Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,054: Princess Leia Slave Outfit (The Black Series 6-Inch)

PRINCESS LEIA Slave Outfit
The Black Series 6-Inch Basic Figures
Item No.: Asst. A4301 No. A5631
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: Black Series #05
Includes: Pike, vibro-axe
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $19.99
Availability: October 2013
Appearances: Return of the Jedi

Bio: The notorious bounty hunter Boba Fett prepares to deliver the carbonite-frozen Han Solo to Jabba the Hutt.  (Taken from the figure's cardback.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

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

Commentary: Arguably the most influential outfit for the character, the slave outfit of Princess Leia was first to the 6-inch line for some reason - and I wish it wasn't.  It's not a terrible figure, the short release is just a hair over 5-inches tall which is pretty close in scale to Carrie Fisher's 5-foot 1-inch frame, relative to the other figures.  Hasbro and Kenner have taken license with sizing for years, so it's more than a little shocking when they get it right instead of fudging it for our benefit.   As far as I can tell, she's basically the right size, and the figure is somewhere in the field of adequate.  The face is good - not great - the face paint on my sample could have been a smidgen better, but you can see that the sculpt is on the decent side.  Getting joints into a mostly-unclothed human at this size is difficult, although I would argue Mara Jade's 3 3/4-inch release pulled the arms off slightly better, no doubt thanks to things like her gloves and the natural cut points at the shirt.  Leia has the unenviable task of trying to work shoulder joints in to an otherwise nice body, and Hasbro did a pretty good job given the challenge.


The cloth skirt is a bit of a dud.  It's hard to do well, so Hasbro didn't really try here - there's no draping, it's just a sheet of cloth glued to a metal bikini bottom.  It could be worse, and it could be better.  The rest of her outfit is largely good, but I find the chain accessory very lacking - it's a bendy, one-piece plastic choker.  The 2001 3 3/4-inch release has a real metal chain and a similar cloth piece, so in some respects this one isn't quite as good.  Also, this outfit is one place where I'd be more than willing to sacrifice articulation for aesthetics - the best Slave Leia bodies tend to be under-jointed, so swappable arms or swappable lower bodies with that classic sitting pose probably would have made for a better piece.   I guess what I'm saying is that overall, it feels rushed.

Leia's hair braid does not hang well.  It's sculpted nicely, but I have difficulty getting my sample to look good - I don't know if rooted hair at this scale would have been better, but I'm generally not happy with how it turned out.   I was pleased with the two accessories - one weapon is similar to that of Boushh, which is the costume I would have personally loved to have started with.  The other is similar to Skiff Lando/Weequay's signature axe, and Hasbro did a wonderful job sculpting and decorating both weapons.  If memory serves, a prop builder once told me the round end of the axe weapon was made of hacked-up two-liter soda bottle parts... or at least could be fabricated that way.

When it comes to figures, I often tell people who are jumpy for a character to be happy they waited - generally speaking, toymakers get better figures with time.  This version of Slave Leia combines some of the better elements of previous 3 3/4-inch figures with some of the more lacking elements.  Articulation is nice, but if I can't get her to sit right, what good is it?  The chain is acceptable, but for $20 couldn't I get a tiny chain?   I bet that this figure would have looked significantly better had it been put out two or three years from now, but as it is it's just adequate.  It's odd to me that this entire wave has at least one or two "flaws" on each figure which seem surprising given Hasbro's rich history with the brand and track record of generally getting colors and shapes right, but well, here we are.  Slave Leia is correct on paper, but the execution shows this to be a figure that was a smidgen undercooked - normally not an issue, but with a larger figure at a higher price point problems tend to be more visible and more worthy of complaint.

