Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,183: The Mandalorian (Arvala-7, The Vintage Collection)

THE MANDALORIAN (Arvala-7) & Blurrg
The Vintage Collection 3 3/4-Inch Action Figure
Item No.: No. G0302
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Cape, pistol, Amban phase-pulse rifle, Blurrg
Action Feature: Holster holds pistol, bandolier holds rifle
Retail: $39.99
Availability: September 2024
Appearances: The Mandalorian

Bio: With help of the Ugnaught vapor farmer Kuiil, The Mandalorian learns how to tame and ride a blurrg on the desert planet Arvala-7.. (Taken from The Mandalorian figure's cardback inside this set's box.)

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: Expectations can be a problem when you're dealing with collectors. Since we got a few price increases - a The Vintage Collection figure today is four whole dollars higher than when this character made his debut - we expect improvements. The Mandalorian (Arvala-7) is another proud entry in the "Just Different Enough to Make You Mad" hall of fame, in that the toy's functionality was improved, but his deco was not. It's also somewhat essential, given that the one-silver-shoulder look was only very briefly on the series and as such, armor completists will likely pick it up. It's very similar to the 2020 The Mandalorian [FOTD #2,680], which was actually quite exciting at the time. It's funny to look back at the review and see my complaints of "Hasbro doesn't make a lot of new 3 3/4-inch figures" and here we are, 4 1/2 years later, and Hasbro still doesn't make a lot of new 3 3/4-inch figures. This one is a pack-in pilot, though, so I guess we're allowed to look at it with cost-cutting. And boy howdy did Hasbro cut some costs here.

The good: Hasbro took a colorful costume and brought it back, with improved hip joints for greater mobility. To get this guy to sit on the Blurrg, you need hips that can go sideways - which the original can do, but the 2024 figure can do better. There is a functionally good - but annoying - hip joint that Hasbro had been using in the back half of the 201Xes, which got upgraded to a much smoother ball-and-socket joint a couple of years ago - and this new Mando has it! That's good, because you don't have to do as much careful positioning of the legs to get him on the Blurrg figure. You still need to move around the knees and all, but in the end you can make it look like he's sitting back there and it's not a big hassle. The figure's overall functionality is similar to the 2020 figure, as he can holster his weapons and be posed nicely. A new cloth cape also looks very good, and was a great upgrade for a "driver" figure like this. When it comes to using an old mold with just enough tweaks to make it work for this specific purpose, Hasbro did a good job. No notes. It would be foolish to do an all-new figure since the original was nice.

I don't like the deco, though. (I know, I know, it's always something with me, I'm sorry.) The 2020 figure's coloring is a bit more saturated, with bluer blues, tanner tans, and browner browns. Accurate or not, it just looks snappy. The new one is more muted, but also loses a lot of the character - the rusty dirt on the helmet is gone. Hasbro left out all of the silver "damage" on the chest, left shoulder, and left thigh as well as the damaged bits they forgot to paint the first time. If this were a single-carded figure, at $16.99 I would rate it a disappointing downgrade from the original. However, it's not - you get this carded figure packed in with a Blurrg figure and he's really hefty and pretty good. The entire package is arguably worth the asking price, especially if you love the show, adore creatures, and need every last Mando variant. His Beskar left pauldron is what makes this particular The Vintage Collection figure unique. I hesitate to call it a "must-buy" for that reason alone, because it's such a minor tweak, but I admit I've been wanting it since it was a good character moment. Confidential to Hasbro: since you guys reuse and reissue figures with minor (and annoying) changes anyway, if/when you put this guy out again for a 10th anniversary or something, please give him the silver battle-damage. Please and thank you.

Toy budgets are a tight thing - you can't get everything, and those pennies go somewhere. With this specific toy I think Hasbro got it wrong - the money used to make carded packaging (and extra cardboard to protect said cardboard packaging) was a waste, especially on a closed-box figure. Hasbro should have pocketed the money, spent a couple of cents per figure on the silver paint, and carded this guy as a separate release down the road because it really is an excellent sculpt with lots of places that could benefit from the added decoration. I may be too picky here, but after four years I want either a cheaper figure or a better figure, and this is arguably neither. The improved legs makes it a sideways move, as neither is completely superior, but I would favor the 2020 figure as something I just have standing on a display. This 2024 Mando is, of course, better as a beast rider and I'm sure it is frustrating to hear me say "and who cares, I wanted the Blurrg so I was going to buy it anyway." It's just when you have a format that's priced as a premium product, I know it can't be perfect but it would be nice to see it be just slightly better than the previous release.

