on eBay, including shipping, for less than the $6.99 it cost in the stores-- plus there's no tax on eBay yet, making it a real bargain.

Day 68: July 13, 2006

Figure of the Day: Day 67: Tactical Ops Clone Trooper

TACTICAL OPS TROOPER (aka 501st Legion Trooper)
Revenge of the Sith Collection 2; Episode III Greatest Battles Collection
Item No.: Asst. 85174 No. 86730; Asst. 87181 No. 87246
Number: III-65; 7 of 24
Includes: Display stand, removable helmet, shoulder pad, blaster; Greatest Battles version has bonus holographic figure
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $5.24-$6.99
Availability: Fall 2005-2006
Appearances: Primarily Revenge of the Sith; also appears in the Expanded Universe

Bio: These clone troopers accompany Darth Vader on a mission to destroy the Jedi. Vader and his highly trained tactical ops troopers storm the Jedi Temple and show no mercy to whomever may cross their path. (Taken from the figure's cardback.)

Image: Adam Pawlus' Revenge of the Sith shelf.

Commentary: Easily the most anticipated trooper after the world saw Revenge of the Sith, Hasbro wasted no time in repainting two molds to make two different troopers. Formerly the AT-TE gunner, the Tactical Ops Trooper was part of the final 12 figures to be released in 2005, and was quite difficult to come by-- some fans never saw them on the shelves despite pounding the pavement daily. The figure itself was less than superb, with a cross-eyed head under the helmet and arms that at times would just fall off if you looked at them funny. The figure is actually fairly nicely articulated below the waist, with everything jointed and hips that can swing out. There's no waist joint, but it's about as good as you can get today and it has a nice paint job. This is a fairly "must buy" figure given its role in the movie, but as many fans will no doubt point out to you at length, it is not super articulated.

Collector's Notes: A giant pain to find, this trooper was extremely hard to find during its initial release and most found theirs on clearance several months after the fact. A bunch of Revenge of the Sith-packaged figures were sold in "bonus value" packs at Toys "R" Us as well as random sightings on clearance aisles in early 2006, which seems to have done little to satisfy demand. A new packaged version of this figure is due in stores shortly, otherwise unchanged, which will hopefully help satisfy Clone-crazy collectors. A different Tactical Ops Clone Trooper was made for Kmart in a gift set using the quick-draw Clone Trooper mold, and while neither is truly superior in terms of play value, this release has the best representation of the markings on the armor. Kmart's Jedi Temple Assault has no leg stripes.

In 2005 at Comic-Con International, an alternate version of this figure was shown using the III-41 Clone Trooper mold. This figure was the source of numerous rumors, including a possible "bonus figure" to be packed in with the game Star Wars Battlefront II and a rumored gift set that, of course, never materialized.

Day 67: July 12, 2006

Figure of the Day: Day 66: Ugnaught

UGNAUGHTS with Tool Kit
Power of the Force Collection 2
Item No.: Asst. 69605 No. 69837
Number: n/a
Includes: 2 figures, tool kit, rubber apron, Freeze Frame action slide
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $5.99
Availability: Summer 1998
Appearances: Primarily The Empire Strikes Back; also appears in the Expanded Universe

Bio: Ugnaughts, the humanoid species found on Bespin's Cloud City, manned the controls of the freezing chambers where Han Solo was encased in carbonite. (Taken from the figure's cardback.)

Image: Adam Pawlus' shelf.

Commentary: And to think, the other one was the cute one! The ugly Ugnaught returns here today for the second half of this two-pack, and this one doesn't have the fancy apron or the nicely painted face. He has four points of articulation, a carry case, and is molded in the fleshy plastic color for his face, so he looks a wee bit inferior to his package-mate. Not especially popular or likable, the main reason to buy these is to flesh out your Freeze Chamber dioramas or to "collect them all."

Collector's Notes: When I did part 1, I commented about some of these figures languishing in drug stores for a few years-- since the figures came out in 1998, that's some feat. Even more shocking was in May, I received several emails indicating that their local drug stores still had this figure available for sale at full price, $7.99. To put that in perspective, that's 8 years-- it's like finding carded vintage Return of the Jedi figures in 1990, or perhaps a more apt analogy would be stumbling on something like first series Playmates The Simpsons figures or the final waves of Jurassic Park: Chaos Effect. It's somewhat freakish.

Day 66: July 11, 2006

Figure of the Day: Day 65: Orrimaarko (Prune Face)

ORRIMAARKO Prune Face
Power of the Force Collection 1
Item No.: Asst. 69570 No. 69858
Number: n/a
Includes: Rifle, Freeze Frame Action Slide, Cloak
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $5.99
Availability: Fall 1998
Appearances: Primarily Return of the Jedi


Bio: Leader of a resistance cell on his homeworld of Dressel, Rebel Alliance member Orrimaarko proved to be a fierce warrior against the evil Empire. (Taken from the figure's cardback.)

Image: On top of some tackle boxes, Prune Face ponders his lameness.