Collector's Notes: I saw this wave in stores for the first time over the weekend.  I got this figure online from Entertainment Earth, and so should you.  The face is better than one might expect, but I bet a customizer could take a paintbrush to her and give you something that would really impress you.  Hasbro did start out great, it just finished a little short of where I would prefer.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,054: November 11, 2013

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,053: Boba Fett (The Black Series 6-Inch)

BOBA FETT Episode V
The Black Series 6-Inch Basic Figures
Item No.: Asst. A4301 No. A5632
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: Black Series #06
Includes: Blaster rifle, blaster pistol, backpack
Action Feature: Fit gun in holster, repeat
Retail: $19.99
Availability: October 2013
Appearances: The Empire Strikes Back

Bio: The notorious bounty hunter Boba Fett prepares to deliver the carbonite-frozen Han Solo to Jabba the Hutt.  (Taken from the figure's cardback.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

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

Commentary: I know, you already have Boba Fett.  But if you don't, good news - the basic retail release for $20 is fundamentally identical to the $60 Comic-Con version,  minus the carbonite block, which no sane person would agree is worth an added $40.   The entire package is arguably worthwhile, and Boba Fett himself is a bargain at $20 - so good on you for waiting, just get this one.  The sculpt is quite excellent, and I expect there will be debate on the coloration of his bodysuit and armor.  Should the suit be blue?  It looks grey usually, so there are often discussions over who to trust - reality, or your own eyes?   I know the figure isn't necessarily correct, but it does look like a lot of stills from the movie - I never mentally registered the costume in the film as blue, even though the original 1979 action figure is that color.   So aesthetically it's a winner, even if it's sort of wrong in terms of authenticity.  But hey, look on the bright side - Hasbro's going to give this mold a few spins at retail, most likely, so at least there's a valid reason for another release down the road.

The figure itself is, as the others, tantalizingly close to perfect - sure, we can quibble over the deco, but it meets my needs as good enough.  The thing that surprised me was that the rangefinder on his helmet wasn't articulated - even 3 3/4-inch figures have had that feature on and off since 2001.  It's a little bent out of shape, but generally it's good enough, and the sculpting work is pleasant enough to make me happy I own it.  If Japan had a Figma figure this good and it were $60, authenticity be damned, people would be falling over themselves to purchase it.  For this reason, I can't fault a figure that's really quite good, and even has a decent cloth cape on him.

The guns basically work - his arm articulation is slightly restricted, but the costume does not beget hyper-articulation at smaller sizes.  You can put all of the joints you want on a figure, but sometimes things will bump into the articulation, like Boba's hip pouches or the cuts on his elbows.  You're going to love posing him with his gear, and while the figure is unquestionably superior to and more fun than the gamut of 3 3/4-inch figures (save for 1979) there will pretty much always be limited room for improvement.  Hasbro did a fine job hiding most of the joints within the confines of the costume, and I found myself taking note of numerous features on the bounty hunter I generally didn't think were even there.  It's a winner.  Complain all you like, but this is still a top-notch figure and it's not like anything you can buy is perfect anyway.  Except the 1979 figure, because it is, and shut your pie hole if you think otherwise.

Collector's Notes: I haven't seen him in a store yet.  I got this figure online from Entertainment Earth, and so should you.  Even though it's the same as the one from Comic-Con with fewer accessories, it's also significantly cheaper.  So if the carbonite doesn't matter, get this one.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,053: November 8, 2013

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,052: Greedo (The Black Series 6-Inch)

GREEDO Episode IV
The Black Series 6-Inch Basic Figures
Item No.: Asst. A4301 No. A5629
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: Black Series #08
Includes: Removable vest, removable holster, blaster pistol
Action Feature: Fit gun in holster, repeat
Retail: $19.99
Availability: October 2013
Appearances: Star Wars

Bio: Han Solo has a final showdown with the bounty hunter Greedo in the Mos Eisley Cantina.  (Taken from the figure's cardback.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

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

Commentary: I got to fondle the prototype for Greedo at Comic-Con this year since we got to reveal this figure at work, so that was awesome.  It had a strong paint smell, and so does the final release - which, I have to say, is largely excellent.   My favorite Greedo toy may still be that 1990s 12-inch Collector Series release by Kenner, but this one is right up there - it's also the first new mold Hasbro Greedo to include a vest this century.  It comes painfully close to being the last Greedo Hasbro will ever need to make, save for one detail - the eyes.  With Greedo I generally expect the manufacturer of any Greedo item to get the eye color wrong.   It's basically metallic purple, which is as close as we're likely to see in this decade of toy production*, but the shape is wrong for this release - they're basically eggs or ovals, rather than circles, which they have been in every toy since the first one.   Every other nitpick I could make is me nitpicking, but the eye shape is just weird looking.  The ears are great, the warty head is fine, the suction cup fingers are perfect, there's really a ton to love about this figure.  Pointy ears?  Yes.  Perfect sneering snout?  Oh yeah.  But the eyes, howl! The eyes!