That's where expectations come in. If Hasbro made this in a "kid line," or Retro, all bets are off - 5 joints and a trapdoor Blurrg? Sure, that's fine, it's a kid toy at a lower price so a toymaker can take some shortcuts and I'll say "it's fine, because it's a toy, and priced like a toy." Thi is $40. And because I am a fanatic, I think this set is arguably worth the $40 just for the creature - but I would really to get back to a product that doesn't make me have to make charts and graphs to determine if what I got was worth the money. When I buy an $8 Epic Hero Series figure, I'm immediately charmed. With The Vintage Collection (especially with remakes) I have to go back to the well, compare them, take notes, and really ask if what I have is the same, or better, or if it's missing anything. With the new cape and hips, it's better. With the desaturated color and lack of battle damage, it's worse. All together, it's about as good and as a figure riding a creature most fans will never notice - and again, that's why I wish they dropped the carded packaging inside the box entirely. That packaging positions it as a fancy collectible, and if they just tossed it in with a tissue paper wrap I think my reaction would be "hey, clearly they had to take some liberties to make the budget given how awesome the blurrg is" rather than "I find this $16.99 carded figure in my $40 beast to be lacking." And again, I also could just be a monster with unrealistic expectations since I am still recommending you buy this at full price with a smile. Collectors make no sense - I know, I'm one of them - but gosh, wouldn't it be great to have a helmet that's at least as good as the cheaper one you bought a few years ago?

Confidential to Hasbro (again): I'd buy this armor configuration in Epic Hero Series tomorrow for $8. I'd buy it for $20-$25 if you threw in a kid-friendly Blurrg. Like I said, I know I'm a nut.

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

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,183: October 24, 2024

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,182: Blurrg (The Vintage Collection)

BLURRG & The Mandalorian
The Vintage Collection 3 3/4-Inch Action Figure
Item No.: No. G0302
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Reins, saddle, carded Mando figure
Action Feature: Reins and saddle are removable
Retail: $39.99
Availability: September 2024
Appearances: The Mandalorian

Bio: With help of the Ugnaught vapor farmer Kuiil, The Mandalorian learns how to tame and ride a blurrg on the desert planet Arvala-7.. (Taken from The Mandalorian figure's cardback inside this set's box.)

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: It is a weird era to collect Star Wars - if you're a lifer, you probably had a chance to buy most of the things you wanted years ago, and if you're new, you've missed so much good stuff I assume it's frustrating. I'm certainly at a point where it seems there's vanishingly few "I always wanted that" toys, but this is one of them. A Blurrg has been something I've wanted since Ewoks: The Battle for Endor, but has always been out of reach because those Ewok movies got no love. We got Kaink and Teek from the Star Tours boxed set, but not much else - so the fact a Blurrg made it in The Clone Wars got me nagging Hasbro (to no effect), and again when they appeared in The Mandalorian (again, to no effect) and now here we are five years after The Mandalorian Season 1 and Triple Force Friday - we finally got the key creature from the first season of the show. It's a pity Hasbro couldn't (or didn't want to) put this out in the toy line when it was new, but I'm very happy to have it now. Depending on how you look at it, it's not a bad deal - $40 gets you a $17 carded Mando upgrade (cloth cape, new hips) and a satisfyingly hefty lizard that isn't too far off from the kind of value you get with Mattel's Jurassic World dinosaurs, an underrated kid/collector line that should probably be the new North Star for all action figure lines.

That is an unnecessarily long introduction. You're probably only reading this to find out if I do or don't like this. This is one of my favorite Hasbro items in The Vintage Collection from the past 5 years. To do something cool that a) isn't a new version of something I have, and b) isn't over $200 is rare. This is great.

Toys like this - this specific toy - is why I collect Star Wars after a few decades. What I want as a collector is something I grew up with, be it from a new thing or an old thing, I'm not picky - I want something that says "We see you, and here is something you might enjoy" which was pretty much the entire line up to about 2019. New vehicles and creatures are in short supply, it used to be pretty common to get a mount for your troopers - it's weirdly rare in Hasbro lines, despite the massive success if dinosaur toys a few pegs down. The Blurrg is good - the creature has a nice sculpt, with some assembly required. (You have to pop in an arm and a leg.) Articulation is good, better than needed - this could be a 4-jointed creature, and it would get the job done. Instead it's a solid, hefty lizard fish horse with bend-and-swivel shoulders, ball-jointed hips, jointed knees, a tail that moves, and an opening jaw. There's no reason for it to be this good, and for $40, we've certainly gotten less for our money with some products.

 

But wait, it gets better! The teeth are separately molded and pointy. The mouth interior is fully painted, shiny, and with a bumpy tongue. The eyes are painted with several colors of paint, plus peachy bags under the eyes. He's even got a lightly sprayed belly, and rocker ankles. I would say this means that if you subtract Mando from the package, you're paying about $23 for a hefty creature that is a few joints shy of making The Black Series figures look bad. This is one of Hasbro's better creature figures, and to think, I'd have been over the moon if we got something Kenner classic or Epic Hero Series quality.

