Figure of the Day: Day 1,082: Ahsoka Tano

AHSOKA TANO with Rotta the Huttlet
The Clone Wars Basic Figures
Item No.: Asst. 87638 No. 87810
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Number: #09
Includes: Lightsaber, backpack, Rotta figure
Action Feature: n/a
Retail: $7.99
Availability: September 2008
Appearances: The Clone Wars (movie/TV series)

Image: Adam Pawlus' TV tray.

Bio: Anakin's padawan Ahsoka both amuses and exasperates her master with her plucky attitiude and impertinent comments. She is tasked with keeping Jabba's son safe as she and Anakin try to escape their attackers. She affectionately nicknames the child "stinky" because of his odor, the characteristic stench given off by the Hutt species. (Taken from the figure's cardback.)

Commentary: Female Jedi are far and few between, particularly if they are characters with any dialogue. Ahsoka Tano has a lot to say, often to the point where she may have acted as an element to shake some fans off the whole Clone Wars bandwagon. Kids like her, though, or at least they do from what I saw people buying at retail. The figure is a pretty accurate recreation of the cartoon character, plus Hasbro basically put their best foot forward with her. Aside from a lack of ball-jointed elbows, she's essentially super-articulated with a grand total of 12 joints. Since there's some cloth forming her lower robes, she can actually sit without too much difficulty. A tiny piece of plastic hangs below her belt, but it doesn't get in the way of movement. Being an animated figure, there's also not a great ton of detail to be had here.

Collector's Notes: There are a few slight variations in how her face is painted, although these could probably be defined as changes in manufacturing more than anything else. It would be to your benefit to examine the face of the figure when you make a purchase. She has also proven to be fairly popular in some regions, which proves who is and isn't buying these toys. Adult collectors claim to hate her, but I've seen kids go away from the pegs disappointed on more than one occasion because the store was sold out of this one. Hasbro also stopped shipping her pretty quickly, and as such as of the time I write this she's selling for $20-$30 on eBay. See? That's what happens when kids want something-- the same thing happened when Transformers Movie Bumblebee was scarce for a period in 2007. While there are currently no known plans for a straight rerelease of this Ahsoka, a space suit version is due any week now and a poncho version should still be on tap for an upcoming battle pack. But if you want Rotta, this is the only way to go for now at least.

--Adam Pawlus

Day 1,082: August 6, 2009