Other than that, the head is great.  I love the little protrusions, the mohawk is a separate strip of rubbery plastic which was glued to the back of his skull.  His giant ears really stand out, achieving Kenner's and Hasbro's ongoing high-quality Greedo head sculpts.   I'd say it's one that's difficult to screw up, but... well... eyes.


Greedo's suit has been interpreted numerous ways and this is a pretty good synthesis of previous versions - his shoes here are grey, Gentle Giant's last statue was a lighter yellowish brown, which is close to the stripes on his track suit.  Sideshow's figure looked like it had boots, or hi-tops at least.  This Greedo seems more consistent with Hasbro's recent interpretations with the darker grey footwear, and the suit is generally colored as you would expect - but for some reason has been slathered with a dirty wipe.  He doesn't look dirty in any of the behind-the-scenes shots and the wipe or wash or whatever it is feels like overkill.  You want to see the detail, sure, but it looks like someone dumped a bucket of sewage over the poor guy when what you may have wanted was a more pearlescent sheen.  In most display environments you won't notice, because you'll be too distracted of how the yellow stripes are this great sickly color which almost lets the green show through - just like the suit in the movie.   On, and the quantity of wrinkles and folds you'll find sculpted here are obscene.  I'm not sure how the artisans at Hasbro or Gentle Giant handled it but I assume that if they were hand-sculpted, someone is gonna have some nasty carpal tunnel.  It's remarkable.

Articulation is on par with the entire line minus the Sandtrooper, which is a little bit better.   The arms are basically on the level of the best 3 3/4-inch guys with bend-and-swivel wrists, plus long, rubbery, individual fingers with suction cups.  His trigger finger fits right in the trigger, painlessly.  For me. Heck if I know how the figure feels.  Depending on how you wish to count, you've got a solid 20-24 joints to futz with.  The neck has two joints, allowing him a more than decent range of movement.

Greedo's good and I doubt we'll see any of these guys redone, but I don't think it would be terrible if Hasbro took a mulligan on this first year down the road.   Still, I like it, and I'm elated to see that Hasbro has done 3 of the 9 "21-back" figures already, but only 2 of the "12-back"s.  Suck on that, 1978.   1979 rules.  (1996, 1997, and 1999 can also suck it.)

Collector's Notes: * - this is a nitpick. The only way I think we'll see a better set of eyes is if Hasbro somehow does inset clear plastic eyes in his head which is pretty unrealistic for 2013.   This is what I'm sure Figma or Revoltech would do if they get the license in the next decade or two.  I await the fan-made aftermarket heads and/or upsized Cantina booth seats via the Shapeways.

I haven't seen him in a store yet.  I got this figure online from Entertainment Earth, and so should you.  (The wave is $79.99 with free shipping, you cannot beat it.  If you wait to see it at Target you'll still have to pay sales tax, so just buy the wave of four.)  I appreciate how the wave is really built around Han - his girlfriend, and two people that want him dead.


--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,052: November 7, 2013

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,051: Han Solo (The Black Series 6-Inch)

HAN SOLO Episode IV
The Black Series 6-Inch Basic Figures
Item No.: Asst. A4301 No. A4634
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: Black Series #08
Includes: Swappable gloved hands, standard holster, Stormtrooper belt, blaster, Stormtrooper blaster, alternate hands with gloves
Action Feature: Swap hands, or belts, also removable vest
Retail: $19.99
Availability: October 2013
Appearances: Star Wars

Bio: Han Solo has a final showdown with the bounty hunter Greedo in the Mos Eisley Cantina.  (Taken from the figure's cardback.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