The saddle and reins are of a good quality with a little paint, certainly good enough for my needs. I really like this one - the little Mission Fleet one was good too, but this is bigger and also better. Given Hasbro's proclivity to reuse molds, I wonder if we'll get one with Cham Syndulla or a a Sanyassan... or maybe Kuiil. Given the upgrades to Mando, which as of this writing I haven't yet opened, I'm assuming you should just get this one. I'm a big believer in supporting what you like, and if Hasbro could pump out little ships or ridable creatures for $20-$25 (sans figure) I think that would be well worth everybody's time. Figures alone just aren't fun - with toys like this, it makes the entire enterprise worthwhile. And if Hasbro wants to squeeze another $20 out of me, and they want to make a "Retro" Kenner one with a trapdoor in the back for Mando's legs, I promise I will buy at least two.

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

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,182: October 22, 2024

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,181: Osha Aniseya (The Vintage Collection)

OSHA ANISEYA Debut! And probably only release
The Vintage Collection 3 3/4-Inch Action Figure
Item No.: Asst. E7763 No. F9789
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #327
Includes: Backpack, blaster, holster, droid buddy Pip
Action Feature: Backpack and holster are removable
Retail: $16.99
Availability: September 2024
Appearances: The Acolyte

Bio: Set at the end of theHigh Republic, a former Padawan reunites with her Jedi Master to investigate a series of crimes, but the forces they confront turn out to be far more sinister and personal than anticipated. (Taken from the figure's cardback.)

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: For better and for better than that, Osha Aniseya is a figure I could've reviewed without opening her. She's pretty much perfect. I assume that this is going to be a figure that, in the years to come, fans get angry that she was packed one per case, that they missed her, and that future fans will probably really like The Acolyte. Mostly because it got cut short. But today? She's at Walmart, and not selling - maybe she'll go to clearance, and you should buy her if you like a nice figure. She can hold all of her gear, her joints are all smooth, and the sculpting is excellent. What's not to like? I'm being semi-facetious, because while this is one of Hasbro's very best figures, it comes from a show that long-term collectors by and large did not bother to watch. The design was all over the map, with characters like Osha looking like she could be in the Rebellion, but she was flanked by prequel-esque Jedi designs that are not exactly something I find exciting. High Republic Jedi are usually shown with jewelry or armor bits, something to set them apart - but it's Osha's day, and she is not a violation of your collection's quality control.

If Hasbro can make more figures of this quality, the $16.99 price point isn't something I'd complain about as much. R2-D2, I'll complain, because that was a build-a-droid mold from 2008. Osha is all-new, with a separately molded vest, a backpack with straps that work - no peg/hole here - an optional blaster holster, plus a pouch for Pip her droid assistant, that sits on her hip. The detail is good, with steel-toed boots (you can see the steel) as well as painted straps on her droid pouch. Her belt buckle is painted, there's a patch on her vest, the eyes and face are all printed nicely, and the separately-molded wig has good detail too. I don't care what you feel about the show, the Hasbro and Lucasfilm/Disney people who sculpted this did an excellent job.

Articulation is on par with the current best figures, as she's relatively easy to pose and the joints are soft enough to allow for subtle movement changes, letting the figure look like she's thinking, walking, or working. If you were given this figure before the show came out, you'd say "I love this, this is amazing." (I feel you can convince fans to like a movie or show if you give them the toys first. We're literally invested in it.) But as a wise man once said, what's better than a perfect toy? A perfect toy with one tiny flaw we can pick at all night - and that's her wrists. The high swivels are great, the hips aren't restricted, the rocker ankles are good, the elbows are great, but the wrists? Swivel-only. Bend-and-swivel would be preferred, so she can work, or shoot, or maybe grab a lightsaber one day. But alas, she cannot, and that annoys me. (Given most collectors never open their toys, does it even matter? No, but I play with these things so it matters to me.)

Her accessories are good too. The holster and backpack are molded in color, with a gold bottle painted on the side of the backpack. The blaster is a single color, and looks great. Pip is what impresses the most - the plastic pal who's fun to be with has more paint than some entire figures, with an orange body with black stripes. And silver eyes. And other black details. It's tiny, and a great amount of attention was given to something that will sit in her hand, or in a holster. I can't complain. This is really good for its size, and of course raises expectations for future toys.

If your relationship with Star Wars toys allows you to let Osha hang out in a Cantina or Jabba's Palace as some cool spacer, you should get her. I personally found the show's pacing to be dreadful, but as future fans can binge it, they may find it snappy and fun. I really like the way she turned out, and I can't fault her overall quality. She's better than a lot of other figures, with nifty pants and great leg joints that let her look like she's doing more than standing, praying she doesn't topple forward. Hasbro: nice job. It is unfortunate the reception of the show will not drive a lot of fans to buy what may be some of your very best work. And now we wait to see if Yord Fandar and The Stranger were far enough in development that we get them next year.