Commentary: As the 1995 Star Wars line began becoming the biggest thing ever, fans started writing up wish lists for the line. Some were clever and included items like Wedge Antilles, which fans have never seen before. Others though they were even more clever by asking for things like Orrimaarko here, a remake of the vintage Prune Face figure, and as such Hasbro (then Kenner) focused its energies on remaking a sizable part of the vinatge line. This figure, which was somewhat shocking to see in 1998, came out and sold out quickly as the bulk of the later 1998 figures were somewhat difficult to get. (The first time I saw it was in a grocery store.) The figure itself has the typical six points of articulation, complete with the classic eyepatch, cloak, and rifle we've come to love from the old days. As he was designed with his Rebel vest undernearth in a fairly normal pose without a lot of beefiness, fans haven't asked Hasbro to go back and remake this one. (Of course, perhaps it's because Prune Face is lame.)

Collector's Notes: For a short period of time, this figure commanded a healthy premium on the secondary market. Today, he's worth $1-$2 on the secondary market. For a figure with limited distribution, that's somewhat sad, but it speaks volumes about how today's newcomer collector has limited interest in the past, hoping Hasbro reissues old figures at retail above buying them today for pennies on the dollar. As one of many designs from Return of the Jedi, it's a welcome figure to own in any collection as it's great diorama fodder and his head looks like a peanut.

Day 65: July 10, 2006

Figure of the Day: Day 64: Anakin Skywalker

ANAKIN SKYWALKER Tatooine
Epsiode I Collection 1
Item No.: Asst. 84085 No. 84074
Number: n/a
Includes: Grease gun, backpack, CommTech Chip
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $6.99
Availability: May 1999
Appearances: Primarily Episode I

Bio: Only nine years old, Anakin Skywalker began life as a slave on Tatooine. After winning his freedom, he will be trained to become a Jedi. (Taken from the figure's cardback.)

Image: Adam's Pawlus' stairs.

Commentary: In May of 1999, fans were lucky to be treated to three "early" release at the first Star Wars Celebration in Denver. Aside from Ms. Nabierre and Mr. Binks, Anakin Skywalker helped to usher in a new age of figures. Thinner figures. With more articulation. Of course, Anakin only has six joints, so he's about as articulated as all the older figures. Since he was decked out with dirty hair, a messy backpack, a few paint variations, and a grease gun, fans flocked toward the boy who would be Darth Vader and he sold fairly well despite being disliked after seeing the movie. (I guess fans expected a nine-year-old to skewer villains with his lightsaber and choke puppies.) The figure itself is a good, but not magnificent, representation of Jake Lloyd with a good representation of the costume and a "good enough" head sculpt. It isn't bad, but it could be updated after a few years and rereleased as a new, improved release.

Collector's Notes: Hasbro ignored the bulk of Episode I characters after the first year of the movie, releasing another young Anakin Skywalker in 2000 and since then, has ignored the character in this iteration. While several versions of Ani were made (Podrace driver, mechanic, Pilot, the game version of the Pilot, Padawan, Mos Espa Showdown, and Tatoonie Encounter,) this was pretty much as good as it got. Sure, he got more articulation or new hats, but this is a solid figure unto itself.

Day 64: July 9, 2006

Figure of the Day: Day 63: Ewok with Glider

EWOK Assault on Endor
Saga Collection Ultra Figures
Item No.: Asst. 84716 No. 84782
Number: n/a
Includes: Attack glider, spear, rocks
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $9.99
Availability: Spring 2004
Appearances: Primarily Return of the Jedi

Bio: The Ewoks are the sentient furred bipeds native to the moon of Endor. They cautiously accept into their tribe the Rebel heroes Princess Leia, Luke Skywalker and Han Solo, who have come to Endor on a crucial mission against the Empire. The Ewoks join forces with the Rebels and help them in the ground battle to destroy the shield generator that is protecting the Empire's second Death Star in orbit above the moon. The Ewoks use their primitive weapons and hang gliders to fell stormtroopers and attack scout walkers, helping to pave the way to victory at the Battle of Endor. (Taken from the figure's cardback.)

Image: Adam's Pawlus' back yard, by a tree. It's a wee bit hard to see the tree. Rocks and glider are not shown.

Commentary: Few times in the history of this line does a series of toys get referred to with a great reverence, but this Ultra Assortment was one of those series. With several high-quality figures with striking, fun, and most importantly, desired extras, how could you possibly go wrong? The Ewok with Attack Glider was apparently on the drawing board for a while, and is one of (currently) two nameless Ewoks in the modern line. He has a ball-jointed neck, articulated right wrist, and joints at the shoulders and hips. His sculpt is largely based on that of Teebo (reviewed earlier), and in and of itself is a unique little fuzzball. Sculpted fur has yet to be perfected, but this is a very good figure with a wide range of motion (for its needs) as well as one of the best accessories of the modern line. If you like Endor, you need this figure if for no reason other than the glider. The fact you get a bonus, unique Ewok out of it is just an added bonus. The texture of his hood is quite nicely done, and his added bits like his pouch give him a little more personality. All in all, it's a winner.

Collector's Notes: Few things made fans as happy as the Ultra assortment of figures in 2004. We got the Escape Pod with C-3PO, a big giant viewscreen with General Rieekan, a bit of an icy cave with the Wampa, and a few other bits and pieces. Because fans still seem to hate Ewoks, this item can be had for as low as $5 or so online. It's cheap, so you should consider buying one as it's awesome.

Day 63: July 8, 2006