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


Commentary: I like the 6-inch figure concept a bunch but the execution is tantalizingly close to perfect - with some amateur mistakes.  Han Solo has an amazing body sculpt, easily the best accessory compliment of any Hasbro figure I remember buying, top-notch articulation, but two bizarre problems.  One, the Stormtrooper belt has this weird peg sticking out of the front which is purely cosmetic - it matches another tab on the Sandtrooper, which also seems to serve no real purpose.  Why?  The other problem is Han Solo's head, which has blue eyes and looks little like Harrison Ford but a lot like Han Solo, if you follow me.  Could they not get a likeness approval?  This is just odd, and over the last couple of decades of Kenner and Hasbro product no longer seems like a quality or skill level and now feels increasingly like a conscious choice.  At certain angles he looks perfectly fine, or at least acceptable, but where's Ford's scar? Why are his eyes the wrong color?  And why is the head set so high on the neck?  It's soooo close to perfect that I assume it's going to inspire fans to mold and make their own Han heads to sell at a premium, because other than the head this is easily the best Han Solo action figure I've ever owned.  Hasbro, if you rerelease it with a new head, I'd buy it again.

The sculpting and articulation prove that you are a chump for owning dozens of 3 3/4-inch figures with varying levels of improvements.  Han can stand, no problem.  He's a hair over 6-inches tall, which matches up nicely with the 6 foot, 1 inch actor.  The wrinkles on his outfit seem about right, and you get the blue pants and red Corellian Bloodstripes and all of that.  The real surprise other than the optional belts - both of which have functioning holsters for their respective blasters - was that the figure would have "gloved" hands you can swap out that aren't posed the same as the regular hands.  The left hand is designed to reach out and fidget with something, or perhaps fondle something.  They look great and help add to the figure's personality, which is ample.  His vest is removable, too, and you can have him sit cross-legged on a 1:10 scale bar section if you have such a thing at your disposal.  I don't, but get on that Shapeways people.

Swapping belts is relatively painless, and the hands pop out fairly easily but not too easily.  Other than the lackluster head (and its questionable eyes), this figure is a marvel and is easily one of Hasbro's finer efforts in terms of execution this year.  Get one.

Collector's Notes: I haven't seen him in a store yet.  I got this figure online from Entertainment Earth, and so should you.  (The wave is $79.99 with free shipping, you cannot beat it.  If you wait to see it at Target you'll still have to pay sales tax, so just buy the wave of four.)  I appreciate how the wave is really built around Han - his girlfriend, and two people that want him dead.


--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,051: November 6, 2013

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,050: Clone Commander Ponds (Battle of Geonosis: Jedi Knights)

CLONE COMMANDER PONDS Battle of Geonosis: Jedi Knights
2013 Darth Vader Lava Line Look Toys R Us Exclusive
Item No.: Asst. A5077 No. A5161
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Blaster, binoculars, 3 additional figures
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $39.99
Availability: October 2013
Appearances: Attack of the Clones?

Bio: The Jedi launch a rescue mission to Geonosis that ends in a battle between the Jedi and Separatist forces.  The Jedi fly to the planet to rescue Obi-Wan Kenobi, Anakin Skywalker, and Padme Amidala from the Separatists.  Battle Droids and Geonosian Warriors fight the Jedi in what becomes the first battle of the Clone Wars. (Taken from the figure's box.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Commentary: Wait, what?  Since when did Clone Troopers have names at the Battle of Geonosis?  Apparently since Hasbro decided Clone Commander Ponds was present, and as someone who was a fan of the movies when they came out I can safely tell you none of the Clones had names or numbers for quite some time.   If your collection is based on names and characters, Ponds is a significant new release that's worthy of adding to your growing cast of characters.  If you just want new figures, you'll immediately recognize this as the same yellow Clone Commander we got in the Entertainment Earth clone packs of 2005, the Saga Legends repacks of 2007-2009, and probably some other release I'm forgetting right now.   The key difference here is the shoulder rings are now white and not yellow (and therefore look worse), the yellow paint is darker (and therefore looks better), and you get the "vintage" Clone Blaster along with binoculars as accessories.   So it's sort of better than the original release.