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

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,181: October 17, 2024

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,180: X-Wing Pilot (Miralan, The Vintage Collection)

X-WING PILOT (Mirialan Female)
The Vintage Collection 3 3/4-Inch Shared Exclusive Action Figure Set
Item No.: No. F9395
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: 4 Pilot figures with 3 Rebel Blasters like the Troopers and 3 Rebel Blasters like Luke's Pilot blaster
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $54.99
Availability: September 2024
Appearances: ???   

Bio: Mirialans were a near-human species native to the planet Mirial. They had skin tones ranging from green to yellow or pink to purple. Most had traditional geometric tattoos on their faces which symbolized personal achievements. (Taken from Wookieepedia.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Availability: Click here to buy it at Amazon now!

Click here to buy it at Entertainment Earth now!

Click here to buy it at eBay now!

Commentary: I am of two minds of these trooper sets. I love getting Stormtroopers or generic guys. The X-Wing Pilots and unmasked figures are a little squirrelly. Hasbro's copy places these figures in Ahsoka, and their helmet designs look similar to ones on the show - but I don't recognize this Mirialan from the show. Given the hubbub about SKU count and the capacity to make new products, it's a little weird to see effort going into a set that's X-Wing Luke's body with four new heads. It's certainly interesting, but not as interesting as getting actual characters from one of the shows, or comics, no matter how obscure. Back in the 1990s and 2000s I was a lot more interested in "let's make up new stuff" because a few thousand figures in, I'm starting to be concerned we'll never get the original Power of the Force Imperial Dignitary Sim Aloo and I'm about 335 days away from assuming a mass release of Vlix is being saved for when my body is in the ground. As a kid I loved the idea of figures with no story and going on fun new adventures. As an adult, I still do - but these are less toys than collectibles, despite the packaging.

All four figures are basically the same, and the savings were passed along to us. The Mirialan is a green-headed lady person on Luke's body with a ponytail. They did a very nice job sculpting the face, which is expressive and has great eyebrows. And eyes. The tattoos are no slouch. Really, they poured a lot of love in the design and it shows. They even painted her lips, which is the kind of thing we didn't get on toys when we were kids, or much at all until more recently. Her hair is a separately molded piece, and it looks amazing. If you got this 20 or 30 years ago, your mind would be blown, although you would probably still be surprised it's on a Luke body.

The Luke body was OK for its time, but today it's not great. I'm a big fan of functionality, and this body had some rotten hips. Old Kenner figures and new "kid" Hasbro figures usually have hips that only swing forward - these are what you want when you have a vehicle pilot. This particular body has a joint that is similar to the shoulder joint, with the peg going up into the abdomen rather than the side. This means you have to do a ton of fidgeting to get her to sit in anything, it's not fast and it's certainly not fun. This kind of articulation is good for dioramas and playsets, but Hasbro doesn't make either for X-Wing pilots and certainly not for post-Return of the Jedi Rebel pilots. For a figure that will just stand around, they're great - but these white boxed figures beg to be opened and enjoyed, there's just not a heck of a lot of good places for them to live other than on your shelf with your thousands of other figures.

Her flight suit does look good, given how much of it is molded in color I assume it's also slightly cheaper to manufacture. Sculpted details are crisp, and painted elements - like the glossy boots and gloves - look excellent.

The figure's deco is as good as can be expected, with an otherwise good sculpt and a nicely painted helmet clearly inspired by the paint on the props on Ahsoka. It fits perfectly, and isn't too snug or too loose - Hasbro should, again, be proud of the engineering of what was done here. She has a good head on her shoulders. If Hasbro had a pilot bar or some similar locale, she'd be right at home. Maybe she'll hang out in the Cantina next year. I feel like a bit of an ingrate for poo-pooing the choice - they did a good job - but as aliens go, "human but green" is about as boring as they come. Unless they're reusing this tooling later for another human figure in one our species' many fine colors, in which case, kudos for planning ahead.

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

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,180: October 15, 2024

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,179: Bo-Katan Kryze (Walmart Exclusive 2-Pack, Epic Hero Series)

BO-KATAN KRYZE | Moff Gideon - Duel for the Darksaber
Epic Hero Series Deluxe Walmart Exclusive Figure 2-Pack
Item No.: No. F9376
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Fire gauntlet, Cape, 2 jetpacks, Darksaber
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $19.84
Availability: August 2024
Appearances: The Mandalorian   

Bio: A gifted warrior, Bo-Katan Kryze is a legendary Mandalorian. (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!

Commentary: I don't think there's a collector out there who was super excited to see Bo-Katan Kryze get a figure with a new shoulder pad in The Vintage Collection, mostly for reasons previously established in the cultural vernacular. She's cool, but this minor change on a $17 figure just sort of makes collectors angry. But on a cheaper figure? I'm not exactly made of stone here - I love old Kenner figures, and this particular line is a lot like Kenner's toys from the 20th century. You may begrudge a mere 5 points of articulation, but the figure is sturdy and charming. (Also, there are two versions of her - the single card has a blaster, the 2-pack swaps it for a jet pack and yes, we'll review that version too.)

So what does this one have to offer to completists? Not much - The Vintage Collection Bo-Katan [FOTD #2,893] is one of Hasbro's finest figures. And I mean ever - even four years later the amazing tiny pea-sized head has an excellent likeness, great hair, good deco, and articulation that raises the bar so high, everything that came before is questionable. So Hasbro didn't try to one-up it - instead they decided to make a figure that's sturdy, stands without assistance, and generally looks cool. You get no unmasked head and no battle-damage, the Nite Owls symbol is gone. It's basically on par with the effortlessly charming The Retro Collection Bo-Katan [FOTD #2,939], with different accessories and superior paint.

Her Epic Hero Collection sculpting is better, and a smidgen bigger. She only has one weapon - a big Darksaber - plus a painted rocket pack. There are places on her armor to plug in accessories like the flame throwers with Gideon/Paz/Boba, and who knows what else will come down the road. I had no problems getting her to stand, sit, or hold her gear. If you owned real toys made for kids in your life in addition to toy-flavored collectibles, you'll appreciate that everything fits and works. The sculpted details are good, but this also highlights the lack of paint on some of them. Her holsters, knee pads, hand armor, belt buckle, and straps on her neck are unpainted - the Retro figure had those decorated, and also, cost another couple of bucks. This figure has silver chest armor, as opposed to Retro being unpainted. You can see the push and pull with the budget on a figure like this, which is more for a mass-market kid audience. For that purpose I think it's pretty good, but I do wonder if the economies of scale could result in an alternate universe with a one-size-fits-all line that's closer to a Spin Master figure - that is, elbows, knees, and a low price - rather than splitting the market into multiple SKUs which will no doubt sell fewer units each.

Despite the deco shortcomings, she does look pretty neat and like a lost 1990s toy. She won't be the cup of tea for most collectors, and I know this because they send me mean emails. Each figure line has different aspects of it that work, and a sturdy, durable figure that looks pretty good but isn't meant to be a tiny replica for a difficult to please person in their 40s-60s is what the toy market is all about. I'd love to see more stuff in this style, mostly because I don't have to worry about them falling over or costing me a ton of money if they aren't great. Minus that one armored Darth Maul, that's going to be the figure whipping boy for "this isn't worth the money" until I die. Collector's Notes: I got mine from Walmart. As Walmart exclusive toys for kids tend to be made in pretty big numbers, and in this case is shipping to even the smaller Walmarts (but not grocery stores), you'll probably have no problems finding this set.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,179: October 10, 2024

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,178: C4-R4C (Droid Factory)

C4-R4C Better Red than Repack-ed
Star Tours Droid Factory Ahsoka Set
Item No.: ???
Manufacturer: Disney
Number: n/a
Includes: 3 more droids
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $49.99
Availability: January 2024
Appearances: Ahsoka

Bio: All different types of droids populate the Star Wars galaxy. Each droid is different and has their own unique personality and colors. These four are featured in Star Wars: Ahsoka. 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 eBay now!

Commentary: This one isn't bad. I'm not sure why one droid in this set has the toe cables and C4-R4C does not, but the dark reddish droid is pretty good overall even though it seems to be a generational holdover from 2008. While it would be nice to have a new mold with slightly more accurate proportions, that's not happening. As such, your goal here is to determine if this Disney figure is good enough to warrant buying, mostly because it's a nothing droid. Since we're in a world without any decent Ahsoka playsets and virtually no background characters and few bad guys, there's not much for this droid to do if you buy it. Sure, you can find the dome in the background of an episode, but when you get right down to it this release is for completists. If you simply must have all the droids, or like the color, this is a figure for you.

If you've been buying build-a-droid figures, you know what this is - a removable dome, removable legs, and that's about it. It looks fine, and is molded in a dark red with some silver and white panels. What makes it stand out from other Disney droids is a very healthy slathering of dirty weathering printed on the shell. The rust and subtle weathering looks pretty good, but it's not as amazing as some other releases - it's still very obviously a new factory-fresh figure with some extra paint, but at least we're getting a little more than we used to. Given how much money Disney is saving on the molds for these sets - which frequently have 1 new figure or 0 new figures - surely they can and sometimes do give us more paint than would be necessary for this figure to be considered "good enough." Sure, you've got rolling wheels and removable limbs, but anyone who has been in this for the long haul will likely put it on a shelf and never look at it again. And that's assuming they ever open the box. It would be great to live in a world with more figures, playsets, and vehicles so this guy serves a greater purpose than "collectible," "keepsake," "souvenir," but it seems the toy world is increasingly content to not ask what purpose the toy serves beyond a thing you buy. It's a very decent thing, surely, with really nice dark silver panels on the back absolutely slathered in damage that arguably makes this figure more interesting from behind. If you get it, be sure to see that baby has back.