Unfortunately Hasbro has taken great glee in defacing its figures in recent years, with painted date stamps or SKUs on some and others, like poor Ponds here, have disgusting plastic carvings in the back of his leg defacing the sculpt.  It's bad enough we couldn't get a yellow-striped version of the Vintage clone body, which would have been awesome, but Hasbro has to deface it too?  This is just inexcusable - Hasbro, put it on the sole of the foot.  Or better yet, don't include it at all.   What does it matter to me, the customer, that this figure was probably spit out of a factory on August 30, 2013?  Why ugly up the figure to share this information?  Can't you just embed it in a tiny QR code on his feet, like Angry Birds Telepods?   Or not include it at all, like, oh I dunno, most figures made by anyone ever?

I appreciate the name being added, the new accessories, and the acceptable deco - but the carved numbers and the shoulder rings?  Hasbro, you can do better than this, especially if we're going to be charged premium pricing for our figures.  They should be great - not merely "different."

Collector's Notes: I got this at Toys R Us in Scottsdale, AZ in mid-October.  I saw it at a few stores before buying, because many were opened, or the tape was cut by a knife, or otherwise looked compromised.  At $39.99 I do not anticipate you will have problems finding it unless Hasbro cut the run significantly from previous exclusives.   Also, I don't know why it didn't appear in Black Series packaging - that black-and-orange would probably look beautiful with a photo backdrop in a window boxed set of figures.


--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,050: November 5, 2013

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,049: Roan Shryne (Battle of Geonosis: Jedi Knights)

ROAN SHRYNE Battle of Geonosis: Jedi Knights
2013 Darth Vader Lava Line Look Toys R Us Exclusive
Item No.: Asst. A5077 No. A5161
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Lightsaber, cloak, 3 additional figures
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $39.99
Availability: October 2013
Appearances: Attack of the Clones Dark Lord: The Rise of Darth Vader novel

Bio: The Jedi launch a rescue mission to Geonosis that ends in a battle between the Jedi and Separatist forces.  The Jedi fly to the planet to rescue Obi-Wan Kenobi, Anakin Skywalker, and Padme Amidala from the Separatists.  Battle Droids and Geonosian Warriors fight the Jedi in what becomes the first battle of the Clone Wars. (Taken from the figure's box.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Commentary: The only name I recognized from this set, Roan Shryne is an Expanded Universe character that survived the first part of the Jedi purge, but didn't quite make it.  The character didn't exist during the Battle of Geonsis, but retconning is popular these days so now he was there the whole time.  As far as I know his only real "appearance" is based on a Star Wars Insider article, and most information indicates he should have a blue - not green - lightsaber.  He looks like the guy in the picture, though, with his beard and light brownish, red-tinged hair.  So basically, you've got another Expanded Universe figure.  Surprise!

The figure itself reuses the 2007 Mace Windu body which has completely restricted hip articulation due to a "shell" created by the lower Jedi robes.  He has the same arms and hands as Mace, but as far as I can tell the boots have been retooled from Mace's distinctive footwear which gives the figure more of a unique look.   You've got the same 14 points of articulation that you're used to, and the cloth robes - while generally awful - look OK here as the smaller hood is less awkward and preposterous than most others.  It's still a little sloppy, but at least it isn't terrible.  I like this figure, despite being something of a weird quasi-movie release.  It's good enough to add to your collection of shruggable human Jedi, but I assume fans of the novels are going to be delighted with him.  Except for the lightsaber.  Otherwise, hey, one more EU figure!

Collector's Notes: I got this at Toys R Us in Scottsdale, AZ in mid-October.  I saw it at a few stores before buying, because many were opened, or the tape was cut by a knife, or otherwise looked compromised.  At $39.99 I do not anticipate you will have problems finding it unless Hasbro cut the run significantly from previous exclusives.   Also, I don't know why it didn't appear in Black Series packaging - that black-and-orange would probably look beautiful with a photo backdrop in a window boxed set of figures.


--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,049: November 4, 2013

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,048: Sarissa Jeng (Battle of Geonosis: Jedi Knights)

SARISSA JENG Battle of Geonosis: Jedi Knights
2013 Darth Vader Lava Line Look Toys R Us Exclusive
Item No.: Asst. A5077 No. A5161
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Lightsaber, 3 additional figures
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $39.99
Availability: October 2013
Appearances: Attack of the Clones

Bio: The Jedi launch a rescue mission to Geonosis that ends in a battle between the Jedi and Separatist forces.  The Jedi fly to the planet to rescue Obi-Wan Kenobi, Anakin Skywalker, and Padme Amidala from the Separatists.  Battle Droids and Geonosian Warriors fight the Jedi in what becomes the first battle of the Clone Wars. (Taken from the figure's box.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Commentary: At first glance, I would say Sarissa Jeng looks like they stuck a lady head on Ki-Adi-Mundi's body.   It turns out there are lots of new parts here, but the legs are dated from a few years ago as they belong to Stass Allie and Jaina Solo.   I'm not so sure about the arms, but the rest of the costume appears to be new.   Due to deco problems, this may be the weakest of this figure set - her hairline is a little off on all the samples I saw, with the added problems of a large forehead that looks (again) like fivehead due to the fact it's probably a fraction of a micron back on the head.  At this scale, every teeny tiny millimeter counts.  Her face is very thin and angular, and her eyebrows are small.  This gives her a more alien appearance, which is unfortunate as reference photos of the actress put her on the happy side of cute.  She deserved better.

Articulation is the standard 14 points you've come to expect, with no special bend-and-swivel or anything like that.  Posing her is a breeze, but she won't sit.  It's a wonderful figure for dioramas given her unique hair and outfit, but I think they could have done a much better job on the head.  After all, the dress is really nice with subtle fabric folds and a sculpted plastic hood hanging down off the back.  I'm so happy Hasbro opted to make it plastic rather than cloth, as cloth robes tend to look a little worse at this scale.   At the right price this is a can't-miss figure as she's mostly new parts, but at the same time a customizer may want to touch up her head paint a bit.   If Hasbro ever reissues her - and I hope they consider it someday - I'd be eager to see what she looks like with better hair and face paint.  I bet awesome.  As it is, she's perfectly acceptable though.

Collector's Notes: I got this at Toys R Us in Scottsdale, AZ in mid-October.  I saw it at a few stores before buying, because many were opened, or the tape was cut by a knife, or otherwise looked compromised.  At $39.99 I do not anticipate you will have problems finding it unless Hasbro cut the run significantly from previous exclusives.   Also, I don't know why it didn't appear in Black Series packaging - that black-and-orange would probably look beautiful with a photo backdrop in a window boxed set of figures.


--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,048: November 1, 2013

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,047: Sephjet Josall (Battle of Geonosis: Jedi Knights)

SEPHJET JOSALL Battle of Geonosis: Jedi Knights
2013 Darth Vader Lava Line Look Toys R Us Exclusive
Item No.: Asst. A5077 No. A5161
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Lightsaber, 3 additional figures
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $39.99
Availability: October 2013
Appearances: Attack of the Clones

Bio: The Jedi launch a rescue mission to Geonosis that ends in a battle between the Jedi and Separatist forces.  The Jedi fly to the planet to rescue Obi-Wan Kenobi, Anakin Skywalker, and Padme Amidala from the Separatists.  Battle Droids and Geonosian Warriors fight the Jedi in what becomes the first battle of the Clone Wars. (Taken from the figure's box.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Commentary: Speaking of Jedi, here's one I didn't even know the name of until the figure came out.   Sephjet Josall is part of an amazing initiative by Hasbro to reuse old tooling to give us new figures, which as a toy industry person I find incredibly clever.  As a collector, I'm sooooo sick of the Battle of Geonosis, Human Jedi, and overpriced gift sets.   This is a nice but ultimately optional purchase.