I would not recommend this gift set on the strength of this figure alone, but he probably has the best deco in the box. If you're a droid fanatic, you already bought it and were likely impressed by the colors. If you don't need another dozen droid repaints, you probably see this as a massive waste of development dollars. I think I would be more enthusiastic if Ahsoka had greater toy support, as "main characters, some retool troopers, and token droid repaints" make it hard to get jazzed up over a show that was a little slower and if asked to give real plot points, this figure had nothing to do with the story and the story was pretty limited in the first place. Since two of the four figures in this set are genuinely unique, its ability to capture your dollars will probably come from the strength of this droid and RD-3 [FOTD #3,168], neither of which I found to be incredible. It's different enough to be distinctive, but even I can't keep names straight for toys with no meaningful presence on-screen or in the guide books that don't yet exist, but should!

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

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,178: October 8, 2024

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,177: Emperor's Royal Guard (The Retro Collection)

EMPEROR'S ROYAL GUARD He's Back!
The Retro Collection 3 3/4-Inch Action Figure Hasbro Pulse/Shop Disney 6-Pack
Item No.: No. F6988
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Staff, plus Mon Mothma, Yak Face, Wicket the Ewok, Gamorrean Guard, and Admiral Ackbar
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $72.99
Availability: November 2023
Appearances: Return of the Jedi

Bio: Star Wars Retro Collection includes Star Wars action figures from the 40-plus-year legacy of the Star Wars Galaxy, including movies and live-action series. (Stolen from the marketing copy. Packaging has no bio.)

Image: Adam's photo lab.

Availability: Click here to buy it at eBay now!

Commentary: I'm kind of a fiend for Retro figures because they're kind of scarce and I feel like they're an endangered species. I open some immediately, and there are some I still have carded and unopened so I can enjoy a little treat later - this Emperor's Royal Guard is one that is, as of my writing this sentence, still mint on card and has been for just under a year. As a kid, the original figure was not a favorite like an Ewok or Luke or any given alien. The helmet was fine, the stick was fine, the robes hid any detail on the figure - he was basically a sheet ghost with a helmet head. I'm not sure why it didn't click, I like ghost toys a lot, but I definitely didn't make the connection as a kid. This was just some dork in a tablecloth who stood around and didn't get to do anything cool, so getting one as a gift was not necessarily as exciting as a Biker Scout or the pig guards. Now let me go get and open the figure.

Figures like this - and 4-LOM (the bug guy in the robe, as Kenner named him) - are good candidates for The Retro Collection because they largely get to bypass the line's shortcomings. For some reason, Hasbro's factories sculpt the details in a softer way. With only the helmet and one arm exposed, the softer sculpting isn't something you're even going to notice - all that matters is that the colors are pretty much on the money and that the helmet is shiny, with a painted black visor. The pike is much taller than the actual movie, but it's close to the Kenner original - if lighter - with pretty good sculpted details. At first blush I'd say they did an excellent job with the staff, and I had to go get my original 1983 figure I've had since it came out to even realize that it might be as close as a Retro accessory might get to the original Kenner sculpt, and without a side-by-side comparison of the original article I might have a hard time telling them apart. Hasbro's getting better at this.

The figure's helmet is a little less glossy for 2023, but the paint is a smidgen better. I really wish Hasbro put the Emperor's Royal Guard as a non-exclusive figure so fans could get as many as they wanted, and put The Emperor proper in the gift set (or skipped him completely) because nobody could afford to army build this guy at $73 per boxed set... but gosh, what a boxed set. Thee figures weren't perfect copies of the originals, but they're pretty good - this guy arguably has better robes because they're not as fuzzy, but that could just be my memory. I feel like my 1983 Kenner guard always had a little fluff to him, and the new one doesn't, and the cut seems better but that could be the seven years he spent as a toy and in a carry case before being placed in a specially-crafted Kenner display case I have to this day. (Thanks for selling me one, Jim Drye of Mesa, AZ, I hope you're still out there.) But I digress.

I think this is a pretty good figure. I think Hasbro overcharged us a bit for it, but I also heard rumblings of the edition size and it makes sense that it wasn't an $8-$10 figure. The whole set will probably leave you hemming and hawing about the price, but given it had freaking Yak Face in it in addition to Mon Mothma, it's a risky collection of oddballs. I wouldn't say this is a perfect rerelease, but it's so close and generally as good as the original (at least, for the parts that stick out of the robes) that I can't complain too much. Hasbro did a nice job, and I admit I am a little sad thinking that this could very well be the last Kenner-style Return of the Jedi action figure I ever rip off a cardback. I hope that's not the case - it would be very nice to get just a few more between now and when Star Wars figures finally become unprofitable. I've still got Ahsoka in her poncho and Grogu with his backpack to crack open, and the pre-ordered sets... and I hope there are more to come.