Sephjet, aside from having a terrible name, reuses some elements of the Evolutions Luke Skywalker body.  The torso, arms, and legs are carried forward with an all-new lower robe piece (as far as I can tell) plus an all-new bald human head.  Courtesy of his obscurity, the figure looks great - if you compare it to stills from the movie, his eyebrows could be darker, and he needs traces of a shaved head, rather than a bald head.  The sculpt is still good, with 14 points of articulation and shows that Hasbro is getting better and better at wisely reusing its vast Jedi tooling library while understanding how adding one tiny new piece of costuming - that lower robe piece - makes a world of difference in changing this from Luke's body to Sephjet's body.   I have zero attachment to the character (played by film editor Joseph Jett Sally, hence the name) but I'm tickled by the good work Hasbro did and I'm always delighted when we get a new figure based on someone who actually works behind-the-scenes on the movies.  It's expensive, but you've paid more for less - get it if you can, especially on a sale.

Collector's Notes: I got this at Toys R Us in Scottsdale, AZ in mid-October.  I saw it at a few stores before buying, because many were opened, or the tape was cut by a knife, or otherwise looked compromised.  At $39.99 I do not anticipate you will have problems finding it unless Hasbro cut the run significantly from previous exclusives.   Also, I don't know why it didn't appear in Black Series packaging - that black-and-orange would probably look beautiful with a photo backdrop in a window boxed set of figures.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,047: October 31, 2013

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 2,046: Pablo-Jill (The Black Series)

PABLO-JILL Episode II Redux
The Black Series 3 3/4-Inch Basic Figures
Item No.: Asst. A5077 No. A5161
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: Black Series #10
Includes: Lightsaber, cloak
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $10.99
Availability: September 2013
Appearances: Attack of the Clones

Bio: Pablo-Jill is an Ongree Jedi Knight who battles Separatist forces during the battle of Geonosis. (Taken from the figure's cardback.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

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

Commentary: This is a good one.  Over the years I've had less and less love in my heart for Jedi Knight figures, but I do enjoy seeing Pablo Jill return to stores.  Depending on where you lived, he was tough to find in 2005 and that figure had a few flaws like very limited articulation and a very snappable lightsaber.  This new version makes good on those problems, but trades in those oh-so-nice plastic sculpted robes which tend to look a lot better.  Cloth hangs funny at this scale, particularly on Jedi robes.  It's one area we've seen Hasbro toying with since the prequel trilogy started, but even 1999's plastic robes on Adi Gallia, Qui-Gon Jinn (Naboo), and Obi-Wan Kenobi (Naboo) tend to look better than their most recent experiments in cloth.  That's not meant as a knock at Hasbro's skill, it's just a limitation with working in this medium.

Once you disregard the bulky, awkward, ill-fitting cloth robes you'll find that Pablo-Jill is a fine example of how to make a figure if you don't need him to sit.  The rocker ankles are on par with the best I've seen on a Spider-Man figure, and the new ball-and-socket wrists give the figure a stunning range of movement while not hurting the aesthetics one bit.  I love the added range you get without increasing the piece count from a normal swivel wrist.  The "skirt" is bent out of shape rather oddly, but he still has his strange legs that an be posed to stand if you're willing to work with him a bit.  He has the fully-jointed hips, but they're strange - you can move them a bit in nearly every direction but you probably won't be able to ever get him in a decent "sitting" pose.  I'm sure customizers will dremel out part of the crotch to increase mobility here, but for the rest of us this is a standing-only figure that could probably benefit from a display stand.

Deco and sculpting is on par with Hasbro's current better new figures - Jedi robes are impossible to screw up, so all I can do here is nitpick at a hold in his belt for a lightsaber hilt that isn't included.  (For shame.)  The hands look great, with four digits each, and the head is dynamite with exquisite detailing bringing out the detail in each individual tooth.  At this scale, this is pretty uncommon to see and difficult to pull off well.  I assume in terms of deco, this figure will be appearing at or near the top of everybody's "Best of 2013" lists.

Hasbro really put their best foot forward with this figure, showing us everything they can do with a 3 3/4-inch Jedi Knight figure.   It is absolutely worth your while to track down just to see how the engineering works, and it doesn't hurt that it's a well-sculpted character that has been historically difficult to find.   I don't like the cloth robes, but I can also ignore those and still enjoy everything that's left.  Get one.

Collector's Notes: I haven't seen this in a store yet.  I got this figure online from Entertainment Earth, and so should you were you so inclined.  The figure is a huge, huge improvement over his 2005 ancestor.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 2,046: October 30, 2013