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

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,177: October 3, 2024

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,176: Professor Huyang (The Vintage Collection)

PROFESSOR HUYANG Live Version
The Vintage Collection 3 3/4-Inch Action Figure
Item No.: Asst. E7763 No. F9778
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #311
Includes: Backpack with 2 removable collapsed arms or 2 extended arms, data pad, tool
Action Feature: Removable backpack with swappable limbs
Retail: $16.99
Availability: April 2024
Appearances: Star Wars Ahsoka

Bio: A repository of ancient Jedi lore, Huyang oversaw the construction of lightsabers in the Jedi Order for centuries, keeping an exacting record o every lightsaber constructed under his supervision. (Taken from the figure's cardback.)

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: Sometimes, it's more fun to review a figure late - you get weird insights. Roughly 3 3/4-inch Professor Huyang came out earlier this year twice - once as a Disney-made figure, and then this taller figure. You might be asking "Which one is better?" and the answer will irritate you. Hasbro's is taller, with more gear, and more articulation. Disney's has some details painted in that Hasbro skipped, but it also includes an additional three droid figures you can't get from Hasbro. There's no conundrum for the completist, but fans on a budget who just want to keep one of them will probably err toward the wrong-sized, slightly-better-looking, droid-friended version from Disney. For display purposes, assuming your focus is beyond droid figures exclusively, you should probably get the more emotive Hasbro toy.

The figure itself has better articulation than the Disney release. They share bending elbows, but only Hasbro's has a thigh swivel and a double-jointed neck. He stands surprisingly well for a tall, skinny guy, no doubt thanks to the extra joints. The ball-and-socket hips and swivel thighs make a huge difference, and in his time standing on my desk he hasn't fallen over often. The hands are great at gripping the tool and the datapad, and the articulation helps him to emote too. The best figures have a decent face and enough articulation so that you can make it look like it's thinking, and Huyang fits the bill. It helps that the face on the TV show is a non-moving metal mask, so there's really no way Hasbro could mess this up short of making it the wrong color. While I do think painting the figure, rather than molding it in-color in a slightly translucent sheen, would help, it would no doubt further drive this figure's price up past the point of a basic $16.99 release. As it is, it seems to be one of the better figures in this assortment and is certainly one of the very best 3 3/4-inch droids we've ever seen. He's by no means perfect - that would probably take another $2-$3 on the retail price - but he's good enough that if this winds up being the only one we ever see, I can say Hasbro did good enough.

In terms of accessories, they're good, and they're ample, but they're not great. Again, we're dealing with the budget. Disney's Huyang figure has a lot of deco hits on the side, but the arms aren't articulated or removable. Hasbro's backpack is light on paint and the arms are devoid of deco, presumably an acceptable loss given how so many collectors are never going to open up the figure and look at it. The backpack pops off easily and the default collapsed limbs are relatively easy to pop out. The alternate arms are very good, with visible non-functioning joints and one of the tiniest droid thumbs I've ever seen. I would love a little more paint here, but again, that's life. His datapad and tool are also undecorated, and part of me wonders if they're even necessary - would I like the figure more if Hasbro traded them away for more paint? Maybe. There are very few droids where I feel the accessory is necessary. If and when Hasbro ever revisits EV-9D9, I don't need a computer console. But when they do (and redo) C-3PO, accessories are everything - would any of us have re-purchased the character without a net, or a throne, or Salacious Crumb in the package? ...probably, we love C-3PO. And I like Huyang - I would be very interested in seeing a deluxe version of even an alternate version with less articulation and more paint, were Hasbro so inclined.

When it comes to deco, neither has a clear edge. Hasbro's Huyang has lots of painted neck and forearm details. Disney's has painted waist cables and an apron with greater contrast and weathering. And metallic paint on his dome, and extra paint hit on a chest bolt, and additional upper arm deco. It really is kind of maddening that neither looks better, and figures like this probably make a pretty compelling argument to do a deluxe release for this and other reasons. Had the backpack arms been fully articulated too, I think fans would begrudgingly go for it because you can see Hasbro starting to bump into budget restrictions on this figure in ways they don't for, say, R2-D2 and his being a mold from 2008 with a mere three points of articulation and removable third leg for $17.

Huyang has four extra accessories, and at least 26 points of articulation. I wouldn't mind seeing Hasbro not only consider deluxe figures for characters where the extra couple of bucks would make a difference, but maybe, just maybe, make a "basic" assortment for figures like R2-D2, a Jawa, Grogu, Yoda, an Ewok, or Salacious Crumb where you can't really make a case that there's $17 worth of toy there. If any figure is worth $17, it's Huyang. Heck, when it comes to Grogu I remain surprised he wasn't a pack-in accessory in a zillion poses so every figure came with a different Grogu much like how figures once came with coins.

Given the nature of a The Vintage Collection figure, and budgets, and the timing of the release (and how far in advance Hasbro started to work on it) I would say this is an excellent figure. I wouldn't be upset to see another take on him if he appeared in a movie or a second season of the series, and I certainly would love it if Hasbro tried to do something really fancy like die-cast metal 3 3/4-inch droid figures with lots of paint and maybe less articulation. But I'm not in product development. Hasbro pat yourselves on the back here, you did a good figure for the price and I would be very interested in seeing what another few bucks could get us... or if this is good enough before hitting $30.

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

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,176: October 1, 2024

Star Wars Figure of the Day: Day 3,175: Moff Gideon (Walmart Exclusive 2-Pack, Epic Hero Series)

MOFF GIDEON | Bo-Katan Kryze
Epic Hero Series Deluxe Walmart Exclusive Figure 2-Pack
Item No.: No. F9376
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: n/a
Includes: Fire gauntlet, Cape, 2 jetpacks, Darksaber
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $19.84
Availability: August 2024
Appearances: The Mandalorian   

Bio: Imperial Moff Gideon once wielded the the ancient Darksaber, an artifact of great importance to Mandalorians. (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!

Commentary: You should give this figure a look. Unlike the Maul set, you get your money's worth in the Moff Gideon & Bo-Katan Kryze 2-pack - more so if you didn't buy the single figures. Each figure has different accessories in the vein of "just different enough to make you mad," but I'm willing to play ball because I like the format enough. The Gideon figure and his cape are the same as the single-carded release, but Hasbro dropped the staff in favor of a new backpack and a repainted gauntlet with a flame shooting out of it - which you've already seen with Boba Fett and Paz Vizsla. Which version should you get? It's all about the accessories, and if this one goes on clearance (and I bet it will) I'd favor what's cheapest. 

For those who don't want to read the whole thing, Walmart's main selling point on the exclusive?  Backpack.  Flamethrower.

We'll look at the single version soon, but I'm stating with this one because it was a surprise. Hasbro never announced it, which is a pity given it's the first figure they made of this figure in this outfit - it's of interest to collectors. It's a new figure sculpt, and it's pretty close to what you saw on the show. His armor isn't as glossy, and the lights on the TV show chest are missing. Other than that, it's pretty much what you expect out of a toy action figure - black armor, red trim. There's not a ton of detail on the show model, so it translates nicely to the toy with a slightly brighter color of red for his various highlights. He has five points of articulation and various connection points to bolt on a backpack, his cape, or a flamethrower. He has no traditional weapons, but you can bolt on that flamethrower and it fits nicely. You also have to choose between an exclusive-to-this-set jet pack, or his cape. They fit in the hole nicely, and as I write this Gideon has the jetpack and Maul has the cape. It's a really good cape with red lining that stays on nicely, and the jetpack sticks well too.

There aren't a ton of amazing flourishes here, but there are some. His jetpack has paint on the underside, with blue vents and holes where you could connect some sort of flames if they existed. Maybe you can 3-D print some and share your files with the rest of the class. The figure also has a blaster in his holster, but it isn't removable. It's just a nice detail, along with darts in his kneepads and vertical stitches in his pants that are a lot like Darth Vader's. Star Wars has a stock look for its bad guys - black, red, and probably obscured in the face - and this is no exception. The figure can't have the kinds of texture you see on the TV show at this price point, but I think Hasbro made something that is a satisfying release for what amounts to a glorified bureaucrat cosplaying as the king of the natives of a planet he was sent to administer earlier in his career. His helmet has little crown points and everything - it's very silly when you think about it, but the kind of man that sets up his base in a hole on a supposedly abandoned planet instead of one with a decent restaurant or a place to get pants is clearly not a serious man.

Given Hasbro has already produced The Mandalorian, Grogu, Bo-Katan Kryze, Ahsoka Tano, and Luke Skywalker, it would be nice to see them continue The Mandalorian cast in this format. And I mean any weird alien, any guest star. I'd love a Kenner-ized Cobb Vanth or IG-12. It would be a hoot to see those ramshackle Stormtroopers or Frog Lady. These are generally very nice figures for the price.

I wouldn't mind if Hasbro just ditched Vintage and made Epic Hero Series figures the new standard - provided they could shave them down from 4-inches to 3 3/4-inches at that time. I like this figure because he looks good, can use his gear, and remain standing. His legs swing forward fairly well and if Hasbro made vehicles for him, he'd probably fit like a champ. If there's a The Vintage Collection version of this costume I have no doubts it will have perfect deco, an alternate head, and amazing articulation - but it doesn't exist. Instead we have this guy for $8-$10ish, depending on which version you buy. I opened this one first and I think he turned out well enough. I'd recommend it, if only because I believe that this sub-line (which I hope lasts) is a great way to collect the characters in a non-fragile format at a price that doesn't make my wallet just sigh heavily and shake its head. I hate re-buying characters at $20... but $10? Or under $10? I can live with that.

Collector's Notes: I got mine fromWalmart. As Walmart exclusive toys for kids tend to be made in pretty big numbers, and in this case is shipping to even the smaller Walmarts (but not grocery stores), you'll probably have no problems finding this set.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 3,175: September 26, 2024